Hermit Crab

Pagurus berhardus - Common Hermit Crab

Status: common and widespread

There are various types of Hermit Crabs including aquatic (water) and terrestrial (land) species. They inhabit areas from rocky shores, shallow, sandy bars to areas of greater depths.

More closely related to lobster than other crabs, the hermit crab lacks a hard carapace. Therefore they must adopt the shells of certain molluscs and will swap them for larger shells as they grow. There are times when hermit crabs will gather together and either fight for a particular shell (as seen in the picture below) or swap out each others shells.

When out of their shell, they can be vulnerable as their abdomen is soft and actually curls. The curling feature is what helps them hang on to their shell home. Typically the hermit crab is reddish-brown in color. They have larger front pincers which are used for defense.

Several species are used as pets with the most common being the Caribbean Hermit Crab. Hermit crabs can be quite useful in aquariums as they are scavengers that eat algae and debris. With the proper care, they can live several years as a pet.

With that being said, please do NOT remove hermit crabs from the wild. Usually the types of hermit crabs found in tide pools or in shallow water (like in my pictures) are aquatic hermit crabs. They will NOT survive in a home environment. If you come across hermit crabs in the wild, look, but don't touch. The reason my pictures are not detailed is because I did not pick them up for the sake of getting "a better picture." Enjoy them in their natural home.

Fun Fact:  Fossils of hermit crabs go all the way back to the Late Cretaceous Period!!

**All photos taken by me at Bolsa Chica State Beach.**

Poseidon's Noble Creation

 The HORSE!

First off, I have been away from this blog for far too long! So many things had me swimming around like a mad-mer! Some may know that I am a high school teacher and that plus taking sign language classes, surfing, swimming and volunteering had just kept me away. Now that summer is here I will be more devoted to the weekly sea critter posts.

Second, I know that the horse really isn't a sea critter, but many people don't realize that the horse is a creation of the sea god Poseidon (Greek)/Neptune (Roman). But why would a sea god create a land animal?
One story is that Poseidon created the first horse because he had desired the goddess Demeter (Greek goddess of the harvest; a land goddess). Demeter wasn't too keen on this crush and in order to put him off, she asked him to make the most beautiful animal the world had ever seen. Thus, after a couple of tries, he created the horse!

It is also believed that the horse represented the breaking crest in a wave. Horses, or  the Hippokampoi (fish-tailed horses) are often seen pulling Poseidon's chariot in art.

I have loved horses ever since I was a little girl. How could I not? They have been breed to help humans from day to day activities before the invention of machines. They have won wars, and also delivered peace. They have carried royalty on their backs. They are playful, sometimes stubborn, but if given the right love, they will love you back, and give you a special kind of trust, an earned one.

Sadly, not everyone feels the same way about horses as I do. Too often these animals are the subjects of abuse and neglect. People find themselves overwhelmed with the amount of care, time and money a horse takes and will just abandon their animal to die a slow death. Or, if a horse can no longer preform a desired function they will be auctioned off for slaughter, even though they have years of love and companionship to give.

Luckily for some of these horses, they are found and rescued by places like The Red Bucket Equine Rescue.
RBER takes in abused, neglected and slaughter bound horses, rehabilitates them and then adopts them out. They are an organization based on donations and volunteers. In August, I will be going to their volunteer orientation to work closer to the animal that I love. I am also hoping to adopt one of their horses. Please take a look at one of my prospects before and after pictures.
*Pictures are by the RBER - not taken by me*

Willow Before: 

Willow After: 

Isn't that amazing?!?! Go on, take a second look, I'll wait a minute!

With that I am asking for YOUR help! After all the years of wanting a horse, I am in a place in my life where I have the time, money and energy for a horse. I am just $500 short of adopting one of my prospects from RBER and would like your help. I am running a "fundrazer" (link below) and I also have an Etsy shop (site below). Any and all money from these two sites go directly toward my horse fund. If you don't wish to help me, you can still help the RBER by visiting their site:   www.redbucketrescue.org and give a donation through Paypal. In advance, I want to thank you!

Fundrazer:  https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/bJk8a?psid=1267c609433844c890842cf51303b790

Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/HBMermaidAngela  (please keep in mind I take custom orders, if you have any questions email me at: HBMermaidAngela@gmail.com)

Pantropical Spotted Dolphin

GREAT news! The dolphin drive season in Taiji has ended about a whole month early, sadly, on one of the last days of the season, 98 Pantropical Spotted Dolphins (including calves) where butchered for their meat. In honor of those 98 souls that have made our world more empty, here I am writing about this wonderful dolphin.

Stenella Attenuata (without ornament, plain)
Status: Least Concern

The Pantropical Spotted Dolphin (PSD), as the name suggests, is found in all the world's temperate and tropical waters. They belong to the same Genus as Striped dolphins (please read earlier post to find out more on this species).

PSD's have darker dorsal sides that are splotched with various lighter spots. They have lighter, to white bellies that sometimes have black spots on it. Calves tend to be spot free and gain their spots as the mature. They have long, thin rostrums that have a white line around it that give the appearance of lips. The sides tend to be three shades of gray.

There are believed to be three main subspecies of PSD including: "A" = offshore/eastern pacific, "B" = Hawaiian islands, and "Graffmani" = coastal/Mexico and Peru.

The PSD is a very active dolphin that travels in groups usually consisting of around 30 individuals but may be as many as 100. They are known for their aerial leaps and bow riding in front of boats.

Some subspecies are found swimming with yellow fin tuna which, before the 80's, led to the killing of millions of individuals. Thanks to the enforcement of dolphin-safe tuna, the PSD is now considered on of the most abundant dolphin in the oceans. Protected under certain acts, this dolphin is still taken for captivity (although not much is determined if they actually do "well" or not) and during the annual drive hunts that take these animals for their meat. As with all species of dolphin, their meat is high in Mercury and is quite poisonous if consumed over periods of time.

Currently, two PSD's are being held in what is considered to be the world's smallest tank in the Taiji Whale Museum.

These two dolphins are often display "catatonic" behavior as they do not have enough room to exercise. They also do not see the light of day as this tank is indoors.

What can you do to help stop the drive hunts? 1) Do NOT buy a ticket to an aquarium that houses dolphins and whales (including SeaWorld). Although SeaWorld may not get their animals directly from these drive hunts, they are the "grand daddy" of aquariums and their success only encourages the capture of wild dolphins and whales for use in entertainment. 2) Make others aware of the plight of these two dolphins in the TWM. You can check out SaveJapanDolphins.org for further information.

As with all dolphins and whales, the PSD is an intelligent, self-aware animal. They care for their young the same way humans do. Pods consist of several generations of family members. They are fully aware of their surroundings and have unique whistles that state their "names" as they encounter other pods. Their brains also contain Spindle Cells which only humans and great apes also contain.

Please enjoy the video below of PSD's in the WILD!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F4L44rB3PI

Manta Ray

Manta Birostris (cloaked)
Status: VULNERABLE

Sometimes refered to as the "Devil Ray," the Manta is one of the more larger species of Rays. The largest was measured at about 25 ft. across and weighed around 2900 lbs. They are found throughout the worlds oceans but mostly in warmer, tropial waters near coral reefs.

Mantas are usually dark on the dorsal side and lighter underneath. The pectoral fins are a distinctive triangular shape and they have two lobes in front of their large mouths, which contain 18 rows of teeth. Like other rays, they have a tail but do NOT have a barb and have never posed a threat to humans.

Mantas are filter feeders and strain plankton and fish eggs with their mouths. They are graceful swimmers that appear to "fly" under the water. They swim in large, sweeping cirles to catch prey.

Mantas are sometimes known to leap completely out of the water. When I was in Hawaii, I saw what I thought at the time were two dolphins coming up at the same time, when I kept watching though, I realized it was not dolphins, but a manta ray leaping out of the water. What I thought were two dorsal fins poping up where actually the tips of the pectoral fins of the manta. Our tour guide of the Pacific Whale Foundation explained to us that this can be a rare sight and that they will usually only jump out a maximum of two times in one "sitting." I felt myself to be extremely lucky to get to witness this first hand. My husband got to see the second leap. Below is a picture of a leaping manta. Sadly, I did not take this picture but it does represent what I saw.

The manta's only natural predators are sharks and orca. Although it is strictly protected in international waters, it is still threatened due to fishing and use in Chinese medicine. Remember that you can help save the manta ray from it's "vulnerable" status by picking up your trash from the beach, recycling whenever possible, and picking up loose fishing lines. Also make sure your seafood comes from a reputable and responsible source.

FUN FACT: A Tampa, FL baseball team are called "The Rays" and have the manta as their mascott!

F.M.L.

Filth.Muck.Litter

My usual post of a Featured Creature is being postponed this week for a different, but just as equally important topic....TRASH!!!

I have mentioned several times that I live at the ocean, and I have the benefit of going to the beach everyday. Everyday I bring a sand bucket with me and make it a point to pick up a full bucket of trash on the beach either before or after I go in the water. I don't do this for praise, or recognition, I do this because it is the RIGHT thing to do. I am an active surfer and swimmer and I don't like swimming in filth. A good day to pick up trash, is when I can't fill my bucket...this is rare. A bad day is when my bucket over flows with other people's trash...yesterday was a bad day.

Going down to the water I could already see the trash before I even made it there. Because the tide was rising, I decided to pick up the trash before going into the water. It only took a matter of minutes to fill up my bucket, and I hadn't even moved 10 feet away from where I laid down my surfboard. Usually I just stick to picking up a bucket full, but I couldn't stop. There was still SO much trash left. Needless to say, I picked up a total of 3, overflowing bucket fulls and 2 large hand fulls of trash. Included in this were 3 spray paint cans, at least 15 plastic bottles, 1 balloon, 1 glass bottle and countless other pieces of broken plastic and styrofoam.

As I threw away the last bucket full, for the first time ever, I was thanked by a fellow surfer. As I stated, I don't do this for the praise, but I have to admit, it felt really nice to be thanked for my efforts to not only make my beach experience better, to help make others experience good as well. Feeling pretty happy with myself I walked back down to the water and started to swim and catch some waves. As I got out, I looked down the beach and there....Litter. I became so dishearted. I started to think to myself, "Why do I even bother?" Every time I go to the beach, I pick up a bucket full just knowing that the very next day I will have to do the same. I started to feel that things only get worse, they don't get better. No matter how many bucket fulls of trash I pick up, there will always be at least 3 other bucket fulls that I didn't get to.

Over the years I have some pretty disgusting things...bottles (plastic and glass), balloons, condom wrappers and needles...YES, hypodermic needles, with needle still attached!! I started to leave with my husband and was thinking that what I do doesn't make a difference. There will always be someone throwing their cigarette out the window, leaving their trash at the beach, park, etc. But then, I turned around to take one last look at the beautiful water, and saw that the small area I was in was clean. Just sand, shells, seaweed and the occasional piece of drift wood. And as I looked I realized I do make a difference! I may not be able to clean up every piece of trash, but for a time being this small stretch of beach is how it's supposed to look...clean.

EVERYONE can make a difference! It doesn't take much effort to pick up a single piece of rubbish you see and throw it away in a trash can, or recycling bin. My back hurts after bending over so much and picking up trash, but when I know that that piece of trash will not end up in our waters, it is totally worth it. I may not be able to change everyone's mind, but if I am able to convince someone, either by them seeing me pick up trash, or reading this blog, to pick up at least one piece of litter, I will have made another difference for our oceans!

PLEASE, pick up after yourselves! Throw things away where they belong. Recycle whenever possible. EVERYONE makes a difference in this world, whether it is for bad, or good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YShGVggcHf4

Photo by Surfrider Foundation
Video by Paulphin Photography

Sea Otter

Enhydra Lutris

Status: ENDANGERED

The sea otter is one of the smallest marine mammals. Males typically weigh between 50 -100 lbs. and femals weigh typically 30 -75 lbs. They live in the Northern Pacific Ocean, off the coasts of California, Washington, Canada and Russia, usually inhabiting offshore areas seeking shelter in kelp beds/forests.

The sea otter does not have blubber to stay warm, but has a thick pelt with long waterproof hairs that sheds gradually. Their fur is usually a dark brown color with a lighter head and face. The sea otter is able to close it's ears and nose and uses it's webbed, hind feet and thick, flat tail to propel it underwater. It uses it's sensitive whiskers to find prey at the bottom of the sea floor.

It's diet consists mostly of molluscs, sea urchins and crustaceans. The sea otter will lay on it's back and use rocks or stones as a tool to smash it's food against so that it can enjoy the soft, tasty morsel inside. Although sea otters forage alone, they will form rafts (which can contain a couple of hundred individuals) to help prevent them from drifting out to sea when they are sleeping.

The sea otter is considered a "keystone" species. This means that their presence affects the ecosystem directly. Sea otters keep sea floor herbivores (such as sea urchins) in number and therefore protecting the kelp beds/forests.

Humans are the main threat to sea otters. Sea Otters do not have too many natural predators although they are occasionally attacked by orca and sharks, it is believed that they do not have an appeasing taste to most predators. The sea otter was widely used in the fur trade and at one time was actually believed to become extinct due to such low numbers. Sea otters were also hunted because some people believe that they are the reason for the decline of certain shellfish (which are also consumed by humans). No longer allowed to be hunted, the sea otter is still threatened by fishing line and nets. Oil spills are also another major threat to this beautiful creature.

Fun fact: The sea otter is my spirit animal.

Fun fact: Although the sea otter is a rarer sight in Southern California, many places in Northern California thrive on the tourism that sea otters bring in.

Striped Dolphin

In honor of the 40+ striped dolphins that were slaughtered yearly this week, I hope my post can help bring an awareness to this absolutely beautiful creature!

Stenella coeruleoalba (blue/white oceanic dolphin)

Status: Least concern

Found in temperate and tropical waters around the world, the striped dolphin is easily recognized by it's distinct black bands that circle the eys and run across the sides to the pectoral fins. The dorsal (back) side is usually light blue to gray in color with a white or pink ventral (belly) side. The fluke, pectoral fins and dorsal fin are all black in color. Males can reach the length of 8.5 ft. and females reach the length of 8 ft. Their main diet is fish and squid.

Striped Dolphins are Pelagic dolphins which means they live in deeper waters. They move in large groups which often mix with common dolphins. They are active swimmers that are oftn seen leaping and breaching. Due to the fact that they are deeper water dolphins, the Striped dolphin does NOT do well in captivity. Most Striped dolphins die within 2 weeks of capture due to stress and refusal to feed.

Although the Striped Dolphin is covered/protected by several acts, it is still exploited in certain parts of the world. Japan still "drives" this dolphin and uses the meat for food. Up to 8,000 - 9,000 individuals have been killed at the height of the hunt. Japan has voluntarily lowered this number as it is not a good canidate for captivity and the want of dolphin meat is actually on the decline. Water pollution and drift nets are also a major threat to this species.

Things you can do to help the Striped Dolphin are quite simple! Please, clean up your trash on the beach, pick up other trash you may find. Everytime I go to the beach (which is every day) I bring a sand bucket with me and pick up a bucket full of trash either before or after I go in the water. This not only helps the ocean and its inhabitants but it makes for a much more enjoyable time at the beach. After all, wouldn't you want to take a walk on the beach with only sand and shells and not have to worry about stepping on a sharp piece of glass?

Also, if you eat seafood, make sure it's coming from a sustainable company. Please be aware that some "dolphin safe" tuna products are NOT dolphin safe. Do your research and find companies that make sure they are using the oceans resources properly.

Last but not least, make others aware that dolphin meat is high in Mercury. It is poison! I will not use my blog as a debate over pro-captivity vs. anti-captivity, however when the dolphin drives are being used and the dolphins are being butchered, this meat is distributed to school children. It would be the same thing if your child went to school and they were handed rat poison at lunch. I will never say to boycott Japan as I have read many people trying to do. First, it is not ALL of Japan that supports these hunts, it is a select, greedy few. We need to EDUCATE people on this serious matter, not turn our backs on them. You can write to your Japanese Embassy and POLITELY express your concern(s).

Please enjoy the video below of some Striped dolphins in the wild!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI6pUxTQ_Zs