#dangers of galapagos diving

[hawaiisharkencounters]

Hawaii Shark Encounters A Thrilling Adventure Beneath the Pacific Waves

Hawaii, known for its pristine beaches, lush landscapes, and vibrant culture, offers more than just sunbathing and hula dancing. For the adventurous souls seeking a unique and adrenaline-pumping experience, Hawaii Shark Encounters beckons as an extraordinary adventure beneath the Pacific waves.

The Oahu Shark Tour Experience:

Oahu, the heart of Hawaii, boasts one of the most thrilling shark encounters in the world. As you embark on a journey into the cobalt-blue waters off the North Shore, you'll soon find yourself surrounded by the ocean's apex predators. But fear not; this isn't a tale of danger but an exhilarating adventure that promises a close encounter with sharks in their natural habitat.

Educational and Conservation-Focused:

Hawaii Shark Encounters isn't just about seeking thrills; it's also an educational and conservation-focused experience. The expert guides onboard provide insights into the fascinating world of sharks, dispelling myths and fostering a deeper understanding of these majestic creatures. Participants learn about the importance of shark conservation and the role sharks play in maintaining the ecological balance of the oceans.

Safety First:

Safety is paramount in every Hawaii Shark Encounter tour. Participants are provided with comprehensive safety briefings and equipped with top-of-the-line snorkeling gear or secure cages, ensuring a secure yet immersive experience. The tours are led by experienced professionals who prioritize both the safety of participants and the well-being of the sharks.

Species Diversity:

Hawaii's waters are home to a variety of shark species, including the Galapagos shark, sandbar shark, and the famed tiger shark. Each encounter is unique, offering participants the opportunity to witness the distinct behaviors and characteristics of these incredible marine creatures. The abundance of marine life in the area enhances the overall experience, providing glimpses of other ocean inhabitants like sea turtles, dolphins, and colorful reef fish.

Environmental Impact:

Hawaii Shark Encounters is committed to minimizing its environmental impact. Tours adhere to strict guidelines to ensure responsible wildlife viewing, respecting the natural behaviors of the sharks without disrupting their ecosystem. The company actively supports marine conservation initiatives, contributing to the preservation of Hawaii's marine life for future generations.

Memorable Moments:

The memories created during a Hawaii Shark Encounter are truly unforgettable. From the adrenaline rush as a shark glides gracefully beneath the water to the breathtaking beauty of the surrounding marine environment, participants leave with a newfound appreciation for the ocean's wonders. The tours also provide ample opportunities for underwater photography, allowing guests to capture the awe-inspiring moments and share them with friends and family.

Booking Your Adventure:

Booking a Hawaii Shark Encounter is a straightforward process. Many tour operators offer packages suitable for various preferences, whether you're a thrill-seeker, an eco-conscious traveler, or a curious adventurer. Advanced reservations are recommended to secure your spot, as these tours are popular among visitors seeking a unique and immersive experience.

Hawaii Shark Encounters offers a thrilling and educational adventure that goes beyond the typical beach experience. It's an opportunity to connect with nature, dispel myths about sharks, and contribute to their conservation. So, if you're ready to trade sunbathing for an underwater adrenaline rush, a Hawaii Shark Encounter might be the perfect addition to your Hawaiian vacation. Dive in and discover the incredible world beneath the Pacific waves.

For more info:-

Hawaii Shark Encounters

[descriptionsecu]

San Cristobal Island - 3 Days Adventure

Day 1

Galapagos Bird Life, Land, and Marine Exploration

This morning we will hike to Cerro las Tijeretas or Frigate Hill, which gets its name from the large number of Frigate Birds (Tijeretas) that live and nest here. On our walk along the lava rock trails we will be able to see interesting endemic plants and the spectacular birdlife of the Galapagos. There are great views of the coastline and our first encounter with the underwater marine life at Darwin bay.

We continue on to the striking Carola Beach where we can take another dip if we want. Here you will find sea turtles, sea lions, and marine iguanas.

Back at Mann Beach we can kayak (additional cost), providing a perfect end to a perfect active and relaxed day in these enchanted islands.

Lunch included in the town.

Night at Casa Opuntia (standard Matrimonial room) Included:  Transportation, English speaking guide, excursion, lunch, accommodation.

Day 2

Underwater Life (shared excursion)

Today we leave early from Baquerizo Moreno Port and head to the impressive Leon Dormido or Kicker Rock, but before getting there we will try out our snorkeling gear in a small protected bay with calm water and playful sea lions.

Leon Dormido, made of two rocks in the form of an obelisk jutting dramatically out of the sea, is considered one of the top snorkel and dive sites in the Galapagos, and here we use our snorkeling equipment to explore a channel between the rocks. Stingrays, white-tipped reef sharks, hammerhead sharks, turtles, tropical fish and eagle rays all live in the waters around Leon Dormido and if you are lucky you may even get to spot dolphins and whales!

Box lunch included.

Night at Casa Opuntia (standard Matrimonial room) Included: Breakfast, English speaking guide, shared excursion, box lunch, accommodation

Day 3

Today after breakfast, visit to La Galapaguera.

Located to the south-east of the island of San Cristóbal, La Galapaguera de Cerro Colorado is a tortoise reserve that was built to improve the status population of the island’s tortoises, Geochelone chatamensis. It is located within the area of Cerro Colorado, which is also one of the few places where it possible to see the Calandrinia galapagosa, a plant that is endemic to San Cristobal and is in danger of extinction.

Included:  Breakfast, English speaking guide, transportation, excursion.

[charlices-life]

Thursday, March 17

it’s the last day of school for this week. We got to school on time because i needed to go to my first period class, Environmental Science, on time to watch a movie called Sharkwater. My feeling toward this moie are so great i cant even put it into my own words. 

“ Arguing that sharks are misunderstood as dangerous creatures, biologist Rob Stewart travels to the Galapagos Islands, Costa Rica and other places where the animals can be found. Underwater, he feeds sharks to demonstrate their fundamentally nonviolent nature. With 90 percent of the shark population destroyed by indiscriminate hunting, Stewart joins forces with conservationist Paul Watson to fight poachers who illegally kill the animals for their fins and sell the meat to the Taiwanese Mafia. “ - Wikipedia

It’s now one of my favorite movies and i need to watch the second movie,  Sharkwater Extinction. The director and narrator of both films, Rob Stewart, is a Canadian man who pronounces Costa Rica as COST-ah Rica and I love him very much. I later found out that he died at the age of 37 in a diving accident where he drowned. I got a 96 on the test in science today.

Then i went to math class and look at old photos of myself with scout and i don't feel shame in who i used to be when i was bald, i understand that it was just a part of my evolution and i accept my past. Scout and I visited Gabe at his lunch and told him about Sharkwater. Then i went to my own lunch and we got kicked out of the place we were eating in and were forced to eat in the cafeteria.

After lunch, I went to History class and completed the assignment we were instructed to do. We watched a movie called Red Tails and it has a very famous cat and 40% rotten tomatoes. The writing and acting, surprisingly, is not good and I am not excited to have to make a movie poster for it for the class.

Then I went to Ms.Tewksbury’s class and finished eatin my lunch and I went to my last class of the day, Econ. I submitted all but one of the assignments because i just was not havin it. I hate meaningless work.

Then i ran into Lune who was selling chocolate bars and i purchased 3 bars, one for myself, one for jean, and one for my beloved matches. Then i went home.

then i called ash and then we joined a call with gabe and john and ben and ellie and hannah and fen and played amoung us it was crazy

[generalwitchtastemaker]

Top 5 must-visit places around the world

One of the many things we would want to do as soon as the pandemic is over is travel. Honestly, I can’t wait to get out of my house and go on a little adventure. While researching where I would like to go next, I came up with a list. I call it “The Dream List". Well, I would like to share this list with as many people as possible. So here are my top 5 picks:

1. Niagara Falls, Canada

It is said that Canadian people are some of the nicest people in the world. The country offers beautiful views and the same can be said about the falls. One of the most amazing falls around the world, Niagara falls gives the most calming views and sound effects. Niagara falls are made of three falls: Horseshoe Falls (also known as the Canadian Falls), American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls. It is said that the falls freeze over the winter season but this is not true, only the surface water freezes. Wow, that would be something to see!!

2. Patagonia, Chile

Patagonia has one of the most beautiful mountain views I have ever seen. These mountains are breathtaking. The mountains are usually covered with an envelope of clouds - which gives an effect of smoke-covered mountains. I mean, that is pretty amazing! Well, now I can’t wait to go there!

3.Lofoten Island, Norway

Lofoten is a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Lofoten has distinctive scenery with dramatic mountains and peaks, open sea and sheltered bays, beaches, and untouched lands. I heard that the weather there is quite unpredictable and if there is bad weather we should wait for 10 minutes and it will most likely clear out. I would also advise you to visit the place at the earliest as tourism there has suddenly bloomed a lot. It has a lot of outdoor activities (but going hiking during winter is dangerous). I would advise you to visit the place fast before everyone else visits it before you (even if they do, don’t get FOMO).

4.Great Barrier Reef, Australia

If you are into diving, then this is your haven. Located on the Land Down Under, the beautiful under the sea experience in this reef will never let you down. Vibrant colored reefs, corals, and fishes await you in the majestic underwater heaven. It is the largest reef in the world, with great diversity in flora and fauna. You might even see some prehistoric animals! It is not very close to the shore. To reach the reef, you have to take a boat ride of almost 2 hours! It is advised to visit the reef during the winter season. If you love seeing beautiful and diverse species, this is the place for you to visit!

5. Galapagos Island, Ecuador

Nearly untouched by humans, the Galapagos Islands are a glimpse of what a real-life Garden of Eden may look like. This UNESCO World Heritage Site and biosphere reserve is home to a number of exotic creatures not found anywhere else, like the Galapagos tortoise, blue-footed booby, waved albatross, and Charles Darwin’s finches. If you want to see penguins in the northern hemisphere this is the place. You can also swim with turtles!! I mean that will be an awesome experience. As it is close to the equator, you can visit the place any time you want.

Well hope you do check these places out!

[snini-9]

Orcas VS Humans

In the wild, despite centuries of sharing the ocean, there has only been one reliable report of an orca injuring a human being. The attack occurred on September 9, 1972, when 18-year-old Hans Kretschmer was bitten by an orca whilst surfing at Point Sur. Kretschmer noticed some sea lions playing in the waves prior to the attack, leading him to believe the sudden nudge he received was a curious sea lion. When he turned to look at the instigator, he realised he was terribly mistaken. A six-meter-long killer whale had bitten down on his leg with incredible force. In an attempt to defend himself, Kretschmer punched the animal repeatedly, causing it to suddenly let him go. Once free, the shock-ridden surfer desperately swam 40 meters to shore, a swim which he survived. Upon seeking medical attention, Kretschmer’s doctor commented: “it looks like someone chopped your leg with a sharp axe.”

​

The injury he sustained was just as graphic with three teeth penetrating bone: narrowly missing a major artery with surgical precision. It required 100 stitches to fix. Although Hans Kretschmer holds the title as the only human being to be seriously injured by a wild orca, there have been five other incidents between humans and wild orcas.

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In the early 1910s, a pod of Antarctic type B killer whales, otherwise known as pack ice orcas, attempted to tip an ice floe on which a Terra Nova Expedition photographer and a sledge dog team were standing. Pack ice orcas specialize in hunting seals by wave-washing them off ice floes. Witnesses theorized the orcas mistakenly identified the barking dogs as a family of seals and initiated their unique hunting technique. Fortunately, no one was injured.

​

A few months before the attack on Hans Kretschmer in September 1972, Dougal Robertson’s 43-foot wooden schooner, named Lucette (Lucy), was damaged by a pod of killer whales and sunk 200 miles west of the Galapagos Islands on June 15, 1972. Everyone on board managed to escape on an inflatable life raft and a solid-hull dinghy. After 38 days as castaways, the small group of people was sighted and rescued by the Japanese fishing trawler Tokamaru. No one was injured.

​

Almost 33 years later, in August 2005, 12-year-old Ellis Miller was swimming in 4ft deep water in Helm Bay, near Ketchikan, Alaska, when he was nudged by a 25ft transient killer whale. The whale bumped Miller on the left side of his chest and shoulder, then arched around him before returning to deeper waters. Experts believe the orca mistakenly identified the boy as a splashing harbor seal (which frequent the bay’s waters) then realized its mistake and aborted the attack. Miller did not sustain any injuries.

​Reconstruction of the attack on Ellis Miller

In 2011, two crew members of the BBC’s documentary Frozen Planet were targeted by a group of orcas who attempted to swamp their 18-foot zodiac boat with a wave washing technique. The crew filmed over 20 different attacks on seals using this technique within a 14-day period, unaware the pod would test it out on them too. The orcas were described as very tolerant to the filmmakers’ presence, and their attacks on seals were described as training exercises for young calves in the group. Perhaps the pod was making use of this new, more challenging “ice floe” to test their attentive youngsters. Regardless, no one was injured. Watch the incident below:

​https://youtu.be/SBRu3LGceAg

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The most recent incident occurred on February 10, 2014. Whilst free diving in Horahora Estuary, near Whangarei in northern New Zealand, 23-year old Levi Gavin was suddenly approached by an orca who grabbed a catch bag (filled with crayfish) attached to his arm and pulled him beneath the surface. Gavin was dragged for 40 seconds when the rope attaching his arm to the bag finally became loose and he was able to escape. Although his arm became numb, he managed to float to the surface by removing his weighted belt and was aided by his cousin who brought him to some nearby rocks. Once his arm regained feeling and strength, Gavin went to Whangarei Hospital where it was established he did not sustain an injury during the attack.

​

Because of the stress involved in being deprived of everything that is natural and important in captivity, orcas have been held responsible for hundreds of attacks, tens of injuries, and the deaths of four humans. Six incidents have occurred in the wild over a period of around 100 years (1910s – 2014), none of which proved fatal. Yet, within less than a fifth of that time (1991 – 2010), 82 aggressive incidents occurred in captivity, four of which proved fatal, at least 9 others causing serious injuries from torn ligaments to broken bones and internal bleeding.

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One of the most infamous captive orca attacks occurred at SeaWorld San Diego in November 2006. Kasatka, a 17ft long, 29-year-old, female orca attacked Kenneth Peters – the marine park’s most experienced trainer. Peters was working with Kasatka during a Shamu Show and dived into the pool to perform a water work behavior. He reached a depth of 10-15ft and was waiting for Kasatka to touch his foot when he heard a loud distress vocalization. He later learned this loud call came from Kasatka’s almost-two-year-old calf, Kalia, who was calling for her mother whilst separated in a different pool. Upon hearing her daughter’s call, Kasatka turned on Peters and grabbed both of his feet in her jaws. She held him underwater for almost a minute, violently rag-dolling him beneath the surface, before slowly bringing him to the surface, spiraling upward and blowing bubbles as she rose.

​

Every time Peters’ colleagues slapped the water (a signal for Kasatka to return to the stage) she would only bite down on Peters harder. She responded the same way if Peters tried to pull his foot out of her mouth. Kasatka was keeping him out of reach of the other trainers and away from the sides of the pool. She then pulled him beneath the surface again, thrashed him around, and took him all the way to the bottom of the 36ft deep pool where she laid against him and held him there for around a minute. Once Peters had gone limp, Kasatka finally brought him to the surface again. She released Peters and he managed to make it over a net (which Kasatka also crossed, coming after Peters) and escaped the pool via the slide-out area. Kasatka had broken Peters’ left foot during the attack and he sustained multiple puncture wounds. Regardless, he escaped with his life. Watch the footage of the incident in its entirety below:

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https://youtu.be/RhVbH2NEeLM

Kenneth Peters claims Kasatka’s “aggression had come as a total surprise”. The attack occurred as a result of Kalia’s distress call, who had been separated from her mother briefly so Kasatka could entertain an audience of around 500 people. According to SeaWorld’s own animal profiles, Kasatka finds “being separated from other whales/calf” aversive. As SeaWorld San Diego’s most experienced orca trainer, who had worked with Kasatka for many years, Peters would’ve been more than aware of this fact. Yet, he and his colleagues demonstrated a complete disregard for Kasatka’s triggers and he almost lost his life as a result.

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The heightened level of aggression towards humans in captivity is a clear indicator of how unnatural and unnecessarily dangerous orca captivity is. Here’s a collection of orca attacks caught on camera at marine parks:

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https://youtu.be/Q2ZD4lcJ7EI

Shamu, the original, attacking Annette Eckis at SeaWorld San Diego (April 1971). She recalls the incident almost 40 years later.

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https://youtu.be/BKiGAW2YQm8

Orky 2 crashing into John Silick at SeaWorld San Diego (1987).

​https://youtu.be/Ne4BiacbDNw

Taku displacing a trainer in the water at SeaWorld Orlando (1994).

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https://youtu.be/v3Bfpv7xUzc

Orkid and Splash attacking Tamarie Tollison at SeaWorld San Diego (2002).

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https://youtu.be/j9qtdavR3_Q

Kyuquot attacking Steve Aibel at SeaWorld San Antonio (2003).

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https://youtu.be/Pl1KpCfb0xo

Ku lunges at her trainer at Port of Nagoya Aquarium (Mid-2000s).

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https://youtu.be/hTXE653JPOg

Orkid attacking Brian Rokeach at SeaWorld San Diego (2006).

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https://youtu.be/Yu_yxLXFEo4

Freya attacking a trainer during a show at Marineland Antibes (2008).

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https://youtu.be/b3dRREXe9eo

Shouka repeatedly lunges at her trainer at Six Flags Vallejo (2012).

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https://youtu.be/TipAIojZGNs

Lolita lunges at guests at Miami Seaquarium (2012).

[rabbitcruiser]

World/National Penguin Day

World Penguin Day celebrates and raises awareness for penguins. Observed by many conservation groups, it takes place on April 25 because it is around this time each year that the Adelie penguins of Antarctica begin migrating north. It appears the day stemmed from an earlier "National Penguin Day," which may date back to the 1970s.

The word "penguin" first appeared in print in the 1500s, and was originally applied to a black and white seabird called an auk that is now extinct. Some believe the name comes from the Welsh words "pen" and "gwyn" that mean "head" and "white." Penguins are nonflying birds that are native to the Southern Hemisphere. They are found in Antarctica, South America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, and on small islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. The northernmost penguins are Galapagos penguins, which fittingly live on the Galapagos Islands, which are near the equator. The birds cross into the Northern Hemisphere while swimming to feed.

Penguins use their wings as flippers, and their streamlined bodies also help them swim. Some can stay underwater for up to twenty minutes, and they are the deepest diving and fastest swimming birds. Their light-colored front and dark-colored back are called countershading; it provides camouflage both from above and below water when they are swimming, protecting them from predators. It also hides them from the prey they hunt. They are carnivores that eat marine animals. Both male and female penguins have the same coloration.

There are 18 penguin species, 13 of which have declining populations. Five of these species are endangered and face extinction. There are only about 5,000 of the rarest species, the yellow-eyed penguin. Besides being eaten at the hands of natural predators such as leopard seals, sea lions, and sharks, they are threatened by introduced predators such as dogs, cats, rats, and ferrets, that eat their eggs. They face danger from oil spills and other pollution, from climate change that alters their food sources, from overfishing, and from illegal poaching and egg harvesting.

Of the 18 species, the largest is the emperor penguin, which can grow up to 48 inches and weigh 90 pounds. The smallest is the appropriately named little penguin, which is 12 inches in height and weighs two pounds; it can be found on the coasts of Australia and New Zealand. The fastest swimming penguin is the gentoo, which can swim up to 22 miles an hour. Penguins are largely monogamous birds and may have the same mate for life. They are colonial birds—birds that nest and breed in close proximity as a group—and their colonies are called rookeries, which may number in the tens of thousands of birds. The average wild penguin can live to be 15 or 20 years old.

How to Observe

Celebrate the day by learning about penguins, and sharing what you learn with others. Taking a trip to the zoo is a good way to both learn and be entertained. You could adopt a penguin, or get involved with International Bird Rescue. You could also watch documentaries and films about penguins such as March of the Penguins or Happy Feet. Since the day takes place around the date on which Adelie penguins begin migrating, you could learn more about them. You could also wear black and white today, as was suggested by Aleta Wallace, one of the early proponents of National Penguin Day.

Source

[turtlessuggest]

Sea Turtles, Mermaids of the Order Testudines

Well with it being MerMay, I’ve decided to make a little post on the mermaids of the turtle family: the sea turtles.

Occupying the superfamily Chelonioidea, there are seven species of sea turtles roaming the oceans of the world.

The green sea turtle can be found in the warmer ocean waters all around the world, with two major population centers in the Atlantic and Pacific. Interestingly enough, its name does not come from its outward appearance, but instead a bit of internal anatomy, namely its fat. Their diet changes as they age, with juveniles being exclusively carnivores while older green sea turtles are omnivorous. Their conservation status is Endangered due to bycatch, consumption of their meat and eggs, and habitat loss.

The hawksbill sea turtle, as its name suggests, is readily distinguished from other sea turtles due to its large sharp beak. Their diet is mostly made up of sponges, but can also include algae, hydrozoans, and cnidarians like jellyfish and sea anenomes. Those last few prey items mean that the flesh of the hawksbill sea turtle is sometimes toxic. It can also give them something else, namely bioflouresence, or at least that’s the speculation. It is the first reptile to be recorded with this ability. The hawksbill sea turtle is Critically Endangered, as it is considered a delicacy in many places and its shell is the primary source for the material “tortoiseshell”.

The loggerhead sea turtle is the second largest sea turtle and the largest hard-shelled turtle, outweighing even the legendary Galapagos tortoise. Their name comes from their head, which houses powerful jaws easily capable of dismembering the benthic invertebrates it feeds on. Loggerhead sea turtles are also one of the few marine vertebrates to exhibit female-female aggression, with ritualized fighting occurring over feeding territory. Loggerheads are listed as Vulnerable, due to predation as eggs by many animals and humans.

The Kemp’s ridley sea turtle is the rarest of all the sea turtle species. They are also the smallest species of sea turtle, growing on average to a carapace length of 30 inches long and packing on 79 to 100 pounds. The Kemp’s ridley sea turtle is named after Richard Moore Kemp, who was the first to send a specimen to Harvard for study. These turtles tend to feed on crabs in shallower water, and occupy a range along the Atlantic coasts of North, Central, and some of South America. They are listed as Critically Endangered due to human predation for their flesh and hide, the latter to make boots, habitat loss, and bycatch from shrimping nets. They’ve also been major victims of major oil spills in the region, such as the Deepwater Horizon spill of 2010.

The olive ridley sea turtle is the second smallest species of sea turtle, and a close relative of the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle. The term “ridley” in their names has debatable origins, possible from the word “riddle”. This 2 foot long sea turtle gets its first name from its olive colored, heart shaped shell. It can be found all across the tropics, from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Caribbean. Olive ridley sea turtles are carnivorous, feeding on many types of benthic and free swimming invertebrates such as jellyfish, sea urchins, bivalves, shrimp, and crabs. Though currently listed as Vulnerable, many populations of this species have become Endangered due to acute habitat loss, bycatch, ingestion of seagoing trash, marine dead zones, direct harvest of nesting females and their eggs, and even the densities of their larger nesting grounds or arribadas where females will accidentally damage previously laid nests.

The Australian flatback sea turtle, or simply the flatback sea turtle, is native to the warm waters of nothern Australia and the southern Indonesian archipelago, the smallest range of any sea turtle. As its name suggests, its olive green or grey green carapace is flatter than the shells of other species of sea turtle, and has upturned edges around its perimeter. This shell is also very thin, and is vulnerable to cracking under comparatively light pressure. Flatback sea turtles tend to prefer shallower waters (max 60 feet deep) with soft sandy bottoms, where it occasionally feeds on sea grasses but mostly invertebrates like sea cucumbers, jellyfish, shrimp, and even soft corals. Of the seven species of sea turtles, it is in the least amount of danger, listed as Vulnerable nationally in Australia. This is due to its smaller dispersal, a lack of demand for its meat, and its preference for shallower water results in fewer incidents of bycatch.

Finally, we come to the ruling queen of the bunch, the leatherback sea turtle. These massive turtles measure 6 to 7 feet in length on average and can weigh 550 to 1540 pounds. Unlike other turtles, the leatherback sea turtle does not have a hard shell, rather its streamlined carapace is covered by skin and oily flesh. It has the largest flippers in proportion to its body of any sea turtle, which can grow up to nearly 9 feet long. These turtles have multiple pointed tips on their beak and a swath of backwards facing spines in its esophagus to help hold on to prey, which consists almost entirely of jellyfish. These turtles have the largest global range of all sea turtles, reaching as far north as Alaska and Norway and as south as the southern tips of South Africa and New Zealand. This is due to the fact that, rare among reptiles, leatherback sea turtles are endothermic, able to generate their own body heat, as well as other adaptations for cold water living such as countercurrent heat exchange structures in their flippers and thick layers of fat. The leatherback sea turtle is extremely active, only spending .1% of the day resting, in order to maintain this metabolism. For even more records, they are the deepest diving reptile, going as deep as 4,200 feet, and the fastest moving reptiles, clocking in at a maximum of 21 miles per hour moving through water. They are listed as Vulnerable, though are subject to enough human predation to be nearly locally extinct in areas such as Malaysia where their eggs are considered a delicacy and an aphrodisiac. Adults have very few predators, with only megafauna like killer whales and great white sharks possessing the size and strength to hunt them. Unfortunately they are also vulnerable to bycatch and subsistence fishing, and have been known to accidentally ingest plastic bags thinking them to be jellyfish, leading to a deadly buildup in their digestive systems.

Happy MerMay, and remember to support sea turtle conservation efforts!

[kanntank]

Screw you single #scuba #diver

Screw you single #scuba #diver

Divers arriving back to the main boat. I wasn’t able to be with them due to the danger of my situation arising out of the buddy-fiasco. Within hours of being abandoned underwater by my ‘buddy, non-buddy’ Jose and ignored by Flo’s ‘divemaster, private servant’ Eduardo, I was gearing up again. Getting back on the horse was crucial. Otherwise, I may not have ever dived again. When dive guides put…

[oneoceandiving]

Thank you so much @nani for joining us on a dive and thank you for all that you do for wildlife, including sharks! 💙🙌🏽🌊 “Sharks are so much more socially and emotionally complex than we know. Many species of shark have a social hierarchy where dominant sharks rule the water column closer to the surface and monitor submissive sharks below. The submissive sharks give way to bigger “alpha” sharks by swimming deeper, establishing seniority. They have a complex body language to portray dominance including methods like; gill popping, piggy backing, jaw gaping and fin dropping. We noticed the further we dove, the further these magnificent Galapagos Sharks dove as well, since they saw us as the top predator. Sharks are much more scared of us than we are of them. They kill less than 5 of us a year and we kill 80 million + sharks annually. Shark finning is a leading cause of shark mortality so PLEASE don’t eat shark. Not only is it toxic for you because they’re top predators who accumulate dangerously high levels or mercury, but it’s also negatively impacting our planet’s oxygen levels. Sharks help regulate oxygen in the ocean, and since we get over 60% of our air from the seas, it’s vital to stop killing them!!! It was an honor to study the behavior of these misunderstood beings @oneoceandiving @oceanramsey @jawsandpaws @juansharks photo @blakethompsonphoto 💙🦈💙🦈💙🦈💙🦈💙🦈💙🦈💙 #oneocean #oneoceandiving #jawsandpaws #sharkfinsoup #savesharks #saynotosharkfinsoup #saveourseas #oceanramsey #natgeo #sharkfishing” (at Oneoceandiving.com) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1W7NA2n63s/?igshid=13u5eyaqiqlyc

[bitchesgetriches]

Hey this is kind of a sensitive topic, but how do you cleanly quit a job that you’ve only been a part of for a couple months? I took on a job recently and I’m ready to leave all ready. I feel horrible and lazy, but all my other teammates quit and I’m expected to keep up the same amount of work, and my mental health has nose dived to the point I took up cutting again. I want out but I feel lazy and cowardly, thinking the grass is always greener. But a job shouldn’t make me want to die, you know?

Sweet pea, your health and safety should always come first. If you are self harming and you want to die... then this job is a danger to you. Real quick, just in case you need someone better equipped to talk to you about self harm and even suicide:

Self-harm text hotline: Text CONNECT to 741741 in the United States.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

More self-harm resources: https://www.seventeen.com/health/advice/a4533/cutting-resources/

And I think there’s a very obvious, clean solution to your problem. Go to your supervisor and confidentially tell them that you need to leave the job due to a personal health crisis. This reason has the benefit of being absolutely true, and your supervisor cannot legally force you to tell them exactly what’s going on, so your privacy will be intact. Give them two weeks notice, as that is customary. Then leave without guilt or self-recrimination.

You’re dealing with some tough shit. That doesn’t make you a bad or lazy person. But it does mean that you need to learn how to cope with it before you can be successful in your career. Here are some resources we’ve written along those lines:

Ask the Bitches: "How Do I Protect My Own Mental Health While Still Helping Others?" by Kitty

Our Master List of 100% Free Mental Health Self-Care Tactics by Kitty

How Mental Health Affects Your Finances by Piggy

Econ Nerd Review: Kurt Vonnegut’s Galapagos and Your Big Brain by Kitty

Everything Is Stressful and I'm Dying: How to Survive a Panic Attack by Piggy

Stop Recommending Therapy Like It's a Magic Bean That'll Grow Me a Beanstalk to Neurotypicaltown by Kitty

[rambles-fairy]

2020-01-06

I feel like I am not doing enough. Perpetually.

I wake up, and I have about 40 minutes before I start second guessing every single thing I do, wondering if I matter or if I am wasting my life away. Nice.

Today, I woke up and listened to a BBC Earth podcast. My favourite story, from the podcast, was about Galapagos iguana who lay their eggs in a caldera on the island. The journey is apparently extremely dangerous for both the iguana and humans who attempt it. Once the eggs are resting in the caldera, ready to hatch, they are also in full view of predatory birds; because the rock is so warm, the iguana make the journey anyway.

On a side note, a caldera is a crater which has been left by volcanic activity - I had to look it up. It made me smile because, in Benedict Jacka’s series, Alex Verus, one of the main characters is an earth mage called Caldera, and I only just understood the reference today. It is a perfect name for her - earthly but also the product of a sort of natural violence.

My new rubber rain boots arrived yesterday, so I took them out for a walk through the reed-beds, to the lake. They are comfortable and fit well, but they have a creamy white fabric strip which I think will end up looking very grubby, very quickly. My favourite part of the walk was when the sun began to set, and there must have been almost a thousand birds in the sky, all swooping and diving in sync with each other, black specks against a boundless, darkening sky. People were stopping to stare, and to film or take photos, because it was such a surreal, beautiful sight.

I ate lunch while watching a video on theatre. Lunch was hot, vegetable samosas with yoghurt, and the video I watched went through a couple of theories on how theatre came to be. A group called the Cambridge Ritualists, put forward that the theory that theatre had come from worship, through evolution; they thought that worship was the starting place, followed by religious rituals. Rituals then progressed to traditions and myths, which eventually became preformative and, thus, theatre was made. The interesting part of the Cambridge Ritualists, was how Eurocentric their opinions of theatre were – the concepts they created were based mostly on Ancient Greek theatre, and they attempted to apply their theory using “primitive cultures” (their words, not mine!) without really trying to understand those cultures, so they got a lot wrong. As a theory, however, it is an interesting one, and the idea of myths and theatre being linked also occurs in Functionalist Theory, which is that theatre is a human way to try to understand the world around us. Part of this is the mimetic impulse we have as children – we learn through imitation, as well as through games and fun generally. I enjoyed the video a lot.

Beyond that, I have been looking up political theory, but that will be another post. It is funny really, the reason I decided I wanted to learn more about the right-wing, left-wing divide was because I ended up having a miniature argument in the YouTube comments section on a Corona vs Education themed podcast. Cool, right? No, indeed. I realised that I was struggling to put words to my argument, and I went to bed feeling that prickly kind of resentment, which only comes from being slightly embarrassed that you somehow let yourself down, so the next day I decided that the only shame would be in staying ignorant. I am going to try and make something pretty out of it, however.

In the afternoon, I re-watched the 2019 version of Emma, which is fantastic. I have been thinking, recently, about how story structures work in the books and films I love, so another project will be to start trying to map some of them out, I think. So that is two additional projects, to go with the 100 Days of Silly Drawings Project and my Goodreads aim for 60 books in 2021 (which is usually not really much of a goal – I read quite a lot).

Yesterday, I watched a WithCindy video while I ate dinner. It was one where she was vlogging from a work event, about writing her novel in the 15 minutes between meetings, and on dealing with depression, and she said that writing, for her, was a way of not focusing on the thoughts in her head. I think the reason I try to have projects on the go, is for the same reason. I found that my mental health was taking a really sharp nosedive, and I think it is linked to social media – endless pointless scrolling, which means that my mind gets free reign, to steer the ship that is me. I don’t want my mind steering that ship, because it will always steer it into a shipwreck, somehow. When I say “mind”, I mean my ego, or painbody or monkey mind, depending on your flavour of self help. Usually my projects are work themed. My boss, at my end of year review, said that I had done the work of three people, in terms of self initiated goals and projects – it is the only way I can escape anxiety and depression.

On a final note – I always wonder if anyone else get annoyed that MS Word tries to critique your writing style? “Consider being more concise” 

“Er, consider getting in the bin!!”

[ericvick]

Looking to decarbonize the metal industry, Bill Gates-backed Boston Metal raises $50 million

TipRanks

3 Stocks Trading at Rock-Bottom Prices; Analysts Say ‘Buy’

A new year, a new addition to the stock portfolio – what can make more sense than that? The right time to buy, of course, is when stocks are priced at the bottom. Buying low and selling high may be a bit hackneyed, but it’s true, and truth has staying power.But the markets are up. The NASDAQ rose 43% in 2020, and the S&P 500 showed a gain of 16%. With a market environment like that, finding stocks that are caught in the doldrums is harder than it looks. That’s where the Wall Street pros can lend a hand.We used TipRanks’ database to pinpoint three stocks that fit a profile: a share price that has dropped over 30% in the last 12 months, but with at least double-digit upside potential, according to analysts. Not to mention each has earned a Moderate or Strong Buy consensus rating.Esperion (ESPR)We will start with Esperion, a company that specializes in therapies for the treatment of elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels – a major factor contributing to heart disease. The company’s main product, bempedoic acid, is now available in tablet form under the brand names Nexletol and Nexlizet.In February 2020, both Nexletol and Nexlizet were approved as oral treatments to lower LDL-C. Bempedoic acid remains in clinical trials of its efficacy in risk reduction for cardiovascular disease. The trial, called CLEAR Outcomes, is a large-scale, long-term study, tracking more than 14,000 patients with top-line data expected in the second half of 2022. The study covers 1,400 locations in 32 countries around the world.Esperion shares peaked last February, after the FDA approvals, but since then, the stock has declined. Shares are down 65% since their peak. Along with the drop in share value, the company showed a fall in revenue from Q2 to Q3, with the top line collapsing from $212 million to $3.8 million. Since the Q3 report, Esperion announced pricing on a $250 million offer of senior subordinated notes, at 4%, due in 2025. The offering gives the company a boost in available capital for further work on its development pipeline and its marketing efforts for bempedoic acid.Chad Messer, covering ESPR for Needham, sees the note offering as a net positive for Esperion. “We believe this cash position will be sufficient to support Esperion through 2021 and to profitability in 2022… We believe this financing should help put to rest concerns regarding Esperion’s balance sheet. Despite a challenging launch for NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET, product growth has continued in 3Q against the backdrop of a contracting LDL-C market. This growth trajectory suggests potential for a rapid acceleration when conditions improve,” Messer wrote.To this end, Messer rates ESPR shares a Strong Buy, and his price target, at $158, suggests the stock has room for huge growth this year – up to 481% from current levels. (To watch Messer’s track record, click here)Overall, Esperion has 6 recent reviews on record, with a breakdown of 5 Buys and 1 Hold to give the stock a Strong Buy rating from the analyst consensus. The shares, trading at $27.16, have an average price target of $63.33, implying a one-year upside of 133%. (See ESPR stock analysis on TipRanks)Intercept Pharma (ICPT)Liver disease is a serious health threat, and Intercept Pharma is focused on developing treatments for some of the more dangerous chronic liver conditions, including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). Intercept has a research pipeline based on FXR, a regulator of bile acid pathways in the hepatic system.FXR’s action affects not just the bile acid metabolism, but also the glucose and lipid metabolisms, and inflammation and fibrosis around the liver. The lead compound, obeticholic acid (OCA), is an analog of the bile acid CDCA, and as such can take a role in the FXR pathways and receptors implicated in chronic liver disease. Treating liver disease through the FXR biology has direct applications for PBC, and is showing promise treating complications from NASH.ICPT shares dropped sharply last summer, when the FDA rejected the company’s application to approve OCA for treatment of NASH-related liver fibrosis. This delays the drug’s potential entry to a lucrative market; there is no current treatment for NASH, and the first drug to win approval will have the lead in reaching a market estimated at $2 billion to $5 billion in potential annual sales. The effect on the stock is still felt, and ICPT remains at its 52-week low point.In reaction, in December of 2020, Intercept announced major changes in top-level management, as CEO and President Mark Pruzanski announced he’s stepping down effective January 1 of this year. He is succeeded by Jerome Durso, formerly the company’s COO, who will also take a post on the Board of Directors. Pruzanski will remain as an advisor, and will hold a director’s position on the company’s Board.Piper Sandler analyst Yasmeen Rahimi takes a deep dive into Intercept’s continuing efforts to expand applications of OCA and to resubmits its New Drug Application to the FDA. She sees the leadership transition as part of these efforts, and writes, “[We] believe that Dr. Pruzanski’s dedication to transform the liver space is still strong, and that he will continue to guide ICPT’s progress as an advisor and Board member. Additionally, we have had the pleasure of working closely with Jerry Durso and believe that he will transform the company and lead ICPT’s success in growing the PBC market and the path to potential approval and commercial launch of OCA in NASH.”Rahimi takes a long-term bullish stance on ICPT, giving the stock an Overweight (i.e. Buy) rating and an $82 price target. This figure indicates an impressive 220% upside for the next 12 months. (To watch Rahimi’s track record, click here)Wall Street is somewhat more divided on the drug maker. ICPT’s Moderate Buy consensus rating is based on 17 reviews, including 8 Buys and 9 Holds. Shares are priced at $25.82, and the average price target of $59.19 suggests an upside potential of 132% for the next 12 months. (See ICPT stock analysis on TipRanks)Gilead Sciences (GILD)Gilead has had a year like a firework – fast up and fast down. The gains came in 1H20, when it appeared that the company’s antiviral drug remdesivir would become a prime treatment for COVID-19. By November, however, even though remdesivir had been approved, the World Health Organization (WHO) was recommending against its use, and the COVID vaccines now on the market have made remdesivir irrelevant to the pandemic.This was only one of Gilead’s recent headwinds. The company has been working, in conjunction with Galapagos (GLPG), on development of filgotinib as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. While the drug received EU and Japanese approval in September 2020, the FDA has withheld approval and Gilead announced in December that it was suspending US development efforts on the drug.Even so, Gilead retains a diverse and active research pipeline, with over 70 research candidates at varying stages of the development and approval process for a wide range of diseases and conditions, including HIV/AIDS, inflammatory & respiratory diseases, cardiovascular disease, and hematology/oncology.On a positive note, Gilead posted Q3 earnings above estimates, with the top line revenue, of $6.58 billion, beating the forecast by 6% and growing 17% year-over-year. The company updated its full-year 2020 guidance on product sales from $23 billion to $23.5 billion.Among the bulls is Oppenheimer analyst Hartaj Singh, who gives GILD shares an Outperform (i.e. Buy) rating and $100 price target. Investors stand to pocket a 69% gain should the analyst’s thesis play out. (To watch Singh’s track record, click here)Backing his stance, Singh writes, “We continue to believe in our thesis of (1) a dependable remdesivir/other medicines business against SARS-CoV flares, (2) a base business (HIV/oncology/HCV) growing low-single digits over the next couple of years, (3) operating leverage providing greater earnings growth, and (4) a 3-4% dividend yield.” What does the rest of the Street think? Looking at the consensus breakdown, opinions from other analysts are more spread out. 10 Buys, 12 Holds and 1 Sell add up to a Moderate Buy consensus. In addition, the $73.94 average price target indicates 25% upside potential from current levels. (See GILD stock analysis on TipRanks)To find good ideas for beaten-down stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks’ Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks’ equity insights.Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.

[exotic-pets]

Sea Iguana

The Marine iguana or Amblyrhynchus cristatus is a species of Galapagos iguana and they are the only reptiles that live with the salty water of the sea. They stay underwater for up to ten minutes and swim up to 30 feet deep. These reptiles are creatures that are imposing by their appearance, it could even be considered that they were the inspiration for science fiction movies for instance Godzilla. But that is quite remote from reality, since marine iguanas are the most very friendly species of iguanas in their wild lodging, coexisting with their species and even with humans.

Marine iguana characteristics

The body of these Galapagos iguanas has evolved to adapt to the water since they are optimal swimmers. The idea is contemplated that these reptiles came to live one of the dinosaurs and to survive from that extinction they had to adapt to living only in water and then return to being land animal. The black tone of the Galapagos iguanas contrasts perfectly with the stones on which they sunbathe, it also permits them optimally to absorb solar heat. Although its tone often varies according to the region of the iguanas and the seasons. For example, during the breeding season, male iguanas change to a rich color. Their physical attributes do not allow them to be quite fast on land and this is where marine iguanas are most at risk due to their numerous predators. However, in the water, they are quite fast and can stay inside for up to 30 minutes although their average is 10. The size of marine iguanas is 60 to 1.30 centimeters remote for example the tail, the males being larger than the females. They weigh up to 2 KG and are optimally submerged in water depending on their weight. To swim, they use primarily their tail and vertebra, leaving fine use for their legs once in the water, although on land they are their best tools along with their tail.

Marine Iguana Habitat

Marine iguanas are exclusive reptiles of the Galapagos Islands and can be found near the coasts since they purchase their food from marine plants that must be submerged to purchase them. Once in the water, their heart rate slows down, due to the low water temperatures, and to solve it they take sunbaths on the stones, that is why there is no optimal establishment for marine iguanas since they contain the best of 2 worlds In one a few place.

What do marine iguanas eat?

Despite their predatory appearance, marine iguanas are herbivorous creatures and feed primarily on marine plants including algae. The size and weight of the males allow them to dive themselves in the water to considerable depths, while the females and the young wait until the low tide to take advantage and feed. They can sometimes be seen feeding on land plants, although it is not as not uncommon as their diet of marine plants.

Marine Iguana Behavior

Like the other species of iguanas, those of the Galapagos Islands are creatures that contain a daily routine. They go out to sunbathe, once they grow the required heat they swim into the sea in the look of their food, and then they go back to sunbathing, this is quite primary since being cold-blooded creatures they must maintain body heat and do not contain another way to get heat more than the sun. To survive during the winter they take advantage of the sunniest seasons including spring and summer to conserve fat. They can be seen sunbathing in large flocks but in reality, they are territorial animals, but this happens more than anything with males.

Marine Iguana Predators

Due to their large proportions, male marine iguanas are not in incredible danger from predators, since they are much larger than the females. The latter are more vulnerable when they go to spawn, the most, not uncommon threats are hawks, these also represent a danger to young iguanas. Another danger of these reptiles is snakes and rodents as they feed on the eggs of iguanas.

[herchainsaregone]

My Bucket List

This is just a start; I’ll continue adding to this post. I’ve seen a couple of other people make bucket lists on tumblr and pinterest and it inspired me to do one, especially since I feel like I’m getting older and I’m running out of time to do crazy and adventurous things. So even though I’m saying I want to do these things in my lifetime, for a lot of them, that actually means I have to do them in the next few years, or sadly, I realistically probably won’t ever do them. I feel like I would have done a lot of this stuff earlier if I wasn’t too busy b/p or too embarrassed about how fat and grotesque I looked to go out in public or determined to wait until I was at my ideal weight to start living my “best life.” I don’t know that for sure though, those things could just be excuses because I do know people with ED’s who do have very exciting lives. Anyways my point is, I decided to make a list of stuff I want to do-- some cool things, some crazy things that I just am curious about and want to be able to try once! 

Note: Everything on here is a one time event, so I didn’t put personal goals like “write a book”, “recover from my ED”, or anything like that which take time. This is specifically a list of things I can do once and then check off. :)

See A total Solar Eclipse (got this 71% of the way ;))

See The Mona Lisa, at the Louvre in Paris 

See Cherry Blossoms in Japan Apr 2018

Swim with sharks in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia

Float in the Dead Sea

See the wildlife in the Galapagos Islands

Ride a camel and/or an elephant

Ride in a hot air balloon (possibly in Turkey? Apparently it’s a very big thing to do there.) 

Fly in a private jet or helicopter.

Gamble in Las Vegas.

Stay at an all-inclusive resort in Mexico or the Caribbean. Nov 2020

Do a wine tasting tour of Spain or Italy.

Run a marathon.

Attend a professional basketball, football, or soccer game. 

See The 7 Manmade Wonders of The World 

Machu Picchu, Maharashtra, Bombay State & Bombay Presidency, Peru

Colosseum, Rome, Italy

Chichén Itzá, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

the ancient city of Petra, Ma'an Governorate, Jordan

Christ the Redeemer Statue, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Taj Mahal, Agra & Uttar Pradesh, India

Great Wall of China, People’s Republic of China

See the Giza Pyramids in Egypt

See the 7 Natural Wonders of the World

The Northern Lights (hopefully will be able to cross this off when I go to Iceland this December!)

The Great Barrier Reef of Australia

Victoria Falls, Zambia

The Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA

Harbor of Rio de Janeiro

Mount Everest, Himalayas

Paricutin volcano in Mexico

Spend New Year’s Eve in Times Square 

Attend an Olympic Games

Stand at The Equator Apr 2021

Live in A Different Country for at Least 6 Months.

Go to Bonnaroo or Coachella. 

Go on an African Safari 

Contact my mother and my father (separately) just to thank each of them and tell them that I love them.

Visit the Holy Land in Jerusalem.

Try archery.

Try surfing.

Dive with sharks in Cape Town, South Africa.

Try a “special brownie” from an Amsterdam bakery. Dec 2018

Visit Anne Frank’s House Dec 2018

Have a beer at Oktoberfest in Germany.

Go clubbing in a foreign country.

Go clubbing in Miami.

Go on a cross country road trip. 

Visit all US states I have not been to before.

Go on a mission or a service trip.

Go to a dangerous country or go on an “extreme adventure” trip to some remote, isolated, and unexplored corner of the Earth like Antarctica or Greenland. 

Hike Mount Kilimanjaro.

[rabbitcruiser]

World/National Penguin Day

World Penguin Day celebrates and raises awareness for penguins. Observed by many conservation groups, it takes place on April 25 because it is around this time each year that the Adelie penguins of Antarctica begin migrating north. It appears the day stemmed from an earlier “National Penguin Day,” which may date back to the 1970s.

The word “penguin” first appeared in print in the 1500s, and was originally applied to a black and white seabird called an auk that is now extinct. Some believe the name comes from the Welsh words “pen” and “gwyn” that mean “head” and “white.” Penguins are nonflying birds that are native to the Southern Hemisphere. They are found in Antarctica, South America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, and on small islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. The northernmost penguins are Galapagos penguins, which fittingly live on the Galapagos Islands, which are near the equator. The birds cross into the Northern Hemisphere while swimming to feed.

Penguins use their wings as flippers, and their streamlined bodies also help them swim. Some can stay underwater for up to twenty minutes, and they are the deepest diving and fastest swimming birds. Their light-colored front and dark-colored back are called countershading; it provides camouflage both from above and below water when they are swimming, protecting them from predators. It also hides them from the prey they hunt. They are carnivores that eat marine animals. Both male and female penguins have the same coloration.

There are 18 penguin species, 13 of which have declining populations. Five of these species are endangered and face extinction. There are only about 5,000 of the rarest species, the yellow-eyed penguin. Besides being eaten at the hands of natural predators such as leopard seals, sea lions, and sharks, they are threatened by introduced predators such as dogs, cats, rats, and ferrets, that eat their eggs. They face danger from oil spills and other pollution, from climate change that alters their food sources, from overfishing, and from illegal poaching and egg harvesting.

Of the 18 species, the largest is the emperor penguin, which can grow up to 48 inches and weigh 90 pounds. The smallest is the appropriately named little penguin, which is 12 inches in height and weighs two pounds; it can be found on the coasts of Australia and New Zealand. The fastest swimming penguin is the gentoo, which can swim up to 22 miles an hour. Penguins are largely monogamous birds and may have the same mate for life. They are colonial birds—birds that nest and breed in close proximity as a group—and their colonies are called rookeries, which may number in the tens of thousands of birds. The average wild penguin can live to be 15 or 20 years old.

How to Observe

Celebrate the day by learning about penguins, and sharing what you learn with others. Taking a trip to the zoo is a good way to both learn and be entertained. You could adopt a penguin, or get involved with International Bird Rescue. You could also watch documentaries and films about penguins such as March of the Penguins or Happy Feet. Since the day takes place around the date on which Adelie penguins begin migrating, you could learn more about them. You could also wear black and white today, as was suggested by Aleta Wallace, one of the early proponents of National Penguin Day.

Source

[kanntank]

Lax safety on #Galapagos scuba yacht?

Lax safety on #Galapagos scuba yacht?

YOU’RE FIRED. Ivan, the useless lump of a dive buddy. I did only one treacherous dive with him.Where to begin? Along with my drysuit, scuba gear and camera, I guess should have packed a ‘dive buddy’ as well. I booked my seven-nights-aboard-a-luxury-scuba-dive-boat Galapagos trip in October 2015 (to happen December 2016). Nowhere in the fine print did it say, “we won’t give a shit about your…