Coral Reef Resource to bookmark

Online Coral Reef Resource Now Available at reefrelieffounders.com

Dear friends and Reef Relief founders Craig and DeeVon Quirolo retired from the Key West based grassroots organization last July, only to begin a comprehensive effort to provide an online resource on coral reefs.  Their new website provides all the award-winning educational tools, grassroots strategies, project reports and images of coral reefs assembled during their work over the past 23 years in the Florida Keys and throughout the Caribbean protecting coral reefs.  You can find it at www.reefrelieffounders.com.
“We just wanted to insure that others can learn from our experiences and continue the important work of saving endangered coral reefs,” noted DeeVon in a recent note.  “Craig’s image archive from all the years he monitored coral reefs, especially those revealing new coral diseases, are invaluable to researchers, students, media, divers and the general public to learn about coral reefs.  We hope to inspire a new generation of sea

Madrid — The Oceana Ranger catamaran is equipped with a robot that has dived down to 500 meters depth to film species that are rarely spotted, or have never even been seen, in the Canarian archipelago.

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The goal of the expedition is to identify areas that should be turned into marine protected areas. Only 2.7% of the EU’s marine surface area is protected, but the United Nations calls for 10%.

Oceana has found around a dozen species in the Canary Islands whose existence in the archipelago was unknown until now. Glass and rock sponges, ball, white and black coral, and armored searobin are some of the species that have been found. A wide variety of rare species, or species for which hardly any biological information is known, were also able to be filmed live, including channeled rockfish, anglerfish, silver and pink gallo fish, fan coral, bathyal sea fans, Venus fly-trap anemones, and lollipops sponges.

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HD PodCast - Got KIDS? Too bad.

Too bad more television shows are not produced for young kids. I hear complaints from parents who state most children programming is animation cartoon based. One DVD called The Reef has animated fish, but they don’t teach anything about the Ocean. The fish character speak English, have human-like roles, engage in social situations about every aspect of life with little to nothing about the reef or fishes. Have you ever seen a fish talk? So what is the educational message?

How about a television show about the Ocean in a format kids can enjoy? Young kids can’t experience the reef so let’s bring the reef to them.

Perhaps there is enough kids programming to satisfy the federal mandate, but few are designed to engage kids with science on their level or drive them to the local aquariums. Just more of the same after school cartoons. Boring…

With the exception of the host, this is a concept for kids. Unfortunately I missed the awesome opportunity to attend this year’s National Geographic Producers Workshop @ WGBN Boston. Gives my team a year to wait and hope we are selected next time. What a team!

• Host: Paul Dymon (temporary, cheap, stand-in for real talent)
• Voice of GOD: Bob Cummings (free labor)
• Announcer: Garry Lee Rosenberg (illegal alien)
• Music: (stolen from) Garry Lee Rosenberg
• ICE: Remote from Key West (slave labor)

NO ACT OF KINDNESS SHALL GO UNPUNISHED!

Best view is the HD PodCast on iTunes:  “CLICK” or try the pop-up player.

The second video is seven minutes filled with fun and laughs.

I found a very interesting government study based on research from 25 nations took park in the International Polar Year, 2007 – 2008. Follow both links.  Over 500 researchers [collectively and cooperatively] discovered dozens of new species in the polar seas.  That’s right seas with an s, plural.  Both polar seas have species in common that are just now discovered.

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We have seen out into space to the beginning of time; the big bang. We can detect what a star is burning for fuel thousands of light years away, and yet the earth beneath us holds so many unsolved mysteries.

The newly discovered species are mostly invertebrates; simple life-forms without backbones, but all total as many as 235 species were found in both polar seas, including five whale species, six sea birds, and nearly 100 crustaceans.

The question is; With the same species at both poles separated by nearly 7,000 miles, where the pole regions connected in the evolutionary process? During the last ice age, or maybe the ice age before that?

The Earth is a dynamic planet meaning it is always changing, evolving in random cycles and that includes temperature. We just happen to live during a very nice period, so enjoy it.  But also take care of it as best you can.

NEWS FLASH: buried on PAGE 14 - Arctic ice sheet discovered

Earlier this week it was reported the global ice sheet was underestimated.  In their defense, there is a tremendous amount of ice on the Arctic Circle.  How much ice was found amounts to the size of California.

On the other hand: How the heck do you miss something the size of California?  The good news is we have more ice.

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PodCast # 008 is about another predator. Why? Because the web is good for bringing quick hits, shock value, what I call “kick-in-the-ass” content. Suddenly here comes HD2O.tv underwater video where everything is soooo sloooow, or is it.

• Ocean Fun Fact: Did you know the baracuba can swim at speeds reaching 30 MPH? Take a look at this Great Barracuda he’s hunter and predator they may follow divers, as they do larger fish, in the hopes of scavenging remains.

About this shot: As quickly as I got “ICE” to turn the camera this cuda snapped up a small fish near his leg.  Look closely; the minnow is in his teeth as he turns off to eat what remains.

Good thing barracuda don’t like the taste of humans?  You bet! because he sees us long before we see him. We’d have no chance, so remember ” Do No Harm” in hopes that no harm come to you or your fingers which could be gone in a second if you mess with this magnificent animal in his domain!

Remember: these clips are HD so they are large.  I recommend using the ‘pop-up player’ and they may take a moment to start.  For best viewing jump over the iTunes and subscribe to our HD Podcast! For absolute best viewing get the DVD from our store here, Or we send a barracuda to your home for a little visit.

Ask a Scientist: How sharks breathe varies by species :: Saving the Sharks :: Care2 Groups.

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This is an excellent explanation of how fish and some sharks draw water with muscles to breathe.

Answer-link :   (by Dale Madison, professor of biology at Binghamton University):

Video Post: Stupid people in South Africa sell the chance to jump into a cage for a cheap thrill while they jerk food from the sharks, from the safety of a boat. They take tourist to ’shark alley’ and tease these majestic animals. Sharks are the top of the food chain, and the operator is teasing them calling it Eco-Tourism.  If this is somehow appealing to your ego? Imagine someone knocked your lunch on the floor. Then your friends come along and they jerk their lunch too.  Would you bite back? What happens to the next diver who doesn’t feed the shark? Now resident sharks in these fast food feeding zones expect man to show up with fast-food which might one day be a human life. This activity has altered the sharks behavior.

Take a look at what happens in this video. I can only hope the government of South Africa takes immediate action against the exploitation of Nature’s most magnificent predator before the next…

VIDEO in this FLOG ARTICLE - People who know my wife and me know we were the foster family for a Capuchin monkey. Lacey spent a few years with our family and we worked with her every day. We knew that training would be paramount in the level of care she could provide.

The smarter the animal the harder it is to train and the longer it takes to develop skills. Dogs, we can all agree, are pretty smart. Next to a primate intelligence however there is a large gap. They don’t have the same set of skills. A real smart dog is the golden retriever, which is why this bread is used as Service Dogs.

It takes two years to get a Canine Companion for Independence up an running. (not to mention about $10,000) Compare that to a Helping Hands Capuchin, one of the most social and most intelligent primates, which takes 12 - 15 years.

Granted the Capuchin service monkey has a greater responsibility caring for a high-quad. I recently found this clip on the Helping Hands web site and wanted to share it here. Be prepared to be amazed!

Welcome to Monkey College at Helping Hands.

 

 Monkey College at Helping Hands: Play Now | Play in Popup

My family fostered a Tufted Capuchin monkey named Lacey for HelpingHandsMonkeys.org

The species is highly intelligent and with four hands, very dexterous. She could open a padlock with the key, even determine the correct key from several. The only thing missing is ‘group cooperation’. We support Helping Hands through our store. Get the 5-image series here of Lacey the Capuchin and support their

Recently had the privilege of interviewing underwater photographer Stephen Frink in his gallery on Key Largo. My first opportunity to see some of his work in person; not in a magazine. Here’s his response when asked about his favorite animal to photograph. It is an opinion and position he had long before it was fashionable.

I find myself often questioning the intelligence of humans. The average person spends more time choosing a new car color than choosing a president. As a nation we’re loose ground to third world countries; we’re not too overly concerned. We’ll call it a ‘darn shame’ and toss money at it again. We sulk and sink into a great national depression if the home town b-ball team doesn’t bring home the prize. Forget having an open discussion on religion- unless you don’t mind being nailed to a wall. Just as radical are computer platform wars; I’ve been known to aggrevate a few lively discussions.

But animals are intelligent. Far more so than the average human is aware. I have seen proof in my life and have participated in the ‘development of animal intelligence’ training Service Dogs, Assistance Monkey, and I have most recently experienced Therapy Dolphins www.islanddolphincare.com And scientists claim they’ve barely scratching the surface. Science discovers amazing things about animals each year. Here is very interesting study to explore the intelligence of African elephants and to bolster our own ‘intelligence of animals’. LOL
Nature camera artist Martyn Colbeck treks alongside African elephants. His video documentary spans over 15-years and reveals the most stunning interactions not just of elephants, but of wild elephants accepting humans in their midst. , accepting him as one of the family. Can you imagine such an encounter? Lying with 15 sleeping elephants? The snoring? Colbeck watched and filmed a wild birth. You have to see this documentary come true in 2007. They demonstrate for him their astonishing feats of memory in the finding of water holes. The second half features the development of a baby, Ebony, in Nature’s daytime soap opera. The plot includes a kidnapping by a neighboring herd. You’ll have to tune in to find out what happens. As Colbeck states; and this is the guy who has studied, observed, and filmed 15 years, these African elephants exhibit community cooperation, group aggression and teamwork to accomplish family goals, family tenderness and party atmosphere, joy and sadness, but mostly intelligence.

Calling Martyn Colbeck only a cameraman is unlikely. His observations and documented elephant activities from forest to desert are unprecedented. His documentary a must see. Here’s a preview of the documentary on PBS Nature, see the Elephant preview dated 1/24/2008:

Get HD2O under sea media. Your purchases help make the important work of Island Dolphin Care possible.

Interested readers can jump to: elephantconservation.org/ AND: nationalgeographic gorillas-weapons

I was so fortunate to spent four days with an Asian elephant and her crew. A group of California ranchers had her brought in as the very special guest of their annual round up. Day one: The sunrise directly behind as the elephant comes over the ridge with riders. The horses and men go wild and the sound rises from her footsteps to a roaring canyon. She paused for perhaps ten seconds. The trainer whispers, scratching some tiny piece of her. After a few more seconds we led her down into the valley. Day three: The ranchers do a trail ride. The elephant was disappointed when the trainers stopped her to the tree line. She wouldn’t have fit. That day we roamed the lush green valley in a small group. She would trumpet and listen for the horses to return. In that moment, it was amazing to be accepted (in a small way and for only four days) by that magnificent giant. There is nothing to explain her affection and care for me. I could see it in her eyes. Martyn Colbeck is a Hero for his cinematographic body of evidence.

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Congratulation to Stephen Frink and Divers Alert Network on his joining the Board. [Jan-Feb 2008 alert diver pg 9] He’ll be a great asset to already invaluable services. This is a video embedded post of an interview with