Lobster Photo Thursday!

We all know and love Chewie (short for Chewbacca), the massive lobster that lives in the harbor seal exhibit. This picture really gives you an idea of how big he is.

Moving is a tough job ...

... especially if you have flippers.

The Northern fur seals are headed out on the open road. This blog post from the NEAQ marine mammal trainers will give you the scoop ... but I'm pretty sure they're headed somewhere with plenty of squid.

DSN Has a HUGE announcement!

There's a video and everything ... definitely check it out if you like deep sea vents.

Right Whales Vs. World Shipping Council

In a recent post, I lamented the stallout of a valuable shipping speed limit regulation designed to protect right whales from ship strikes. Today, the Washington Post reports that the NOAA is prepared to act on such a proposal ...

... but ...

It's a (gasp) watered down version of the regulation.

Since the average speed of fatal right whale collisions is well documented at about 18 knots, the speed limit of 10 knots wasn't easy for the World Shipping Council to argue against. What they could argue against was the distance from shore where ships would be required to obey that speed limit. Even though there are extensive population distribution maps showing right whales 30 nautical miles from shore, the WSC pleaded the speed limit down to 20 nautical miles from shore.

This is a population with less than 400 individuals left. As Amy Knowlton (who's research is cited along with the rest of the Aquarium's North Atlantic Right Whale Research Program in NOAA reports) points out in the Post article, it's not time to cut corners with protective measures:

"It's disappointing that it can't be all that it could be," said Amy Knowlton, a researcher at the New England Aquarium in Boston. "If we didn't lose one or two females a year" because of the expanded speed zones, she said, "that could be the difference between letting this population recover, and letting this population continue into extinction."

Just today NEAQ researchers identified a calf with entanglement scars. People, and governments, need to start taking the risk of extinction seriously. You can't negotiate away the death of an entire species.

Breaching right whale video from the field

Since I'm obsessed with right whales now.

The Ultimate Whale Watchers

Sure, I'm always going on about the jolly good time one can have on a commercial whale watch, but that's not quite as intense as what the North Atlantic Right Whale Research Program team members are up to in the Bay of Fundy. Enjoy these slideshows, presented in Visual Stereo!

Giant Lobster/Seal Caption Contest!

What are the seals saying? Go here and respond!

Guest Blogging at the Garter

It's been a fun ride guest blogging at The Oyster's Garter this week.
Miriam should be back by Monday to delete all my nonsense.

So go over there quick to check out mafia penguins, death star humpbacks, and chocolate right whales.

My Whale Watch Trip!

Throughout the summer I've posted images and video from other people's amazing New England Aquarium Whale Watch trips. Yesterday, at long last, I got to go on one myself. It was shockingly cool.

Everyone on the boat was blown away by the sightings. We saw a feeding humpback named Etch-a-Sketch, a bunch of flukes from diving humpbacks, some Minke whales ... and the grand finale: a mother (Identified as Crown) and her calf logging up close. here's the video:

Best of all I didn't need drammamine. Guess that means I have what they call "sea legs."

Don't Jump!

I'm not a parent, but I've always felt that a trip to the New England Aquarium with two children should be a happy event. A humorous column from John Gray of the Troy Record begs to disagree. Apparently his kids are rather poorly behaved, and he felt like ending it all. His column includes the bizarre supposition that if he dove four stories into the NEAQ penguin exhibit the penguins might rescue him with CPR.

I'm no penguin biologist (Kev, wanna weigh in on this?) but I think the penguins might be more concerned with the invasion of territory than John's health. Oh, and they'd probably poop on him.


"You want me to perform what now?"

Wolves guarding the hen house

In 2001, the right whale recovery committee recommended a shipping speed limit on the East coast. One of the co-chairs of that committee is NEAQ research scientist Amy Knowlton. She's spent the last 7+ years watching the regulation slowly work it's way through Washington's bureaucracy. In 2007 it was ready for White House approval, and for the last two years that's where it has rested--unapproved in the Vice President's office.

During all those years, Knowlton has watched ship strikes continue. Ship strikes that could be decreased by slower boats.

And now we find that the White House is seeking to appoint F. Chase Hutto, an out-spoken opponent to such regulations to a high position in the Department of Energy. Knowlton was able to comment on the appointment in this The Public Record piece:

Acting on Cheney's behalf, Hutto questioned whether there was sufficient scientific evidence to justify the economic costs that the rule would impose on shippers. The White House plans to issue a revised ship strike rule next month that will reduce the perimeter around the ports from 30 to 20 nautical miles and will "sunset" the rule after five years, changes that New England Aquarium research scientist Amy Knowlton said would "undermine the scientific integrity of the rule," since right whales have been spotted within 30 miles of the ports.

The wolves are guarding the hen house, and endangered animals are dying every year because of it.

Thailand Coral Reef Video

Greg Stone is the Aquarium's resident explorer and global conservation liason. This video is from an expedition he made in 2005 with the National Geographic Society to assess damage to the coral reefs in Thailand.

It's 11 minutes of amazing footage, check it out!



Stone's previous expeditions are chronicled on the NEAQ website, including a blog about a biodiversity voyage to the Celebes Sea. Stone was also a leader in the international efforts to protect the Phoenix Islands in Kiribati. Stay tuned for information on the next expedition!

Diving in the GOT

If you're SCUBA certified and love the Aquarium, you can arrange to dive with the 600+ animals! Need proof? Check out George exploring the Giant Ocean Tank's reef:



That looks like a lot of fun!

Staycation Madness

Vacations are the time-honored tradition of spending time, energy, resources and patience desperately escaping the place where you have chosen to live.

But why?

The Aquarium is now recognized by the local press as a major destination for smart staycationers. In addition, there are a number of upcoming awesome features (including an audio guided tour and new fall exhibits) that will help people recoup the relaxing escape that gas prices and economic woes stole from them.

So New Englanders if you're in the market to reconnect with your home turf, come early, come often, come on a whale watch and have fun!

Bow to the Interns

The GOT blog just ran a cool post profiling their summer interns.



I'm pretty jealous. All my summer internships involved copy machines and coffee.
They got to feed Myrtle!

In case you forgot... Maria DeMaio!

For Free!
This Saturday!

I posted once, and I'm doing it again!

Need I remind you that Saturday might be the only day that doesn't include a torrential downpour. Take advantage with some stellar singing goodness.

Cleaning the Tank!

This is the time of year when algae grows like wildfire in the outdoor greenhouse-like harbor seals tank. So the marine mammal trainers go in armed with a suction hose and scrub brushes:



What's he doing at the beginning? Well, first he feeds the 17-pound lobster that lives in the bottom of the tank. Then he finds a whisker. Then gets to cleaning.

The Miracle of Worm Poop!

I've posted many times about the dedicated dynamos in the NEAQ education department. One of those people does more than educate kids about ocean issues. She's out to save the world with worm poop. It's an all natural fertilizer that builds up gardens by breaking down compost.

Educator Sunnye doesn't just talk the talk about conservation issues. She has joined the NEAQ tradition of using poop for positive purposes. I thought she was pretty eco-friendly when I saw her collect organic local produce to be transported home in a cloth backpack on sustainable public transportation. But apparently that's just the start. After she's done cooking she adds the leftovers to her compost heap and the cycle continues. Her business is called Wormjava, and I encourage all you gardners to check it out. Oh... and you early holiday gift givers, start buying the t-shirts.

Calling all Sox Fans!

Tonight is the night! Come watch Field of Dreams on the largest screen in New England. And when the tears have dried, talk baseball with The Boston Globe's own Dan Shaughnessy. Among his 20-year pile of sports writing accomplishments, Shaughnessy wrote a detailed account of the "Curse of the Bambino." For those of you that don't know, that curse involves Babe Ruth, the New York Yankees, a bad trade and about 50 zillion angry New Englanders suffering from a century-long championship drought. Sure it sounds simple, but there's a lot to it. This is an opportunity for every fan to hear a Sox expert introduce Field of Dreams and then hang around later to talk sports.

Oh, and the ticket price? Only $5! It starts at 8:10 tonight, so be there!

W00t! Play Shahhk Escape!

If there's one thing I can't stand it's online games that load slowly. That is not a problem with the ultra simple and ultra crazy new shark game from the Aquarium.



Not to be confused with "real world" sharks, the finned heroes in this game live in the Charles River and fly through the air. Sound far-fetched? Perhaps. In the wild, sharks have very few natural predators, but in this game they are regularly attacked by pigeons the size of Volkswagens and crushed by giant green basketballs.



Oh, it's a harsh world for these little sharks, and they need your scroll-right skills to navigate them back to the only place in Boston not seeking to crush them with over-sized landmarks--the Aquarium. I have yet to get to that final stage, but I'm working on it.

Join me, won't you? Here's that link again.

And while you're at it, try the jellies game, the turtle trail game and the scientifically accurate right whale ID game!

UPDATE: I made it to the end and, without spoiling anything, there's fireworks! I haven't felt so happy to see video game fireworks since world 7-2 in the original NES Mario Bros.

Whale Watch Extravaganza!

This 2008 whale watch season is shaping up to be incredible.
I've already posted some of the mind-blowing photos taken by NEAQ whale watch naturalists. You can see more on the Whale Watch Log.

However that doesn't really compare to this incredible visitor video from an August 4th trip:


These humpback shots just blew me away. I took some screen shots.



Amazing amazing stuff. They're looking into the mouth of a humpback and seeing the sandlances in there!

I've got to get out on more whale watches.

Maria DeMaio this Saturday!

The next big thing in singer songwriting is performing for free on the Aquarium plaza this Saturday!
Bet there between 4 and 7 at The Reef to check out the soulful stylings of Maria DeMaio.



The Reef is becoming a ridiculously hip place to be, what with the trivia and music events, the young professionals networking, and the shark gummy drinks. Get there soon before it closes down for the season!

(This still applies if you're a reader in Hawaii. Get on a plane now!)

Humans Vs. Whales

Ok. Yes, there has been some very good news about humpback whale populations. So much so that now the IUCN has classified the species as "least concern." They've done the same for the beach crashing southern right whales.


Image from a recent NEAQ whale watch by naturalist Melissa Rocha.

But, as NEAQ senior researcher Scott Kraus points out in this article, human beings are still a threat to whales:

Dr. Kraus said the North Atlantic humpback population is "recovering at a pretty good clip" but noted that because they live in an "urban ocean," they still have high rates of entanglement in fishing gear and strikes by ships. The same is true for northern right whales, he said.

There may be only 300 North Atlantic right whales along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard, Mr. Perrin said.

"When you live in real estate where there are ships running through your living room and fishing gear in your dining room, you are going to die," Dr. Kraus said. He added that whales' reproduction is being impaired by pollutants such as endocrine disrupters, pesticides and oil runoff from roads.

Southern right whales are likely showing signs of improvement because they swim to Antarctica in the winter to give birth to their calves, Dr. Kraus said.

So, "Save the Whales" still applies, and big time for the North Atlantic right whale. And NEAQ researchers aren't about to let anyone forget it.

Jumping Humpbacks!

And the visitor videos just keep on coming.
Check out this great Whale Watch footage:



You can see more reports of recent NEAQ whale watches on the Whale Watch Log.

Cliffhanger, penguin style

They're little blues, not rockhoppers ...
but this visitor video shows off their climbing skills.



Can someone dub the mission impossible theme over the first part of this?

Network With Us!

You want to connect with young professionals in the Boston area.
You know you want to meet with them at The Reef, just outside the Aquarium on the Plaza.
You know they have perfect teeth.


Photo courtesy of the best facebook group in history.

Be there tonight.
From 6-9 p.m. at The Reef.
Get some cards, give some cards.
Have fun!

How to disentangle a right whale ...

Since I'm all-consumed by right whales right now... and how to preserve the current population.



This link to disentanglement photos and accounts really grabbed my attention.

Right Whale Baby All Grown Up!!!

I can't tell you how excited I am to relay the report that the right whale Resolution is safe and sound in the Bay of Fundy.

Here he is, look at that cute collosity!



Here's another shot from the blog entry:



Resolution was born three years ago off the coast of Florida. His birth made history, because it was the first birth to be scientifically observed. I wrote a post about it here as well. Hi-res pictures of the birth are here, and more about Resolution and his mother are here.

Due to the nature of scientific peer reviewed research, the birth was only reported this summer. When researcher Monica Zani's paper was published I spoke with her about the experience. At the time she said "I can't wait to see Resolution in the Bay of Fundy." She was the one to photo ID the 3-year-old right whale, and she might see him in person when the fog clears and the team can resume their daily outings on the bay.

This sighting is a big deal because so many right whales are subject to the danger of ship strikes and fishing gear entanglements. This is because their migration paths run so close to shore and coincide with shipping lanes and major fisheries. NEAQ researchers in the southeast saw two dead right whale calves last season, and many more severely injured whales.

For more up-to-the-second whale sightings, including updates on the right whales you can sponsor, RSS the Bay of Fundy blog.

Commitment to Education

They're the best they are at what they do.
And what they do is get kids interested in marine science.



Here NEAQ educators demonstrate a schooling activity.
Consider this your moment of Zen.

Rare Lobster Madness!

The New England Aquarium is no stranger to the disturbing and colorful world of rare lobsters. There's the orange and blue lobsters in the Stellwagen Bank exhibit and the monstrous 17-pound lobster terrorizing the harbor seals in the outdoor exhibit. Oh, and don't forget Goliath, the 20 pound lobster.

But even here, at the dizzying epicenter of lobster abnormalities, we can be impressed. In this case, it's mostly by the odds. In the last two weeks, Massachusetts lobstermen (the most sustainable lobstermen in the country I might add) have carefully delivered a treasure trove of lobster freaks. One distributor alone got a blue lobster and a white lobster just weeks apart. Then another distributor picked up a pretty big (6 ilb.) blue albino lobster.

The fact of the matter is that these pigment abnormalities, as rare as they are, aren't the strangest. For the real bizarre color combos check out the Mystic Aquarium's half brown half white lobster. Thanks to that Deep Sea News classic post we know that that coloring is possible because the two sides of a lobster grow separately, and pigment can be altered for one half during an early stage of cell division.

However, if the finds are going to come in at this rate, we can expect a 70 pound lavender lobster by Thanksgiving.