tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75954905497186001722024-03-17T18:03:14.024+02:00Abby's Aquarium AdventuresFind out what I've been up to at the aquarium, what the animals have been doing, what new animals we've got in and all the mishaps, good days, bad days, runaways...all the things you'd like to know about what happens at an aquarium but mostly won't find out...unless you know someone behind-the-scenes! : )Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.comBlogger175125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-45479118836375010322023-08-30T11:20:00.004+02:002023-08-30T11:21:06.313+02:00SPECIAL OFFER ON BOOK 2 (Predators)<p> Hi Sea Fans!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qlbpANvC-rDhFGh22Iqkwe5mS3huuXKkyZrVaoF0Zt7xySXKq2zJyjVdqJ5hwxEAp7ZIJkg6nzNpGQ7osMr4ApKfqw1qer9PA-k2kfESYa9SdJQAgyLV37KUbWA2UtdT6scyzlJSlWgH-tcD_8xnSm6KIVgm3HysCQEimI1-derbeLw8QuFRRH9DLyRH/s1790/front%20page%20Predators_Page_01smaller.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1790" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qlbpANvC-rDhFGh22Iqkwe5mS3huuXKkyZrVaoF0Zt7xySXKq2zJyjVdqJ5hwxEAp7ZIJkg6nzNpGQ7osMr4ApKfqw1qer9PA-k2kfESYa9SdJQAgyLV37KUbWA2UtdT6scyzlJSlWgH-tcD_8xnSm6KIVgm3HysCQEimI1-derbeLw8QuFRRH9DLyRH/s320/front%20page%20Predators_Page_01smaller.tif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>It's been a very long time since I posted something, I'm sorry about that. I come back with good news though...my first book (Abby's Aquarium Adventures - English version) has sold out! You can still get your hands on a copy of book 2 though (Predators). Just send me an email at demaine2@gmail.com and I'll post one to you for R65 + postage. It's a special offer till the end of the year.</p><p>Sea you soon!</p><p>}( *)8</p>Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-19695427917707552252019-04-25T22:53:00.000+02:002019-04-25T22:53:13.215+02:00Change of contact detailsHi Sea Fans!<br />
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Until I can get my website sorted out, if you'd like to order books, please contact me at demaine2@gmail.com.<br />
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(Only 15 books left)</div>
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Have a great week!<br />
Sea You Soon!<br />
}( *)8Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-76741522911231238912017-10-17T10:12:00.003+02:002017-10-17T10:12:42.373+02:00Dolphin Marine Magic<h2 align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US">Giinagay!<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
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<span lang="EN-US">That means “hello” or “welcome” in the language of the local Gumbaynggirr Aboriginal people on the Coffs Coast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I have</span> had a blast with the animals and trainers here at Dolphin Marine Magic! I got to see everything that they do in their job taking care of the animals, including all the fun jobs … and some of the less fun jobs!</div>
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<span lang="EN-US">At Dolphin Marine Magic, they want guests to experience, discover and then act to help save our planet! So one of the first things on my To Do List was getting kissed by the Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins and Australian Sea Lions!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zippy the dolphin giving me a big smooch!</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US">Throughout the day, the marine mammal trainers will do training sessions with the animals. The training sessions are really fun and positive for the animals, so they get really excited for training time! The trainers use different tools, including something called a target (which looks like a big matchstick). The animals are taught to touch different body parts to the target. By training this way, they can show the animals what they would like them to do. I helped them do some target training with Ozzie, their biggest male Australian Sea Lion at the park! (and boy was he big! I could have been his snack...luckily he prefers fish :))<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">One of the main jobs of the marine mammal trainers is to monitor (keep an eye on/check) the health of the animals that they take care of. This is done by doing a daily health examination on all the animals. This includes checking all over the body for any cuts, scratches or injuries, checking eyes, teeth, gums, body condition and behaviour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Say Aah!" (Elle getting her teeth checked by me.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elle and I became great buddies.</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US">The animals are also given lots of toys throughout the day as part of their environmental enrichment program (in other words, they are kept from getting bored). Some of the toys are things such as balls, chew ropes, food puzzles, buoys, ice blocks and even unique objects that their trainers have dreamt up! I got to help prepare some ice blocks for the animals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">My timing was perfect because I got to join in with Zippy’s 29<sup>th</sup> birthday celebrations! We celebrated this in style: a big birthday party where all the park visitors were invited, with a big fish cake and Zippy’s favourite toy, his football!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Dolphin Marine Magic is also a temporary home for many rescued animals. Throughout the year, the staff and vets help to rescue, rehabilitate (fix them up) and release around 100 animals each year. This includes whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions, turtles, fish, sharks, penguins and seabirds. One of the Animal Care Staff, Isaiah, asked me to help him attach a temporary tag to one of the rescue turtles so that they can identify and monitor its health while it is in their care. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">During a presentation by one of the guides, I learnt two things:</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">1- Visitors to the centre are encouraged to keep their pet dogs and cats inside at night time to protect native wildlife such as the Little Blue Penguins. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">2 - It was penguin breeding season! I got to help prepare some nesting materials for the penguins to build a nest to lay their eggs and help check inside their burrows each day to look for eggs and newly hatched chicks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Along with all the really unusual stuff, I also got to do some of the day-to-day stuff like cleaning the reef aquarium and feeding the fish sharks and rays. The aquarium displays the animals which can be found in the Solitary Islands Marine Park just off the Coffs Coast. It extends for 75km (46 and a half miles) and is unique as it is the meeting place for temperate waters from the south and warm tropical waters from the north (A meeting place for two different temperatures of water - very much like Cape Town, where I'm from). This results in a high diversity of habitats and animals (lots of different animal homes and animals) in the Marine Park. While fishing is allowed in the Marine Park, it is important to make sure that you don't catch fish that are too small and that you don't catch too many (there are limits for each species) to make sure there are plenty of fish and animals left for future generations to enjoy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cleaner Abby :)<br /></td></tr>
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So, like I said before, there's normal stuff to do each day too. Being a marine mammal trainer isn’t a completely glamorous job. I woke up at 6 AM to help prepare all the animals’ food for the day!<br />
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<span lang="EN-US">I had to sort through almost 100 kilograms of fish to select the best ones for the animals to eat. Each of the animals has a diet tailored for their specific needs. Afterwards, I scrubbed down the entire fish kitchen till it sparkled! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">There is also a lot of work that goes into making sure the water in the animals’ pools is nice and clean. The water is tested up to four times a day to make sure it is clean. The tests include monitoring important chemical levels such as pH, temperature, chlorine, salinity and dissolved oxygen. I helped out in the lab ... no white lab coat needed :)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgisdNuswAXUU339jLn-DWR8xvjx1iZEk09Wwn-98ZMVQ434RICJ8Ru_d_y-63nIC6RZKLGKTtYc2zKnKQSbEFrPmxjOf-jRBQhhFqeHGzdS4WWPAfZZLoV3msRmjHrBUzPgYlnR1I9yusM/s1600/Water+quality+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="641" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgisdNuswAXUU339jLn-DWR8xvjx1iZEk09Wwn-98ZMVQ434RICJ8Ru_d_y-63nIC6RZKLGKTtYc2zKnKQSbEFrPmxjOf-jRBQhhFqeHGzdS4WWPAfZZLoV3msRmjHrBUzPgYlnR1I9yusM/s320/Water+quality+1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9tqqgkoqQIlJZ2puKke8eMqqZK6Pl2A4yCnspyBhNNhlIjgD5xdIgiNt2PlTCzlM1svc9FAZMIHd-jCjS73RpbrwmtaEkaHLYzeUPfgiLG0NI-RvIxxohcIqE85lckYDbZfJXfCmFwZBG/s1600/Water+quality+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="840" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9tqqgkoqQIlJZ2puKke8eMqqZK6Pl2A4yCnspyBhNNhlIjgD5xdIgiNt2PlTCzlM1svc9FAZMIHd-jCjS73RpbrwmtaEkaHLYzeUPfgiLG0NI-RvIxxohcIqE85lckYDbZfJXfCmFwZBG/s320/Water+quality+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Dolphin Marine Magic and Zoos Victoria not only look after the animals in their care, but also the wildlife outside their walls! They started a program called “Seal the Loop”. This program encourages members of the community to throw used and discarded (left around because it can't be used anymore) fishing line into the Seal the Loop bins to ensure animals do not swallow or become entangled in it. </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQY6If0s6fzD5FznNmXgLw-GDcJWdPC201nHd0nDHY4AR40Mh_NW1nbNV0DoOhovE0kOukcNddIBAJwxC5gHAf6fSTOMjxnU8BfJp1jeZT49MW89oUmZQcut9QJsUMX4qTnqZZoFbIz1Mc/s1600/Seal+the+loop+bin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="1296" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQY6If0s6fzD5FznNmXgLw-GDcJWdPC201nHd0nDHY4AR40Mh_NW1nbNV0DoOhovE0kOukcNddIBAJwxC5gHAf6fSTOMjxnU8BfJp1jeZT49MW89oUmZQcut9QJsUMX4qTnqZZoFbIz1Mc/s320/Seal+the+loop+bin.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Seal the Loop bin.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-US">Apparently, Calamity, one of Dolphin Marine Magic's rescued dolphins, came to them because of being entangled in a fishing line. The staff are super keen to make sure that doesn't happen to any other animals! They've set up 27 bins</span> in the Coffs Harbour region. Along with volunteers, staff regularly collect the fishing line in these bins. It's quite amazing, they've collected over 60 km (37 miles) of fishing line since the project started in Coffs Harbour! (That's about 600 soccer fields long - Shew!!)</div>
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After all the serious stuff, I also got to do some sightseeing around the Coffs Harbour area. One of the “must dos” is to visit the Big Banana! Australia is famous for its many big things, such as the Big Prawn, the Big Pineapple and the Big Merino. The Big Banana is one of Australia’s original and first big things!</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOi4AOa5tVKhdyda-e2t1aS2hWN88CtXhvZYA2AVRiUixQe_2AgVKZBey2rN30QV4lwPRVZboayofF_hUsNh1vfUBAF6uUweSwLeYmG0WKpcz921M2eO8fDla0ikT-VwB_gIVz4_mvjeA/s1600/The+big+banana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="1430" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOi4AOa5tVKhdyda-e2t1aS2hWN88CtXhvZYA2AVRiUixQe_2AgVKZBey2rN30QV4lwPRVZboayofF_hUsNh1vfUBAF6uUweSwLeYmG0WKpcz921M2eO8fDla0ikT-VwB_gIVz4_mvjeA/s320/The+big+banana.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you see me next to the giant banana?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-US">So that's Australia done. Follow me and I will take you to more exotic places. Where will I go next? Can you guess?</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Have a great week Sea Fans!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Cheers</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Abby</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">}( *)8</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"> </span></div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-4890336829127522202017-08-01T11:58:00.000+02:002017-08-01T11:58:17.563+02:00The humble HumboltHi Sea Fans!<br />
<br />
I saw coral babies, copepods, fish babies and more at Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, but I couldn't leave before saying hi to the Humboldt penguins. We have the African Penguin in South Africa (seriously endangered!) which makes a honking sound that has earned it the name JACKASS penguin :)<br />
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<div style="height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25%; position: relative;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kqNeUmTry9Q?ecver=2" style="height: 100%; left: 0; position: absolute; width: 100%;" width="640"></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
The Humboldts are just as noisy!!<br />
<br />
https://youtu.be/zbipSRks_N4?t=5<br />
<br />
These guys are VULNERABLE because of habitat loss, overfishing, invasive species and indsutrial development. The CZA has 12 penguins that are all a part of the Species Survival Plan (SSP) for Humboldt penguins. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpB49Zk6i7-9CZbj_Fku3Ga3zhpxUkv1Ec8fQ1TNykKecxQiKzekneBTv1c0M8FYHBdz44bilILuhyVikfRUZCVhrrhhyzJ-P4h-L-en3LYmfYgewpXZOnRRsmPWLytdDF7vQJAPugYCC/s1600/Abby+and+penguins+kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpB49Zk6i7-9CZbj_Fku3Ga3zhpxUkv1Ec8fQ1TNykKecxQiKzekneBTv1c0M8FYHBdz44bilILuhyVikfRUZCVhrrhhyzJ-P4h-L-en3LYmfYgewpXZOnRRsmPWLytdDF7vQJAPugYCC/s320/Abby+and+penguins+kids.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Since joining the SSP in 1996, the zoo has had a total of 28 chicks and raised 26 of them! (2 eggs were shipped to other zoos - don't want to keep all the eggs in the same basket ;))<br />
<br />
I was just about to leave when Dan called me over and asked if I could help him.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglaK3wtgRM0ehyphenhyphenE_a6sGNPV5lSVg_3YcluhGLurL-mhSPUA9z7zaNcc1K2r0svEIEydr_BmIv0rgzqUBpuzm6MMQa0-BZrTnmMGnCVJQCnxSThn2YCUjg3Xj1E10MC71wxRoxcNeUdPlJv/s1600/Abby+cleaning+manatees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglaK3wtgRM0ehyphenhyphenE_a6sGNPV5lSVg_3YcluhGLurL-mhSPUA9z7zaNcc1K2r0svEIEydr_BmIv0rgzqUBpuzm6MMQa0-BZrTnmMGnCVJQCnxSThn2YCUjg3Xj1E10MC71wxRoxcNeUdPlJv/s320/Abby+cleaning+manatees.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The manatee exhibit needs to be cleaned every day (scrub the rockwork, clean the algae off the acrylic window, clear the drains) so I played a bit of "spot the dot on the window" for Dan whilst he cleaned them.<br />
<br />
So that was my visit to CZA, thanks so much to all the staff, especially Mallory for showing me around.<br />
<br />
Hope you enjoyed that Sea Fans! There's more to come.<br />
Have a great week.<br />
Chat soon<br />
Abby<br />
}( *)8Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-49345686126905657622017-07-18T11:36:00.000+02:002017-07-18T11:36:08.835+02:00From coral babies to fish babiesHi Sea Fans!<br />
<br />
Last time I showed you the Discovery Reef at Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, today I want to tell you more about Discovery Reef.<br />
<br />
<div class="m-6055992271262799062default" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium also wants to do their part for wild fish. Along with many other
aquariums and research universities, CAZ runs a marine aquaculture project (breeding marine fish, many of which have specialized diets and habitats). </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXAauStrMJZ0lahVv25dNkADNWDxrhCap3ae6s-aK4SYpby3e61CxXgCz9qo_QZvgJUPOCzo_ulUcujNjBR3JnybEdhFzYKekHZ7suRdHrHHSetcwlLF0TpwXPhTPSV0ylOc0h6y4AIs4x/s1600/Abby+and+Rising+Tide+Angelfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXAauStrMJZ0lahVv25dNkADNWDxrhCap3ae6s-aK4SYpby3e61CxXgCz9qo_QZvgJUPOCzo_ulUcujNjBR3JnybEdhFzYKekHZ7suRdHrHHSetcwlLF0TpwXPhTPSV0ylOc0h6y4AIs4x/s320/Abby+and+Rising+Tide+Angelfish.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A tank with fish that have been brought up at the aquarium. These fish can eventually go on display or be shipped to other aquariums. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="m-6055992271262799062default" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">This project helps us all (aquarium people) to understand fish growth better as well as different ways of growing live foods </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdkCOmrJgHnaUgs7qP8dZY3_PdZdbn_mT3jEMSKqEuCNL1dJmmHDOXTyqzcjXTk9A4QjZ21BbEw1XnsRuJVI99PD5m1Ciy4y0kT8bO1RHEqWiz8lW3vqv76GdIw386pkekCYLXly9wATZX/s1600/Abby+and+copopods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdkCOmrJgHnaUgs7qP8dZY3_PdZdbn_mT3jEMSKqEuCNL1dJmmHDOXTyqzcjXTk9A4QjZ21BbEw1XnsRuJVI99PD5m1Ciy4y0kT8bO1RHEqWiz8lW3vqv76GdIw386pkekCYLXly9wATZX/s320/Abby+and+copopods.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are copepods in the tubs, they are live food that is fed to the aquarium fish.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">so that we don't have to keep taking from the wild.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> This aquaculture project has allowed the zoo to work
closely with the Rising Tide Conservation project.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="m-6055992271262799062default" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Rising
Tide Conservation is a non-profit dedicated to the protection of coral reefs
through sustainable aquaculture. The part of the Rising Tide Conservation mission
statement that says it best: “We know that by sharing education, we can
increase the amount of captive-bred species of marine ornamental fish available
to aquarium hobbyists and reduce our impact on coral reefs.”</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">Another amazing day! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">Have a great week Sea Fans!</span></div>
<div class="m-6055992271262799062default" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">Chat soon</span></div>
<div class="m-6055992271262799062default" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">Abby</span></div>
<div class="m-6055992271262799062default" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">}( *)8</span></div>
Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-49937775543928145772017-07-04T11:24:00.000+02:002017-07-04T11:24:11.078+02:00Discovery ReefHi Sea Fans!<br />
<br />
Yup, it's part 2 of my Columbus Zoo and Aquarium adventures :) After spending time with the manatees, I got to discover the aquarium and learn more about coral babies!<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Discovery Reef contains the zoo’s 322 000 litre salt water exhibit.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0hBAT6E7E9ufMH7hx1TcxPjf5kGcz8NSGB1wPbnzo4CyjKBo_91YbP05A8H__9te8KuCjPLkLTvlWyvydSHTUwV801XnO50s9xavHIfDZpNWG9zkntH9gW0xwBTzcuCB4VPplSh6FNaK/s1600/Abby+and+coral.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0hBAT6E7E9ufMH7hx1TcxPjf5kGcz8NSGB1wPbnzo4CyjKBo_91YbP05A8H__9te8KuCjPLkLTvlWyvydSHTUwV801XnO50s9xavHIfDZpNWG9zkntH9gW0xwBTzcuCB4VPplSh6FNaK/s320/Abby+and+coral.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">There are 4 species of shark (bonnethead, zebra, epaulette, and
bamboo) and many different types of fish in here. Discovery Reef also has plenty of smaller displays with fish and
live corals that are grown at the zoo. Columbus Zoo and
Aquarium has been involved in a very important program for Sexual Coral
Reproduction, or SECORE for short.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px;">Since 2003, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium has partnered with SECORE International to help protect and restore coral reefs throughout the Caribbean and the Pacific. Keepers from the Columbus Zoo and researchers working with SECORE use state of the art husbandry techniques to collect gametes from spawning corals in order to fertilize them and then raise the coral larvae (coral babies!) into juvenile coral colonies which can then be replanted onto degraded reefs. Using a combination of education, outreach, research and restoration SECORE is helping give coral reefs a future. (Now don't you want to be a part of something amazing like this?! CZA staff are sooooooo lucky!)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmSJjIIj_HcirLLewSfftF-QZx8EhvZrFfhmm68-bHtikIVJ6WXBVlXRGydw19u5lJs81MEufQv05XFRrfJwOWZjuuBox_G617v1BzNcZIvzZqXlCacPKaIlrymP9B-tOYM9ZXRsoYqCw/s1600/Abby+and+Secore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmSJjIIj_HcirLLewSfftF-QZx8EhvZrFfhmm68-bHtikIVJ6WXBVlXRGydw19u5lJs81MEufQv05XFRrfJwOWZjuuBox_G617v1BzNcZIvzZqXlCacPKaIlrymP9B-tOYM9ZXRsoYqCw/s320/Abby+and+Secore.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">These
coral grow out tanks are very important for the keepers to understand the best
environments (temperature, salinity, lighting) for the coral and this, in turn,
helps the aquarists out when they are in the field working with SECORE
International. This coral tank has a surge device that delivers strong intermittent
water surges with shorter periods of gentle water flows. The lights above these
corals are 400W so they are quite powerful and exactly what the corals need to
grow. After the corals have grown to a size deemed healthy enough, the
aquarists will remove fragments (pieces of coral) and transplant them into our exhibits around
Discovery Reef as natural habitats for the many marine species. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This was probably my best day at CZA! How awesome is it that they are helping to restore our coral reefs?! Just another day in the life of an aquarist :)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Have a great week Sea Fans!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Chat soon</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Abby</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">}( *)8</span>Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-85532942356027553002017-06-27T10:07:00.000+02:002017-06-27T10:07:12.765+02:00Manatees!Hi Sea Fans!<br />
<br />
I've really been so lucky, what started as a 1 year round-the-world-trip to visit people working with marine life, has ended up being 5 1/2 years so far! Thank you to everyone who has hosted me and shown me what they do in a day, it's been a blast! <br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
So anyway, my next stop was Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
Gee, where do I start? I got to experience so much... let's start
with the Manatee Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP). </div>
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"<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">The highest single cause of mortality to manatees is boat strikes. Manatees also face being entangled in fishing lines, deal with pollution, entrapment, harassment (calf and mother are separated), habitat loss, cold stress, and red tide. We see animals here that are recovering from injuries, calves that are orphaned, and animals suffering from cold stress. Cold stress happens when the water temperature drops below 68° F and can leads to lethargy, anorexia, hypothermia and even death. This predisposes animals to a variety of infections, causes organ groups to shut down, loss of skin, as well as pneumonia and death." Mallory Seibold</span><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222;">Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is the most northern facility in the US to
rehabilitate and release Florida manateees. Due to their large appetites (and
they can eat LOTS!!!!!!!!!!!), the manatees are some of the most expensive
animals to feed here. They don't just eat lettuces, they also get sweet
potatoes and apples for treats :)</span></div>
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The Manatee Coast exhibit has 5 manatees: Stubby (who lives here permanently
because she lost most of her tail and can't swim properly); </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">June Bug; Jedi;
Millenium; and Falcon. (Except Stubby, they</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> are all juveniles who were orphaned at a young age and couldn't survive on their own. Millenium and Falcon are the smallest and youngest manatees that CZA has ever cared for...and they're twins! Very unusual for manatees.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Stubby gets to do training sessions where she
rolls on her back and presents her flipper for medical exams - I got to help
Kevin, the trainer! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbwlbaoEaPvot82U4jJSr4zTRioHvbhud-vJJM_aVZNu7Hp6tZPi-FaWZdhIL8N8dER_0ScG-DCGBLPE6mLoqZbxF6gpQy74qHeL9PQMFDGJFCV5vNGGlvwTR8Gf7Act1gumOOdsUllxaD/s1600/Abby+and+Kevin+training+Stubby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbwlbaoEaPvot82U4jJSr4zTRioHvbhud-vJJM_aVZNu7Hp6tZPi-FaWZdhIL8N8dER_0ScG-DCGBLPE6mLoqZbxF6gpQy74qHeL9PQMFDGJFCV5vNGGlvwTR8Gf7Act1gumOOdsUllxaD/s320/Abby+and+Kevin+training+Stubby.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<o:p>Thanks CZA!!! Don't stop reading now though Sea Fans, there's more coming in the next few weeks, keep your eyes on my blog :)</o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<o:p>Chat soon</o:p></div>
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<o:p>Abby</o:p></div>
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<o:p>}( *)8</o:p></div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-90218641911438215992017-06-13T10:04:00.001+02:002017-06-13T10:04:21.215+02:00Dolphin Discovery CentreHi Sea Fans!<br />
<br />
We've had strange storms here in SA and now Winter has officially started so I'm off to visit more friends, keep an eye on my travels, maye I'll be in your hometown next! ;)<br />
<br />
In the mean time, let me tell you a bit more about where I've been...Dolphin Discovery Centre.<br />
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During the 1960's, a local resident of Koombana Bay in Australia, began feeding dolphins from a small jetty. After she passed, a dolphin specialist was hired to continue the tradition, feeding and studying the local dolphins. From this work, came the establishment of the Interaction Zone in `990 and the Dolphgin Discovery Centre in 1994. Tourists and members of the community can interact with the group of 5 or 6 dolphins that regularly visit and learn more about dolphins in general.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "open sans", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">"We don't clearly understand why the dolphins continue to visit the Zone today however research does suggest that the small amount of food they receive as a reward for their visit is not the only attraction. There are many dolphins that visit the Zone regularly that do not receive any fish and many of them stay for extended periods of time for interaction with the human visitors. Sick and injured dolphins also treat the beach as a haven, with some repeatedly visiting during periods of illness or injury." from their website. </span><br />
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Dolphin Eco Cruises and swimming with wild dolphins - you wouldn't want to do that? Well, Phil offered to take me around the Dolphin Discovery Centre in Australia where he works, to show me what he does in a day. Here are some pics:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip354Pt3aOO2KFwvfRDpS1z5LGh9Uk22UcN_mAcWep-mb425WEfj-7kR_R_6rIc906sv6GwrZ-Wm8T1VAuN-T5z497hxtV5ibZAViRJLEz14FJRMKzvFQ3m5fGSDdeh8r7eEKgMwzFmKsk/s1600/FullSizeRender+%2528004%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="354" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip354Pt3aOO2KFwvfRDpS1z5LGh9Uk22UcN_mAcWep-mb425WEfj-7kR_R_6rIc906sv6GwrZ-Wm8T1VAuN-T5z497hxtV5ibZAViRJLEz14FJRMKzvFQ3m5fGSDdeh8r7eEKgMwzFmKsk/s320/FullSizeRender+%2528004%2529.jpg" width="177" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checking for dolphins.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4vHA232n5RAqATuQbLfes_RkyiwY-9zXg5xMcaGFc5afcw5lZB9Fq9hFHvKFanbRZ-9omK3vAT37ly_S1yI8HWa88j0fyZJE7mH_o1lnS8aOvngD6gmYLes1Q3oiquYZqxifVlMUNdYUG/s1600/FullSizeRender+%2528009%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4vHA232n5RAqATuQbLfes_RkyiwY-9zXg5xMcaGFc5afcw5lZB9Fq9hFHvKFanbRZ-9omK3vAT37ly_S1yI8HWa88j0fyZJE7mH_o1lnS8aOvngD6gmYLes1Q3oiquYZqxifVlMUNdYUG/s320/FullSizeRender+%2528009%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chatting to the aquarium's resident shark.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "open sans" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The centre aims to promote research, conservation and education of the Bottlenose Dolphins and other native marine life. It i</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "open sans" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">s home to a discovery pool, aquariums, 360 degree digital dolphinarium, scheduled guided site tour, 3D & 2D movies, cafe and souvenir shop, so there is something for everyone.</span></div>
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There is also the <a class="highlight-text" href="http://dolphindiscovery.com.au/enjoy/interaction-zone/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #428bca; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.3s;" title="Interaction Zone">Interaction Zone</a> where the wild dolphins often come to interact with visitors</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNiHs2lFg3kIzRzR2BDRq2JtGGTgCkpHg-L1z1RzTWeJEyAELn_K-Oa8xbzBYhLe3hgoT3ipsYGp15E4essAXvIPSJbGt2e8UmurJM_jA6X0NIngzzWM2CI_Me3sdnpfaEd678E5HU2qFr/s1600/FullSizeRender+%2528011%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNiHs2lFg3kIzRzR2BDRq2JtGGTgCkpHg-L1z1RzTWeJEyAELn_K-Oa8xbzBYhLe3hgoT3ipsYGp15E4essAXvIPSJbGt2e8UmurJM_jA6X0NIngzzWM2CI_Me3sdnpfaEd678E5HU2qFr/s320/FullSizeRender+%2528011%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's not all dolphins! You can learn about sea life in general and what you can do to help protect the oceans and the creatures who live in them.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbX9CIC4MrvSVTJfFG47ib96bqNzauI5LJUUgQvie0gqHxQLQtBpM0ctMKFzUSAORHDPSg9q6Z-7J5Rcn0Vbcc7tlR_6T6iCNpuA0Njtm6MDgJCWXutHxH6UzPHpBpDt4DTBQBL6lLZejF/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbX9CIC4MrvSVTJfFG47ib96bqNzauI5LJUUgQvie0gqHxQLQtBpM0ctMKFzUSAORHDPSg9q6Z-7J5Rcn0Vbcc7tlR_6T6iCNpuA0Njtm6MDgJCWXutHxH6UzPHpBpDt4DTBQBL6lLZejF/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="275" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This occie just cracked me up!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsgEMq3_za2WqtbQgNp3iVxkl26wqtPurQi4S0eQEJq_SVP511DtvVbDJ3jOU_Xixcj1mFrgDoAyMgcym5WJmhyphenhypheniPepOHP0EjZwAaItxCRhhYQ6WMxwy_vlSmZBTKXGV_Lac7blGXdbvAv/s1600/IMG_1039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsgEMq3_za2WqtbQgNp3iVxkl26wqtPurQi4S0eQEJq_SVP511DtvVbDJ3jOU_Xixcj1mFrgDoAyMgcym5WJmhyphenhypheniPepOHP0EjZwAaItxCRhhYQ6WMxwy_vlSmZBTKXGV_Lac7blGXdbvAv/s320/IMG_1039.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The centre runs thanks to experienced staff and volunteers who are willing to give up their time.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihK-y7MRCMdtcHxJvX7-PYGj3d9cMw7ZobE2REBUP7RFXS2P9uwPXtLl3nIap79PzlF-SdsUthMCd6y3TA78RE6G0OFL4DST4DR93SvnWWiZQbCyaKbufSAKzD8153dxmKDcECuuIip1f6/s1600/IMG_1045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihK-y7MRCMdtcHxJvX7-PYGj3d9cMw7ZobE2REBUP7RFXS2P9uwPXtLl3nIap79PzlF-SdsUthMCd6y3TA78RE6G0OFL4DST4DR93SvnWWiZQbCyaKbufSAKzD8153dxmKDcECuuIip1f6/s320/IMG_1045.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhreeG_lWcdxUyhHQHxv0jGH8ECrCqWTILPfpsjhFFXskNVn30XWub_gWRjkpURX9E2ba3U9mfl7_HrbBDabKf7hC0BbeN3TiTJeRa5TN4T2GZ7LY4K08c-fgQ8bGWVTL4g1IKtFJ1xreBn/s1600/IMG_1065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhreeG_lWcdxUyhHQHxv0jGH8ECrCqWTILPfpsjhFFXskNVn30XWub_gWRjkpURX9E2ba3U9mfl7_HrbBDabKf7hC0BbeN3TiTJeRa5TN4T2GZ7LY4K08c-fgQ8bGWVTL4g1IKtFJ1xreBn/s320/IMG_1065.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aussie sunshine!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4_bA37GydwiBy7pTDYmmlUfgW3kgbdDCNixALRI9N_E4O6GRS90s4iPK4_alqfoX7BhIOne7-wSFLgiADcON-ZwKLs3smQZuR2m2xwldMvf-ZeZLXjUpbm7zjnJNgb4lVLcAB9cECA42E/s1600/IMG_1073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4_bA37GydwiBy7pTDYmmlUfgW3kgbdDCNixALRI9N_E4O6GRS90s4iPK4_alqfoX7BhIOne7-wSFLgiADcON-ZwKLs3smQZuR2m2xwldMvf-ZeZLXjUpbm7zjnJNgb4lVLcAB9cECA42E/s320/IMG_1073.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful day to meet the dolphins.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tczdWIRVJGJ_wGE92qsASXj0eM0pU-jWDfkuLUN2TD5SsUWHXrFDRLYucjDWWzzTmmfNZIVZyS31FVkZ3XpmkgmqSHOwrxLYt97clbsvrd0e3FgLzPgiA86izVoTStAnNeq0U0oct3_B/s1600/IMG_1095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tczdWIRVJGJ_wGE92qsASXj0eM0pU-jWDfkuLUN2TD5SsUWHXrFDRLYucjDWWzzTmmfNZIVZyS31FVkZ3XpmkgmqSHOwrxLYt97clbsvrd0e3FgLzPgiA86izVoTStAnNeq0U0oct3_B/s320/IMG_1095.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you believe what Phil did to me?!? </td></tr>
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Thanks Phil and all the staff at DDC for showing me around and letting me experience a day in your life :)<br />
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Have a great week Sea Fans!<br />
Chat soon<br />
Abby<br />
}( *)8<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2ESd7UApmm0" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-33049676728702884102017-01-29T12:18:00.000+02:002017-01-29T12:18:03.845+02:00NOAA Gateway<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<span style="color: #464646; font-size: 16px;">I had the privilege of visiting the NOAA Gateway, an interactive exhibition about NOAA's science.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0KjiXu7q4AZmwOM0pD-3O9ICp1mg81TMiVQLG8QXxLhluM9Ks8BvJ4ncMXx6yHFhMjcuNAEcZ8ZCTQgk4LEmwmZ6X-THgkfWVVnjHttwN6FrNuA3V7spEufCqevJbhrCS3fiPO5MOv3fG/s1600/IMG_1391.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0KjiXu7q4AZmwOM0pD-3O9ICp1mg81TMiVQLG8QXxLhluM9Ks8BvJ4ncMXx6yHFhMjcuNAEcZ8ZCTQgk4LEmwmZ6X-THgkfWVVnjHttwN6FrNuA3V7spEufCqevJbhrCS3fiPO5MOv3fG/s320/IMG_1391.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Hand of NOAA" by Ray Kaskey – this sculpture of a giant hand releasing seagulls to the ocean represents the agency’s mission of recording and protecting the environment.<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdfLmbubdfmUoc9l4AScxnaHb7kN6SQgRGsLP4nbFGk9lYzL5ALL1DvfW9ae-O24cEXnotA0ycKuDEpjxYdDzauUte20iypIOoh5_1cb_p-EYADv4SM-3pdWHiod4b84fUdPNu1xA2pcL/s1600/IMG_1394.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdfLmbubdfmUoc9l4AScxnaHb7kN6SQgRGsLP4nbFGk9lYzL5ALL1DvfW9ae-O24cEXnotA0ycKuDEpjxYdDzauUte20iypIOoh5_1cb_p-EYADv4SM-3pdWHiod4b84fUdPNu1xA2pcL/s320/IMG_1394.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;">This model ship is the </span><span style="color: #252525; font-size: 12pt;"> <i>Oceanographer</i> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_naming_and_launching" target="_blank" title="Ship naming and launching"><span style="color: #0b0080; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">launched</span></a></span><span style="color: #252525; font-size: 12pt;"> on 18 April 1964. She was 92
m (303 feet) long, the largest vessel constructed for research purposes to
date. She had a very distinctive appearance with her stark white paint,
large </span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radome" target="_blank" title="Radome"><span style="color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">radome</span></a></span><span style="color: #252525; font-size: 12pt;"> aft
of the funnels, and heavy </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crane_(machine)" target="_blank" title="Crane (machine)"><span style="color: #0b0080; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">crane</span></a></span><span style="color: #252525; font-size: 12pt;"> on the </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aft" target="_blank" title="Aft"><span style="color: #0b0080; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">aft</span></a></span><span style="color: #252525; font-size: 12pt;"> deck. She had a number of labs (</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemistry" target="_blank" title="Chemistry"><span style="color: #0b0080; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">chemistry</span></a></span><span style="color: #252525; font-size: 12pt;">, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wet_laboratory" target="_blank" title="Wet laboratory"><span style="color: #0b0080; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">wet</span></a></span><span style="color: #252525; font-size: 12pt;"> and dry oceanographic, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteorology" target="_blank" title="Meteorology"><span style="color: #0b0080; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">meteorological</span></a></span><span style="color: #252525; font-size: 12pt;">, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravimetry" target="_blank" title="Gravimetry"><span style="color: #0b0080; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">gravimetric</span></a></span><span style="color: #252525; font-size: 12pt;">, and </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photography" target="_blank" title="Photography"><span style="color: #0b0080; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">photographic</span></a></span><span style="color: #0b0080; font-size: 12pt;">) and </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laboratory" target="_blank" title="Laboratory"></a></span><span style="color: #252525; font-size: 12pt;">several </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winch" target="_blank" title="Winch"><span style="color: #0b0080; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">winches</span></a></span><span style="color: #252525; font-size: 12pt;">.</span><br />
<span style="color: #252525; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">The Survey of the Coast was formed in 1807, renamed a few times and then became a part of NOAA in 1970. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1WxWzd0qkMVmG0x5dAAHL-k2I89Pxzispl4B-jTNsAZYWZe4KIvM6WB6JnzayXRUhqqlYNxw7C7nJsEZM7X7mraxK2kd9GwX9LL4NS8vxe4KSyGH9sI_u8wqXDzTw55fNioHYyQIgbluU/s1600/IMG_1395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1WxWzd0qkMVmG0x5dAAHL-k2I89Pxzispl4B-jTNsAZYWZe4KIvM6WB6JnzayXRUhqqlYNxw7C7nJsEZM7X7mraxK2kd9GwX9LL4NS8vxe4KSyGH9sI_u8wqXDzTw55fNioHYyQIgbluU/s320/IMG_1395.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #252525; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">Some items from early Coast Survey
ships included china, a hat and epaulets from uniforms.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px;">The Survey's mission was to provide accurate nautical charts (maps of the oceans), but now it includes most of the physical sciences including:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">hydrography (the science of the
measurement and description and mapping of the surface waters of the earth with
special reference to navigation</span>),<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">geodesy (the branch of maths dealing
with the shape and area of the earth or large portions of it),<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">astronomy (the study of celestial
objects, space, and the physical universe as a whole),<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">topography (detailed mapping or
charting of the features of a relatively small area), <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">oceanography (the study of the physical
and biological properties and phenomena of the sea.</span>), <o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">tide and current measurement and
prediction, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">seismology (the study of earthquakes
and related phenomena</span>), <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">magnetics, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">national standards, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">photogrammetry (the use of photography
in surveying and mapping to figure out measurements between objects.</span>), <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt;">and more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;">I loved my visit, but I really enjoyed the videos from Ocean
Today (</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://oceantoday.noaa.gov/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">http://oceantoday.noaa.gov/</span></a></span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;">) and the Turtle Excluder Device (TED) which is a specialized <b>device</b> that
allows a captured sea <b>turtle</b> to escape when caught in a
fisherman's net. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj541tU7ZNxqrRs7oQIXVbgPCTYiTFe2vo5as8anC0O-lNer8Wf9_JYaCCW4SHT1SdDsaPOou01RGIb5MKf2R7XEhYHj-ztj6veosDinQjCm6fvmKxFnjnh8W57TwMPWpjIFIof2xpS1MX7/s1600/319px-Turtle_excluder_device.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj541tU7ZNxqrRs7oQIXVbgPCTYiTFe2vo5as8anC0O-lNer8Wf9_JYaCCW4SHT1SdDsaPOou01RGIb5MKf2R7XEhYHj-ztj6veosDinQjCm6fvmKxFnjnh8W57TwMPWpjIFIof2xpS1MX7/s320/319px-Turtle_excluder_device.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;">In particular, sea </span><b style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;">turtles</b><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt;"> can be caught when
bottom trawling is used by the commercial shrimp fishing industry. In order to
catch shrimp, a fine meshed trawl net is needed.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0VzMkBP5VrOZdxQkoDnkDTFfbRFBH6EkITmz4l7ezXk558p-vbTlhE58ub9YQ1q0YoOYvNXqIpum8TzANgzw64-fveZry6jmnX1F6JevngsgRfd1wwg8eauYP3akXwxTUStGe6ROVJMRI/s1600/IMG_1399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0VzMkBP5VrOZdxQkoDnkDTFfbRFBH6EkITmz4l7ezXk558p-vbTlhE58ub9YQ1q0YoOYvNXqIpum8TzANgzw64-fveZry6jmnX1F6JevngsgRfd1wwg8eauYP3akXwxTUStGe6ROVJMRI/s320/IMG_1399.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here are my new friends, Bruce, Molly and Peg in front of the new Science on Sphere (<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: start;"><a href="http://sos.noaa.gov/What_is_SOS/index.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">http://sos.noaa.gov/What_is_SOS/index.html</span></a></span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12pt; text-align: start;">)</span></td></tr>
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Thanks so much to Peg Steffen for showing me around!</div>
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Have a great week, Sea Fans!</div>
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Cheers</div>
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Abby</div>
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}( *)8</div>
Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-7947532370057917772017-01-27T11:39:00.000+02:002017-01-27T11:39:10.353+02:00Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET)<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">.</span>Hi Sea Fans!<br />
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">From one interesting place to the next! I got to
visit the Aquaculture Research Centre at IMET. </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg28KaiPY38MmCE62ecOx5FnB-z04Hv-HYB-kV-FBnmqe6zldSCGA62lyoqYy-ERQjCr7hZkt6ylHOlPHpxJR38g5AcHCozCcQ8Yd7er865IlY2obvRKPsSAlMZF7-VmVjRJv8cPKG-L_91/s1600/Watching+European+Sea+Bass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg28KaiPY38MmCE62ecOx5FnB-z04Hv-HYB-kV-FBnmqe6zldSCGA62lyoqYy-ERQjCr7hZkt6ylHOlPHpxJR38g5AcHCozCcQ8Yd7er865IlY2obvRKPsSAlMZF7-VmVjRJv8cPKG-L_91/s320/Watching+European+Sea+Bass.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching the European Sea Bass</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-US">The scientists at IMET study the ocean and environment to be able to protect and restore it, as
well as make sure that people stay healthy and use the resources (<span style="color: blue;">something that is found in nature and can be used
by people. Earth's natural resources = light, air, water,
plants, animals, soil, stone, minerals, and fossil fuels.</span>) in a way that makes sure that future generations (your children and their children) get to enjoy them too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The research centre is 1 800 square metres of pumps, filters and tanks! The scientists can change all of the conditions that the animals live in like: lighting; water temperature; water pH; water flow; etc. This means that they can change the environment of the animal or plant that they are studying to suit any experiment. They make their own sea water and use ozone to keep it clean and disease-free for the finfish and shellfish that they study.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijBpIqf-Z6gRTNvh8sgImgSclAuAZlAzKtoXoLB3XPvUe6FmyDd6KwSwBdpHQs7Ea4EJfeL_Ax_aiBhsJnowZsB6lV3-N5zMjdx8yv8LZmaqtUmPliZNH6VB1KsHENJjbbSzEixCQBm7iM/s1600/SAying+hi+to+Blue+Crabs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijBpIqf-Z6gRTNvh8sgImgSclAuAZlAzKtoXoLB3XPvUe6FmyDd6KwSwBdpHQs7Ea4EJfeL_Ax_aiBhsJnowZsB6lV3-N5zMjdx8yv8LZmaqtUmPliZNH6VB1KsHENJjbbSzEixCQBm7iM/s320/SAying+hi+to+Blue+Crabs.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was checking out the Blue Crabs here.</td></tr>
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Have a look at these links to see more:</div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47s8FR2V6Oo">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47s8FR2V6Oo</a></span> </div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://imet.usmd.edu/research/sus_aqua.html">http://imet.usmd.edu/research/sus_aqua.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://imet.usmd.edu/">http://imet.usmd.edu/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Thanks so much to Steve Rogers for showing me around!!<br />
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Have a great weekend Sea Fans!</div>
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Cheers</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Abby</div>
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}( *)8</div>
Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-32460394895924930032017-01-25T10:12:00.000+02:002017-01-25T10:12:05.180+02:00Gulf of Maine Research Institute Lab Venture Programme<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Hi Sea Fans!</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US">I have som uch of my trip to catch up on in this blog, it's unbelievable how much fun we've been having (and how little time I've had to sit down and write). Here goes:</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US">My next stop was in Maine at the Gulf of Maine
Research Institute (GMRI) LabVenture! program. This program is for Maine's 5<sup>th</sup> and 6<sup>th</sup> grade students.
Students pretend to be a scientist and do their own hands-on research in the interactive lab. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
week, I helped the educators with the LabVenture! program.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSbSIXrTEt2RaAvEGJecXcAshkSwzx3xrF1JA8yWiVqG3BYa0GXFSXaDfKeM8sloDswInOVOQiyOb5McRRYR-Zgd0kRjjC21Uj6yUiBQXDLcGvf39rVIOlpJcogIUEzU0CpxjWa-BDyeKj/s1600/Abby+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSbSIXrTEt2RaAvEGJecXcAshkSwzx3xrF1JA8yWiVqG3BYa0GXFSXaDfKeM8sloDswInOVOQiyOb5McRRYR-Zgd0kRjjC21Uj6yUiBQXDLcGvf39rVIOlpJcogIUEzU0CpxjWa-BDyeKj/s1600/Abby+1.png" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
waited with the staff for the students to arrive to hand out name tags so
students could get to work as scientists.<span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Meredyth" datetime="2014-10-01T13:27"></ins></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Molly,
Becca, and I led the students through the half-day hands-on interactive lab
experience. Students were working to answer the question: “How are Cod,
Lobsters, Herring, and Humans connected in the Gulf of Maine ecosystem?”</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1T9wtFGKR0HY7-AKNB65kJ_ZXP1gZZUDUjO9IJvfYP230cRFoDUwvs2AhwAk8GppWrqP3y9234n_8Pvuw1fnYw3J9iHPA0vjkypB6QOAiudsDJTGQ3FNPJS8rZQIvF2TgY7EI00rPQ0PJ/s1600/Abby+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1T9wtFGKR0HY7-AKNB65kJ_ZXP1gZZUDUjO9IJvfYP230cRFoDUwvs2AhwAk8GppWrqP3y9234n_8Pvuw1fnYw3J9iHPA0vjkypB6QOAiudsDJTGQ3FNPJS8rZQIvF2TgY7EI00rPQ0PJ/s1600/Abby+3.png" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Molly and Becca.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Students
worked at interactive stations to collect data, make observations, use the
tools of science, and create videos. I got a chance to try the stations as
well. It was really fun to control the underwater cameras using the joystick!</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
helped students use a caliper to measure the carapace of a lobster. The length
of a lobster's carapace can help scientist understand how quickly<span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Kim%20Little" datetime="2014-10-01T09:43"> </ins></span>lobsters
are growing.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I even got to observe GMRI's large blue
lobster in their large benthic tank<span class="msoIns"><ins cite="mailto:Meredyth" datetime="2014-10-01T13:28"> and learned about how cod
and lobsters interact</ins></span>. The lobster was bigger than me!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">I also<u> </u>helped
Molly and Becca listen to the videos students created at the
stations and picked which work to share with the whole class. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The day went really quickly and the students were busy at the stations the whole time. It was great to see so many students having fun and doing science! Thanks Meredyth and friends for showing me around!</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US">So those of you living in Maine, go and join in!!</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US">Have a great week Sea Fans!</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US">Chat soon</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
Cheers<br />
Abby<br />
}( *)8</div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-80216401266458993382017-01-23T10:08:00.001+02:002017-01-23T10:08:16.764+02:00Do you want to be a marine biologist?Hi Sea Fans!<br />
<br />
Those of you living in South Africa have an amazing opportunity...the Two Oceans Aquarium has started offering special courses to those interested in possibly following a career in the marine sciences.<br />
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<br />
Grade 6 - Junior Biologist - FREE!<br />
Grade 7 - Junior Smart Living - FREE!<br />
Grade 8 - Marine Science Discoverer<br />
Grade 9 - Marine Science Explorer<br />
Grade 10 - High School Volunteer Course<br />
Grade 11 & 12 - Zoology & Oceanography (FET)<br />
<br />
Check out all the details here:<br />
<br />
http://www.aquarium.co.za/blog/entry/introducing-the-revamped-two-oceans-aquarium-marine-sciences-academy<br />
<br />
Have a great week Sea Fans!<br />
Chat soon<br />
<br />
Cheers<br />
Abby<br />
}( *)8<br />
<br />Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-61895440462153650212017-01-12T14:49:00.003+02:002017-01-12T14:50:38.833+02:00Why are Great White Sharks not on display in an aquarium?Hi Sea Fans!<br />
<br />
I often get asked all sorts of questions, but this one seems to pop up often, especially in the summer season or after Shark Week. Luckily, I came across a video link today to explain:<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="435" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QMbHLF_zwjs" width="720"></iframe><br />
<br />
Have a great week Sea Fans!<br />
<br />
Chat soon<br />
Abby<br />
}( *)8Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-60013974715377433182016-08-31T11:57:00.005+02:002016-09-13T11:37:25.261+02:00DubaiHi Sea Fans!<br />
<br />
I started travelling at the end of 2011 and now, 5 years later, I'm STILL visiting friends! I've been really spoilt, it was only meant to be a year of travels....oh well, lots to see and so many people to chat to.<br />
<br />
One of the interesting places that I have visited is Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, where Zila offered to show me around. (Thanks Zila!!)<br />
<br />
When this aquarium was built, it had the largest main window (acrylic panel) in the world! <span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans", serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px;">32.8 meters wide, 8.3 metres high, 750 mm thick and weighing 245,614 kg.</span> It even got into the Guiness Book of Records.<br />
<br />
They started with a HUGE tank filled with different fish and shark species and an "underwater zoo" section that housed otters, water rats, freshwater (including the massive arapaima) and marine fish as well as seals. They have since got an Arabian nightlife section with insects and other animals, a gigantic croc, an octopus, penguins and a special shark section. Let me take you on a bit of a tour of this place so that you can see what kind of things Zila (head aquarist) does in a day:<br />
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First, we get to see what the public get to see - the underwater observatory. This is the big tank with that extra large window. The public can also pay to dive in this tank...Zila gets paid to dive in this tank! The aquarists take turns to feed the animals in this large exhibit and there are different feeds - shark feeds, scatter feeds that are more general and targeted feeds where animals like moray eels are fed.<br />
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The submarine tank exhibit where you can see cardinalfish and urchins and other interesting creatures.<br />
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You can also try your hand at sonar and find the turtles.<br />
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Then we go behind the scenes with Abby to check out the jelly lab where babies (polyps) are grown out for display. It's quite amazing finding out that things like a temperature difference can make a jelly have babies...watch out climate change!<br />
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Every day, Ariel, the water quality aquarist, and Zila have to check the water quality of all the exhibits to mae sure that they are living in a clean home. Too much poo would change the pH - not good for their fish!<br />
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Who would have thought that you'd find fruit and verg in an aquarium?! Well, this is the nutria (water rat) food. I loved getting the food ready and loved meeting the rats even more...<br />
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These guys are big.<br />
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I also got to meet the Asian small-clawed otters,<br />
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and the HUmboldt penguins.<br />
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And then I got to meet Mango, the rescued Scarlet Macaw who is now a part of the Dubai Aquarium family.<br />
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What an adventure, thanks to everyone at Dubai Aquarium!! Off I go to the next adventure ;)<br />
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Sea you soon!<br />
Abby<br />
}( *)8<br />
<br />Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-81893563431364445432016-08-31T11:57:00.004+02:002017-01-23T10:08:45.920+02:00Aquarium Book Special!Hi Sea Fans!<br />
<br />
Long time no see! This last year just seems to have been a blur! Unfortunately, my book is no longer available through Amazon.com but if you would like a copy just mail the author at demaine2@gmail.com and she'll hook you up with one. The first book is almost completely sold out but there are a bunch of book 2 left so get your order in now for Christmas stockings!<br />
<br />
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Sea you soon!<br />
Abby<br />
}( *)8<br />
<br />Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-10897522068057090402016-01-26T11:44:00.003+02:002016-01-26T11:44:52.842+02:00Shark babiesHi Sea Fans!<br />
<br />
Just a quick one today..check this video out for more on how sharks are born:<br />
<br />
http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/shark-week/videos/shark-birth-and-maturation/<br />
<br />
Have a great week!<br />
<br />
Cheers<br />
Abby<br />
}(*)8Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-76774345971175044142015-11-17T09:39:00.000+02:002015-11-17T09:39:29.748+02:00Sharks and cats have something in commonHi Sea Fans!<br />
<br />
It's been a while...busy busy busy. I hope you all had a fabulous Halloween and those of you in South Africa, I hope you're enjoying the sunshine. Those of you living up North, please build me a snowman with the first snow...and send me a pic of it! It would be great if it was sea-themed too!<br />
<br />
Well, I've been very busy with shark work so I thought I'd tell you guys one or two interesting facts:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFpKqFJUH4MJMtuTAKCpKMeQxY__DYROyi_rlc3btYbV8F68vgfLkhNHf6td1Ic_NMjWdPW8CaFbqPO_4-FqhUeKny1A9DT3eMXW6rHbRXl5r7qAmkfl59hnyS_1Fb9Y5pDsHYlGQhIlM/s1600/fluorescent_catshark+eye+by+NOAA+Ocean+Explorer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFpKqFJUH4MJMtuTAKCpKMeQxY__DYROyi_rlc3btYbV8F68vgfLkhNHf6td1Ic_NMjWdPW8CaFbqPO_4-FqhUeKny1A9DT3eMXW6rHbRXl5r7qAmkfl59hnyS_1Fb9Y5pDsHYlGQhIlM/s320/fluorescent_catshark+eye+by+NOAA+Ocean+Explorer.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reflective catshark eye. Photo: Ocean Explorer, NOAA</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Did you know</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> that w</span><span style="background: white; color: #191919; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">hen a light shines on a catshark's eyes, they
glow—similar to a cat's eyes. That's because cats and sharks have special
light-sensitive eyes designed for hunting in near-darkness. The shark has a
reflective layer of cells at the back of its eyes called the ‘tapetum lucidum’
(carpet of light) which allows it to see underwater in low light, and 10 times
better than humans can!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-N0y7nClkuIvHsnr2EWpDra4P7mbAyUtFqcB3jomsqFzmf3SinPqy4EtM1kybYBjp0vFRN43zi15lOvHjOPJgiaE1OK8v4SaEauz61HyYvXFgC9HkRzUFzE96jRGQ87PvTJphcg3fk4S-/s1600/greenland_shark_parasite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-N0y7nClkuIvHsnr2EWpDra4P7mbAyUtFqcB3jomsqFzmf3SinPqy4EtM1kybYBjp0vFRN43zi15lOvHjOPJgiaE1OK8v4SaEauz61HyYvXFgC9HkRzUFzE96jRGQ87PvTJphcg3fk4S-/s320/greenland_shark_parasite.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greenland shark eye parasite. Photo source: Real Monstrosities</td></tr>
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<b style="color: #191919; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Did you know</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> that the Greenland shark, which
is found in the seemingly lonely Arctic, can be found with a "buddy" - a
parasite that lives on the shark's eye and eats away at it. This parasite can even cause blindness, but most sharks seem unaffected by having a
permanent eye tassle!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcsW-Vbuz0ho9Akii9K-DIJ_UJHtyrHyrrt1llpL9BAPAOjkizCNrCuPE4bSUIKJem2PPl_nD4Sf96TIPVnPBEtwCijirNqcHcdfO8KPRO2MwcxenwbuXCI9ZJSEeV6EANeTbklyGq5auV/s1600/mako+shark.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcsW-Vbuz0ho9Akii9K-DIJ_UJHtyrHyrrt1llpL9BAPAOjkizCNrCuPE4bSUIKJem2PPl_nD4Sf96TIPVnPBEtwCijirNqcHcdfO8KPRO2MwcxenwbuXCI9ZJSEeV6EANeTbklyGq5auV/s320/mako+shark.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shortfin mako shark.</td></tr>
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<b style="color: #191919; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Did you know</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> that the Mako shark can reach speeds of up to 100km/hour AND jump out of the water repeatedly (so it's not just Great Whites that can do it!)</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqda7EpNiEckNZL5W4rwYj8NadxxrQv0-pTz70Yi_sHvJWvlaKpZ4AFdjKwPKcrfe33cWM-HCm8zvGLrgolIR_3Pp_uePRk01EEOdGDtF3rq1QN6lbLCWTv5s3fENe-4qeZ42gZ1AEAMq/s1600/mako+jumping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqda7EpNiEckNZL5W4rwYj8NadxxrQv0-pTz70Yi_sHvJWvlaKpZ4AFdjKwPKcrfe33cWM-HCm8zvGLrgolIR_3Pp_uePRk01EEOdGDtF3rq1QN6lbLCWTv5s3fENe-4qeZ42gZ1AEAMq/s320/mako+jumping.jpg" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jumping Mako. Source: Herald Sun</td></tr>
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<b style="color: #191919; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Did you know</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> that the Tiger shark is also known as the garbage can with fins because of all the weird things that they've found in their stomachs...like number plates!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiger shark. Photo: Albert Kok.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGftSokKsTxQFLBYzQoiPaNszJy3km6XK6WQv7q7_S0tEOQs_d2uXni_h98CVkmBgW2ll7LABXoaCbvUb4oFBJ4G0f8SqsMA-v8TitDbNvS_Q90dk8U73-46HX8ZN07jMFu9TTg5-62QB5/s1600/Tiger+shark+stomach+contents.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGftSokKsTxQFLBYzQoiPaNszJy3km6XK6WQv7q7_S0tEOQs_d2uXni_h98CVkmBgW2ll7LABXoaCbvUb4oFBJ4G0f8SqsMA-v8TitDbNvS_Q90dk8U73-46HX8ZN07jMFu9TTg5-62QB5/s320/Tiger+shark+stomach+contents.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Display of Tiger shark stomach contents at the California Academy of Sciences. Photo: iveneverdonethat.com</td></tr>
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<span style="background: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">So now that you know a little more about sharks, I hope you're even more fascinated with them.</span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">Have a great week Sea Fans and chat soon!</span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">Cheers</span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">Abby</span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #191919; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">}( *)8</span></div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-63738511614020561732015-06-11T14:56:00.000+02:002015-06-11T15:04:58.977+02:00OystersHi Sea Fans!<br />
<br />
You might think that they are ugly, have a horrible texture when in your mouth and they don't seem to do much...but you're wrong! Oysters are high in calcium, iron and protein and once you've got past the 'ickyness" of the flesh, they're quite tasty. Ask all the posh people, they love to eat oysters :)<br />
<br />
I don't want to talk about eating my ocean buddies though, I want to tell you about the Oyster Recovery Partnership (ORP) who I visited recently. I got to have a look at what they are doing to help the Chesapeake Bay. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbuQzGKnUVPHmheFaYNLqYUxEwkyJ04PPzgw-OzbrcfjPSxBcPsRkgW5SZk_nTXIxmPd_tlrCMle8k2q_lJcL4sT5_gkMP2rb1QTujT8thb6UcZUQeJhTQeD_8p1zmgc875gR9Mm1Pvatp/s1600/Abby+and+Flat+Shelly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbuQzGKnUVPHmheFaYNLqYUxEwkyJ04PPzgw-OzbrcfjPSxBcPsRkgW5SZk_nTXIxmPd_tlrCMle8k2q_lJcL4sT5_gkMP2rb1QTujT8thb6UcZUQeJhTQeD_8p1zmgc875gR9Mm1Pvatp/s320/Abby+and+Flat+Shelly.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me with Flat Shelly, the ORP mascot.</td></tr>
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Let's first find out a bit more about oysters though:<br />
<br />
There are true oysters (food oysters) and pearl oysters, but the food oysters can produce pearls too. Oyster shells are usually pear or oval in shape, but it depends on what they attach themselves to. I've seen a few that can't be described as any shape! They have a whitish-grey outside shell and on the inside they have a porcelain white inside shell. They've got strong muscles that close their shells when they are threatened and they feed by drawing water over their gills and eating the titbits floating around in the water. <br />
<br />
Each adult oyster, on average, filters 189 litres (50 gallons) of water a day! Check out this video which shows you how these filter feeders clean up the water:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
https://youtu.be/1Zm-yMpHsaQ</div>
<br />
Not only do oyster reefs purify the water, but they also create ideal habitats (homes) for a number of other animals (crabs, fish etc). This is why ORP is getting people together to restore oyster reefs:<br />
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https://youtu.be/U8TNeusghYs</div>
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In order to restore the reefs though, they need shells for the spat (baby oysters) to grow on,</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXDYROxcnZCpkQ6_GrqJmcyE5GGTppIUM15_gM7Lp9X8rp_cqQ6NhTSpPHo8L_W5V3vmYL4JoI0aLJo1V3vyc1A0b3Fbvqft6t6rLqaqIU6mPhrQyGbbs-T5vUJWwSnTG8SdTV8z0vTfm/s1600/spat+on+oyster+shell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXDYROxcnZCpkQ6_GrqJmcyE5GGTppIUM15_gM7Lp9X8rp_cqQ6NhTSpPHo8L_W5V3vmYL4JoI0aLJo1V3vyc1A0b3Fbvqft6t6rLqaqIU6mPhrQyGbbs-T5vUJWwSnTG8SdTV8z0vTfm/s1600/spat+on+oyster+shell.jpg" /></a></div>
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so ORP came up with shell recycling where restaurants get involved by collecting their used oyster shells for the reefs.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Collected oyster shells.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOmikpKU7tKjCnUyUqmPi-08d5n1-eQCFEm7Zu4A9OU7SC6FFf-8R7ttGG3nBbJ7ne1cecIteGfWxEGJ6BqGpifTy4eR5yqaUTYHOYZNkTSuzP69uzfUlcVebGkRl4JoVZ_6sgW6NcJ0Q/s1600/DSC05482.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOmikpKU7tKjCnUyUqmPi-08d5n1-eQCFEm7Zu4A9OU7SC6FFf-8R7ttGG3nBbJ7ne1cecIteGfWxEGJ6BqGpifTy4eR5yqaUTYHOYZNkTSuzP69uzfUlcVebGkRl4JoVZ_6sgW6NcJ0Q/s320/DSC05482.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A ship full of oyster shells about to wash them overboard to make another reef.</td></tr>
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What a great idea!<br />
<br />
I ended my visit with ORP by taking a visit to the Horn Point Lab hatchery in Cambridge, MD - which is the world's largest oyster hatchery of the species called C. virginica. I couldn't believe it when I learnt that in the 2014 oyster planting season, over 800 million spat-on-shell was produced in the lab and planted back in the local waterways!<br />
<br /></div>
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ORP work together with scientists to learn better ways to grow oysters and restore oyster reefs, they teach the public how they can help and they work with those people who make the laws so that oyster restoration is encouraged. I love it when people work together to help our animals! </div>
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If you'd like to find out more, go to: http://www.oysterrecovery.org/</div>
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Thanks to Bryan Gomes for having me.<br />
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Have a great week Sea Fans!</div>
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Chat soon.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Cheers.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Abby</div>
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}( *)8</div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-33758362404090935032015-05-26T14:23:00.002+02:002015-05-26T14:23:40.884+02:00Stinky!Hi Sea Fans!<br />
<br />
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How funny...I've just been past the fish kitchen and saw a whole bunch of kids<br />
on a behind-the-scenes tour holding their noses! They think that it stinks - ha<br />
ha ha! We've all gotten so used to the smell of fish that we don't smell it<br />
anymore. Fresh fish doesn't smell fishy, but our fish bins that have been sitting<br />
with old bits in for a day don't smell as fresh.<br />
<br />
That smell must really stick to us because I've even had a shopkeeper crinkle<br />
up her nose and sniff the air like there's something stinky when I've gone to pay<br />
for something - not great, but if she knew what I got to do all day, I'm sure<br />
she'd wish she could smell like me! : ) Smelling like fish is a small price to pay<br />
when you get to work with turtles,</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0TYSDx2SkiFk4ySk33y8h7KuuCelHGOvKrzB8MqMZxT9oEFyjoFCLiIFUd2npP_Kpv63uL2s7MDYx3P4MYfANYZZLmYD5fm29Aa7P8PimREW5vmjH57-oreCNdNX6isIvvq9IiR7RPtd2/s1600/turtle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0TYSDx2SkiFk4ySk33y8h7KuuCelHGOvKrzB8MqMZxT9oEFyjoFCLiIFUd2npP_Kpv63uL2s7MDYx3P4MYfANYZZLmYD5fm29Aa7P8PimREW5vmjH57-oreCNdNX6isIvvq9IiR7RPtd2/s1600/turtle.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A baby turtle we rehabilitated and released back into the sea when it was bigger.</td></tr>
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penguins,<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxm9wUmjqC2UlVvG_yiaj6Sd66KIqd3aguMbm7YPEA49vWAWz79hgZav38p0Xc86XF0rHxORoOsvZ2ym0vH9e8y-uEZygYgqGV7DjAiwcWqnp0KD-n4iBxNp66chiK2RNkfbq-Clan51hj/s1600/baby+penguin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxm9wUmjqC2UlVvG_yiaj6Sd66KIqd3aguMbm7YPEA49vWAWz79hgZav38p0Xc86XF0rHxORoOsvZ2ym0vH9e8y-uEZygYgqGV7DjAiwcWqnp0KD-n4iBxNp66chiK2RNkfbq-Clan51hj/s1600/baby+penguin.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching a baby penguin grow up is so fulfilling and rewarding.</td></tr>
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rays,</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTmkgFO350J5RjccvAZqk_CuDplUC2IwZlCI_9RYBOjNM2FV5-XPKT28HJoGyhVz8EpGJa3HTvmAQfDMldH7qKRRPKDXsSoYvEQ8x495hyVTA2VSfTO5DpvKJ_A5egCn5EqN8pb9AAXNI/s1600/ray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTmkgFO350J5RjccvAZqk_CuDplUC2IwZlCI_9RYBOjNM2FV5-XPKT28HJoGyhVz8EpGJa3HTvmAQfDMldH7qKRRPKDXsSoYvEQ8x495hyVTA2VSfTO5DpvKJ_A5egCn5EqN8pb9AAXNI/s1600/ray.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiding mussels and urchins in the sand for these guys makes them look for their food the way they would in the wild. Very entertaining for the public!</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
and other amazing animals.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ruh3C5xWOngcLMt5w1igdyIeePG2JX6gVOZrxjCYbWFe_2on7g8IKH__qziTnDJdPTMtLZa3BHjN_H-kPUId6UAPfWnOoc3tJuWwbSv6XL80Tobo1TUiJFgv2fvnsm7OLIv-IhdSPZzH/s1600/angler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ruh3C5xWOngcLMt5w1igdyIeePG2JX6gVOZrxjCYbWFe_2on7g8IKH__qziTnDJdPTMtLZa3BHjN_H-kPUId6UAPfWnOoc3tJuWwbSv6XL80Tobo1TUiJFgv2fvnsm7OLIv-IhdSPZzH/s1600/angler.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See the pink wormy thing on his head? That's what he uses as bait. He wriggles it around to lure food fish closer and when they're close enough...he gobbles them up.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_O0-3ns36d2VnX6RJdMF-ldyOQutVM3OpgYmZqBEDMJUXsbRQcjD05pVFUQ47Vy6C0MghHp5xtlpTQoI1OCwT5ivwUSwlpNRdnMJWhmEQme7HlVX9NysMG4EvMsm-T2HESfV6moHM0Nmn/s1600/musselcracker+Neville.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_O0-3ns36d2VnX6RJdMF-ldyOQutVM3OpgYmZqBEDMJUXsbRQcjD05pVFUQ47Vy6C0MghHp5xtlpTQoI1OCwT5ivwUSwlpNRdnMJWhmEQme7HlVX9NysMG4EvMsm-T2HESfV6moHM0Nmn/s1600/musselcracker+Neville.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The musselcracker...boy, does this guy have some serious teeth!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_50fCBBPxp34uOR9Tk5Mx1FEgMvw6TCI6dg72lj1iA6j3NymqxAunA6RHUgtSrFTmv4YFEat7iEWNLVeBiEJvqqswcrPKGxDqdieGbMNWbmUnZN4TLADnHbgKglulAvWeqg3soBU-U42N/s1600/scorpionfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_50fCBBPxp34uOR9Tk5Mx1FEgMvw6TCI6dg72lj1iA6j3NymqxAunA6RHUgtSrFTmv4YFEat7iEWNLVeBiEJvqqswcrPKGxDqdieGbMNWbmUnZN4TLADnHbgKglulAvWeqg3soBU-U42N/s1600/scorpionfish.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pop-eyed scorpionfish. They sit so still and then when prey swim by, they're lightning fast!</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Enjoy visiting your local aquarium and checking out the hidden lives of all the fishies Sea Fans! </div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Chat soon.</div>
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<br /></div>
Cheers<br />
Abby<br />
}( *)8Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-1525795990247979812015-04-24T14:31:00.000+02:002015-04-24T14:31:00.249+02:00Sapphire Coast, Australia<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Hi Sea
Fans!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Australia
is such a beautiful place and the people are so friendly! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMk8fMfCGmmEibQCx9gs3pNoDTuU56bnrL-D7J3JtfAjho0jaT1qN-3wl2KW6351GD8lwzo83btzBuTR0TX69RBHVA14Z80iKhehF5E3-VeuFG5DJ8AGZc2bZwzFR_2MupeCj9D4gfn-tM/s1600/Blue_Mountains,_New_South_Wales,_Australia+by+Anne+Drikse+wwwdotannedirksedotcom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMk8fMfCGmmEibQCx9gs3pNoDTuU56bnrL-D7J3JtfAjho0jaT1qN-3wl2KW6351GD8lwzo83btzBuTR0TX69RBHVA14Z80iKhehF5E3-VeuFG5DJ8AGZc2bZwzFR_2MupeCj9D4gfn-tM/s1600/Blue_Mountains,_New_South_Wales,_Australia+by+Anne+Drikse+wwwdotannedirksedotcom.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue Mountains, New South Wales. (Photo: Anne Dirkse www.annedirkse.com)</td></tr>
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My latest
stopover was the Sapphire Coast Marine Discovery Centre (SCMDC) in Eden, NSW,
where I was lucky enough to go to the Eden Whale Festival. I went on a whale watching cruise with Cat
Balou in Twofold Bay and was named captain for a day! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKGl6-r6L7yPwjDayvF8l4U7kWv5m3w9Z1Dw8cDTx1Tq-ILi4fOsyQdLGLxvxVeEyDgfByQWSRidxAQ9D-X417NP6qpmtfCeEEyWzlCcAROLr2szRN1gv4GKOxux1RYtoUBUdYVcv3x6JU/s1600/DSC_0068.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKGl6-r6L7yPwjDayvF8l4U7kWv5m3w9Z1Dw8cDTx1Tq-ILi4fOsyQdLGLxvxVeEyDgfByQWSRidxAQ9D-X417NP6qpmtfCeEEyWzlCcAROLr2szRN1gv4GKOxux1RYtoUBUdYVcv3x6JU/s1600/DSC_0068.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">At SCMDC I joined
the education programs and chatted to the students about their favourite marine
animals. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7dIaOtuvrIiPbD36eDvMZ0PvWTbQ7BUrKlS3fffS1KHxJmNk7AV0n4tuWGAGV-mamJqu32HvZemzVgyDCmkad2uLeBjyxwXZdk-7j8D8LOQmJA-qfL5DdOR88iZxCehrXsSLZibQ7P_Po/s1600/IMAG2210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7dIaOtuvrIiPbD36eDvMZ0PvWTbQ7BUrKlS3fffS1KHxJmNk7AV0n4tuWGAGV-mamJqu32HvZemzVgyDCmkad2uLeBjyxwXZdk-7j8D8LOQmJA-qfL5DdOR88iZxCehrXsSLZibQ7P_Po/s1600/IMAG2210.jpg" height="201" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">In between, I got to know all
the animals in the tanks (I got up close and personal with the octopus…I think
he liked me. I could sit for hours at the tank just watching him swim and play,
they really are amazing animals) </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTwwhyphenhyphenCPz2tvZxf2GCcB-X6QkoFpjKlxxWlYMZHvFAf-6ZJTi5RFAcDBdAmNLSRlpO7R4muNXyCqyT-p0REE9gCS0W4Ot0y6ObsZdLvzy8tgzLytJlGIMg57fAWIguRzZAjoyBekUpkmir/s1600/DSC_0414.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTwwhyphenhyphenCPz2tvZxf2GCcB-X6QkoFpjKlxxWlYMZHvFAf-6ZJTi5RFAcDBdAmNLSRlpO7R4muNXyCqyT-p0REE9gCS0W4Ot0y6ObsZdLvzy8tgzLytJlGIMg57fAWIguRzZAjoyBekUpkmir/s1600/DSC_0414.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">and discover their marine artefacts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The staff
and visitors were so nice to me and I loved every minute of my visit. Thanks Jillian Riethmuller for hosting
me!! (http://www.sapphirecoastdiscovery.com.au/who-we-are/)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">I was sad
to leave the coast and all my new friends, but we can always stay in touch
through the internet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">So long
Sapphire Coast, hello Dolphin Discovery!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivssyGwPWNztOlO0EOO30nKzwj2-8jsDBhA1YQ_wx0ACIgNoIOMLbgNe7AcEqFVsZ_8ftYUWk2GvU5Bs_PFwRH1wTmAufftL9p9_31jN-LrfZIju_CIsrg-6DdxCXyrbhWK2x7R1zMT7xa/s1600/DSC_0416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivssyGwPWNztOlO0EOO30nKzwj2-8jsDBhA1YQ_wx0ACIgNoIOMLbgNe7AcEqFVsZ_8ftYUWk2GvU5Bs_PFwRH1wTmAufftL9p9_31jN-LrfZIju_CIsrg-6DdxCXyrbhWK2x7R1zMT7xa/s1600/DSC_0416.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This hoodie for a wetsuit was a bit big!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Have a great
week Sea Fans!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Chat soon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Cheers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Abby<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">}( *)8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-69790146386253693352015-04-22T14:21:00.003+02:002015-04-22T14:22:57.594+02:00Waddle you do?<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.4pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Hi Sea Fans!</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.4pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Saturday was good fun. A bunch of my friends joined the Penguin Waddlers in Muizenberg and walked 15km to Simonstown in the Cape (South Africa) for a good cause...African Penguin Awareness. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI731Sm5C1KT0VZQdE8TLmcXh7XuSDQ4hG0xCeOBmqlX0e_inpSyt59KAJKuLOU4dZEKGNPdv0VleB2-Ebbuk834FfmQMvsWfJdz1y8Fd1nOjAyjijn1lOxqcq3f7k9H9SHEbcHnnfDGeQ/s1600/penguin+waddle+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI731Sm5C1KT0VZQdE8TLmcXh7XuSDQ4hG0xCeOBmqlX0e_inpSyt59KAJKuLOU4dZEKGNPdv0VleB2-Ebbuk834FfmQMvsWfJdz1y8Fd1nOjAyjijn1lOxqcq3f7k9H9SHEbcHnnfDGeQ/s1600/penguin+waddle+2015.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.4pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.4pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The hard core waddlers started their 124km route in Gansbaai... </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-NdI2K2kx5Q20_aKT6PT6lLum00LWbh8OE6_700yGhwTvcdp_tgf-IlqxdVA3MTYtaLYE1WCiMmSewAeKqvWz2kKcIAcCtytPjjKo22ni1oMxYOxW-CXxhQ3M4-N1AzRidZI8Df3I1Ma/s1600/penguin+waddle+2015+map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-NdI2K2kx5Q20_aKT6PT6lLum00LWbh8OE6_700yGhwTvcdp_tgf-IlqxdVA3MTYtaLYE1WCiMmSewAeKqvWz2kKcIAcCtytPjjKo22ni1oMxYOxW-CXxhQ3M4-N1AzRidZI8Df3I1Ma/s1600/penguin+waddle+2015+map.jpg" height="226" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The Waddle for a Week </span><span style="color: #555555; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">(13 – 18 April 2015)</span><span style="color: #555555; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> is an annual event that brings
together committed, conservation-minded people keen to raise awareness
about the plight of the African penguin. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxo1yiXw-mm8i91c6AQOAtKU_phYpbFMZMw2kuR-xTofjtASdAoV5NwUllkQf6NWI_u5SxEUHYHBIs0bksmYPJDasNgFx26vmcpyOBeMXqSWgxIpi67N_2z89SK44FpniuQOGpCk_buhMD/s1600/penguin+waddle+2015+penguin+resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxo1yiXw-mm8i91c6AQOAtKU_phYpbFMZMw2kuR-xTofjtASdAoV5NwUllkQf6NWI_u5SxEUHYHBIs0bksmYPJDasNgFx26vmcpyOBeMXqSWgxIpi67N_2z89SK44FpniuQOGpCk_buhMD/s1600/penguin+waddle+2015+penguin+resized.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">There used to be lots of African
penguins, but now they're endangered.</span><span style="color: #555555; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="color: #555555; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">(Some scientists reckon that they could
become extinct within the next 20 years because of a huge drop in the number of
breeding pairs!).</span><br />
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.4pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">All it took was a few aquarium staff to get this, now
much-anticipated annual event, going. The waddlers walk not for money, <b>but for the love</b>
of these amazing animals! Yes, all they
want is for people to show their love for the penguins and the planet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.4pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Pedestrians, cyclists and onlookers of all sorts are informed
about the Penguin Promises campaign as the waddlers walk along the
coastline. The campaign aims to get
people promising to do something for the planet’s future, why not pledge your
promise? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.4pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Examples:</span><span style="color: #555555; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.4pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Don’t buy plastic shopping bags – reuse quality fabric bags<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.4pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Make a pact to be involved in at least one environmental day
this year - What about Earth Hour?!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.4pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Stay informed about the Penguin - The more we know, and share
with others, the greater the chance of people effecting social change.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.4pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Get involved in coastal clean ups - Litter in our oceans is a
threat to the Penguins. If you don’t live on the coast arrange a waterway clean
up in your area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOrFnOI50LKORaJdtcG8byrcmCCKofMHgwosB5mt_9pjhjaCY_4Wz6iJDlXv0aSAwplp56bE-RNdkGIFH9iFSo50O4ccgUNPaEnEZvzGg-w9MhirjuMuCLcojqzg2k4ej7w8SkwybEQ_B/s1600/penguin+waddle+2015+penguin+promise+card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOrFnOI50LKORaJdtcG8byrcmCCKofMHgwosB5mt_9pjhjaCY_4Wz6iJDlXv0aSAwplp56bE-RNdkGIFH9iFSo50O4ccgUNPaEnEZvzGg-w9MhirjuMuCLcojqzg2k4ej7w8SkwybEQ_B/s1600/penguin+waddle+2015+penguin+promise+card.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.4pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.4pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">For more info go to: www.penguinpromises.com</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.4pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.4pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Have a great week Sea Fans and don't forget to pledge...not just South Africans!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Cheers</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.4pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Abby</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.4pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">}( *)8</span></div>
Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-67708799109242871742015-03-23T10:55:00.000+02:002015-03-23T10:55:00.096+02:00Mermaid.....'s purseHi Sea Fans!<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
I've been really busy setting up a new exhibit for the shark section and came across a lady who does something very interesting. But let me give you a bit of background first...</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Sharks
keep our largest and most important ecosystem healthy…our oceans. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrd_4ypGulmA7FNvGXsCIDFxjqC48nftxF9KteKb9n7Pnhzvfx08olnu_IQIADp7EiQzErYYyf4AZ_4jIlHHBJRNVqGYYtktP-BZHhC9DqHCVyXeuzCxZbJQ77Qc1lJSwl3LmEuTZKA9Y/s1600/Leopard_catshark+by+(WT-shared)%2BPbsouthwood%2Bat%2Bold%2Bwikivoyage%2Bwts.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrd_4ypGulmA7FNvGXsCIDFxjqC48nftxF9KteKb9n7Pnhzvfx08olnu_IQIADp7EiQzErYYyf4AZ_4jIlHHBJRNVqGYYtktP-BZHhC9DqHCVyXeuzCxZbJQ77Qc1lJSwl3LmEuTZKA9Y/s1600/Leopard_catshark+by+(WT-shared)%2BPbsouthwood%2Bat%2Bold%2Bwikivoyage%2Bwts.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Leopard catshark. Photo: (WT-shared) Pbsouthwood at old wikivoyage wts</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Being at the top of the food chain in the
marine environment, they help to keep fish stocks in the ocean healthy.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>
As our oceans cover over 70% of the earth’s surface and houses 80% of life on
earth, maintaining (preserving and not destroying) this ecosystem is really really really important to life on earth!<span class="apple-converted-space"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
By
monitoring (keeping an eye on) and understanding local shark species and what they need in order to do well, we can actually help to protect our natural heritage. How, as average people who haven't studied science, can we help? You just have to be willing to help... and you can be a citizen
scientist!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Citizen science (CS) is scientific research done by non-professional scientists…Joe Blogs the lawyer, or
Betty Boop the PA, for example. Anyone
can get involved in CS projects!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
An example of a CS project that I came across was a shark egg case project run by Sheraine van Wyk on the Whale
Coast in South Africa. Regular
shark egg case collections by volunteer groups along the
Whale Coast shoreline, provides
information on the egg cases found at different beaches. This gives an idea of the shark species that occur offshore at those areas. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
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About 25% of all sharks reproduce (have babies) by means of an external egg. <o:p></o:p></div>
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These are the
sharks that the Whale Coast Conservation project focusses on. <br />
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The eggs have different shapes, sizes and colours, but what makes shark
eggs unusual-looking is that many have tendrils or hooks with which they attach
to sea plants, rocks or other objects under water. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWUN_rOPBEudYJt1TrDNnIZeTHbke0rGz2kQ6UnfXFXPVyJIqimrYsFxTe2lsIZ68hvxbqpH_FJHHKnB0jvgRINbPTUwgu0uYPweznI6xIA-ZCC43sq-WLNxo_XYre0-2bVUsNF8KnRzu/s1600/My+shark+egg+cases.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWUN_rOPBEudYJt1TrDNnIZeTHbke0rGz2kQ6UnfXFXPVyJIqimrYsFxTe2lsIZ68hvxbqpH_FJHHKnB0jvgRINbPTUwgu0uYPweznI6xIA-ZCC43sq-WLNxo_XYre0-2bVUsNF8KnRzu/s1600/My+shark+egg+cases.jpg" height="319" width="320" /></a></div>
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Inside the egg the embryonic (baby) shark feeds off a yolk sac for up to nine months while it grows and develops. <o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMEQM1cHbXKuK2itne9juyB8oFtj5_PfGjiOpgHIfBPOLF8EPk2HEhUUwPN9vvAaBFRui04q_yQ2Us49ubnRxY4qomlNf-FN0UCjHaAQFg2QWvfb9ABgFBbHVi_qtH-KDBIHxq5TEVfVI5/s1600/Shark+embryo+by+Sander+van+der+Wel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMEQM1cHbXKuK2itne9juyB8oFtj5_PfGjiOpgHIfBPOLF8EPk2HEhUUwPN9vvAaBFRui04q_yQ2Us49ubnRxY4qomlNf-FN0UCjHaAQFg2QWvfb9ABgFBbHVi_qtH-KDBIHxq5TEVfVI5/s1600/Shark+embryo+by+Sander+van+der+Wel.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Sander van der Wel</td></tr>
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When ready,
the mini shark hatches from the egg leaving the empty egg case behind. <br />
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The empty egg cases usually wash out of the sea and end up on the
beach. If these ‘mermaids’ purses’ are found at a certain beach it indicates
that the adult sharks or ‘parents’ are in the water nearby. Scientists working on some of these types of sharks have already found that eggs are shed continuously throughout the year, except for one shark. The St Joseph shark seems to do things a little differently because more of their eggs are found on the beaches at certain times of the year. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRXuVXYI1w6b1RT-_da4eVr5Q3nZWf2nSYuee42ffD3bDHNsHC9rQwsC9n9VaI5dQRfsXMM1SnEQc6mWF_bYbXMvhOGw_W4zx93MgvgKY9wAt2SBMYMAiFwc1uwkK7NjeA5Gl1D2usyNDw/s1600/St+Joseph's%2Bshark%2Bby%2BLesley%2BBarker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRXuVXYI1w6b1RT-_da4eVr5Q3nZWf2nSYuee42ffD3bDHNsHC9rQwsC9n9VaI5dQRfsXMM1SnEQc6mWF_bYbXMvhOGw_W4zx93MgvgKY9wAt2SBMYMAiFwc1uwkK7NjeA5Gl1D2usyNDw/s1600/St+Joseph's%2Bshark%2Bby%2BLesley%2BBarker.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St Joseph's shark. Photo: L. Barker from the Two Oceans Aquarium.</td></tr>
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More research is needed to find out exactly what's going on.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Egg case collection will continue for a few years, so if you’re interested and in the area,
contact Sheraine at Whale Coast Conservation (<a href="mailto:wcc@ocf.org.za">wcc@ocf.org.za</a>)
and lend a hand.</div>
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Have a great week Sea Fans!</div>
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Chat soon.</div>
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Cheers</div>
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Abby</div>
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}( *)8</div>
Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-77491102044553733442015-02-02T10:05:00.001+02:002015-02-02T10:05:10.435+02:00Whales and now seals...for free!Hi Sea Fans!<br />
<br />
Remember my visit to WhaleNet with Michael? Well, there's some great news from Wheelock College. They tagged a Gray Seal on the 19th of January and you can now follow it on their website (http://whale.wheelock.edu/whalenet-stuff/Stop39395-15/) FOR FREE!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEite1r0ST7zRwSfWNzvgYkzUYco8yPGHBkRzkJDdk_V93LLI-wz1HWsQR0OLJN28wtj_d63ny81rm3e3ltYv5qO9Ek9YqPHf5Aeo_21D9vF1knu1sKN0-WFU6qRWrsUWeiLFMsyvXAHQDqB/s1600/WhaleNet+gray+seal+pup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEite1r0ST7zRwSfWNzvgYkzUYco8yPGHBkRzkJDdk_V93LLI-wz1HWsQR0OLJN28wtj_d63ny81rm3e3ltYv5qO9Ek9YqPHf5Aeo_21D9vF1knu1sKN0-WFU6qRWrsUWeiLFMsyvXAHQDqB/s1600/WhaleNet+gray+seal+pup.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Marine mammal researchers are capturing, tagging, sampling, and releasing weaned gray seal pups on islands near Cape Cod and Nantucket. They hope to learn more about the influenza A virus in the gray seal population and fill out a picture of pup movements. They'll be gathering samples that will teach us more about their health, ecology (ecology = the study of the relationships between living things and their environment), and habitat use (how they move around and what they do in their home area). Information that they get from the tags will also be used to find out how many males, females, young, sub-adults and adults there are. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">So why not use this pup for your next biology project? Should be interesting what they find out about this 35kg beauty!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">Have a great week Sea Fans!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Chat soon.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Cheers</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Abby</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">}( *)8</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-17136578213855974202014-12-29T14:53:00.000+02:002014-12-29T14:53:00.070+02:00Final whale tale<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">Hi Sea Fans,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">This is my last post about my visit with the whale! If you remember, I
was in Massachusetts with Cynde McInnis and The Whalemobile. The Whalemobile is
a life-sized inflatable humpback whale, modeled after an actual whale that
summers off the coast of MA. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2JsTXV0OR_QjRXNpDKbdKHZnqVDXmRUTrDYOuJcrxHdRMmAoxbaWQ_l0ypmX218Nus2sElXVx_g91brzy1TPRpJoICFLuMmXc5smTCBVn-jafev_BzVm_WFyXcwjmIlRtMlkgTVUCGrH/s1600/IMG_3058+blog+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH2JsTXV0OR_QjRXNpDKbdKHZnqVDXmRUTrDYOuJcrxHdRMmAoxbaWQ_l0ypmX218Nus2sElXVx_g91brzy1TPRpJoICFLuMmXc5smTCBVn-jafev_BzVm_WFyXcwjmIlRtMlkgTVUCGrH/s1600/IMG_3058+blog+3.JPG" height="104" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">The whale is named Nile, and she was 27 years old
this year. Cynde helps keep track of the different whales that come off the
coast, and Nile has quite a family (although they rarely ever associate with
one another as adults). Her mother Mars, first seen in 1979, has had 10 calves
over the past 35 years. Nile was born in 1987 and she has had 5 calves. She had
her fifth calf with her this past season. The researchers hope to see Nile’s
calf next summer!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">I left off the last blog at the point where we were going to go inside
Nile! It’s so big when you get inside! When Cynde had the whale made, she had
the heart, lungs, stomach, ribs and vertebrae sewn on the inside as well. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAT_j6ieX24quEGSXFw8Xji_NrLd5ayyjQpcZ9qtA0XxbZw507AmX2ECmdA1g6-EQgyI1SUuOQ2_LL7W8XkB-uihHZECRLPVXeBRwr8Prnwsx38ZQgkFuTHlCH7VD1vo4chHs2U_S-o-wB/s1600/IMG_3063+blog+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAT_j6ieX24quEGSXFw8Xji_NrLd5ayyjQpcZ9qtA0XxbZw507AmX2ECmdA1g6-EQgyI1SUuOQ2_LL7W8XkB-uihHZECRLPVXeBRwr8Prnwsx38ZQgkFuTHlCH7VD1vo4chHs2U_S-o-wB/s1600/IMG_3063+blog+3.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">A
whole class of students (about 25) can fit inside the whale together. It’s a
little dark so Cynde has a flashlight and uses it to point all different parts
of the whale. She starts with the heart. It’s bigger than a big exercise ball,
and in a blue whales, it’s the size of a small car! A whale’s heart beat is
much slower than humans. The kids clap their own heart beat and then follow
Cynde’s clap to illustrate the whale’s heart beat! They always have a look of
surprise on their face when they clap every 6 seconds or so.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">Next, Cynde talks about the blowholes and lungs. The whale’s lungs are
the size of an adult sleeping bag! While in that area, she points out the ribs
and vertebrae that go all the way to the whale’s tail, but not in the tail.
Finally, she talks about the mouth and how huge it is. Did you know a humpback
whale jaw bone is about 8-10 ft long? Put your thumb on your chin and then your
index finger on your ear lobe. That’s about how long your jaw is. It’s a lot
smaller! When the whales feed, they open their mouths, scoop up huge amounts of
fish and water, and then they use their tongue to push the water out through
the baleen plates. The fish then go down their throat to their stomach where
they are digested. Cynde asks, “Then what happens?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">Poop!! Yes, as a scientist on the whale watch boat, Cynde keeps track of
the color of the whale’s poop. What would that tell her? What the whales eat!
If they are eating sand eels, the poop is brown, and if they feed on krill, it
turns fire engine red! Now, whale poop has gotten a lot of attention in the
media lately. Cynde asks, “Does whale poop benefit the ocean at all?” What does
a farmer put on his crops? Manure, right? Why? There are nutrients in the poop
that help the plants grow. Again, the same thing is going on in the ocean. The
whale poop acts as fertilizer in the ocean. The more whales, the more poop, the
more nutrients, the more plankton. Now, does phytoplankton benefit humans? Take
two breaths. You can thank plankton in the ocean for one of them. They produce
over half the oxygen that we breathe on the planet! I loved watching the
students put together that whale poop benefits humans! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">The last thing the students did was talk with Captain John who runs the
whale watch boat. He talked trash with the students. Well, he talked about
marine debris. He shared with them different pieces of trash that are found in
the ocean and which animals can be injured by them. Plastic grocery bags are
often found in the bellies of whales when they wash up on the beach. Plastic
bits can be found in turtles and birds. They talked about recycling and how
important that is to be conscious of the choices that we make. Instead of using
plastic water bottles, the kids remembered to use reusable ones. Instead of
taking those plastic bags from the shop, they talked about taking cloth bags
to the shop. It’s so encouraging to ask the students, “Who recycles at
home?” Their response is, “Of course!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">All in all, I had a great time with Cynde and Nile and learned so much
about whales! Hope you are all having a wonderful holiday and stay tuned for my next
adventure!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">Cheers!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">Abby</span></div>
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Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7595490549718600172.post-48751077579122754012014-12-23T14:52:00.000+02:002014-12-23T14:52:55.609+02:00Whales details<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">Hi Sea Fans,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">Hope you are having a nice holiday season. I wanted to share with you a
little bit more about my time with Cynde and The Whalemobile. It was really fun.
Cynde started out the day with a presentation to the students about whales. I
got to sit with her while she talked to the kids. Did you know that whales are
mammals just like us? They breathe air! It’s not water that comes out of their
blowhole. Cynde talked about how
there are over 85 different species of whales that are divided into two
groups—toothed and baleen whales. Toothed whales include the dolphins,
porpoises, orcas and sperm whales. They have a single blowhole, and they have
teeth in their mouth. Here is a picture of me holding a sperm whale tooth. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6lVGHHYqj19vs3saDn9rey7tgsV-TFnyRivj-sQKsnxoK9kRajeo1B-yFyeJVi3aervps09zXoyI2KJVs2CS9iXAr5Vn0y0i-daKKzB_sSXFDSxhjKjFhceqd81toSWomCX0FB1WZImc3/s1600/IMG_3188+blog+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6lVGHHYqj19vs3saDn9rey7tgsV-TFnyRivj-sQKsnxoK9kRajeo1B-yFyeJVi3aervps09zXoyI2KJVs2CS9iXAr5Vn0y0i-daKKzB_sSXFDSxhjKjFhceqd81toSWomCX0FB1WZImc3/s1600/IMG_3188+blog+2.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">The
baleen whales have two blowholes on top of their head, and in their mouths,
they have large triangular plates--200-300 on each side! They use these plates
to filter fish out of the water. Humpbacks, blue, fin and right whales are all
baleen whales. Here is a picture of me with the baleen from a fin
whale.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">After showing these artifacts to the students, Cynde then focused most
of her talk on humpbacks because that is what she sees most often on the
whale watch boat. Humpbacks migrate to the Caribbean in the winter to mate and
calve and then to the coast of Massachusetts in the spring, summer and fall to
feed. It’s so amazing; whales are off MA feeding the same time the leaves are
on the trees. It’s because the growing season in the ocean is the same as that
on land. Phytoplankton, the plant-like critters of the ocean, use nutrients,
sunlight, water and CO2 to photosynthesize. They grow in huge numbers when all
of these are readily available. These phytoplankton attract zooplankton (animal
plankton), which in turn attract small fish like sand eels. The food chain!!
That is why the whales come to feed! It’s so amazing how it’s all connected!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">After Cynde’s talk, all the kids and I got to see the whale inflate! It
only takes about 45 seconds, and it’s so amazing to watch. I loved listening to
the students get all excited as they watched Nile get bigger and bigger. She’s
43 feet long! After Nile was inflated,
we took turns by class and got to go inside!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">Happy holidays Sea Fans!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">Chat soon!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">Abby</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-ZA;">}( *)8</span></div>
Abbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06815395412758077543noreply@blogger.com0