Tag Archives: Water

Dusky Dolphin

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Dusky Dolphin

Dusky dolphins are the experts in acrobatics.

  • Dusky dolphins are a species of dolphin native to fairly low temperature waters in coastal areas, in the Southern Hemisphere, and they live in large groups or pods, that revert to small groups at various times in the day.
  • The scientific name of a dusky dolphin is Lagenorhynchus obscurus and it is from the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphins.
  • The diet of dusky dolphins consists primarily of aquatic animals, that mainly includes fish and squid, and they are preyed upon by orcas and sharks.
  • A dusky dolphin’s length ranges from 1.6 to 2.1 metres (5.2 to 6.9 feet), while the weight varies from 70 to 120 kilograms (154 to 264 pounds).
  • It is common for dusky dolphins to swim according to cold water currents, and they are said to be able travel up to 780 kilometres (485 miles) in a single journey.

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Dusky Dolphin
Image courtesy of NOAA Photo Library/Flickr

  • Dusky dolphins have a smooth skin that ranges from grey, black and blue in colour, while the underbelly is white.
  • The sounds produced by dusky dolphins are generally clicks and whistles that have a frequency varying from 40 to 110 kilohertz.
  • For reproduction purposes, female dusky dolphins generally prefer speedier and more agile males over any other characteristic, and mature females will usually produce one calf every two to three years, and care for their young in groups that contain mothers and their babies.
  • Dusky dolphins are prided for their particular skill in aerial acrobatics, that include graceful flips, slaps, leaps and spins.
  • As a popular animal viewed by tourists, dusky dolphin sightings have increased significantly over the decades, although actual numbers of the animal in the wild are undetermined due to a lack of data, and the species is protected in many areas.
Bibliography:
Dusky Dolphin, 2015, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/dusky-dolphin/
Dusky Dolphin, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dusky_dolphin

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Okavango Delta

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Okavango Delta

Okavango Delta is worth its weight in gold.

  • Okavango Delta is a lush delta that is listed as one of Africa’s Seven Natural Wonders, located in Botswana in southern Africa, and it has no outflow to the ocean.
  • Okavango River flows into the Okavango Delta, and each year the delta is fed by the flooded river, and 60% of the 1.1 × 10¹³ litres (11 kilometres cubed or 2.6 cubic miles) of the water is transpired through plants, while 36% evaporates.
  • Habitats of Okavango Delta include grasslands, swamps, forests and lagoons, with the lowest and highest points of elevation sporting a difference of only 2 metres (6.6 feet).
  • Constant flooding and termite nest building have contributed to the numerous islands found in the Okavango Delta, while the biggest is Chief’s Island, although it was formed through movement of the earth due to a fault line.
  • The UNESCO World Heritage Convention designated Okavango Delta a World Heritage Site in 2014, and it was the 1000th site to be listed.

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Okavango Delta
Image courtesy of Justin Hall/Flickr
  • Salt accumulates on the islands in the Okavango Delta around plant roots, and in some areas on the islands the soil has become too infused with salt so that vegetation is unable to grow.
  • Countless species of wildlife, some of which are endangered, favour the Okavango Delta, including catfish, giraffes, baboons, elephants, hyenas, large cat species, antelopes, rhinoceroses, buffalo, tigerfish and lechwe, the latter boasting the most population in the area of any species.
  • Five primary tribes make up the native people of the Okavango Delta, and they use the area for fishing, crops and hunting.
  • Multiple reserves have been initiated to protect the diverse ecosystem of Okavango Delta, including the Moremi Game Reserve, and the delta has in excess of a thousand plant species.
  • Okavango Delta, also known as ‘Okavango Grassland’, is of great size, and has an area that covers more than 20,000 square kilometres (7,700 square miles).
Bibliography:
Okavango Delta, 2015, UNESCO World Heritage Convention,  http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1432
Okavango Delta, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okavango_Delta
Okavango Delta, n.d, Okavango Delta, http://www.okavangodelta.com/
Powers L, Okavanga Delta – Part 2, 2009, Africa Bespoke Blog, http://blog.africabespoke.com/okavango-delta-part-2/

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Lake Baikal

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Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal… the deepest of them all.

  • Lake Baikal is a large, long and relatively narrow lake consisting of freshwater, located in Russia’s Siberia, in North Eastern Asia.
  • ‘Lake Baikal’ is also known as the ‘Pearl of Siberia’ and the ‘Galapagos of Russia’, and in Russian it is ‘Ozero Baykal’ and ‘Baygal nuur’ in Mongolian, while the latter translates as ‘nature lake’.
  • The UNESCO World Heritage Convention declared Lake Baikal a World Heritage Site in 1996, due to its rich ecosystem and its scientific significance.
  • Lake Baikal contains the greatest amount of fresh water of all water bodies on earth, equalling around 20% of the total liquid fresh water in the world, and it is known for its water clarity, greatest depth of all lakes, and it holds the status of the seventh largest lake in the world.
  • The volume of Lake Baikal is greater than 23,6oo cubic kilometres (5,600 cubed miles), it has an area of around 31,600 square kilometres (12,200 square miles) and a depth reaching more than 1630 metres (5,347 feet).
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Lake Baikal
Image courtesy of Sergey Gabdurakhmannov/Flickr
  • Lake Baikal is located in a rift valley surrounded by mountains, and sits above a divergent plate boundary where two plates are slowly moving away from each other, and this activity has created hot springs in and around the lake.
  • Wildlife finds Lake Baikal a haven, with around 1,000 vegetation species and 2,500 animal species, including plankton, worms, snails, crustaceans, fish, and the Baikal seal, while large numbers of the species are endemic to the area.
  • Humans had settled around Lake Baikal by 500 AD, primarily due to it being an accessible water source, and it became more widely known after 1643, when explorer Kurbat Ivanov from Russia found it.
  • Lake Baikal freezes from January to May and can be crossed during these times, although it can be fatal, as the freezing winds can cause hypothermia and frostbite.
  • Hundreds of rivers supply water to Lake Baikal, including the Sarma River, Selenga River, Snezhnaya River, Barguzin River and Turka River, while it drains into the ocean via the Angara River.
Bibliography:
Baikal – The Pearl of Siberia, 2005, Geographia, http://www.geographia.com/russia/baikal01.htm
Lake Baikal, 2015, Lake Baikal – World’s Deepest Lake, http://lakebaikal.org/
Lake Baikal, 2015, UNESCO World Heritage Convention, http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/754
Lake Baikal, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Baikal

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Cichlid

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Cichlid

Cichlids are cute little fish with a vicious appetite.

  • Cichlids are a family of fish, of small to medium size, with in excess of 1600 discovered species out of the estimated 2000 to 3000 in total.
  • The scientific name of a cichlid is Cichlidae, and it is from the suborder Labroidei, the suborder that also includes wrasses, surfperches and damselfish, among others.
  • Cichlids are found in freshwater regions in many countries across the globe, and they are native primarily to South America, southern North America and Africa, and some are also found in certain areas in Asia.
  • The size of cichlids ranges quite widely among species, from 2.5 to 100 centimetres (1 to 39.4 inches).
  • Cichlids are popularly kept in aquariums as pets, with many different hybrids bred specifically for the pet industry.
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A Cichlid
Image courtesy of Marcell Sigg/Flickr
  • The diet of cichlids, depending on the species, consists primarily of plants, fish – even from the same family, algae, parasites and insect larvae.
  • Cichlids are often fished as a sport, and some species are mass-bred for commercial reasons, commonly for food or as pets.
  • The colours of cichlids range from black, yellow, orange, green, blue, red, silver or white, and they are commonly patterned in their colouring.
  • An average of 200 eggs is produced by a female cichlid at one time, and the fry are generally cared for by both parents until the babies are capable of swimming alone.
  • Cichlids typically live to be 5 to 60 years of age; and fellow fish, eels, birds and humans are common predators.
Bibliography:
Cichlid, 2015, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/cichlid/
Cichlid, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cichlid

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Cuttlefish

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Cuttlefish

Cuttlefish are not fish!

  • Cuttlefish are aquatic animals of the mollusc type, and they are cephalopods that feature a pronounced head and a total of ten tentacles, eight of which are short.
  • Cuttlefish are typically 15 to 50 centimetres (6 to 20 inches) in length, plus the length of the tentacles, and weigh 3 to 10.5 kilograms (6.6 to 23 pounds).
  • There are approximately 120 species of cuttlefish, and they are from the order with the scientific name Sepiida, that contains five families, and they are related to octopus and squid.
  • The diet of cuttlefish consists primarily of fish, crabs, molluscs, shrimp and worms, among others.
  • Due to their ability to change body colour for camouflage purposes or other reasons, as well as the differences between species, cuttlefish can come in a variety of colours, including red, pink, yellow, green, brown, white and blue.
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Cuttlefish
Image courtesy of William Warby/Flickr
  • Inside a cuttlefish there is distinct aragonite porous shell, known as a ‘cuttlebone’ that is often found on the beach and fed to pet birds as a source of calcium, and the blood of the animal is coloured a greenish-blue and pumped around by three hearts.
  • Poison that can be lethal and is used to paralyse its prey, is produced by a cuttlefish in its mouth, and the animal captures its prey by two long tentacles that propel out from its body and later retract.
  • To protect itself from predators such as sharks and large fish, cuttlefish may use camouflage or produce ink to obscure the other animal’s vision.
  • To find a mate, a male cuttlefish will change its skin colour for appeal, while females die after laying approximately 200 eggs; and the animal has an average lifespan of one to three years.
  • Cuttlefish can be found in most oceans around the world, however they do not live around North or South America; and some cultures enjoy the animal as food, and they are commonly dried and shredded and eaten as a snack.
Bibliography:
Cuttlefish, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/cuttlefish/
Cuttlefish,  2015, Net Industries, http://science.jrank.org/pages/1918/Cuttlefish.html
Cuttlefish, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuttlefish

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Belize Barrier Reef

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Belize Barrier Reef

Beautiful Belize Barrier Reef.

  • Belize Barrier Reef is a very large coral reef located off the coast of Central America’s country of Belize, and the reef notably contains the largest blue hole known on Earth, the Great Blue Hole.
  • ‘Belize Barrier Reef’ is officially known as the ‘Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System’, and the area is a significant marine ecosystem that also includes considerable quantities of mangroves.
  • The second largest coral reef on Earth and largest reef of the northern hemisphere is Belize Barrier Reef, and it covers an area of 963 square kilometres (372 square miles), and is approximately 300 kilometres (186 miles) in length.
  • Belize Barrier Reef was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, and later marked as endangered in 2009, mostly due to illegal hunting, fishing and timber removal.
  • Species discovered in the vicinity of Belize Barrier Reef include 65 coral species, 350 species of mollusc, more than 500 fish species, as well as numerous other species; while it is said that 90 percent of the reef’s total number of species have not yet been discovered.
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Part of Belize Barrier Reef
Image courtesy of Heath Alseike/Flickr
  • Belize Barrier Reef is the home to seven designated and protected reserves, 450 sand islands known as ‘cays’, plus three ring shaped reefs known as ‘atolls’.
  • Hurricanes, shipping, over-fishing, tourism, pollution and coral bleaching are all believed to be primary factors that continue to endanger the Belize Barrier Reef.
  • The native Mayan people used Belize Barrier Reef as a source of food, especially during 300BC to 900AD, and some of the cays were used as burial sites for the indigenous population.
  • Belize Barrier Reef is popularly visited by tourists for its prized snorkelling and scuba diving attractions, with more than 128,000 tourists visiting the reef annually.
  • Many bird species can be found in the area of the Belize Barrier Reef, as well as vulnerable or endangered species like the American crocodile, a number of turtle species, and the West Indian manatee.
Bibliography:
Belize Barrier Reef, 2015, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belize_Barrier_Reef
Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, 2015, UNESCO World Heritage Convention, http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/764
Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, Belize, n.d, The Encyclopedia of Earth, http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/150471/

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