Nature

Vampire Bats

October 1, 2020 By Zola Zeester 2 Comments

Bats are the second largest group of mammals in the world (rodents are the largest) including more than 1,330 different species. They can be found on every continent (except frigid Antartica), and are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Habitats and diets of bats are varied, but most are nocturnal and bugs, both flying and ground dwelling, are their primary food source, each bat typically consuming several hundred insects in a few hours and a third of its body weight during one night of hunting. Only three bat species consume animal blood exclusively: the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundas) go for livestock, while the hairy-legged (Diphylla ecaudata) and white-winged (Diaemus youngi) vampire bats prefer birds.

It’s chilling to think about this bat sinking its teeth into flesh on a dark night, and visions from Dracula movies come quickly to mind. So, first impression—not much to love. However, studies of vampire bats have revealed their surprisingly amiable traits and extraordinary intellect.

Vampire Bats Don’t Suck, They Lick

First, we must address the most disturbing and frightening vampire bat behavior — they drink blood. The common vampire bat will feed on any warm blooded animal, but it doesn’t bite, suck and slurp out blood as shown in horror films. Rather, the process involves a painless bite with razor sharp teeth while the target is sleeping and lapping up about a tablespoon of blood. Rarely does a vampire bat feed on human blood, and the risk of rabies infection is minimal; however, incidents have been documented. Admittedly, this information is not altogether comforting. Let’s move on.

They’re Social, Sharing, and Caring

All three vampire bat species can be found in the arid to humid, tropical and subtropical areas of the Americas, from Mexico to Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Argentina and the island of Trinidad. They live in small and large colonies located in totally dark places, such as caves, old wells, tree hollows and buildings, and the relationships within the colonies are cooperative and caring. For example, vampire bats maintain social contact with vocal exchanges, and form strong bonds by engaging in social grooming and food sharing. They have been observed within a colony feeding a hungry bat in danger of starving by regurgitating and sharing a small amount of blood, and it’s believed the benevolence is later reciprocated by the grateful bat. Signs of true friendship.

They are Scary Smart

They need to be clever to survive in this hostile world, and have proven to be more than capable. Researchers are just beginning to understand the aptitude of these intelligent animals as lab experiments seem to indicate vampire bats can be trained to perform tasks and will retain the learning for a significant period of time.

Watch vampire bats in action, and learn more about their social behaviors in this short video (3 minutes) from Gerald Carter, a biologist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama.

BAT HOUSES: Bat species around the world are experiencing habitat loss. Placing an artificial roost in your backyard gives them a safe and comfortable place to live and is a great way to help them survive. Find out everything thing you need to know about bat houses and how to attract bats to your backyard → HERE

Information/Resources:
Common Vampire Bat, The Animal Files and National Geographic websites
Prepared Learning in Bats (Sept 11, 2016) social bat.org
What Can Vampire Bats Teach Us About Friendship? (Aug 11, 2016) by Leah Shaffer, sapiens.org
Vampire Bats, Wikipedia
The Art and Science of Bats, Smithsonian collections and study
Bat Conservation International (find out what the problems are and how you can help)
Organization for Bat Conservation

Find out about Bat Week – an international, annual celebration designed to raise awareness about the need for bat conservation (2020: October 24 – 31)

The photo of the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundas) was taken from the Field Guide to Amazonian Bats (2016, National Institute of Amazonian Research, Manaus, Brazil), López-Baucells, A., Rocha, R., Bobrowiec, P.E.D., Bernard, E., Palmeirim, J.M. & Meyer, C.F.J. The guide is free to view and download from the Tropical Conservation Bat Research Group website page.

Bat flying under a full moon feature photo by Flickr user, Jeroen Zwaal, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Creature Comforts

September 29, 2020 By Zola Zeester 4 Comments

We all need a safe, comfortable place to call home, and wildlife is no exception. Animals and birds need cover to protect against inclement weather and predators, and that can be difficult to find in your neighborhood without a little help from humans. Here are some ideas for creating wildlife homes in your backyards and gardens:

ROOSTING BOX

The birds that hang around instead of migrating south for the winter must hunt for a good spot to stay warm. A roosting box is specially designed to provided needed shelter for birds during the long, cold winter nights. Set one of these up, and make a bunch of birdies very happy.

BAT HOUSE

Bats do more good for our world than most people realize; eating insects, pollinating cactus and agave plants, and providing farmers nutrient-rich fertilizer via bat guano. Yet, bats are vulnerable to extinction as they are slow reproducing mammals and are threatened by climate change, deforestation, hunting, wind turbines and fungal infection.

By installing a bat house in your backyard, you’ll provide grateful bats a place to roost and a female bat a safe, warm place to raise a young, healthy pup.

TOAD HOUSE

Toads like to hang out in leaves and undergrowth and chow down on insects, but they also need a place to escape from sun and predators. Toad houses make the perfect little hide-away as well as add a little character to your outdoor space.

SQUIRREL HOUSE

Where there are birds, there will be squirrels eating from bird feeders and taking over bird houses. Giving squirrels a special place to call home will give them cover from weather and predators, and just maybe keep them away from bird sanctuaries.

NANCY’S BIRD BUTTER

In winter, food for wild things often becomes scarce. You can help backyard birds with full, easy to find feeders, and by offering foods high in fat and calories that provide the energy required to keep birds warm.

Nancy (@nk03262) shared her Nancy’s Bird Butter recipe in a 1/12018 post. It’s perfect winter bird food— “good for the birds and your soul”.

• Melt 16 oz lard and 2 cups crunchy peanut butter in the microwave in microwave safe bowl (mine takes 3 to 4 minutes on High to melt). It’s hot – Be carefull removing bowl.

• While the melt is happening — Mix 4 cups quick oats, 4 cups cornmeal, 2 cups flour, and 2/3rds cup sugar. Stir this mixture into the melted lard and peanut butter.

• Spread into a disposable 9 X 13 aluminum pan, and place in freezer. When solid, remove and let soften a bit, and then cut into 6 squares. Store squares in zip locs in freezer.

• Place one in a square suet feeder in your yard, and watch our feathered friends come with open beaks and gratitude, especially in winter.

• To keep squirrels out of the bird feeders, you need the right equipment, e.g. pole mount, wrap-around baffle and hanging baffle.

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Feature squirrel photo is courtesy of Pixabay/Pexels CC0

Birds of America

September 19, 2020 By Zola Zeester 1 Comment

Some time around 1820, French-American artist and naturalist, John James Audubon (1785-1851) started work on a personal project to paint every bird species located in North America, using unique methods and materials as well as extensive field observations. It was a tremendously challenging and costly endeavor, and many doubted Audubon’s ability to pull it off. In fact, the idea would seem a little wild & crazy even today with 21st century technology. But, Audubon was no ordinary guy. He was also totally committed to finding and illustrating every bird in North America for publication, working more than 15 years toward his goal and raising cash by teaching, selling art works, taking oil painting commissions, hunting and selling animal skins, and conducting exhibitions and demonstrations.

How to view and download John Audubon's extraordinarily beautiful illustrations in The Birds of America. — Common American Swan (The Birds of America, plate 411) is courtesy of the National Audubon Society, John James Audubon Center and Montgomery County Audubon Collection

The result of Audubon’s work is The Birds of America, first published in England as a series of 87 sets of prints between the years 1827 and 1838. Now considered to be the greatest study of birds in history as well as one of the greatest examples of book art, the original publication included 435 hand-colored, life-sized prints of North American birds on handmade paper that were produced from copperplate etchings and engravings with water-coloring applied by assembly-line colorists. An accompanying text (‘Ornithological Biography’) was written by Audubon and the Scottish ornithologist William MacGillvray and published separately in five volumes (1831-1839).

The cost of printing the first edition of The Birds of America was an amount equivalent to more than $2 million US dollars in today’s money. Audubon financed the massive print project with pre-paid subscriptions, but only the wealthy could afford the subscription price which limited the publication to no more than 200 complete sets. Consequently, more affordable editions were later produced using lithography and published during the mid-19^th century.

“The Birds of America’ will then raise in value as much as they are now depreciated by certain fools and envious persons.” — John James Audubon

Almost two centuries later, Audubon’s bird art is still captivating and revered among birders and art collectors, and his influence on ornithology and natural history has been widespread and enduring as The Birds of America and Ornithological Biography significantly contributed to the understanding of bird anatomy and behavior. Watching the short video, ‘Audubon’s Birds of America’ from the Lost Birds Project, you’ll get a sense of the massive beauty of these works of art as David W. Carson, curator of the History of Science Collection at Cornell University, conducts a private viewing of The Birds of America.

Six of the birds illustrated by John Audubon in The Birds of America are now extinct, and many more are endangered. Also — According to a recent study, North America has lost more than a quarter of its entire bird population during the past 50 years. [North America Has Lost 3 Billion Birds, Scientist Say by Nell Greefieldboyce (NPR, September 19, 2019)] ⇒⇒ Learn how you can help by visiting the National Audubon Society’s Action Center.

A copy of the complete The Birds of America series is available FREE of charge for viewing and high-resolution downloading via ⇒⇒ the National Audubon Society’s digital library, courtesy of the John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove in Audubon, Pennsylvania and the Montgomery County Audubon Collection. Be sure to check it out, and let John Audubon inspire your own creative work.

Audubon’s personal copy of The Birds of America is held within the Stark Museum of Art Rare Books & Manuscripts Collections in Orange, Texas. An original, complete series is on public display (one page is turned each week) in the Audubon Room of the Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. It was purchased by the university in 1839 for the astonishing price of $970 (equivalent to approximately $80,000 today). Undoubtedly, a wise investment. In December 2010, a complete first edition from a private collection was sold at a Sotheby’s auction in London for US$ 11.5 million (a record breaking auction price).

Other permanent public display locations: Trinity College (Watkinson Library) in Hartford, Connecticut; University of Pittsburg (Hillman Library); Liverpool Central Library; Woodstock Inn in Woodstock, Vermont; and the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (Ewell Sale Stewart Library) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Look around– there are surely more opportunities for viewing a first edition as there are currently 107 held by institutions, and many periodically offer special exhibits.

Information/Resources:
The Life of John James Audubon: The Naturalist (1869) [FREE ebook] The primary source material for this biography was Audubon’s notes and journals, written/edited by Lucy Green Bakewell Audubon and Robert Williams Buchanan. The JJ Audubon image is an engraving by H.B. Hall based on a portrait by Henry Inman that appears in the book.
John James Audubon – The Making of an American (2004) by Richard Rhodes*
Audubon’s ‘Birds of America’ at Yale: Creating a masterwork one feather at a time. Article by Mike Cummings, Yale News, June 30, 2015
“Ornithological Biography” or an Account of the Habits of the Birds of the United States of America Vol 4, (1838) by John James Audubon [FREE ebook].
Featured photo of Columbian Hummingbirds is from plate 425 of The Birds of America
Wikipedia: The Birds of America

If you just can’t get enough about birds, there’s more here ⇒ Bird ID Challenge (test your birding skills); Birdsong Melody (the music and magic of the mockingbird); The California Brown Pelican; and Fast and Fearless (the Hummingbird).

Audubon was the first, but there’s a new illustration of birds to get excited about! The Wall of Birds* tells the remarkable story of artist Jane Kim’s 2,500 square-foot mural celebrating the diversity and evolution of birds at The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. It took her 2 1/2 years to create the one-of-a-kind, life-size mural showcasing all 243 modern families of birds, and the book “is a visual feast, essential for those who love art, birds, and our natural world”.

*Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a book purchase you make via a link to Amazon within this page. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

The Endangered

September 4, 2020 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

‘Why should we care?’ With everything going on in the world, it’s a fair question.

All living things (including humans) are part of what is called the ‘biosphere’ (aka the zone where life dwells on Earth). It’s the name used to describe the entire network of countless ‘ecosystems’ around the world. Each ecosystem is a community of all the living and non-living things within a specific geographic area, and there are two major types, terrestrial (forests, mountains, deserts, grasslands) and aquatic (marine and freshwater), also many sub-ecosystems of all sizes and variety.

An example of a terrestrial ecosystem is the Amazon Rainforest in South America with 427 mammals, 1,300 birds, 378 reptiles, more than 400 amphibians, and around 3,000 freshwater fish (to name a few!), and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia is an example of an aquatic ecosystem (one of the 7 natural wonders of the world with 1,625 species of fish, more than 600 hard & soft coral, 215 species of birds, 30 species of whales & dolphins, 6 of 7 species of turtles, 133 varieties of sharks & rays, and 14 species of sea snakes). Located within the northern Rocky Mountains, northwestern Wyoming, southwestern Montana, and including Yellowstone National Park, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is “one of the last remaining large, nearly intact” ecosystems in the northern temperate zone of planet Earth.

The reintroduction of the Gray Wolf into Yellowstone National Park has had beneficial effects on the ecosystem and other species. — Gray Wolf photo: M Zanderling/Unsplash CC0

The Effect of Species Extinction

No one knows exactly how a species extinction will affect the other life within its ecosystem, but it’s clear that the elimination of just a single species can set off a chain reaction that is harmful to other species. This is especially true for what is known as a ‘keystone’ species as its loss can dramatically change the species composition of an ecosystem or destroy it altogether. An example of a keystone species is the Gray Wolf.

In the late 1800’s, wolf packs roamed Yellowstone National Park, but by the end of the 1920’s, they had been hunted down and eliminated. At the time, people considered the Gray Wolf a dangerous menace, and were happy to be rid of them. However, there was an explosion in the elk population without the Gray Wolf in Yellowstone, which in turn caused severe soil erosion and damage to brush and trees because such large numbers of elk were grazing within the park. In 1974 the Gray Wolf was added to the list of endangered species under the Endangered Species Act, and in early 1995, the first wolves were brought to Yellowstone from Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada. Since that time, the vegetation and trees have recovered, creating much needed habits for beaver, migratory birds, moose and other species, and the bear population has also been positively affected as bear as well as other species scavenge off wolf kills. But, it will take decades more research to understand the full extent of the Gray Wolf ripple effect in Yellowstone.

Sea Turtles have been living on Earth for 110 million years, and today they are listed as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. — Turtle Undercover, Delfi de la Rua/Unsplash CC0

Protecting Endangered Species

“Plans to protect air and water, wilderness and wildlife are in fact plans to protect man.”
— Stewart Udall (1920-2010), 37th US Secretary of the Interior

[su_dropcap]A[/su_dropcap]lthough extinctions of a species are a natural occurrence, the trouble we’ve got now is the rate of extinction is much higher than in the past, and there’s nothing ‘natural’ about it. A natural rate is about one in five species lost every year, but some estimates show the world is losing species at 1,000 to 10,000 times that rate, with dozens going extinct each day. If that doesn’t scare you, think about this — as many as 30-50% of all species are thought to be heading toward extinction by mid-century. Doesn’t leave much for future generations.

Compared to other countries, the United States has probably the greatest diversity of ecosystems within its borders, including more than 200,000 species. However, approximately one-third of its plants and animals are considered at risk today, and biologists have estimated that since the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620, more than 500 species, subspecies, and varieties of America’s plants and animals have become extinct. If you think back to your childhood, these numbers should not be surprising. I have happy memories of watching fireflies (we called them ‘lightning bugs’) blinking away on summer evenings, migrating Monarch butterflies returning in the spring, and the prehistoric-looking horny toads running about the backyard, and it’s disheartening to know there’s little chance to see these creatures again in such abundance, lucky to spot just one.

Recognizing the threats to the nation’s wildlife and plants, the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (‘ESA’) was passed with bipartisan support, and it’s become America’s “first line of defense against extinction” as well as “one of the world’s most effective laws for preventing and reversing the decline of endangered and threatened wildlife”.

ESA allows individuals and organizations to petition the federal government for a species to be listed as endangered (in danger of extinction) or threatened (likely to become endangered). These petitions are examined and evaluated based “solely on the best scientific and commercial data available” to determine whether a species should be protected. (Currently, there are about 2,300 species listed as endangered or threatened.) If listed, the law requires the development and implementation of a species recovery plan and protection of critical habitat areas. Populations are monitored, and the species is removed from the list when it is considered recovered.

NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Fisheries and the US Fish and Wildlife Service share responsibility for implementing ESA. NOAA Fisheries is responsible for endangered and threatened marine and anadromous species (fish born in fresh water, but live in the sea and return to spawn in freshwater, e.g. salmon, striped bass) while the US Fish and Wildlife Service handles terrestrial and freshwater species as well as several marine mammal like walrus, sea otters, manatees, and polar bears. The two agencies share jurisdiction over several other species such as sea turtles and Atlantic salmon.

Since its enactment, the ESA has helped dozens of species avoid extinction, and has an impressive 99 percent success rate. Under the protection of the ESA, the California Condor, Grizzly Bear, Okaloosa Darter, Whooping Crane, and Black-Footed Ferret have been brought back from the brink of extinction. Many other ESA protected species were removed from the list of endangered and threatened species after successful recoveries, including the Brown Pelican and the Bald Eagle — the bird chosen as the national symbol in 1782.

The Recovery of the Bald Eagle

“It’s just always an exciting sight to behold.” — Michael Pappone (Massachusetts birder)

From an estimated 300,000 – 500,000 in the 1700’s, Bald Eagle numbers got as low as 500 nesting pairs in the lower 48 states of US. In 1978, the Bald Eagle was listed for protection under ESA, and that triggered the bird’s remarkable recovery. By the late 1990’s, breeding populations could be found throughout North America, and the Bald Eagle was removed from the endangered and threatened species list in 2007. Recent estimates: 5,000 nesting pairs in the lower 48 states, and approximately 70,000 Bald Eagles in the whole of North America (Including Alaska and Canada).

Can we prevent extinction? No, not entirely. But, we can slow it down — get back to a ‘natural’ rate, and help preserve and protect life on this planet, including our own and the lives of our descendants. So, maybe the better question is — ‘Why wouldn’t we care?’

Photographing Endangered Big Animals Above and Underwater: Amos Nachoum from Big Animals Global Expeditions shares his inspiring adventures along with photography tips for capturing images of endangered wildlife. This includes Polar Bears underwater; Leopard Seals in Antarctica, Great White Sharks, and Nile Crocodiles. To watch the presentation, just click/tap the “Watch Again” button on the media player below ↓

Resources/Information:
The Extinction Crisis, The Center for Biological Diversity
United Nations Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) 2019 Report – One million species are at risk of extinction
Endangered Species Conservation, NOAA Fisheries
ESA Implementation Overview, US Fish and Wildlife Service
Boxscore – Summary of listed species populations and recovery plans, Environmental Conservation Online System (as of March 19, 2018, US Fish and Wildlife Service)
Animal Fact Sheets, Defenders of Wildlife
Wildlife Guide, The National Wildlife Federation (get to know the wildlife in your backyard and beyond)
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Species List, The World Wildlife Fund (endangered, vulnerable and threatened animals)
Species and Ecosystems, Nature Serve Network (where rare, threatened, and vulnerable species and ecosystems are found)
So What Is the Biosphere? Young People’s Trust For the Environment
Types of Ecosystem, ecosystem.org
Wolf Restoration, Yellowstone National Park
The Bald Eagle Population is Soaring, by Elizabeth Gillis (WBUR News, February 16, 2018)
The Future of Birds in Our National Parks, National Audubon Society (“New research underscores the need to safeguard and manage protected lands for birds and wildlife in a changing world”.)
Article by Alejandro E. Camacho and Michael Robinson-Dorn (The Conversation, January 11, 2018) Why turning power over to the States won’t improve protection for endangered species

[su_document url=”https://www.fws.gov/endangered/esa-library/pdf/Why_Save_Endangered_Species_Brochure.pdf” height=”800″]

Bald Eagle feature photo is courtesy of Patrick Brinksma/Unsplash CC0

Voyageurs

August 27, 2020 By Zola Zeester 2 Comments

This “More Than Just Parks” video, Voyageurs 8K, is a Pattiz Brothers Film, produced by Sea Raven Media. It was filmed during a few weeks time spent at Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota USA. The views are breathtaking, and will take you to a wonderful place. Watch in full screen and use earphones for the ultimate experience.

After eight decades of public and legislative contention, 218,054 acres of the lake country of northern Minnesota were established a US national park in 1975, Voyageurs National Park. The name of the park is in recognition of the legendary French-Canadian “voyageurs” canoe men hired by trading companies to transport trade goods and furs in the area during the 18th and 19th centuries. It’s a beautiful park with landscape, geology, wildlife and history creating an exceptional outdoor setting for an awe-inspiring visitor experience and year-round recreation.

There are 30 park lakes (40% of the area), providing open water for boating, canoeing and kayaking from mid-spring through mid-fall, and fishing throughout the year (ice fishing in winter). The eco-rich landscape and diversity of wildlife offer opportunities for hiking, birding (over 240 species, including bald eagles and osprey), and nature walks while the northern latitude location and dark skies make for excellent stargazing and a chance to see the Milky Way and northern lights. During winter months, the park becomes a frozen wonderland—perfect for snowshoe and cross-country skiing as well as snowmobiling over 110 miles of maintained trails.

Voyageurs National Park Information/Resources:
“The Heart of the Continent“, Voyageurs – National Park Minnesota
Voyageurs National Park Association

More Fun in the Parks: There are more than 400 US national parks available to everyone, every day. Most are free to enjoy, and the 117 that charge an entry fee offer fee-free days throughout the year. Use the search tools here → Find Your Park to find the perfect place to visit.

FREE To WATCH the Natural Beauty channel, an On2In2™ collection of short videos, including other More Than Just Parks films. It’s a great way to escape for a few minutes, and start planning your next outdoor excursion.

Located on the Island of Hawaii (the Big Island) in the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, Kīlauea is one of the most active volcanoes on planet Earth, and the fire goddess really puts on a big show. You’ve got to see it.

See the historic natural beauty of Bears Ears National Monument
in the high desert country of southeastern Utah.

The feature photo is a screen shot taken from the “Voyageurs” video

Art Underwater

June 2, 2020 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

“For Art may err, but Nature cannot miss.” — John Dryden, The Cock and the Fox

Underwater public arts projects created by the visionary Jason deCaires Taylor are not just unique exhibition spaces for divers and snorkelers to enjoy. They’re also examples of successful marine conservation efforts as the sculptures serve as habitats for all sorts of sea life which transform Taylor’s work into living, constantly evolving art that inspires an appreciation for the natural beauty of the mysterious world underwater. This video takes you there.

He had a very big idea — create giant cement sculptures and place them on the ocean floor in areas with barren sea beds. Then, in 2006, Jason deCaires Taylor founded and created the world’s first underwater sculpture park off the west coast of Grenada in the West Indies. It was a great success, and has been listed as one of the Top 25 Wonders of the World by National Geographic. In 2009, he co-founded an underwater sculpture museum, Museo Subacuático de Arte (MUSA), that includes a collection of over 500 of his art works in the waters of Cancun, Isla Mujeres and Punta Nizuc, Mexico. More underwater sculpture gardens followed in the Bahamas and Spain, and he’s currently working on a new project in the Maldives. In this TED Talk, Taylor shares his story and breathtakingly beautiful photography.

Jason DeCaires Taylor talk is courtesy of TED, CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International

Information/Resources:
Gallery: The sculpture garden at the bottom of the sea, by Kate Torgovnick May, Ted.com blog article (December 23, 2015)
Locations Map of the underwater sculpture exhibits around the world (Jason DeCaires Taylor Projects)

Underwater Sculpture Park – Granada, West Indies, Molinere Beauséjour Marine Protected Area

(listed as one of the Top 25 Wonders of the World by National Geographic)
Bahamas Reef Environment Education Foundation (BREEF) Sir Nicholas Nuttall Coral Reef Sculpture Garden (Included in the sculpture garden is, Ocean Atlas, a young Bahamian girl who appears to be holding up the ocean, and at 60 tons/18 ft tall, it’s the largest underwater sculpture in the world.)

Museo Subacuático de Arte (MUSA), Museum of art under the waters of Cancun, Isla Mujeres and Punta Nizuc (Viewing via glass bottom boat, scuba and snorkeling)
Museo Atlántico, Located near the south coast of Lanzarote, in the Bahía de Las Coloradas, Spain
Alluvia, Sculpture lies at bottom of the river Stour running through city of Canterbury in Kent, UK
Pemuteran Temple Garden (statues of Buddha, Ganesha, Turtles behind an ornate Balinese gateway, constructed as one of three Bali Reef Foundation/Australian Aid funded projects)

Dive In2 deep waters and explore the otherworldly beauty of ocean life Watch: Underwater Discoveries, an On2In2™ collection of short videos, Free-to-Watch, On-Demand

BIG, POWERFUL (sometimes dangerous), and a beautiful BLUE, the Ocean does more than its share to sustain life on Planet Earth. Saving Our Ocean

We’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to comment on this post, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’. Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy.

Feature photo is a screen shot taken from the Jason DeCaires Taylor Ted Talk video

Upsurge

June 1, 2020 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

“When it all comes together… it’s like, man, this is the moment.” — Ray Collins

Chris Bryan loves filming in the ocean more than anything. In fact, it’s his passion, and he says capturing the rare moment when first rays of light hit the ocean without any other person in sight is “unexplainable, its one of the most amazing feelings ever, its like my own personal therapy” to experience such “absolute beauty”. Chris shares some of these beautiful moments in his latest video project MOCEAN. Views captured by Chris for the video are like nothing you’ve ever seen before, and watching is nothing short of awesome.

In the water, Ray Collins creates works of art with his camera, and cinematographer/photographer, Armand Dijicks, brings Collins’ seascape photographs to life in the short video, The Infinite Now, by transforming the stills into cinemagraphs — beautiful and mesmerizing. Cinemagraphs create the illusion of motion by applying image editing software to composite a series of still photographs into sequential frames. The result is amazing.

Love the Ocean? See & Learn more On2In2™ ⇒ Underwater Discoveries Saving Our Ocean Cranking Surf

Ray Collins started out his working life in a coal mine, and has become an internationally acclaimed, award-winning ocean photographer. In the short video, Sea Stills produced by Malibu Media, Ray describes his inspiration and technique in capturing moments of water and light in a wave.

Information/Resources:
Chris Bryan Films – Cinematographer (watch more surf and underwater video)
Armand Dijicks (online courses, video tutorials and ebooks available)
Photographer Ray Collins (info on photos and book ‘Found at Sea’)

More FREE To WATCH, and Learn from the best photographers
→ Watch: Photography video channel for inspiration and → Pro Photo Tips for how-to-tips and advice

Feature photo is a screen shot taken from Ray Collins video, Sea Stills

Saving Our Ocean

May 31, 2020 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

The global Ocean covers 72% of the Earth surface, and it does more than its share to sustain life on Planet Earth. It feeds us, and is the source of the water we drink and the air we breathe. It provides precious minerals, metals and energy resources, and generates revenues and jobs in marine-related industries. Yet, we have failed miserably in protecting the Ocean from harm.

In fact, for too long, humans have exploited natural resources and misused the environment in such disdainful, foolhardy ways that as much as 40% of the world oceans have been severely affected by pollution, depleted fisheries, and loss of coastal habitats, and the escalating damage now threatens the survival of future generations. *Some sad facts:

6.5 million tons of litter enters the world’s oceans each year, and 50% is long-lasting plastic that will drift for hundreds of years before it is degraded.
80% of marine pollution comes from land-based sources.
Human health suffers from the contamination of coastal waters. [250 million/year cases of gastroenteritis and respiratory disease; 50,000-100,000/year deaths caused by eating infected shellfish]
60% of the Pacific and 35% of the Atlantic coast shorelines are eroding at a rate of one meter each year.
About 30% of the world’s reefs are seriously damaged and 60% could be lost by 2030.
75% of fisheries worldwide are fully exploited or overexploited. If habitat destruction and over fishing continue, the world’s seafood populations could collapse by 2048.
A 2019 report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns Earth’s oceans are warming and getting more acidic, and sea levels are rising at an accelerated rate

BIG, powerful (sometimes dangerous), and a beautiful BLUE, humans have a strong affinity for the Ocean. We love to play and explore at, in and near ocean waters as well as sit, walk and drive on a beach for hours. The sounds, smells and just the feel of the sea air seem to trigger a sense of peace and calm in the human brain, and there are also feelings of awe and joy in being so close to nature and wildlife. Unfortunately, the Ocean and sea life are suffering after many decades of human abuse and neglect, and there won’t be much left for future generations unless we stop the destruction and make big changes in how we live and care for this critical life force.

RIGHT NOW 💙 LET’S DO BETTER

You cannot get through a single day without having an impact in the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make. —Dame Jane Morris Goodall

♥ Each and every day, Be Mindful about energy consumption at work and at home. Teach children about the importance of energy saving alternatives, and enact eco-friendly company polices.

♥ Choose seafood that is sustainable. Express your concern should you notice a threatened species offered by a seafood supplier, on a restaurant menu, or at a grocery seafood counter.

♥ Try to reduce/eliminate plastic containers, straws and bags from your life. Reuse and Recycle when possible. Figuring out recycling rules and deciding what to do with household garbage every day can be confusing, but there are some basics that can help make it easier. ‘Plastic trash, what’s recyclable & what’s not’ Plastic Tide explains → Here However, recycling plastics doesn’t solve all the problems. Find inspiration from Art Transforming Trash and Emma Nelson’s 5 clever ideas to reduce the plastic in your life. If you live or work in an area that does not provide recycling pick-up services and/or has not yet adopted a plastic bag ban ordinance, get things going by voicing your concern and the community’s needs.

♥ Appreciate and Respect the Beach. Don’t litter. Clean up after yourself. Don’t interfere with wildlife. Don’t remove rocks or coral.

♥ Be Responsible when enjoying water sports and recreation. Brush up on ‘Ocean Etiquette’, and follow water and boating safety rules. Never throw anything into the Ocean. If you’re planning a cruise holiday, research to find the most eco-friendly options.

♥ Don’t sell or purchase products made of materials that harm marine life, such as coral, tortoiseshell, sharkskin.

♥ Be an ‘Ocean-Friendly’ pet owner. Look for sustainable seafood ingredients on pet food labels. Allow your dog only on designated dog beaches, never leave your dog unattended at the beach (keep on leash or under voice control), and if there is an accident, clean up the doggie poop. Never flush cat litter down a toilet. Avoid stocking aquariums with wild-caught saltwater fish, and never release aquarium fish into the Ocean or any other body of water.

♥ Support organizations working to protect the Ocean by giving financial support, joining campaign efforts, and/or volunteering Ocean Conservancy The World Ocean Network Green Peace The Ocean Project World Wildlife Fund O’Neill Sea Odyssey Sea Shepherd Sea Legacy

♥ Influence Change in Government. Research the ocean protection policies and voting records of public officials and platforms of political candidates before you vote, and let your representatives know you support laws that protect our oceans, beaches and sea life.

American voters: Click here to view environmental record of all members of Congress → National Environmental Scorecard Contact your state and federal representatives to let them know you support ocean conservation projects, and ask them to do the same (find your US congressional representatives → HERE

Australian voters: The Open Australia Foundation – Did I really vote for that? Discover voting records of politicians in federal parliament and official register of interests

Canadian voters: Keeping Tabs on Parliament – Find your MP, see what your representative is saying and what laws they are proposing

UK voters: They Work For You Search Parliament and Assemblies by name, party, position, and topics of debate

You’ll be surprised to see what lies
beneath the waves – Art Underwater

The “Underwater Discoveries” On2In2™ video collection
allows you to swim through the unique beauty of sea life,
without the dive gear. FREE to watch, on-demand

Notes

“Saving our Ocean” is an edited version of an article originally published on the “Zblog” by Zeester Media LLC

*Information/Statistical Sources: Ocean Conservancy, The World Ocean Network, and The United Nations (World Oceans Day)

⇒ June 8 is World Oceans Day Find an event & join the celebration of the world’s oceans→ HERE

⇒ International Coastal Cleanup Day is celebrated annually the third Saturday in September as hundreds of thousands of volunteers around the world comb lakes, rivers and beaches collecting trash. Here’s everything you need to know about volunteering to help in the cleanup → Start A Cleanup

How to turn plastic trash found on the beach
into a work of art → Art Transforming Trash

• The beautiful blue Ocean wave photo is courtesy of Emiliano Arano/Pexels CC0
• Ocean Heart photo is courtesy of Jeremy Bishop/Unsplash CC0

Monarchs on the Move

May 19, 2020 By Zola Zeester 1 Comment

A UNA MARIPOSA MONARCA (To a Monarch Butterfly)
by Homero Aridjis (translated by George McWhirter)

Tu que vas por el día
como un tigre alado
quemándote en tu vuelo
dime qué vida sobrenatural
está pintada en tus alas
para que después de esta vida
pueda verte en mi noche

You who go through the day
like a winged tiger
burning as you fly
tell me what supernatural life
is painted on your wings
so that after this life
I may see you in my night

Don’t know why exactly, but there is something special about a monarch sighting. Maybe it’s the mystery of where it’s going, where it’s been, or the mystical legend of monarchs as returning spirits of deceased loved ones. But, to watch thousands of monarchs flying en masse………..well, you just have to see it!

The Wings of Life – Monarch Butterflies is a short video from Disneynature studio that captures in spectacular time-lapse/high speed/macro cinematography many thousands of monarchs wintering in Mexico, with close-up views of these amazing butterflies in action. The video documentary was directed by award-winning nature filmmaker, Louie Schwartzberg, and narrated by Meryl Streep.

Monarch Migration
–One of the most remarkable natural phenomena on Earth–

The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is an iconic pollinator species native to the New World where it can be found from southern Canada to northern South America. Monarchs can also be found hanging out in other parts of the world: Caribbean, Hawaii, Cook Islands, the Solomons, New Caledonia, Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Azores, Canary Islands, Gibraltar, the Philippines and North Africa, and they make an occasional visit to the UK as an ‘accidental migrant’ (displacement is caused by storms, high winds, swift currents). Bright orange coloring with black and white markings make monarchs easy to spot, but they are commonly misidentified as the smaller viceroy butterfly (Limenitis archippus), another North American butterfly with similar pattern and coloring.

A monarch’s life is spent on the move, and it’s complicated. Each year in late summer to early autumn, millions of monarchs migrate thousands of miles south from central and northern US states and southern Canada to Mexico, Florida and the coastal areas of southern and central California where they make a winter home in large clusters of colonies high within trees. Taking advantage of air currents and thermals and traveling only during daylight hours (roosting in clusters to stay warm at night), the trip takes about two months, covering 50-100 miles a day at a flight speed of about 5.5 mph (9 km/hr). In spring, they make the journey back north.

During the spring migration northward, the travel itinerary is quite different as monarchs mate and produce four generations along the way. The first three generations have life spans of only 2 – 6 weeks, but each continues mating and moving north. The fourth generation lives 6 – 8, sometimes 9 months, and is the generation of monarchs that will migrate south for the winter. No one really knows how these later generation monarchs navigate their way to a winter home they have never before visited. Clearly, they must rely on instincts rather than learning as the last generation with knowledge of the route is long dead. Some experts have determined that monarchs must be genetically programmed to migrate long distances and use some sort of biological sun and magnetic compasses as orienting tools.

No other butterfly is known to make an epic round-trip migration as the monarch does every year. While this makes the monarch extraordinarily unique, the long journeys also cause monarchs to be particularly vulnerable to climate conditions and human activities that disrupt and destroy their habitat. Consequently, their numbers have decreased significantly during the last 20 years (a decline of more than 80 percent over the past two decades), and there is great concern that monarch migration is at high risk of failure. Conservationists, scientists, and federal, state and local organizations in the United States, Mexico and Canada have begun efforts to stop the destruction before it’s too late, and yes— everyone can do something to help monarchs and have fun doing it!

• Create a Monarch Habitat Make a special spot for monarchs. Maybe it’s just a small pot on your front steps, patio or balcony, a backyard garden, pasture, farm or ranch land. Plant milkweed and nectar plants that are native to your area and free of pesticides, insecticides and neonicotinoids.

• Help Scientists Study Monarchs

• Get Involved as a Community Join forces with friends, neighbors and colleagues to develop ‘monarch friendly’ landscaping at schools, businesses, community parks and gardens, and urban green spaces with native plants and wildflowers for monarchs.

• Garden Organically Using organic methods in your garden will reduce your impact on monarchs, their food plants and other pollinators.

• Support Conservation Efforts

• Spread the Word about Pollinators, Conservation, and How to Help It’s easy to get started with this one — Share this article with your friends!

Monarch travel many miles in migration, and there are things each of us can do to help monarchs survive the journey — Monarch on a Thistle, Lake of the Ozarks, by Sean Stratton/Unsplash CC0

References/Information Sources [To learn more about helping monarchs, check out these selected resources]:

Monarch Butterfly Basic Facts, Defenders of Wildlife website

Monarch Migration, University of Minnesota website, Biology & Research

Migration and Overwintering, USDA Forest Service website

Monarch Butterfly Migration Interactive Map It’s fun to keep track of monarch migration. This interactive map has the best up-to-date info on Spring 2017 first sightings (January – July). Check it out, and report your sightings, too.

Monarch Migration Could Collapse as Population Remains Low, Center for Biological Diversity (March 5, 2018) More milkweed needed! The count of monarch butterflies overwintering in Mexico (released 3/5/18), shows a decrease from last year’s count, and “confirms the iconic orange and black butterfly is still very much at risk”.

The Monarch Butterfly is in Trouble —You Can Help! US Fish and Wildlife Service

“Monarchs Still Need Your Help” (Open Spaces, US Fish & Wildlife blog, 2/14/2017)

How to Build a Butterfly/Pollinator Garden in 7 Steps, US Fish and Wildlife Service (May 18, 2016). Regional Milkweed Planting Guide –The Xerces Society website

Study Monarchs: Citizen Science Opportunities. How to help scientists count and track monarchs.

Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve Located within rugged forested mountains about 64 miles (100 km) northwest of Mexico City, researchers first discovered monarchs overwintering within the area in 1975. It was designated a federal reserve in 1980 by presidential decree and a World Heritage Site in 2008.

WWF Monarch Butterfly Tours – Ecotours of central Mexico provide an opportunity to observe and photograph large colonies of monarchs at their remote winter roosting sites in the highlands of central Mexico. “The Kingdom of the Monarchs” 2018 tour dates are scheduled January thru March.

Myth and Mystery in Mexico’s Monarch Kingdom, Good Nature Travel (October, 2009)

“Migration: The Biology of Life on the Move” by Hugh Dingle (Oxford University Press, 2014)

Nature is full of extraordinary sights to experience and explore, and talented photographers bring it all to life on your screen. You’ll be amazed! Watch and discover Natural Beauty via On2In2™ selected videos. Free to Watch – On Demand

Feature photo of monarch butterfly is courtesy of Pixabay/Pexels CC0

Among The Trees

May 7, 2020 By Zola Zeester 4 Comments

“No more walks in the wood;
This is the aftermath
Of afternoons in the clover
Fields where we once made love
Then wandered home together
Where the trees arched above,
Where we made our own weather
When branches were the sky.
Now they are gone for good,
And you, for ill, and I
Am only a passer-by.”
— John Hollander, An Old-Fashioned Song

The Life and Loves of a Tree

We start loving trees as children because they are so much fun to climb and offer endless playtime adventures and hiding-out opportunities. As we get older, explore and learn more about trees, we find more to love and cherish.

Trees do many good things for the world — like cleaning the air, providing oxygen, and protecting us against a changing climate (to name just a few), and trees have incredible healing and restorative powers along with an ability to spark creative and spiritual inspiration. Just a short walk in the woods can lift your spirits. And, take a look around along the way. You may be surprised at what’s really going on among the trees.

A forest is actually a lot like a community of social beings. Yes, that’s right — trees in the forest are social, sharing, caring and also smart, having evolved to live in cooperative, interdependent relationships through communication and collective intelligence. And, all this extraordinary interaction among trees is happening underground, just inches below the surface.

Suzanne Simard, a professor of forest ecology at the University of British Columbia’s Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences in Vancouver, studies the below-ground fungal networks that connect trees and enable their underground “inter-tree” communication and interaction. In her TED presentation How Trees Talk To Each Other, Suzanne describes her field research (which included some tense moments with a bear) and the exciting discoveries during 30 years of study. [Ted Talk, courtesy of TED, CC BY–NC–ND 4.0 International]

Peter Wohlleben’s international best-seller The Hidden Life of Trees (2015) fascinated readers to the many wonders of the forest. In a new, illustrated edition, beautiful images provide the perfect complement to the original book, with striking close-ups of bark and seeds, panoramas of vast expanses of green, and a unique look at what is believed to be the oldest tree on the planet. [If you purchase a book via the link here to Amazon, Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase

FOREST THERAPY
Go To The Woods – Breathe Deeply – Be At Peace

In Japan, shinrin-yoku (forest bathing), is the practice of spending time within a forest to benefit from its therapeutic powers as well as to enjoy being surrounded by nature. Introduced in the early 1980’s as a Japanese national health program, it has become a popular healing practice throughout Japan and around the world.

Forest bathing activities may include relaxation techniques such as mindful meditation, yogic breathing (yoga deep breathing exercise) and aromatherapy as well as walking or simply standing in a forest absorbing it all through the five senses (sight, touch, smell, sound and taste). For the best experience, participants are encouraged to select a safe, secure forest and relaxation methods that best fit their needs and preferences.

Forest Bathing – Forest Therapy Society (Tokyo, Japan)
Association of Nature & Forest Therapy – find a forest bathing guide, workshops and programs

Technical Recreational Tree-Climbing, a style of tree climbing requiring special equipment and techniques, continues to grow in popularity as an enlightening outdoor experience with therapeutic benefits as climbers ascend into the crowns of tall trees and canopies of forests. Basic training is essential to learning how to use the ropes, saddles, and techniques safe for both the climber and tree.

Once a year, Tim Kovar, an adventurous arborist and tree climbing instructor, takes a few people on a climb up one of the tallest trees in the world — an 850 year old California redwood called the Grandfather. It’s a summit Tim says less people have attempted than Mt. Everest.

Go Tree Climbing – The Global Organization of Tree Climbers provides information on training, climbing programs, and safety. Tree Climbers Rendezvous 2018 is a tree climbing event open to all levels of experience, scheduled to be held in Costa Rican Cloud Forest August 24-28.
Tree Climbers International – promotes tree climbing as a safe recreational activity for people of all ages, and offers recreational tree climbing courses from basic to advanced.

Information/Resources:

Do Trees Talk to Each Other? by Richard Grant, Smithsonian Magazine (March 2018)
Alternative Healing, A Walk in the Forest by Catie Liebeck, Pulitzer Center (April 25, 2016)
How Trees Calm Us Down by Alex Hutchinson, The New Yorker (July 23, 2015)
Immerse Yourself in a Forest for Better Health, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

When You Give a Tree an Email Address, by Adrienne LaFrance, Atlantic Monthly (July 10, 2015) The city of Melbourne assigned email addresses to trees so that citizens could report problems with a specific tree. Instead of reporting problems, people wrote thousands of love letters to their favorite trees.

Find a Forest Near You – interactive map & online search tools to help you find forests in US and Puerto Rico
10 Incredible Forest Walks To Add To Your Bucket List by Richard Madden, The Telegraph Travel/Tours (August 7, 2017)

Want to get involved and help trees? Our world can certainly benefit in many ways with more trees. Here’s a list of just a few of the organizations dedicated to planting trees and restoring and protecting forests around the world:

National Forest Foundation – Nonprofit partner to the US Forest Service (chartered in 1993) that promotes health and enjoyment of America’s forests with community involvement, tree planting programs, collaborative research, funding grants, and information resources

Arbor Day Foundation – Nonprofit conservation and education organization that provides information and support for the planting of trees in cities and communities and restoring forests around the world. [Search for Arbor Day celebration dates across America and around the world → here]

Tree People – A nonprofit organization that inspires and supports the people of Los Angeles, California to plant and care for trees, harvest the rain, and renew depleted landscapes.

3 Ways To Get Involved – Crowtherlab – Includes a global interactive map and list of organizations to help you learn more about tree planting and forest restoration and find a project you’d like to support.

Feature photo is courtesy of Spring Fed Images/Unsplash CC0

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Monarchs on the Move

Among The Trees

MUCH 2 SEE

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JUST LAUGHS

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ROOSTING BOX

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TOAD HOUSE

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RIGHT NOW 💙 LET’S DO BETTER

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MUCH 2 SEE

THINGS 2 DO

PLACES 2 GO

PEOPLE 2 MEET

FOOD & DRINKS

JUST LAUGHS