Mantis Babies! Woot!

I've always loved these little guys, and today I hatched around 200 of them.

Talk about mass reproduction...

Anyway, they seem full of personality already: pushing eachother off of the water swab, leaping like kamikazis off of the branches, boxing at eachother like MMA fighters, but of course it's all in the genes. They were born to be powerful, assertive hunters. And even as newborns, they don't fail to show it.

I released the little hatchlings onto a butterfly bush in my yard. It took me a full hour and I only stopped when the lightning and rain began to role in, and I still have about a dozen left to release tommorow morning.

If that's not enough, I have around 150 to 300 more on the way. There's another egg case in there ready to hatch.

I'm a busy mother.

But I knew their biological mom last summer, when she waited on the bush for tiger swallowtails and moths to eat. I named her Dragon, because mantids have a true dragon-like appearance with their folded arms and arching necks. Even when I returned back from my vacation in Maine, she was still there, I remember. Fatter than before, I assumed she had recently eaten a large swallowtail.

I guess while I was away she took the opportunity to bring a male into the picture...

Anyways, her offspring are out in the world at one day old, shes got 150 to 300 on the way, and about a dozen in line for release in the morning.

I have to wake extra early before the birds begin to forage.

I want to keep one in the container for care. I left bananas outside beneath the bush to bring in some fruit flies.

Let's just pray that no night-time visiters (cough cough raccoons) come to spoil the fun.

So good night everyone, and wish me luck!

-Your fellow biologist,
     Ashley Marie

I've been Writing a Book!

Take a look at a rare new glimpse of the Hispaniolan rubber frog!

 You looked? Great.

Now with that set aside I'd like to inform you guys that I am currently writing a book. I will post little snipbits of it for you people, it's a sci-fi novel.

It takes place in the future, hundreds of feet beneath the ocean in an underwater dome, centuries after humans have ceased to exist on land.

The heroine? Gail.

An orphan living with her grandfather, the top biological professor in the Pacific ocean, taken under his wing to learn about everything from polyps to nanobots.

Here's a peek:

"The dancing shadows and lights created by the water on the other side of the glass wall seem to wrap around my arm; a sleeve of invisible life, absorbing its power from an indirect source.

            “Gail?” The dignified footsteps were all too familiar, and the sound of them triggered an automatic response.

            Swiveling the seat around, I caught Grandfather’s gaze. His eyes were wrinkled, knowing, and green. Green as if they had been grown in the soil and positioned into his face. They had seen many years, and his arms were old but rather toned. His hair not lost, fell as dry, brittle, gray strands on his shoulders. Grandfather’s clothes were always charcoal or tan, with that same button-down coat every day. Regardless of the temperature, that long coat was always on his shoulders, completely buttoned, and secured tightly by the attached belt. To take his coat was to risk your life, and with good reason.

            “Yes?” It was somewhat of a delayed response. Not too long, but long enough to make him gaze at me differently than usual.

            He pointed a wrinkly finger into my face as he pulled up a rolling chair. “I, for one, have made a remarkable discovery.”

 “Will it help us?”

            “Certainly. The council will have to fund the onshore expedition now.”

            The onshore expedition. He had been planning for that expedition for nearly a decade. He would pour over construction designs, notes, yellowing documents into the latest hours of the night, into the early hours of the morning, even into noon. I would walk around the dome as he slept for many hours, catching up on the precious rest that he had pushed aside. The council of P2, our dome in the central Pacific, was a selfish, stubborn one, if not wicked. It comprised of twelve stuck-up members who had nothing better to do than deny requests that involved any spending on their part, or rather, any trouble at all."

That's all I'm showing for now! Stay tuned :)

The Take on Dolphins, Captivity, and My Views.

"It is of interest to note that while some dolphins are reported to have learned English - up to fifty words used in correct context - no human being has been reported to have learned dolphinese.”

"The Cove" Extended Clip w/ Japanese Subtitles from Dolphin Project on Vimeo.

We are a species who has pressed on through nearly every trial the Earth has thrown upon us, yet we can't seem to grasp the importance of preserving other species through the endless trials we throw upon them.

We are humans. We strive to learn about every corner of our planet, every inch of our bodies, every aspect of our mind, yet rarely do we seek to understand the minds of the other species that inhabit Earth with us.

Yet, there are those few people that do try to seek out the other organisms, that do struggle to grasp what they are feeling and set aside their own to preserve that. I believe that as human beings who have inhabited and also destroyed this planet for Lord knows how long, it is our job, our very purpose, to do what is right.

Yet, more often than not, we are too ignorant to do so.

Stuck in our ways, we continue to destroy the last frontiers of Earth. We continue to strip the rights of existence from other species, from the smallest, to the largest.

And yet, we still continue to insist we are more human.

However, as I write this personal message, I must stress that I have also been ignorant in some of my ways, and we can all improve.

But, this isn't about every animal, or the environment, or reducing, reusing, recycling;

This is about the dolphins.

It has been one of my upmost concerns in terms of the ocean, and the ecological issues that string across our globe. I have done essays, projects, petitions, donations, studies, everything I can possibly cram into my mind I have crammed, just to understand how people could slaughter thousands of dolphins a year for the sake of profitable gain.

I first became aware of the scale of this issue when I first watched "The Cove". (See website here.)


I've told the story hundreds of times, so here I will display it from another source:

"In Japan, the hunting is done by a select group of fishermen.^[6] When a pod of dolphins has been spotted, they're driven into a bay by the fishermen while banging on metal rods in the water to scare and confuse the dolphins. When the dolphins are in the bay, it is quickly closed off with nets so the dolphins cannot escape. The dolphins are usually not caught and killed immediately, but instead left to calm down over night. The following day, the dolphins are caught one by one and killed. The killing of the animals used to be done by slitting their throats, but the Japanese government banned this method and now dolphins may officially only be killed by driving a metal pin into the neck of the dolphin, which causes them to die within seconds according to a memo from Senzo Uchida, the executive secretary of the Japan Cetacean Conference on Zoological Gardens and Aquariums.^[7] It is not clear if this ban is strictly enforced however, as eyewitness reports of similar throat-slitting and evisceration style killings were reported as late as October and November 2006" - Wikipedia

The scale of this issue is unprecedented: 2,000 dolphins are slaughtered annually.

In ratio to the dolphin population, that's a great loss.

So how does it affect you?


"As briefly mentioned above, occasionally, some of the captured dolphins are left alive and taken to mainly, but not exclusively, Japanese dolphinariums.^[9] In the past, dolphins have also been exported to the United States for several parks including the well known SeaWorld parks.^[10] The US National Marine Fisheries Service has refused a permit for Marine World Africa USA on one occasion to import four False Killer Whales caught in a Japanese drive hunt. In recent years, dolphins from the Japanese drive hunts have been exported to China, Taiwan^[11] and to Egypt.^[12] On multiple occasions, members of the International Marine Animal Trainers Association (IMATA) have also been observed at the drive hunts in Japan.<sup>[13]"


When you watch dolphin shows, visit dolphinariums, swim with dolphins in parks, and other similar activities, you are supporting the unecessary slaughter of thousands of dolphins every year.

What's worse? It also encourages the consumption of thousands upon thousands of pounds of dolphin meat every year. The video below explains the consequences concerning that.</sup>






Learn how you can end this slaughter.

Watch the Cove, visit this site:

http://savejapandolphins.org/

The Wonders of Fennel

"Longfellow alludes to this virtue in the plant:

'Above the lower plants it towers,

The Fennel with its yellow flowers;

And in an earlier age than ours

Was gifted with the wondrous powers

Lost vision to restore."

I've started 14 fennel seeds today! But not exactly for herbal and culinary purposes, I'm looking to attract the caterpillar of the black swallowtail butterfly to help repopulate the species here in Edison. Apparently, they're not as common as they used to be.

That poem up there? Yeah...it's a very old rhyme some people long ago wrote concerning the wonderful things about fennel. There are many more...believe me.

This hardy perrenial is native to the Mediteranean, but is grown all over the world for use in teas and cooking of all kinds.

Supposedly, fennel works wonders in tea. It improves eye sight, relieves digestive discomfort...and flatulance.

I plan on taking good care of my fennel when it grows. They grow 5-6 ft in height, quickly, and have so many uses, plus I'm helping the local population of black swallowtails :)

Wish Me Luck!

 Your fellow biologist,
Ashley Marie

PS: Even the seeds smell amazing!

Pollutants in Marine Mammals

At the Hollings Marine Laboratory, a government University in S.C, it has been found that bottlenose dolphins and beluga whales accumulate more chemical pollutants near urbanized and industrial areas than otherwise.

"In papers recently published online by the journal Environmental Science & Technology, one research team looked at the levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) found in male dolphins along the U.S. East and Gulf of Mexico coasts and Bermuda, while the other group examined the levels of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in beluga whales at two Alaskan locations."

POP's (persistant organic pollutants) are chemicals that persist in the environment, as well as PFC's (perfluorinated compunds). They can spread both through air and water, and are affecting both wildlife and the human species, being that they are carcinogenic, alter nuerodevelopment, and affect immunity. 

"To study POP concentrations in male bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Duke University Marine Laboratory, Florida State University and the Chicago Zoological Society teamed up to collect and examine blubber biopsy samples from 2000 to 2007 at eight locations along the U.S. East coast (from New Jersey to Eastern Florida), five sites in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and off Bermuda."

The studies showed that there were high concentrations of these pollutants in these two cetacean species. Many kinds of pollutants were found in concentrations, also, such as PCBs, DDT, PBDEs, and HCB, among a number of others.

"These PCB levels were the highest ever observed in a group of living marine mammals."

"PFCs have been used as nonstick coatings and additives in a wide variety of goods including cookware, furniture fabrics, carpets, food packaging, fire-fighting foams and cosmetics. They are very stable, persist for a long time in the environment and are known to be toxic to the liver, reproductive organs and immune systems of laboratory mammals."

The chemicals were found within the livers of beluga whales.

So what does it mean for the ocean? Us humans?

Not only are we blatantly intoxicating the organs of organisms that live in the ocean, but we are intoxicating the organs of land organisms and avian ones alike. That includes us. With our use of chemicals we are destroying the planet, obviously. And, of course, we must find a solution, and fast. Higher concentrations and we will lose a good handful of species.

We must be more responsible.

Your fellow biologist, Ashley Marie

Species of the Day: Spotted Eagle Ray

A very distinctive ray species whose status is not well-known.

The spotted eagle ray is extraordinarily gracfeful.



Status: Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List

Description: "The spotted eagle ray is very distinctive with a flattened body and triangular corners to the wing-like pectoral fins. The snout is rounded and pointed at the tip, so that it resembles a bird’s beak. The tail is long and whip-like and bears 2 – 6 spines. These eagle rays possess highly attractive colouring; the uppersurface is blackish-blue with many white spots, whilst the underside is white"

Range: coastal waters in shallow bays and coral reefs

Biology:
"Large groups of spotted eagle rays may be seen outside of the breeding season. These rays swim close to the surface and can occasionally be seen jumping clear out of the water (known as ‘breaching’). Females give birth to around 4 live young (2).
Spotted eagle rays have heavy dental plates which they use to crush their hard-shelled prey (4); they feed predominantly on bivalve shellfish (2)."

All Credits of media and quoted content go to Arkive.org

Baltimore Oriole

A striking species I thought I'd never get to see, I have seen today.

Edison, New Jersey is where I live, and to be honest I thought I knew this place and all of the species you could see here.

Today I was proved wrong by a small Baltimore Oriole perched in one of my maple trees, singing a few notes. I imitated, and before long he approached closer to get a better look at me. I was struck by his brilliant coloration, his gazing eyes, and energetic disposition, and he was most certainly a beautiful specimen.

Many times I've seen his image in books, both in illustration and photography, but never did I once think I'd get the privelege to see one.

On sight, he was unmistakably a Baltimore Oriole.

I will see if putting out some citrus fruits will keep him and any other orioles around.

Wish me luck!

Your fellow biologist, Ashley Marie

National Geographic: Crucial Waters (Very upsetting film)

Award-winning underwater photojournalist Brian Skerry explains how he uses photography to celebrate the sea, bring awareness to the dangers that face our oceans, and inspire change.

6 Basic Tips For Realism In Your Sketchwork

To take a real-life, 3D object and accurately portray it on a flat surface is a feat in itself.

One of my incomplete sketches. I particularily am an avid
equine artist, given that references for them are not
only plentiful, but they're majestic creatures as well.



Any biologist collecting studies on the field will probably need to sketch something down sooner or later. It's practically inevitable, given the need for diagramming and placing your research into notes.

And these sketches can't be just a few lines jotted down. They usually must be quite detailed, portraying the stature, and ultimately an accurate anatomy of the organism.

Of course, you may just do this for fun, or to teach yourself about the animal through drawing it, to ingrain the organism's looks and behaviors for future reference on your behalf.

The following are my top 6 tips to accurately bring life and realism to your sketchwork, with a "wow" factor.

1. Use quality but easy materials that you can carry around with you. A no.2 pencil is great, but if you want to add varying depths and that wow factor, I recommend graphite. Thin paints and pastels are certainly not easily used for this sort of work, and they don't bring much accuracy with ease, either.

2. Have a camera at hand. I know what you're probably asking. Why sketch when you can just snap a photo? Well, firstly, sketching the organism helps you familiarize with your subject, and secondly, it is far easier to diagram and label a sketch than a photo. Pictures can be used as reference when your subject refuses to keep still. Plus the zoom in will help you ornithologists out there, for birds certainly are rarely stationary, if at all so. Then when you have the finished photograph, you can sketch with perhaps better accuracy, for the subject is truly still.

3. Pay close attention to detail. If you've ever been in art class, you've probably had this shouted in your ear about a million times over. But if there's one word that screams realism, it's detail. Pay attention, for example, to the shading behind the horse's eye, to the shape of its pupil (surprisingly it's rectangular). Or on a fish, the glimmer of its scales, the spots that trail along its side, the length and shape of its fins. Go even further than that! Be a magnifying glass. Look into deeper details. Are the textures on the spots of the fish different than that of the rest of the scales? The membrane behind its eye? The texture of that membrane? Put everything you can possibly see on paper. Take notes if you have to.

4. Use some imagination. Seriously, every artist needs this. The reason I love art is because it's never mathematical, it's all in the imagination, in the greatest depths of your sub-conscience. While drawing that horse or fish or plant, imagine how it moves, what it does, how it eats or breathes. Think deeply about where it lives, how it glides along the air or swims beneath the surface. Having these kinds of thoughts in your head ultimately guides both your mind and spirit into your pencil, and brings your imagery to life.

5. Draw a quick guideline first. That bird's not going to be on that branch for long. Why not whip up a few circles that make the shape and stature of the bird before you load on the detail? Not everyone can afford that ultra high-tech zoom in Canon with the state of the art lens equipped for snapping quick motion shots (I definitely can't). And for one thing, I'm not much of a phtotgrapher, I've barely touched a camera in my life.

a. What I do is look at the object, in this case a bird, and draw a few circles like this (The following three diagrams are not mine):

b. Then quickly draw a few major stature details in. They help you visualize and remember the subject more accurately in case the bird flies off:

c. A few more details.

That should be enough. You can then add some more detailing with the feathers and the eye and shading and what-not. But for now, you want to capture the pose of the subject, that's the first and most important step in realism. If you try the detail before the pose, you risk losing the subject before you can even get a basic idea down on the paper. 

6. Try your best. Another cliche' guideline but a crucial one. If there is no passion behind that pencil, you're not going anywhere. Learn to enjoy sketching and do it often to gain the skill and feel of it. You'd be surprised how fast you can learn. And, the rewards of good artwork is evident both in the satisfaction you get from it and your mental confidence as well. This added capability will drammatically change your perspective of things.

Good Luck.

Your fellow biologist,
    Ashley Marie

Extinct Australian Thylacine Was More Cat Than Dog

Was the Thylacine a marsupial wolf or Tasmanian tiger?

According to recent studies at Brown University, the thylacine, an extinct Australian species of the early 20th century, was more cat than dog, despite its striking canine-like appearance.

It hunted with an ambush approach, which is far different than that of any canine species, which use a method of pursuit in contrast. Bengal tigers crouch in the tall grasses of Southern Asia, their stripes perfect camouflage; African lions crawl slowly through the tall grasses of the African savanna; And, according to reports by hunters of the early 20th century, thylacines also used an ambush-hunting method.

"We provide quantitative support to the suspicions of earlier researchers that the thylacine was not a pursuit predator," said Borja Figueirido, a postdoctoral researcher at Brown University and the paper's lead author. "Although there is no doubt that the thylacine diet was similar to that of living wolves, we find no compelling evidence that they hunted similarly."

Of course, it is foolish to base a thylacine's origins merely by its hunting technique. With such far separation from the mainland, for a canine to ambush its prey rather than to pursuit it in the regions of Tasmania could be considered a very small adaptation, and a crucial one. Any canine would change its hunting approach given the evolutionary situation.

In my personal opinion, there should be more compelling evidence to prove that the thylacine, or "Tasmanian Tiger", was indeed a feline. 

I think there should be more anatomical proof, not behavioral proof.

However, the appearance of the thylacine, its tail, its leg structure, all contribute to the possibility that it could have evolved from a tiger split from the Asian mainland. Australia was once connected to Asia, so for the thylacine to evolve from a tiger is entirely possible. Therefore, I believe that the Tasmanian tiger, despite its canine head anatomy, is in fact a feline.

Your fellow biologist, Ashley

Domincal, Costa Rica

Amidst the wild coastlines and ancient rainforests of a Central American land lies a place where they both can meet seamlessly.



Resembling a scene from Jurassic Park, Playa Dominical is
perhaps among the wildest beaches on Earth.

On my visit to this place roughly two years ago, I was enthralled by its biodiversity and poorly-maintained roads. For me, sitting in the back of that beat-up vehicle heading into a place barely touched by human hands was  a thrill-ride in itself, and I was ready to explore all that I could of this strange, new land.

Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, we stayed at a luxury home nestled atop a steep hill I would have previously thought too intimidating to even attempt to climb myself, let alone with an old vehicle. Macaws could be heard communicating from higher up the mountain, and the cicadas screeching resembled more closely chain saws than a two-inch insect. Although my mother and sister were not much enjoying the searing heat and poorly maintained roads, I enjoyed it immensely. I had never gone to a country wild like this one, with rainforests that resembled a castle wall looming over the coastline. I had gone to Portugal (I am Portuguese), and although it was beautiful, it was nothing like this.

I was captivated the moment I step foot there.

The people living in Costa Rica were mostly poor, living off of the ocean or little businesses. Fishermen could be seen leaving at sundown to return in the morning. Their lively-hoods depended on it, and so many boys and men left when the sun began to lower toward the horizon line. The lights on their boats became invisible as they headed farther out, and it was obvious they had much experience.

Domincal is also famous worldwide for its surfing. The waves in Dominical are rarely less than 4 ft, and surfers from the United States and many other countries can be seen lounging in hammocks slinged between palm trees. More than once while residing in Dominical, I read the words "surfer's paradise".

By the looks of things, it was everyone's paradise.

"On the central Pacific coast of Costa Rica is one of the country's most beautiful uncut gems, Dominical. From its turquoise green water to its fiery red and gold sunsets, the natural beauty of the area is second to none. The town sits on the Pacific ocean bordered to the north by the Rio Baru, on the east by three thousand foot high mountains and to the south by dark, coffee brown, beaches and coves. One of the most striking features of Dominical can be found while swimming in the water, the town simply disappears. All you see are the tall beach palms and mangroves surrounded by verdant green hills reaching up into the mountains." -http://www.dominical-costarica.com

"Only recently has it been discovered by those people attracted to its natural beauty. Not more than fifteen years ago the only buildings to be found were a few dilapidated fishing huts built by local fishermen. Since then the town has grown to over 700 permanent residents with a number of small beach front restaurants, bars and cabinas. Even with the emergence and growth of the town, it is possible to walk from one end of Dominical to the other in less than ten minutes."

With its rising fame, many conservationists residing in the area are concerned about development and destruction of their rainforests.

If you wish to know more about the ecology of this destination, as well as travel guidelines and anything else about its biodiversity, feel free to contact me by email, via comment, or otherwise. Click on my profile above for email contact information.

Your fellow biologist,
   Ashley Marie

Two Must See Bio-Guides

To learn biology, informative, engaging guides are indispensable.

Animal: The Definitive Visual Guide to the World's Wildlife

"Over 2,000 species, from the tiny spider mite to the massive blue whale, are profiled in DK's astonishingly wonderful Animal, produced in cooperation with the Smithsonian Institution and more than 70 expert zoologists. To call this book "profusely illustrated" is to seriously underrepresent page after page of breathtaking photos capturing each creature in sharp images, thrumming with life. Even the page borders are covered with collages of animal skins to indicate which class of organisms is represented in that section--every inch of this heavy book is gorgeous."

My Review: By far my favorite reference if you want a general outlook on animal life, and by far the best encyclopedia I have ever owned. Extremely, and simply, informative. Many visual aids, plenty of pictures, and has taught me valuable knowledge in every aspect of species identification.

_________________________________________________________________


National Audubon Society Guide to Marine Mammals of the World (National Audubon Society Field Guide)

From Publishers Weekly

"Among the most celebrated creatures on earth are the 120 species of water-dwelling mammals catalogued in this handsome and informative field guide, the latest in the National Audubon Society's family of nature publications. Photographs, drawings and paintings combine with maps, charts and essays to provide not only data but also insight into the behavior of these highly evolved and specialized animals. The book is sensibly arranged and easy to navigate, whether the reader is in an easy chair or on the open water. The introduction provides a general guide to marine mammals: their habitat, behavior, reproduction, diet and conservation status. The individual articles are packed with facts about each species and the best ways to find and identify them in the wild. The book is organized according to the four classifications of marine mammals: cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises); pinnipeds (seals and walrus); sirenians (dugongs, manatees); and polar bears and otters. The charts on each species specify size, weight and longevity. The maps show the reach of each type of animal while helping the reader to visualize its range and habitat. The articles also describe ways of identifying similar species whose ranges overlap. Among this guide's best features are the appendixes, which break down the species by region and offer a chart of species morphology and an illustrated glossary. This book is ideal for students and amateur animal watchers. Color illus. and paintings, maps.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc."

My Review: For any person based in marine biology, this is a book you can't turn down. Marine mammals are the heart of marine biology, and this guide covers every marine mammal from the cetaceans to the pinnipeds to the mustelids.

_____________________________

Your fellow biologist, Ashley

Has Earth's Sixth Mass Extinction Already Arrived?

"...we are moving into the mass extinction realm." Says principal author of Science Daily, Anthony D. Barnosky

According to a recent article by Barnosky and his co-authors at Science Daily, we are all ready in the sixth mass extinction of planet Earth. For major and important species such as the black rhinoceros (shown above) and the beluga sturgeon to be in such critical endangerment, it is no wonder that world class scientists are speculating this notion. 

"Just because the magnitude is low compared to the biggest mass extinctions we've seen in a half a billion years doesn't mean to say that they aren't significant," said Coauthor Charles Marshall, UC Berkeley professor of integrative biology and director of the campus's Museum of Paleontology. "Even though the magnitude is fairly low, present rates are higher than during most past mass extinctions."

This is significant, because this is also the first mass extinction caused by a single species on the planet, humans.

"So far, only 1 to 2 percent of all species have gone extinct in the groups we can look at clearly, so by those numbers, it looks like we are not far down the road to extinction. We still have a lot of Earth's biota to save," Barnosky said. "It's very important to devote resources and legislation toward species conservation if we don't want to be the species whose activity caused a mass extinction."

Despite all of these present facts, we are still not very far into the mass extinction. If conservation efforts, as Barnosky pointed out, continue to expand and flourish, we are sure to see results.

As a species, we are already taking major steps to prevent a global decline. In terms of climate change, people everywhere are trying to decrease their carbon footprint by taking advantage of windpower, hydro-powers, solar power, and various other sources of energy. This is known by many who are familiar with the issue, but it is also known we have a long way to go.

"The modern global mass extinction is a largely unaddressed hazard of climate change and human activities," said H. Richard Lane, program director in the National Science Foundation's Division of Earth Sciences, which funded the research concerning this mass extinction. "Its continued progression, as this paper shows, could result in unforeseen -- and irreversible -- negative consequences to the environment and to humanity."

So as a species, we need to do much more. Despite negativity, there is still a chance, and we need to start now.


Your fellow biologist,
                Ashley Marie