Tag Archives: Water

Walrus

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Walrus

Walruses are gentle giants with super strength.

  • Walruses are large mammals that live in the Arctic areas of the Northern Hemisphere, including the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
  • Walruses have the scientific name Odobenus rosmarus, of which there are up to three subspecies, and they are the only extant member of the family Odobenidae, a family of pinnipeds or seals.
  • Walruses can weigh 400 to 2,000 kilograms (880 to 4,400 pounds) in weight and grow up to 2.2 to 3.5 metres (7.2 to 11.5 feet) in length.
  • Walruses have two long tusks that can be 1 metre (3.3 feet) in length, that are used for latching onto and digging holes in ice, and in males they are used for fighting.
  • A female walrus usually gives birth to one pup during spring, not more than once every two years, around the time they migrate north, and the animal’s life span is generally between 20 to 50 years.
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Image courtesy of Claumoho/Flickr
  • Walruses generally hunt for food in the water in small groups, and typically eat shrimp, coral, worms, molluscs, sea cucumbers and other small aquatic animals.
  • Data relating to walrus populations has been difficult to obtain, making it difficult to determine whether they are endangered or not, however, they were heavily hunted in the 1700 and 1800s, causing a significant population decrease, and in some areas, extinction.
  • Legislation in some areas has protected the walrus for almost a century, however they have been illegally poached for their tusks, blubber, hide, meat and flippers, and now it is only legal for them to be hunted by local natives to the area, although permission has been granted to allow natives to include other hunters to participate in the hunt under special conditions.
  • A walrus has skin typically coloured brown to grey, that is scattered with hairs, and the animal also has whiskers above its mouth that are used as sensors.
  • Walruses live on ice in herds that can number in the thousands, with adult males usually living in a separate group to the females and their pups, and they are sometimes preyed on by orcas and polar bears.
Bibliography:
Walrus, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/walrus/
Walrus, 2014, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/mammals/walrus/
Walrus, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walrus

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Atlantic Ocean Road

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Atlantic Ocean Road

The Atlantic Ocean Road is full of twists and turns.

  • Atlantic Ocean Road is a part of the County Road 64, that passes through one of Norway’s archipelagos in the Eide and Averøy regions, in western Norway, in Europe.
  • Atlantic Ocean Road is built on a number of islands, connected by numerous bridges and the most famous and longest is the Storseisundet Bridge.
  • Atlantic Ocean Road spans a distance of 8.3 kilometres (5.1 miles) and the road includes four rest locations and numerous tourist attractions.
  • The concept of the Atlantic Ocean Road route originated in the early 1900s, originally as a railway, although this was replaced with the idea of road in 1935, but it was not until the 1980s until the project was approved.
  • The construction of Atlantic Ocean Road began on 1 August 1983, opening on 7 July 1989, although the management of the project changed hands during the process; and 12 hurricanes occurred during the building stages.
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Part of Atlantic Ocean Road
Image courtesy of Daniele Faieta/Flickr
  • Atlantic Ocean Road originally had a toll to cover some of the costs, and although the idea was received negatively, due to the expectation that it would take longer than fifteen years to pay off, however the toll had covered the costs by 1999, after only ten years, after which it was removed.
  • Atlantic Ocean Road is a popular tourist attraction and is often said to be among one of the best road trips in the world.
  • Atlantic Ocean Road consists of many dips, curves and turns, as well as many scenic views.
  • Stormy weather at Atlantic Ocean Road can make road trips dramatic, while calm weather allows for the spotting of wildlife, including whales, and other scenery.
  • ‘Atlantic Ocean Road’ is also known as ‘Atlantic Road’, as well as ‘Atlanterhavsveien’ in Norwegian.
Bibliography:
Atlantic Ocean Road, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_Ocean_Road
Atlantic Ocean Road, n.d, dangerousroads.org, http://www.dangerousroads.org/europe/norway/164-atlantic-ocean-road-norway.html
The Atlantic Road, n.d, Visit Norway, http://www.visitnorway.com/uk/where-to-go-uk/fjord-norway/kristiansund-nordmore/what-to-do-in-kristiansund-and-nordmore/tour-suggestions-in-kristiansund-and-nordmore/the-atlantic-road/

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Beachy Head

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Beachy Head

There is no beach at Beachy Head.

  • Beachy Head is a stunning white sedimentary sea cliff surrounded by water, made primarily of chalk, located in Eastbourne of East Sussex, in England, Europe.
  • Beachy Head reaches heights of 162 metres (531 feet), and is therefore the tallest chalk sea cliff in the United Kingdom.
  • A prominent formation of Beachy Head, named the Devils’ Chimney, broke off the cliff in 2001 due to water in the cracks expanding because of freezing.
  • ‘Beachy Head’ is said to have had two other names, ‘Beauchef’ in the late 1200s and ‘Beaucheif’ in the early 1300s, and all the names are derived from the French words ‘beau chef’, meaning ‘beautiful head’.
  • Beachy Head is the home to two lighthouses, one named ‘Belle Trout’ located on the cliff, built in the 1830s, and the second was later built in the sea in the early 1900s, as mist easily obscured the original light.
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Beachy Head
Image courtesy of Herry Lawford/Flickr
  • Beachy Head is popularly visited by tourists, particularly due to the nearby attractions of the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs, and Birling Gap, a National Trust owned small settlement situated on the coast.
  • Beachy Head is the home to much wildlife, including gulls and many other species of birds, snakes, rabbits, badgers and foxes.
  • Approximately 20 people commit a fatal suicidal act on Beachy Head every year, even though chaplains and others patrol the area on a regular basis.
  • Beachy Head has been featured in several films and television shows, including a Harry Potter film and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and it has also featured in literature and music.
  • Before the first Beachy Head lighthouse was built, numerous ships were wrecked in the waters below, and smuggling of goods to avoid taxes is also said to have occurred there.
Bibliography:
Beachy Head, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beachy_Head
Flora and Fauna, n.d, Beachy Head, http://www.beachyhead.org.uk/education/flora_and_fauna/
History, n.d, Beachy Head, http://www.beachyhead.org.uk/education/history/

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Shifen Waterfall

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Shifen Waterfall

Shifen Waterfall is the Asian version of Niagara Falls.

  • Shifen Waterfall is a waterfall located in Taiwan’s New Taipei City, in Asia, in the Pingxi district, and is part of the Keelung River.
  • ‘Shifen Waterfall’ is also known as ‘Taiwan’s Niagara Falls’, ‘Little Niagara’ and ‘Rainbow Pond’, while ‘Shífēn’ means ‘very’ or ‘fully’.
  • Shifen Waterfall is the widest waterfall found in Taiwan, and it spans a distance of approximately 40 metres (131 feet).
  • The water of Shifen Waterfall runs down rocks that are spread in a horseshoe shape, that are found in a picturesque setting.
  • Shifen Waterfall reaches heights of 15 to 20 metres (49 to 66 feet).

Shifen Waterfall, Taipei, Taiwan, Park, Water, Rock, Ten Random Facts, Flickr

Shifen Waterfall
Image courtesy of Jeniffer/Flickr
  • Shifen Waterfall is said to be a small version of Niagara Falls, and it has a cascade water flow, where the rocks slope back away from the direction of the water flow.
  • Mist gathers at the base of Shifen Waterfall and when light refracts through the water droplets, rainbows form.
  • Shifen Waterfall can be reached from a 15 to 20 minute trail, although a much longer track is available, and it can take as long as three or four hours to complete.
  • Shifen Waterfall is located in a privately owned area and is surrounded by lush nature, as well as bridges, camping spots and rest areas.
  • To see Shifen Waterfall an entrance fee is payable and the price varies, depending on the person’s age and other factors.
Bibliography:
Shifen Waterfall, 2014, Travel King, http://travel.network.com.tw/tourguide/point/showpage/940.html
Shifen Waterfall, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shifen_waterfall
Shifen Waterfall, n.d, Taiwan’s Waterfalls, http://taiwanswaterfalls.com/waterfall-guide/new-taipei-waterfalls/shifen-waterfall/
Welcome to the Home of Water – Shifen, 2012, Riding Taiwan’s Scenic Railways, http://www.taiwan.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=70954&CtNode=3037&mp=10003

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Giant Clam

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Giant Clam

You may not be a giant when next to a giant clam.

  • Giant clams are very large bivalves, shells with two pieces that are hinged together, and are native to the Indian and Pacific oceans, in coral reefs.
  • The giant clam has the scientific name Tridacna gigas, and is a mollusc from the family Cardiidae, the family of cockles, and it is commonly believed to be the largest extant bivalve, and while it is the heaviest, longer specimens of Kuphus polythalamia have been found.
  • Giant clams typically range from 90 to 120 centimetres (35 to 47 inches) in length, and can weigh 100 to 200 kilograms (220 to 440 pounds), although they can grow larger.
  • The diet of a giant clam primarily consists of nutrients produced by algae that the clam plays host to and with which it lives in a photosymbiosis relationship, and it also consumes plankton and sometimes other plant and animal matter.
  • Giant clams possibly grow around 12 centimetres in length annually, until maximum length has been reached, and they have a lifespan spanning approximately 20 to 100 years in the wild.
Giant Clam, Underwater, Blue, Bright, Beautiful, Animal, Mollusc, Flickr, Blue-lipped Clam, Ten Random Facts, Tridacna gigas
Giant Clam
Image courtesy of Malcolm Browne/Flickr
  • Once a giant clam has found a favourable location, it settles there and does not re-position itself ever again, however, they do have predators, that include eels; fish; starfish; and snails, that are smaller than the clam itself, and once attacked, they will be slowly eaten by their enemies.
  • Giant clams are vulnerably endangered due to coral reef habitat destruction as well as over-fishing partly due to the clam being considered as a delicacy.
  • Giant clams usually close in self defense, but quite slowly, and often not all the way, and while they have often been regarded as highly dangerous and fatal, this is considered a myth and no known fatalities have occurred.
  • Giant clams have a combination of colours that vary, and include yellow, red, orange, green, pink, blue and brown, and it is said that every clam is unique in its appearance.
  • Giant clams are said to be able to produce 500 million eggs at once, that are released in the ocean and once fertilised, they quickly hatch and produce a shell.
Bibliography:
Giant Clam, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/giant-clam/
Giant Clam, 2014, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/invertebrates/giant-clam/
Giant Clam, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_clam

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Panjin Red Beach

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Panjin Red Beach

Panjin Red Beach is bright and beautiful.

  • Panjin Red Beach is a beach located in the southern area of Liaoning Province, in northeast China.
  • Panjin Red Beach is covered in flora, notably the brightly coloured and edible Suaeda salsa plants from the family Amaranthaceae, the family of amaranths.
  • ‘Panjin Red Beach’ is also known as ‘Red Seabeach’, ‘Red Beach’ and the ‘home of the cranes’.
  • Panjin Red Beach is part of the 100 square kilometre (38.6 square mile) Red Beach Scenic Area, as well as the Panjin wetlands, that is the home to 260 birds and 399 other fauna, including rare and endangered species of crane.
  • Panjin Red Beach became a protected area as part of the Panjin wetlands in 1988, and was declared a ‘National Nature Reserve’, and it has since become a popular tourist destination.
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Part of Panjin Red Beach
Image courtesy of Free York
  • Panjin Red Beach is named due to the Suaeda salsa plants that change from the colour green, to orange, pink and eventually a stunning bright red.
  • Panjin Red Beach wetlands area is the home to many species of reed, which are commonly used to make paper, and large sections of the Panjin wetlands have been cultivated for this purpose.
  • While the area is vast, the area of Panjin Red Beach that can be visited by the public is small, and the best time to visit is in mid September through to mid October, when the colour is at its best.
  • The nearest city to Panjin Red Beach by distance is Panjin City, approximately 30 kilometres (19 miles) away.
  • The soil of Panjin Red Beach has a high content of alkaline, which causes soil to be unsuitable for most plants, although the saline loving Suaeda salsa grows prolifically.
Bibliography:
Panjin Red Beach, China, 2011, Amusing Planet, http://www.amusingplanet.com/2011/11/panjin-red-beach-china.html
The Red Beach in Panjin, China, 2014, Where on Earth, http://whenonearth.net/red-beach-panjin-china/
Red Seabeach, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Seabeach
Wang, L, On the Countermeasures of Panjin Coastal Wetland Protection in Liaoning Province, 2010, Canadian Center of Science and Education, http://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ass/article/download/5675/4592
Red Beach, 2014, Baidu, http://baike.baidu.com/view/83704.htm

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