Working from Home

Species Fact Profile: Leaf-Cutter Ant (Atta cephalotes)

Leaf-Cutter Ant

Atta cephalotes (Linnaeus, 1758)

Range: Central America, Northern and Central South America
Habitat: Tropical Rainforest
Diet: Fungus cultivated in underground chambers, Nectar, Grubs
Social Grouping: Colonies of several millions of individuals
Reproduction: The queen is the mother of all other ants in the colony, most of which are sterile.  When the time does come for the colony to spread, she lays eggs which develop into fertile males and females, who leave the colony to establish new ones.  Upon breeding, the males die while the females lay millions of eggs to generate the new colony (using sperm stored from the multiple males).  Mature at 40-50 days
Lifespan: Worker - 1-2 years, Queen - up to 20 Years
Conservation Status: Not Evaluated

• Body length about 10 millimeters (queens up to 25 millimeters), dark red in color.  Small spines on the back of the thorax (back section) help them haul leaf fragments
• Worker ants scour the forest by day, using chemical cues to let other members of their colony know when they have found a good source of leaves.  The harvested pieces of leaves are carried back to their colony and chewed up.  The leaves themselves are not eaten - instead, they are used to cultivate fungus, which the ants feed on
• New colonies are established by queens who set off from their natal colony carrying a small piece of fungus.  At the time of her departure she is winged and accompanied by a number of males, also winged.  She looses her wings after settling down and breeding
• Worker ants are divided into castes based on size.  Small workers tend the underground fungus gardens, medium workers go off into the forest to collect leaves, and larger workers serve as colony guards.  An additional caste tends to the rubbish and waste piles, and has a markedly shorter lifespan than the other ants
• Nest sites are positioned so that breezes will come and carry off potentially toxic fumes generated by the fungus gardens
• Considered agricultural pests by some farmers as they will forage in cultivated fields, but also benefit the environment by aerating soil

Zookeeper's Journal: Leaf-cutter ants (of which there are several species) are among the mainstays of zoo invertebrate collections.  They are often displayed through a series of tubes running through a building, with visitors being able to observe the little ants as they trek back and forth to collect plant matter from feeding stations and haul the pieces of greenery back to their colony.  Ants are among the most prolific, abundant, and ecologically important insects in the world, and few species lend themselves better to public display than leaf-cutters.  I mean, they can still be hard to see by themselves, but the big chunks of leaves that they haul around, combined with their constant movement, make them much easier to observe than many other species.  Their impact on the rainforests where they live is enormous, as a colony is capable of stripping a tree's leaves in a day.  Their use of agriculture is also very unique, being one of the most impressive adaptations of any species, vertebrate or invertebrate.  Managing leaf-cutter ants in a zoo outside of their natural range requires permits from APHIS to assure that they will not escape and establish themselves as a pest.  

From the News: Social Distancing with the Gorillas

Though it is believed to have originated from a live animal market, right now coronavirus is not believed to pose much of a threat to non-human animals... well, most of them.  There is tremendous concern among primate keepers about the threat it may pose to their charges, and especially to our closest relatives, the great apes.  Even under normal circumstances ape keepers are wary of passing diseases onto apes.  They are frequently tested, wear face masks (meaning the current PPE shortages are of special concern to them), and are barred from work if they are feeling ill.   

At Empty Bronx Zoo, Staff Are Being Careful to Avoid Exposing Gorillas to the Coronavirus

Zoos aren't the only places where animal lovers are fearful of the impact of this novel disease on great apes.  Conservationists are casting nervous glances at equatorial Africa, where gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos already cling to a precarious existence.  Logging and the bushmeat trade are continually pulling humans deeper and deeper into what remains of their habitat, and there remains a worrying possibility of COVID-19 catching among Africa's last great apes.  If it does, there is a risk of it spreading and causing further loss.  

Bindi Irwin's Wedding

It's been a depressing few weeks, so every bit of happy news is a plus - and that's not just limited to penguins wandering empty aquariums.  Yesterday, Bindi Irwin, the daughter of Australia Zoo's late director Steve Irwin, "The Crocodile Hunter," married her new husband, Chandler Powell. 

It probably wasn't quite the wedding Ms. Irwin envisioned - there were almost no guests, in keeping with Australia's ban on large gatherings in order to reduce the spread of the virus.  Well, not many human guests, anyway... the wedding was, of course, held at the zoo.  Considering that the bride was named after her father's favorite crocodile, what else would you expect?

Bindi, along with her younger brother, Robert, has followed in her father's footsteps, not only in leading the famous Queensland Zoo, but in serving as an important voice for wildlife conservation and advocacy for unloved animals.  Hoping that she had a happy wedding day, and that the world slowly returns to normal, for her, her family, and, well, all of us.

Cooped

The COVID-19 saga continues (I swear, some day I'll write about something else), and with it come the two competing emotions - fear and boredom.  I'm one of the lucky ones, I suppose, in that I primarily have to deal with the boredom.

My job is safe, which is more than a lot of people can say, and I'm able to continue doing it while many other people at my facility have been furloughed.  Still, even with work, there's a big gaping void in every day.  No errands, except the essential ones.  No visiting with friends or family.  Reduced hours at work.  Even my commutes, when I go out, are shortened considerably by the reduction in traffic.  

I watched Avengers: Infinity War the other day.  When I stepped outside to go to the grocery store later that night, all I could think was, "This is probably what it looked like in the movie, after 'the Snap.'"

I've seen a handful of irritating comments on social media of people comparing their current existence to a bored, caged zoo animal.  The animals, I assure you, are getting a lot more variety and socialization than we are right now.  They all seem to be weathering this just fine - perhaps even better than fine, with all of the extra attention being lavished right now.  It's us I worry about.

Reading and watching TV and movies can help, but it also serves to remind you that there's so much else to do out in the wide world, which is currently closed for business.  I took the chance of a slow day to catch up on Animal Planet's series The Zoo, which, as much as I love, I'd barely made a dent in.  It made me happy... but also stir-crazy.  I wanted to go to the Bronx Zoo, that very moment, and see animals and maybe even deal with crowds.

So I'm working on a list of things that I want to do as soon as/if things get back to normal.  Places to go, people to visit - some ambitious, like major trips.  Some as modest as walking in the park and not worrying about social distancing.  Mostly, I just like the idea of having more time in the company of animals.

I've heard some people in the past say that we don't need zoos - we have TV shows and the internet.  After these past few days, all I can say is, they're a poor substitute.

Book Review: Resurrection Science - Conservation, De-Extinction, and the Precarious Future of Wild Things

“We value what’s here but to realize how much more was here before, that this place, North America, had manifestations of life unrivaled anywhere in the world… There’s no better cautionary tale to the proposition that, no matter how abundant it is, you can lose it.”

You can lose many things, including your natural landscapes and the species living in them.  But can you also get them back?

Among the many social media trends that have arisen during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a string of news stories depicting a resurgent nature.  From elephants in China to dolphins in the canals of Venice, these stories give people hope that, at the very least, nature is doing well, possible even thriving.  Unfortunately, most of these stories are incorrect or inaccurate, some made up, some exaggerations, and some depicting things which were already true and trying to paint them as a positive side effect of the current crisis.

Fake animal news abounds on social media as coronavirus upends life

As screwed up as this planet is, it’s going to take a lot more than a few weeks of humans keeping inside to make much of a difference.

Still, these stories reflect one truth about our society – we’re always trying to be hopeful, imagining that it’s possible to reclaim that which has been lost.  We don’t want to think that the natural world is doomed.  And it’s true – there have been cases of endangered species returning, habitats being restored, and ecosystems rebuilt.

Resurrection Science: Conservation, De-Extinction, and the Precarious Future of Wild Things, by M. R. O’Connor, is a collection of stories detailing the efforts to restore lost species.  Some, such as the Kihansi spray toad of Tanzania, were lost only in the sense that they were extinct in the wild, but populations survived under human care in zoos. Others, such as the passenger pigeon of North America, were once plentiful, seemingly infinite in their numbers, and are now extinct… at least until ambitious scientists finally unlock the secrets of cloning.  There are even floated ideas about perhaps the most controversial cloning project of all – the resurrection of our extinct sister species, Homo neanderthalensis.

Most of the species highlighted aren’t quite so shocking or controversial.  One case study recounts the efforts to save Florida’s iconic panthers by introducing new blood in the form of Texas cougars – a move which some scientists credit with bringing the endangered big cats from extinction, while others feel essentially erased the unique subspecies by creating a new, blended panther.  Another involves the efforts to salvage the genetic material of the last few northern white rhinos, clinging to existence in the low single digits, waiting for their inevitable extinction unless a method of preserving them can be found.  Some of the stories seem more along the lines of science fiction than traditional conservation biology, but all hold, with varying degrees of practicality, the potential to rewild the world.

Yes, O’Connor challenges the reader, but at what cost?

Considering the Kihansi spray toads, O’Connor reminds the reader that the existence of this diminutive amphibian was only brought to the world’s attention when they were discovered prior to the construction of a hydroelectric dam in Tanzania’s Eastern Arc Mountains.  Tanzania is a poor country, with the economic potential of its people being limited in large part by a lack of access to electric power. 

Is the fate of a small, obscure species that occupies only a football field-sized patch of damp meadow worth not taking steps that could improve the lives of millions of people?  Is it responsible to bring passenger pigeons back from the dead, only to create one more species in need of intensive conservation management when there are already so many in need of help?  Is the Florida panther that we have today really a Florida panther still?  And if it’s not, should we be spending so much time and effort managing it?  We’ve accepted a panther-free Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, etc… what difference does Florida really make?

O’Connor isn’t an anti-conservation crank, and her writings share her deep concern about the survival of species.  Instead, she simply challenges her readers, reminding them that we have to be willing to ask these questions, and others like them.  We’re never, ever getting back to a pristine nature, untouched by the hand of man.  For many species, their continued survival will be due to intensive management, both in the wild, the zoo, and, in some cases, the genetics lab.  We need to decide what kind of “natural” world we’re going to be leaving to future generations.   Part of that might involve realizing that we can’t save everything… though we can still try.

Resurrection Science: Conservation, De-Extinction and the Precarious Future of Wild Things at Amazon.com

A Call for Help

Let's face it. Unless you work in a grocery store, you're probably facing some struggles at work right now.  And if you do work at a grocery store, you're also probably struggling, just in different ways, like facing the very real possibility of being trampled to death by a panicky crowd in search of that last jar of creamy peanut butter.

Sheltering in place, while necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19, is hurting many people economically, as well as businesses and cultural institutions.  Zoos and aquariums are posed to take quite a hit in the near future.  No rainy day fund can make up for weeks (if we're lucky it'll be weeks) of no visitors, field trips, or special events.

Please consider signing the petition in the attached link.  If Congress and the White House are going to pump billions/trillions into keeping the hotel and airline industries afloat, we would just ask for some support as well to help zoos, aquariums, museums, and other cultural institutions in a position where they can ride this out and continue to do their good work after this disaster passes.

Thank you!

Urge Congress and the White House to Include $4 billion for AZA-accredited Facilities and Museums in COVID-19 Relief and Economic Stimulus Legislation

The Zoo Comes to You

This week, the most frequently shared video that I saw on my newsfeed was not - directly - related to the COVID-19 pandemic.  It was a news story of a flock of penguins at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium, who had been turned loose in the halls of the aquarium to peruse the exhibit galleries.  In the midst of the growing unease - bordering in some cases on panic - brought about by the disease, it provided a welcome moment of humor for those in need.

The penguins were just the most prominent of an increasing number of zoo and aquarium videos and photos that have been circulating this past week.  Virtually every zoo and aquarium in the US is closed now through at least the end of the month, quite possibly longer.  These are hard times for our facilities, cut off from our visitors at the time of year when visitation normally begins to pick up and fill our coffers.  It's also hard on visitors.


Many people are stuck at home, possibly with kids who can't go back to school.  The lucky adults may be working from home.  The unlucky ones may be out of work.  The really unlucky ones may have a loved one in the hospital, stricken by coronavirus.  No one is enjoying themselves much, with the possible exception of the dogs, who now have their people home all day and can get an almost unlimited stream of belly-rubs.


During these rough times, zoo and aquarium staff are coming in to care for their animals - sometimes as usual, sometimes with new quarantine measures in place, under the watchful, paranoid eyes of managers, fearful of any sign of the disease among their staff.  Besides the daily care, there is at least one other service we can provide.  We can continue to share the animals - remotely, it's true, but share them anyway.  It let's the people know that the animals are all doing well. It let's the people know that not everything has fallen apart.


A video clip is no substitute for hearing macaws screaming in real life, or running your fingers over a python's scales, or locking eyes with a tiger and knowing that she's looking at you and you alone.  Right now, it's all that we can give most people - free of charge and available several times a day.  Keep an eye on the social media of your favorite zoo or aquarium.  Chances are, they're trying to offer a little something to cheer you up in these rough days.

Species Fact Profile: Burbot (Lota lota)

Burbot

Lota lota (Oken, 1817)

Range: Northern North America and Eurasia

Habitat: Deep Temperate Lakes and Slow, Cold Rivers

Diet: Plankton (as juveniles), Aquatic Inverebrates, Smaller Fish, Amphibians

Social Grouping: Asocial, Group Breeding

Reproduction: Breed once annually, migrating to shallow waters to spawn.  Breeding triggered by cold temperatures in December-April, often taking place under the ice.  Spawn in a collective group at night, females releasing anywhere from 100,000 to 3,000,000 eggs for the males to externally fertilize by releasing sperm.  Eggs hatch in the mid to late spring, 30-70 days after they are laid.  Sexually mature at 7-8 years old, males usually maturing earlier than females.

Lifespan: 20 years

Conservation Status: IUCN Least Concern



• Grow up to 1.5 meters in length and weigh up to 34 kilograms
• Background coloration yellow, tan, or light brown with dark brown or black speckling.  The underside is pale or weight.  There are two dorsal fins - a short front one and a bunch longer second one, which merges into the rounded tail fin.  Body shape resembles a cross between a catfish and an eel 
• A single whisker-like barbell grows from the chin - the name "burbot" comes from the Latin "Barba" for beard
• The only freshwater member of the cod family, Gadiformes
• The species population is stable overall, but they are in decline, possibly extirpated, in some parts of their range.  Believed to be already extinct in the United Kingdom (reintroduction is contemplated).  Habitat loss through dam construction is a major threat. 
• Burbot are an important species for some commercial fisheries, harvested for their flesh as well as their oil and livers (records from the 16th century report that they were once so commonly harvested that they were fed to hogs).  They are not a popular species for recreational fisherman due to their sluggish nature and nocturnal lifestyle, though they are very easy to catch, as their very omnivorous diet makes them inclined to bite lures readily

Satire: Toilet Paper

Thankfully things aren't too bad where I live right now - except for bread and canned tuna... that is all cleared out - but this does capture the spirit of things.  I hope that everyone is being safe and sane, whether they are self-quarantining or, as zookeepers and aquarists are, still at work everyday.

Accessible for Everyone

The beluga exhibit at the Georgia Aquarium's Cold Water Quest can be seen from two levels, an upper and a lower.  While I was at the lower level, I was vaguely aware that a section of the public area right in front of the viewing window was blocked off, but I didn't think much of it.  When I was on the upper viewing deck, looking down, I saw its purpose more clearly.  It was a designated area for wheelchairs.

Zoos and aquariums provide a great opportunity for people to be connected with wildlife, but that privilege hasn't always been equally accessible.  In the past, there has sometimes been discrimination based on race or religion, such as when African Americans were only allowed to visit during certain days during segregation, or when German Jews were banned from zoos under the Nazis.  Today, the challenge is a less overt, more accidental omission.  Not all zoos and aquariums are as accessible as they should be to visitors with disabilities.

At the very least, all zoo exhibits should comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, meaning that there should be ramps accompanying stairs, elevators as well as escalators, hand railings, handicapped bathroom stalls, and other adjustments for helping the mobility-challenged navigate the zoo's campus.  There are plenty of other steps that can be added as well.   This, in part, is due to our increased understanding that disabilities come in a lot of forms, not just wheelchairs.

Signs can have braille, or audio accompaniment, to help blind visitors.  Special exhibits and tours could facilitate visitations for the blind, placing an emphasis on animals sounds, smells, and, for ambassador animals, touch.  Designated quiet areas can be set aside for visitors who have sensory challenges.  Lots of benches and other seating areas can be situated to help visitors who can only walk for relatively short distances before needing breaks.  Perhaps early hours can be offered for those using wheelchairs so they can have a chance to explore the zoo without the fuss and jostle of crowds.  Many zoos have evening events for autistic visitors, where caretakers can help the children explore the zoo in a less chaotic, bustling environment than it would be on a busy day.

I love good zoos and aquariums, and feel that everyone should come and support their missions and celebrate the animals.  But people will only come if the facilities allow them to come without undue stress or hardship.  Every zoo and aquarium is different, and the needs of the communities that they serve will be different too.  That's fine, and it can be hard to predict every need that will arise, but the facilities should be receptive to hearing about challenges that visitors have using their campuses and proactively look for ways to improve accessibility.

COVID-19 Update

As Ron Burgundy might say... "Well, that escalated quickly."


Public concern about the novel coronavirus COVID-19 has spread (as well as the virus itself), and steps are being taken by federal, state, and local authorities to halt its advance.  Chief among those steps has been reducing the opportunities for large groups of people to congregate.  This has meant cancelling conferences, closing schools, and, yes, there has been an impact on zoos and aquariums.


Dallas Zoo, Lincoln Park Zoo, the National Zoo, and Monterey Bay Aquarium are among the facilities which are temporarily shuttering themselves, some by their own decision, others in keeping with local ordinances against public gatherings.  Some of the facilities which are staying open are closing their indoor exhibit spaces or cancelling special events, including workshops and conferences.


Hopefully these measures will prove temporary.  A zoo or aquarium can't be put in storage, nor is there a pause button to push.  Animal need continual care, which means keepers need to keep coming in.  We'll hope that zoos and aquariums are able to open up and receive visitors (and their money) as soon as they are safely able to do so.

Zoo Review: Georgia Aquarium, Part II

Continuing our tour of the Georgia Aquarium, we go from the frigid polar waters to the warmer climes in the Tropical Diver gallery.  This is probably the most conventional of the main galleries, a series of modestly-sized tanks housing fish and invertebrates from the warmer seas.  Garden eels, moon jellies, red lionfish, and big-bellied sea horses can be seen here, as well as an artificial coral reef.

Freshwater wildlife can be viewed in River Scout, a gallery devoted to rivers and lakes of the world.  In most aquariums, there is a heavy emphasis on the Amazon River, and sure enough, that region is featured here (although not as prominently as at many other facilities).  Absent here are many of the freshwater giants that I’ve seen in many other public aquariums, almost incongruous with the giant marine species which this aquarium has built its name on.  However, they do a better job than most aquariums of highlighting freshwater fish from around the world.  Besides the obligatory piranhas, visitors can see local fish from the southern United States – from every angle.  At one point, visitors who glance up will be rewarded with a view of gar and other river fish swimming directly above their heads.    Most of the tanks in this gallery are small, focusing on small but interesting species, such as fire eels, reticulated loaches, and Boeseman’s rainbowfish, among other colorful species.  An exhibit of special interest to me featured endangered cichlids from the lakes of East Africa’s Great Rift Valley, a conservation crisis that few zoos or aquariums address as well as they should.    Also present here are a few exhibits of turtles – including some juvenile alligator snapping turtles, as well as a playful exhibit of Asian small-clawed otters.

As I mentioned yesterday, signage and interpretive graphics are a little lacking in the aquarium.  Visitors interested in learning more about the animals and their care, as well as perhaps getting a sneak-peek behind the scenes, can climb to the second floor of the building for the Aquanaut Adventure, an interactive educational gallery that lets visitors learn more about the workings of the aquarium and the biology of the animals.  Adventurous kids (and adults) can climb a monkey bridge, touch starfish, try out hands-on learning devices (my personal favorite was an stimulated ice wall that lets visitors experience how blubber helps keep marine mammals warm), and meet a few animals that they might not otherwise see, such as a tank of baby alligators.  This trek also provides views of the tank tops of some of the habitats, including the belugas in Cold Water Quest (where you might also spy a harbor seal hauling out to take a nap) and the Ocean Voyager tank.  A 4D theater (admission included with your ticket) is also located on this floor).

There are two additional marine mammal habitats which can be experienced either as exhibits or as shows, one for Atlantic bottle-nosed dolphins and one for California sea lions.  I have to admit, if there was one part of the Aquarium that I didn’t particularly enjoy, it was the dolphin show… and I did say “show,” not “demonstration.”  It was too hooky for me, too much music and lights and special effects, and I feel that the presentation didn’t do a great job of emphasizing the need for training dolphins and other marine mammals for husbandry and welfare purposes – instead, it felt like a circus, especially with keepers dancing with and riding dolphins at some points.  I could appreciate the tremendous amount of training and skill that went into shaping these behaviors, but if someone were to come into this show convinced that aquariums just keep dolphins for amusement and entertainment, this probably wouldn’t have done much to change their minds.   For an example of what I would consider an ideal marine mammal demonstration, I would refer to the beluga/dolphin demos at the Shedd Aquarium. 

The sea lion show, while also a bit cartoony, didn’t bother me in the same way, and I did find that one to be a fair bit more educational, while still being enjoyable.

Besides visiting the exhibit calls, visitors have other options to get close up encounters with the animals.  You can sign up for a program to assist with a training program, or book an encounter with a harbor seal, beluga, sea otter, or other aquarium resident.  Guided behind-the-scenes tours are scheduled throughout the day, giving visitors a better understanding of what goes into taking care of the animals.  You can even sign up for the chance to go diving with the whale sharks, manta rays, and other occupants of Ocean Voyager.  All of these programs do cost extra, but for someone who is really into aquariums, I can’t imagine a better treat.

Not content with being the biggest aquarium in western hemisphere, Georgia Aquarium is determined to grow, with a major new annex under construction at the time of my visit.  This huge new addition will feature sharks, including sand tiger sharks, tiger sharks (which I have never seen), and hammerheads (which I have only seen once).  If it is anything on the scale of Ocean Voyager, it will be an incredible experience, I’m sure.

Apart from the dolphin show (and some nagging about signage, which Georgia Aquarium is hardly alone on), I have no real complaints about my experience, and I lot of praise.  Exhibits were great, I did see a lot of messaging about pollution and carbon footprints, and there was a lot of focus on in situ conservation.  There were parts that struck me as a little carnivalish, but (again, apart from my feelings about some of the shows), nothing that I felt compromised the dignity of the animals.  That’s a fine line that zoos and aquariums are always having to walk – striking a balance between educating visitors and getting them to appreciate the precarious state of populations in the wild and being fun, enjoyable places so visitors will come and give us money that we need to care for the animals and contribute to conservation in the field.  Right now, the Georgia Aquarium is bringing in about 2.5 million visitors a year, and most of them seem to be having a good time.  If some of those people can be mobilized to go out and be better global citizens, caring more about our planet’s oceans, that will definitely be a win.

Zoo Review: Georgia Aquarium, Part I

An ongoing complaint that I’ve developed after having visited many aquariums is that they tend to be repetitive.    Many have an Amazon rainforest, and a main shark tank (almost always accompanied by sea turtles), and a coral reef, and a touch tank or two.  At the National Aquarium in Baltimore you take a ramp around the inside of the main oceanic tank; at the New England Aquarium you take it around the outside.  Tunnels have become a huge trend lately.  I’m not saying that zoos don’t have an originality problem as well – they do – but having your entire facility confined to one building tends to promote uniform design and thinking.  Sometimes, the aquariums start to blend together to me.

There is little chance that a visitor to the Georgia Aquarium will ever have a hard time remembering their visit. 


Opened in 2005, the Georgia Aquarium, located in Atlanta, was largely funded by Home Depot founder Bernard Marcus with a donation of a quarter BILLION dollars.  For almost a decade, it ranked as the world’s largest aquarium, being dethroned in 2012 by Singapore (which was later dethroned in turn by Hengqin, China).   It is still the biggest in the United States; at 10 million gallons of exhibit space (more than four times that of the National Aquarium, twice as much as Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium).  Built to resemble a ship breaking through the waves, the Aquarium looms alongside Atlanta’s Centennial Park, alongside the World of Coca-Cola and the National Center of Civil and Human Rights.

Of the 10 million gallons in the aquarium’s tanks (as of mid-2019, when I visited), half of that water is devoted to the facility’s crown jewel and most unbelievable exhibit – Ocean Voyager.    I know of no equivalent aquarium display that I have ever seen – when I saw it for the first time, I found myself thinking that I was glad that I had already seen so many other great aquariums, because if I had seen this first, I’d have been jaded and unimpressed for the rest of my life.  Part of the awe was due to the sheer scale.  Mostly it was due to the inhabitants.  There are a variety of amazing animals in the display – bowmouth guitarfish (shark rays), black-tip reef sharks, Pacific grouper, green sea turtle, and longtooth sawfish among them.  It took me several minutes to even notice them.   

That’s because Georgia Aquarium is home to two species of marine giant that, until it opened in 2005, I never dreamed that I would see in an aquarium.  These are the giant manta rays, spanning several yards across, sometimes called “devil rays” because of the horn-like fins that flank their mouths.  And, of course, dwarfing even the mantas, there are the Aquarium’s magnificent whale sharks.  Four of these giants, the world’s largest fish, each the size of a bus, cruise throughout the tank.  You can view them from a variety of vantage points, including a tunnel, several small panels, and, as a grand finale, through a massive panel of acrylic with theater-like seating in front of it.  It’s hypnotic to just sit and watch.  Wait long enough for the shock that the whale sharks inspire to fade (but only a little) and you’ll start to become attuned to the presence of the other occupants of the habitat, as they will all eventually pass you by.   Compared to many other aquariums I’ve been to, what I also remember about this experience was the silence.  No looping narration, no loud music, just a darkened gallery to sit and admire some of the most unbelievable marine giants on earth.

Identification is aided by TV monitors mounted on the wall, as well as flash cards provided at the entrance of this (and every other) gallery.   I had endless questions about the sharks, from how the aquarium fed these plankton-eaters (despite their bulks, the throat of a whale shark is only the size of a quarter) to how they physically got them here (one of the transport crates in on display).  Like many aquariums, Georgia Aquarium is somewhat deficient in the signage department, though there are docents and educators virtually everywhere, making it easy to get questions answered.

Getting into the Georgia Aquarium is not cheap, but I probably could have just gone in at opening time, watched the whale sharks all day, and then left, convinced that I’d gotten my money’s worth.

  

As it happens, there are several other galleries radiating from the central lobby.

If any single other exhibit call can even attempt to rival Ocean Voyager, it would be Cold Water Quest.  It doesn’t have the amazing grandeur of the whale shark habitat, but it does possess a variety of the aquarium’s other most popular animals in very attractive habitats.  Focusing on the colder climes of the world, visitors will pass displays of weedy sea dragons, Pacific giant octopus, and a variety of other marine fish and invertebrates, spaced around the artificial skeleton of a whale.  I was especially impressed by the display of Japanese spider crabs – I had never seen more than one in an exhibit, so I assumed that they must be aggressive or territorial to one another.  Here, however, there were several, politely side-stepping each other or lurking at the front of their tank, greeting visitors eye-to-eye. 

Most of the Georgia Aquarium’s warm-blooded residents are found here, too.  Southern sea otters can be observed above and below the surface of the water, accompanied by video narration of the Aquarium’s efforts to rehabilitate lost or orphaned sea otter pups.  Seabirds from opposite ends of the earth can be seen in two habitats, again with above and underwater viewing.  Horned and tufted puffins, along with pigeon guillemots, occupy an Arctic habitat.  African penguins can be seen in a separate habitat, which is equipped with small tunnels that allow children with knees in better shape than mine to crawl under the water to watch the penguins swim, or pop up in acrylic bubbles to view the penguins at eye level.  At the largest habitat, visitors can observe beluga whales, either from the floor of the tank or from a catwalk near the surface of the water.  Visitors who spend some time watching the white whales cruising around their tank may notice smaller, darker shapes periodically darting amongst them.  These are harbor seals – this is actually the first mixed-species habitat between the two species that I’d ever seen (actually, the first mixed exhibit between any seal or sea lion and any whale or dolphin that I’d ever seen), and I enjoyed it very much, especially for the brief moments in which I got to see the two species interact.

I’ll continue my exploration of the Georgia Aquarium in tomorrow’s post.

Georgia Aquarium

While You Were Sleeping

Happy... National Napping Day?  Wait, that's a thing?  How did I get this far in life without someone telling me that?

I love working at the zoo.  I also love sleeping.  Lately, it's been getting to be a toss-up between the two.  However, since I am guaranteed 40 hours of work a week and explicitly promised 0 hours of sleep, I'm starting to show a little more fondness for the later.  To be honest, it's sometimes all I can do to not take a nap as soon as I get home... or right now.


Sometimes it spills over to work, and not just for me.  A few months ago, I walked in on one of our maintenance guys fast asleep behind some empty enclosures.  Well, "walked in on" implies that it was by chance.  In reality, I was lured in by the snoring.


You know who also loves naps?  A lot of our animals.  Some of them, like the big cats, are legendary nappers.  Others, like the sloths, don't exactly sleep all day, but they might as well for as little else as they do. 


Many visitors do not enjoy seeing sleeping animals.  They want to see action and excitement, swimming polar bears and swinging gibbons and hopping kangaroos and tortoises doing inappropriate things that parents will be too embarrassed to explain to their kids ("Yeah... piggy back rides... sure.").  An animal feeding is a sure hit.  An animal that is napping... less so.  Some people may even assume sleeping animals are only sleeping because they are bored or depressed or, with irritating insistence, that the animal is actually dead.


I almost never see wild animals sleeping in the wild.  In fact, most wild animals that I see are doing one of two things - looking at me or moving away from me, with varying degrees of haste.  They can usually hear or see or smell us coming long before we detect them, and are on their guard the moment we blunder into view.  They are not likely to relax easily, certainly less likely to actually fall asleep and leave themselves vulnerable.  How likely are you to fall asleep on a park bench or at a bus stop in a rough downtown neighborhood after dark?  You'd try to hold off until you were safe and secure in your home, if you have the option.


I like to think that a napping animal is a comfortable, content one.  So if you see a sleeping animal at the zoo, don't worry about it, and don't take it personally, as if they think you're too boring to stay awake in front of.  Consider it a compliment. 

Help Wanted

One of the most common questions that I get from aspiring zookeepers is where to go to find that first job.  Zookeeping is a tricky profession to break in to - there aren't that many of us to begin with, the facilities are spread far apart, and openings are unpredictable.  There is high turnover, but the willingness of zoos to hire is dependent on budget, seasonality, and the whims of the gods. 

Lots of keepers have to move around the country for their first job - sometimes back and forth like a ping pong ball.  The secret to success can be finding the right job at the right time, before someone else does.

Resources for finding that first job include:

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums job board

The American Association of Zookeepers jobs board

The Zoological Association of America jobs board

Of course, it's worth noting that some zoos choose not to post to national list serves.  It can be expensive in some cases, or lead to a flood of candidates, too many to be manageable.  So, if there is a specific zoo or aquarium that you are interested in applying to, it's good to check out the website of that facility.  If you're in the area, you can also see if there is a jobs fair (though these are more often for guest services and other non-animal positions).

The best resource for getting into the profession, however, is someone who already is.  Make contact with keepers, aquarists, and other professionals.  They may be able to help you break in. 

Species Fact Profile: Mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus)

Mudpuppy/Waterdog

Necturus maculosus (Rafinesque, 1818)

Range: Southeastern Canada, Eastern United States
Habitat: Lakes, Rivers, Streams
Diet: Small Fish, Aquatic Invertebrates (Worms, Crayfish, Insects), Small Amphibians
Social Grouping: Solitary
Reproduction:  Sexually mature at about 6 years of age (or at about 20 centimeters in length).  males deposit packets of sperm in the fall on the bottom of streams, which are picked up by females in their reproductive organs until they lay their eggs (average of 60, but anywhere from 20-200) in the spring.  Females watch over the eggs for the approximately 40 day incubation period.  hatchlings are 2-3 centimeters long when they emerge
Lifespan: 10-20 Years
Conservation Status: IUCN Least Concern

• Average body length 33 centimeters.  The body is long and cylindrical with small, flattened limbs and a large flat head with tiny eyes.  The tail is laterally compressed
• Coloration is varied, but ranges from dull grey to a rust-like brown color, often with dark colored spots.  In clear water their skin becomes darker; in dark water it becomes lighter
• Mudpuppies do not undergo mull metamorphosis like many other salamanders, and so retain their external gills, appearing as a set of red feather-like growths behind the head.  Mudpuppies living in stagnant, oxygen-poor water have larger external gills
• Good swimmers, folding their limbs against their bodies and paddling with their tails, but most often walk along the bottom of streams
• Mucous glands on the skin secrete a slime which coats the body; they can also secrete a poison which can be used for defense.  Predators include large fish, water snakes, herons, and snapping turtles
• Active by night, spends the day hiding under rocks or sunken logs, though if the water is very muddy and visibility is poor, they may be active by day
• The name "mudpuppy" is typically used in the northern part of the range; in the southern US, they are more often called "water dogs"
• Three subspecies recognized - the common, Lake Winnebago (N. m. stictus), and Red River (N.  m. louisianensis) mudpuppies.  Throughout the American South, it is sometimes replaced by or lives alongside other similar, closely related species, such as the Alabama waterdog and Gulf Coast waterdog
• Overall common (if seldom seen), though sometimes opportunistically persecuted by fishermen who believe (falsely) that they kill game fish.  They are listed as endangered or threatened in some US states, such as Iowa, Maryland, and North Carolina

Mind the Spam...

While we're on the subject on obnoxious viruses, just a minor housekeeping note...


I don't know what's happened all of the sudden, but the blog is getting saturated with spam comments - comments of the sort where if you click on the provided link you'll discover the secret to making millions, or find out the secret true meaning of your name, or crud like that.  I'm deleting them whenever I find them, but sometimes they do still loiter for a day or two; just yesterday, I came home to find almost a dozen of them.  I'm sure most people have the sense not to, but just to assuage my conscience, please, please, please don't click on them.  Only bad things happen if you do.


Just so this isn't a complete waste of a post, here's a fun picture of an Asian elephant at the Oregon Zoo meeting a sea lion while out for a walk one morning.

The Only News of the Day

Every morning, I do a news search for updates in the world of zoos and aquariums, as well as a few related topics - endangered species, animal rights, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, etc.  Getting onto Google News is one of the first things I do after turning on my computer each day.  These days, it seems like all the headlines are about one thing, overshadowing even the Presidential primary.

Coronavirus.

Even before it came to America, the novel COVID-19 virus was of interest to me in that it is believed to have originated in the wild animal markets of China.  Now that it is stateside - and making its presence felt in cities where I have friends and family - my interest is a little less academic and a little more personal.  Last week, when I had to take an unexpected trip to the emergency room (just visiting, thanks, I'm fine) and saw half the people there wearing face masks... it got a little more personal still.

The thing about diseases like Coronavirus is that it's not just a matter of making you sick.  It can do that of course, and I hope it doesn't.  It's that it leaves ripples and sends out tendrils making an impact far greater than the lives it immediately touches.  It plays havoc with the stock market and the economy.  It discourages travel and visiting public places.  It breeds fear and paranoia.

I've seldom worried about getting a disease from an animal at work, even though rabies titers and Tb testing are mandatory.  The visitors and coworkers are a lot less predictable (and germy), something I think about often when in a crowd, especially in an indoor exhibit.  Spring is about to begin, and with it spring breaks, followed by the summer crowds.  As worried as I am about the possibility of disease in my community, I also worry about what happens if the crowds don't come, if the economy sinks into another recession.  The last one, the 2008 one, hurt us pretty badly as a field, as it did all other nonprofits.

Imagine that again, only this time, with the added joy of possibly getting sick.

I think I'm going to log off and turn on CNN, maybe watch the results of Super Tuesday come in.  That may be chaos too, but at least it'll be a different sort of chaos to watch.

From the News: World's first in vitro cheetah cubs born at Columbus Zoo

World's first in vitro cheetah cubs born at Columbus Zoo

This last week saw some pretty exciting news from the Columbus Zoo, with the birth of the world's first litter of cheetah cubs  through in vitro fertilization.  The cubs were born to a surrogate mother, a break through in assisted reproduction for this endangered, notoriously difficult to breed species.  It has exciting potential for future endeavors - sperm, eggs, and embryos can be transported from one population to another, zoo and wild and back and forth.  This could have lots of implications for management in the wild, with zoo-bred embryos being transported into wild animals.  The potential remains to be determined, but still - there are more cheetahs in the world, now.  That can only be a good thing.


A cheetah surrogate mother licks the two cubs she bore at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (Grahm S. Jones/ Columbus Zoo and Aquarium)