Hello again! I have a couple questions to ask, they're listed below.
1) Why doesn't the government of Ecuador limit the amount of people living on the Galapagos Islands?
2) Why doesn't Ecuador limit the places people can live on the islands? Maybe have new laws/ zoning laws set aside for the Galapagos Islands.
3) How many countries and organizations support(help fund) the Galapagos Islands?
Thanks!
-Om pd.1
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Sula nebouxii
The answer to Alex pd. 5's question about what the scientific name for the Blue-Footed Booby is Sula nebouxii. The blue-footed booby is in the family of Sulidae which includes gannets and boobies. Both these kinds of birds swim in the water to catch fish. The genus is Sula which include any kind of booby: blue-footed, red-footed, or masked boobies. I hoped that answered Alex's question and more.
Seven centimeters per year
Ms. Barrett,
I have found some information on the webpage of http://www.galapagos-islands-tourguide.com/galapagos-islands-volcanos.html. Some of it answers Daniel's questions.
Apparently, all of the islands have different ages. The oldest ones, such as Espanola, Florena, and Santa Fe are in the four to five million year range. There are also multiple islands that are two or three million years old, such as Santiago or Bartolome. The youngest ones were created about one million years ago. On this same website, I also discovered that the plate under the Galapagos helps the archipelago move seven centimeters a year.
Sincerely,
Cara (whom hails from period 1)
Good, Cara. Did you get the name of the plate and the direction in which it is moving? And if the islands are moving east at seven cm/year, when will they hit South America?!
I have found some information on the webpage of http://www.galapagos-islands-tourguide.com/galapagos-islands-volcanos.html. Some of it answers Daniel's questions.
Apparently, all of the islands have different ages. The oldest ones, such as Espanola, Florena, and Santa Fe are in the four to five million year range. There are also multiple islands that are two or three million years old, such as Santiago or Bartolome. The youngest ones were created about one million years ago. On this same website, I also discovered that the plate under the Galapagos helps the archipelago move seven centimeters a year.
Sincerely,
Cara (whom hails from period 1)
Good, Cara. Did you get the name of the plate and the direction in which it is moving? And if the islands are moving east at seven cm/year, when will they hit South America?!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
How old are the islands?
Hi Ms. Barrett. I just had a question that's been stuck in my head for a while now and I want to know if anyone knows the answer. I wanted to know if scientists have figured out approximately how old the Galapagos Islands are? Also if they do know, how did they figure this out?
Thanks,
Daniel Pd. 1
Good question, Dan. Whoever answers this question will also discover the islands are actually moving with age. Students, some of you are crying for extra credit. Answer this question for Dan and I'll give you a five-point BioBuck!
Thanks,
Daniel Pd. 1
Good question, Dan. Whoever answers this question will also discover the islands are actually moving with age. Students, some of you are crying for extra credit. Answer this question for Dan and I'll give you a five-point BioBuck!
Friday, October 19, 2007
Baby Boobies
Hi Ms. Barrett,
When is the mating season for the blue-footed boobies, and how many baby boobies do they produce each year?
Crystal pd. 8
Crystal, good questions about the blue-foots' reproduction. I don't believe there is a set breeding season for the blue-foots; the breeding is almost continuous throughout the year. The female lays up to three eggs. If feeding conditions are favorable, all three chicks will be raised by the parents. If feeding conditions are not favorable, "siblicide" will occur. That is when a stronger chick kills a weaker chick.
When is the mating season for the blue-footed boobies, and how many baby boobies do they produce each year?
Crystal pd. 8
Crystal, good questions about the blue-foots' reproduction. I don't believe there is a set breeding season for the blue-foots; the breeding is almost continuous throughout the year. The female lays up to three eggs. If feeding conditions are favorable, all three chicks will be raised by the parents. If feeding conditions are not favorable, "siblicide" will occur. That is when a stronger chick kills a weaker chick.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Who's eating my potato chips?
Hey, Ms. Barrett. I was wondering what was the most fun thing you did in the Galapagos Islands and what was the worst. Did you get to see any of the male frigate birds with their throats inflated? How close did you get to the blue-footed boobies?
My aunt was in the Galapagos with her friend. When she was laying on the beach, she feel asleep with a bag of potato chips open. When she woke up, a blue-footed booby was eating them. She took some pictures of the booby eating her chips!
Zac pd. 2
Zac, Thanks for sharing your story! When did your aunt go to the Galapagos Islands? I would love to see the photos she took. I got within three or four feet of the blue-foots, but probably not as close as your aunt! Unfortunately, I didn't see a male frigate with his throat inflated. Maybe next time!
It is very hard saying what was most fun on the islands. I loved everything about the trip! The worst thing was trying to pack everything in one suitcase!
My aunt was in the Galapagos with her friend. When she was laying on the beach, she feel asleep with a bag of potato chips open. When she woke up, a blue-footed booby was eating them. She took some pictures of the booby eating her chips!
Zac pd. 2
Zac, Thanks for sharing your story! When did your aunt go to the Galapagos Islands? I would love to see the photos she took. I got within three or four feet of the blue-foots, but probably not as close as your aunt! Unfortunately, I didn't see a male frigate with his throat inflated. Maybe next time!
It is very hard saying what was most fun on the islands. I loved everything about the trip! The worst thing was trying to pack everything in one suitcase!
Some Questions
Hi Ms. Barrett!
These are just some questions I had about the animals on the Galapagos Islands:
-Are other birds as colorful as the blue-footed booby and the frigate bird?
-Is it easy to tell the difference between a male sea lion and a female sea lion? Or do they look almost the same?
-I noticed that most of the bird pictures on the blog look like they are near the ocean. Do a lot of the birds on the Galapagos Islands live close to the ocean?
Maya (pd. 1)
Maya,
Thanks for the questions! I have a field guide for all the birds of the Galapagos Islands on my desk. In addition to have pictures, the book includes information about each bird's status, identification, distribution, diet, and breeding. Let's take a look at it 6th period.
These are just some questions I had about the animals on the Galapagos Islands:
-Are other birds as colorful as the blue-footed booby and the frigate bird?
-Is it easy to tell the difference between a male sea lion and a female sea lion? Or do they look almost the same?
-I noticed that most of the bird pictures on the blog look like they are near the ocean. Do a lot of the birds on the Galapagos Islands live close to the ocean?
Maya (pd. 1)
Maya,
Thanks for the questions! I have a field guide for all the birds of the Galapagos Islands on my desk. In addition to have pictures, the book includes information about each bird's status, identification, distribution, diet, and breeding. Let's take a look at it 6th period.
More Iquana Info!
Ms. Barrett,
I saw the video from the school's website, and I got answers to most of the questions.
In the Galapagos, you mainly find the marine iguanas on Santa Cruz, Ferdinadina, Isabela (where the iguanas get to be the largest), Espanola (where the iguanas tend to be the most colorful), and Genovesa (which has the smallest iguanas). They tend to congregate on rocky beaches, although they may choose to stay in marshes or mangroves. Marine iguanas are only found in the Galapagos islands.
The male iguanas are larger, and can be up to 4 feet in length. The males are more colorful, and the colors differentiate according to the island they are from. If they are from Santa Cruz the males tend to be brick red and black on Fernandina, they tend to be brick red and dull green. If they are from the southern islands, they are the most colorful, with the males being bright red and teal. The females are only 2-3 feet and are blackish or greyish. The color in males deepens as they get older.
The marine iguana "sneezes" to get salt out of their noses because many males feed under salt water. There is a gland connected to their nose where the salt water gets expelled from their systems.
The marine iguanas spend time on land only to sleep and warm up. The males feed on algae that is farthest into the water. The record time for being underwater by an iguana is 30 minutes, although most dives only last about 10. The deepest a marine iguana has gone is reported to be 15 feet. Most only go up to 5 feet deep.
Marine iguanas are so inactive on land because the are cold blooded. They lose heat when they feed in water, so they try to get heat or lose heat if they are overheating, and that involves either sitting a while in the sun or staying in the shade. Marine iguanas huddle close together at night to conserve heat. During mating season, the marine iguanas gather a large group of females and they become very aggressive toward the fools who try to intrude on their land!
Marine iguanas are subject to predation. When they are babies, they can be eaten by rodents. When they are young, they can be eaten by feral cats. When they are adults, the sometimes can get eaten by dogs. That is why when they are sunbathing, they get more aggressive to scare predators off so the predators don't chase them because while they are sunbathing, iguanas don't have a lot of heat, therefore they don't have much energy. They are mainly herbivores, surviving off of algae and seaweed.
The marine iguanas claws help them cling on to their underwater feeding sources if there is a current, and climb rock slopes.
Marine iguanas are indifferent to humans, Mostly, humans can approach them without scaring them off. They are more calm on more populated beaches because they spend so much time near humans.
Information courtesy of: www.rit.edu and www.geocornell.edu
Priya
pd.1
Thanks, Priya. Between you and Jeff, we will all be marine iguana experts!
I saw the video from the school's website, and I got answers to most of the questions.
In the Galapagos, you mainly find the marine iguanas on Santa Cruz, Ferdinadina, Isabela (where the iguanas get to be the largest), Espanola (where the iguanas tend to be the most colorful), and Genovesa (which has the smallest iguanas). They tend to congregate on rocky beaches, although they may choose to stay in marshes or mangroves. Marine iguanas are only found in the Galapagos islands.
The male iguanas are larger, and can be up to 4 feet in length. The males are more colorful, and the colors differentiate according to the island they are from. If they are from Santa Cruz the males tend to be brick red and black on Fernandina, they tend to be brick red and dull green. If they are from the southern islands, they are the most colorful, with the males being bright red and teal. The females are only 2-3 feet and are blackish or greyish. The color in males deepens as they get older.
The marine iguana "sneezes" to get salt out of their noses because many males feed under salt water. There is a gland connected to their nose where the salt water gets expelled from their systems.
The marine iguanas spend time on land only to sleep and warm up. The males feed on algae that is farthest into the water. The record time for being underwater by an iguana is 30 minutes, although most dives only last about 10. The deepest a marine iguana has gone is reported to be 15 feet. Most only go up to 5 feet deep.
Marine iguanas are so inactive on land because the are cold blooded. They lose heat when they feed in water, so they try to get heat or lose heat if they are overheating, and that involves either sitting a while in the sun or staying in the shade. Marine iguanas huddle close together at night to conserve heat. During mating season, the marine iguanas gather a large group of females and they become very aggressive toward the fools who try to intrude on their land!
Marine iguanas are subject to predation. When they are babies, they can be eaten by rodents. When they are young, they can be eaten by feral cats. When they are adults, the sometimes can get eaten by dogs. That is why when they are sunbathing, they get more aggressive to scare predators off so the predators don't chase them because while they are sunbathing, iguanas don't have a lot of heat, therefore they don't have much energy. They are mainly herbivores, surviving off of algae and seaweed.
The marine iguanas claws help them cling on to their underwater feeding sources if there is a current, and climb rock slopes.
Marine iguanas are indifferent to humans, Mostly, humans can approach them without scaring them off. They are more calm on more populated beaches because they spend so much time near humans.
Information courtesy of: www.rit.edu and www.geocornell.edu
Priya
pd.1
Thanks, Priya. Between you and Jeff, we will all be marine iguana experts!
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Iguana Info
Hi Ms. Barrett,
I answered the questions from the video about marine iguanas.
The marine is only found on the Galapagos Islands. They are usually found on rocky shores, in mangrove swamps, or on beaches. There are approximately 200,000-300,000 marine iguanas left in the world. You can tell the difference between a male and a female because males grow larger than the females and they are also more brightly colored. Males have shades of red and green, while the females are dark gray to black. For most of the day they will be in the water. An average dive lasts for about 5-10 minutes, but they can last underwater for up to an hour. The marine iguana will sneeze in the salt water to get rid of the salt in their body. While they are in the cold water, being cold-blooded, they loose 10 degrees Celsius of their original body heat.
When they come on land the marine iguanas become inactive. This is because they cannot sustain exercise for a long period of time. They will sit on the lava rocks to restore the lost body heat from the ocean. At night the marine iguanas will all huddle together to conserve their body heat during the night. The purpose of the marine iguana's claws are to grip onto rocks. On land, it is to keep them form being blown away by the surf, and in the water it is to keep them in one place as they feed on algae.
During the mating season, their will be battles between the males for nesting places. The two competing males will bob their heads and then charge at each other, trying to push the other backwards. The battle will end when one of the iguanas either runs away or lies flat on its belly as a sign of surrender, and it will usually take 5 hours before one does. After the iguanas have found a place to nest (a soft sandy place) the female will lay around 34 eggs the size of tennis balls. Later the eggs will hatch and the baby iguanas will be born.
The marines iguanas' population is being threatened because of introduce species. Their natural enemies were many birds, including the Galapagos Hawk, Lava Heron, and the Striated Heron. Its newest enemies are the rat, cat, and dog. Each of the introduced species feeds on an iguana at a different stage of its life. The rat will eat the eggs, the cat will eat the babies, and the dog will eat both the babies, and the full grown adults. Scientists say that if we don't do anything about the declining of the marine iguana population, they could eventually die out.
Jeffrey
Period 1
Wow, Jeff! Very impressive! Excellent work on the marine iguanas. I waited very patiently to get video of one of the iguanas sneezing!
I answered the questions from the video about marine iguanas.
The marine is only found on the Galapagos Islands. They are usually found on rocky shores, in mangrove swamps, or on beaches. There are approximately 200,000-300,000 marine iguanas left in the world. You can tell the difference between a male and a female because males grow larger than the females and they are also more brightly colored. Males have shades of red and green, while the females are dark gray to black. For most of the day they will be in the water. An average dive lasts for about 5-10 minutes, but they can last underwater for up to an hour. The marine iguana will sneeze in the salt water to get rid of the salt in their body. While they are in the cold water, being cold-blooded, they loose 10 degrees Celsius of their original body heat.
When they come on land the marine iguanas become inactive. This is because they cannot sustain exercise for a long period of time. They will sit on the lava rocks to restore the lost body heat from the ocean. At night the marine iguanas will all huddle together to conserve their body heat during the night. The purpose of the marine iguana's claws are to grip onto rocks. On land, it is to keep them form being blown away by the surf, and in the water it is to keep them in one place as they feed on algae.
During the mating season, their will be battles between the males for nesting places. The two competing males will bob their heads and then charge at each other, trying to push the other backwards. The battle will end when one of the iguanas either runs away or lies flat on its belly as a sign of surrender, and it will usually take 5 hours before one does. After the iguanas have found a place to nest (a soft sandy place) the female will lay around 34 eggs the size of tennis balls. Later the eggs will hatch and the baby iguanas will be born.
The marines iguanas' population is being threatened because of introduce species. Their natural enemies were many birds, including the Galapagos Hawk, Lava Heron, and the Striated Heron. Its newest enemies are the rat, cat, and dog. Each of the introduced species feeds on an iguana at a different stage of its life. The rat will eat the eggs, the cat will eat the babies, and the dog will eat both the babies, and the full grown adults. Scientists say that if we don't do anything about the declining of the marine iguana population, they could eventually die out.
Jeffrey
Period 1
Wow, Jeff! Very impressive! Excellent work on the marine iguanas. I waited very patiently to get video of one of the iguanas sneezing!
Monday, October 15, 2007
Marine Iguana Challenge!
The next video clip features marine iguanas. I had to select about 90 seconds of footage from over two hours of video tape! For those of you who have done video editing before, you know how painful this task is!
This video clip includes questions about Galapagos Islands marine iguanas. Students, you can earn points by answering any of the questions or asking more of your own. I still have a handful of Galapagos Islands souvenirs left! First come, first serve!
http://www.mtlaurelschools.org/mbmovie7
This video clip includes questions about Galapagos Islands marine iguanas. Students, you can earn points by answering any of the questions or asking more of your own. I still have a handful of Galapagos Islands souvenirs left! First come, first serve!
http://www.mtlaurelschools.org/mbmovie7
Are the boobies big?
Hey Ms. Barrett, I wanted to know about the blue-footed booby. Are they big?
I hope you are having a good time. I wish I was there too!
Heather pd. 2
Heather, the blue footed booby is about the size of Canada geese, maybe a little smaller. I see them everyday flying around. It is really awesome to watch them dive head first into the ocean for fish. I was actually able to capture a couple of dives on video, but I haven't downloaded the footage yet. I would like to make a booby video clip for the blog. Maybe you can help me during lunch one day this week!
I hope you are having a good time. I wish I was there too!
Heather pd. 2
Heather, the blue footed booby is about the size of Canada geese, maybe a little smaller. I see them everyday flying around. It is really awesome to watch them dive head first into the ocean for fish. I was actually able to capture a couple of dives on video, but I haven't downloaded the footage yet. I would like to make a booby video clip for the blog. Maybe you can help me during lunch one day this week!
"Water, water, everywhere, but not a drop to drink"
Dear Ms. Barrett:
To answer your question about the drinking water quality on Santa Cruz, I found this information at http://web.mit.edu/12.000/www/m2008/teams/lasiguanas/Water_Management.html
Unlike some of the other Galapagos Islands, Santa Cruz does have fresh water. Santa Cruz's fresh water is pumped from 25 meters underground by 7 electric pumps. These pumps don't function in coordination with each other which causes inconsistent flow rates. Sea water usually mixes in with the fresh water being pumped up. This causes the chlorine to be too high in the water to drink. Also about half the water is lost because of leaky pipes.
In San Cristobal there are also water leakage problems in the pipes and fresh water shortages. In Isabela there are pipe contamination problems.
I hope this answers your question.
Sincerely,
Daniel pd. 1
Daniel,
Thanks for the information about the drinking water on the islands. Between the salt infiltration and the waste contamination, the people of the Galapagos Islands have a huge enviromental problem of their hands.
To answer your question about the drinking water quality on Santa Cruz, I found this information at http://web.mit.edu/12.000/www/m2008/teams/lasiguanas/Water_Management.html
Unlike some of the other Galapagos Islands, Santa Cruz does have fresh water. Santa Cruz's fresh water is pumped from 25 meters underground by 7 electric pumps. These pumps don't function in coordination with each other which causes inconsistent flow rates. Sea water usually mixes in with the fresh water being pumped up. This causes the chlorine to be too high in the water to drink. Also about half the water is lost because of leaky pipes.
In San Cristobal there are also water leakage problems in the pipes and fresh water shortages. In Isabela there are pipe contamination problems.
I hope this answers your question.
Sincerely,
Daniel pd. 1
Daniel,
Thanks for the information about the drinking water on the islands. Between the salt infiltration and the waste contamination, the people of the Galapagos Islands have a huge enviromental problem of their hands.
Friday, October 12, 2007
It's time to go home :(
We left the Galapagos Islands Wednesday morning for the mainland. I was able to catch up on some blogging last night. The Internet service is much better here in Quito. Getting online on the island of San Cristobal was rather challenging! Sorry about any posting delays!
My flight leaves Ecuador in about seven hours. I'll be back in New Jersey by the end of the day. I still plan to post some more video footage, so continue to stay tuned. Also, feel free to email me your questions/answers. I have a little souvenir for all of you who participated. I sincerely appreciated your input and dedication to the blog.
See you soon!
Ms. Barrett
My flight leaves Ecuador in about seven hours. I'll be back in New Jersey by the end of the day. I still plan to post some more video footage, so continue to stay tuned. Also, feel free to email me your questions/answers. I have a little souvenir for all of you who participated. I sincerely appreciated your input and dedication to the blog.
See you soon!
Ms. Barrett
Attention Educators
If you are interesting in finding out how you can participate in a teaching program in the Galapagos, Japan, Korea, Costa Rica, or Saudi Arabia, find out more about the Institute of International Education by clicking on the video link below. Good luck!
http://www.mtlaurelschools.org/mbmovie6
http://www.mtlaurelschools.org/mbmovie6
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Day off!
On Tuesday, all of the teachers were given a day off, and we deserved it! No meetings to attend, no presentations, nothing! So what did I do? Fill my day with as much wildlife viewing as possible! I am trying to capture enough video footage for you to create Galapagos wildlife documentaries. (We'll talk more about that later!)
I think I have enough footage of sea lions and marine iguanas, but I was still lacking bird footage, particularly boobies and frigate birds. To cover as much of the island as possible, three of us hired a taxi driver. Our first stop was Loberia las Negritas. We jumped out of the truck and started our first hike. Sea lions covered the beach and marine iguanas covered the lava rocks. Boobies and frigates were also soaring overhead, but I wanted to see them on land, and see lots of them!
We continued our hike to a sea cliff. From a distance we saw a few boobies perched on the rocks. As we got closer, we realized we also found a small colony of swallow-tailed gulls. This was a great find! You may be thinking that sea gulls are no big deal, but this one sure is. It is the only nocturnal gull in the world, meaning they are the only gulls that are active in the night. I also found out an interesting fact about them. When the male is courting the female, he regurgitates food for her! What do you think about that girls?!
A couple of boobies were in the area, but not enough to write home about. We soon hiked back to the vehicle.
Our next stop was to Galapaguera de Cerro Colorado, a tortoise sanctuary. This place provided a natural habitat for about 60 San Cristobal tortoises. This is a different species then we had seen on the island of Santa Cruz. I got some good footage. This will be useful to compare and contrast the differences in the tortoises’ shells.
Then we headed to Playa de Puerto Chino on the other side of the island. We walked along a beautiful beach and hiked up onto a sea cliff. There was a brown pelican on a nest of eggs, and a couple of blue-foots here and there. From the sea cliff we were able to see some sea turtles. I believe they were Pacific green turtles. Apparently these turtles used to be hunted, but hunting of them was banned, and the population is doing well today.
The day was winding down, and there was one more place we wanted to hike: Frigatebird Hill. To this point, I had only seen the frigate bird in flight. When we got to the top, we were able to see about fifty frigate birds perched in the trees. We were able to get really close to them. Unfortunately, none of the males had their throats inflated, however, the picture below shows the male's red flap of skin that inflates. This was a little disheartening, but I got my footage of frigate birds for you! We snapped our last photo of the day at the Charles Darwin statue that rests on Frigatebird Hill.
So my day off was very busy, but also well spent. I could use another couple of weeks here on the islands!
I think I have enough footage of sea lions and marine iguanas, but I was still lacking bird footage, particularly boobies and frigate birds. To cover as much of the island as possible, three of us hired a taxi driver. Our first stop was Loberia las Negritas. We jumped out of the truck and started our first hike. Sea lions covered the beach and marine iguanas covered the lava rocks. Boobies and frigates were also soaring overhead, but I wanted to see them on land, and see lots of them!
We continued our hike to a sea cliff. From a distance we saw a few boobies perched on the rocks. As we got closer, we realized we also found a small colony of swallow-tailed gulls. This was a great find! You may be thinking that sea gulls are no big deal, but this one sure is. It is the only nocturnal gull in the world, meaning they are the only gulls that are active in the night. I also found out an interesting fact about them. When the male is courting the female, he regurgitates food for her! What do you think about that girls?!
A couple of boobies were in the area, but not enough to write home about. We soon hiked back to the vehicle.
Our next stop was to Galapaguera de Cerro Colorado, a tortoise sanctuary. This place provided a natural habitat for about 60 San Cristobal tortoises. This is a different species then we had seen on the island of Santa Cruz. I got some good footage. This will be useful to compare and contrast the differences in the tortoises’ shells.
Then we headed to Playa de Puerto Chino on the other side of the island. We walked along a beautiful beach and hiked up onto a sea cliff. There was a brown pelican on a nest of eggs, and a couple of blue-foots here and there. From the sea cliff we were able to see some sea turtles. I believe they were Pacific green turtles. Apparently these turtles used to be hunted, but hunting of them was banned, and the population is doing well today.
The day was winding down, and there was one more place we wanted to hike: Frigatebird Hill. To this point, I had only seen the frigate bird in flight. When we got to the top, we were able to see about fifty frigate birds perched in the trees. We were able to get really close to them. Unfortunately, none of the males had their throats inflated, however, the picture below shows the male's red flap of skin that inflates. This was a little disheartening, but I got my footage of frigate birds for you! We snapped our last photo of the day at the Charles Darwin statue that rests on Frigatebird Hill.
So my day off was very busy, but also well spent. I could use another couple of weeks here on the islands!
Consumers, Producers, and Decomposers of the Galapagos
Since we have a quiz tomorrow on the consumers, producers, and decomposers, I thought this would be an appropriate time to ask these questions. What kind of consumers, producers, and decomposers are there on the Galapagos? Is there a lot of predation? Are there lots of endangered animals or extinct animals on the island? Are there lots of food webs and food chains? And are the blue-footed boobies preyed on a lot? And what kind of consumers are they… Herbivores? Carnivores? Or are they omnivores?
Rachel pd. 2
Great questions, Rachel! We will be addressing the organisms in the Galapagos food web, so I don't want to give it all away! However, to prepare for the quiz, understand the terms and their meanings. Producers "produce" their own food using the sun's energy. Plants are producers, and the process in which they make their own food is called photosynthesis. Consumers "consume" plants or other consumers. The blue-footed booby is a consumer because it eats fish, and fish are consumers. Decomposers are found everywhere. They are the bacteria and fungi that break down dead organisms. The Galapagos tortoise feeds on plants (producers), so what type of consumer is it? If blue-footed boobies eat only fish, what type of feeder are they?
Good luck on the quiz, Rachel!
Rachel pd. 2
Great questions, Rachel! We will be addressing the organisms in the Galapagos food web, so I don't want to give it all away! However, to prepare for the quiz, understand the terms and their meanings. Producers "produce" their own food using the sun's energy. Plants are producers, and the process in which they make their own food is called photosynthesis. Consumers "consume" plants or other consumers. The blue-footed booby is a consumer because it eats fish, and fish are consumers. Decomposers are found everywhere. They are the bacteria and fungi that break down dead organisms. The Galapagos tortoise feeds on plants (producers), so what type of consumer is it? If blue-footed boobies eat only fish, what type of feeder are they?
Good luck on the quiz, Rachel!
Fishy Names!
Hey, it's Stacey from Pd. 5! I wanted to wish you the best in everything and hopefully you are learning a lot and having fun! Well I've been looking over what you wrote about the types of fish you wrote in Spanish ("Fishing, Anyone?" posted by Elijah on October 9th). Well, one thing for sure...carabale is one fish I couldn't identify because people from different places say each thing differently. So my parents weren't sure if you spelled it correctly or meant something else. Moving on to the other fish you mentioned, loros mean parrots so it must mean they look like one and sapatillas means sneakers, so I’m not sure with that translation. Lastly, roncadores mean MONKEYS!!! But my parents told me that since you were talking about types of fish, then it might have to do with the Spanish people naming the way fish make noises just like the monkeys! Before I finish, the name of Puerto Baquerizo Morela has a meaning too. Well only Puerto does. My dad says its a seaport, but Baqueriza Morela doesn’t mean anything. It must be named after someone by last or first name.
I hope you enjoy the trip and hopefully this information is useful....cya soon!!!
Thanks for the Spanish lesson, Stacey. When I was posting the response to Elijah's question, I was in an Internet cafe. I asked the owner to spell the fish names for me. I don't know if they are spelled correctly or not. I need to learn Spanish!
When I was hiking on a beach yesterday, I found a dead fish. I took a picture of it because it had a mouth that looked like a parrot's beak. It must have been the loros! I posted a picture below. What do you think? Thanks for the information!
I hope you enjoy the trip and hopefully this information is useful....cya soon!!!
Thanks for the Spanish lesson, Stacey. When I was posting the response to Elijah's question, I was in an Internet cafe. I asked the owner to spell the fish names for me. I don't know if they are spelled correctly or not. I need to learn Spanish!
When I was hiking on a beach yesterday, I found a dead fish. I took a picture of it because it had a mouth that looked like a parrot's beak. It must have been the loros! I posted a picture below. What do you think? Thanks for the information!
Three Boobies
Hey, Ms. Barrett. It's Alexa G. from period 2.
Earlier you mentioned that there were three different types of boobies (blue-footed, red-footed and the masked booby). I was wondering if there are any differences between them besides their appearance.
Alexa, the three species of boobies have a great deal in common because they are all in the same genus. (I am referring to their classification...domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species.) Since they have almost all of the levels of classification in common, they are extremely similar. However, there are some differences. One example is their nesting behavior. Blue-foots nest on the ground, red-foots in small trees and shrubs, and masked boobies nest on cliffs or near the edge of the sea. I just found out on this trip that the masked boobies found in the Galapagos are now called Nazca boobies. Can someone tell me why their name was recently changed, and where the name came from?
Thanks for the question, Alexa!
Earlier you mentioned that there were three different types of boobies (blue-footed, red-footed and the masked booby). I was wondering if there are any differences between them besides their appearance.
Alexa, the three species of boobies have a great deal in common because they are all in the same genus. (I am referring to their classification...domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species.) Since they have almost all of the levels of classification in common, they are extremely similar. However, there are some differences. One example is their nesting behavior. Blue-foots nest on the ground, red-foots in small trees and shrubs, and masked boobies nest on cliffs or near the edge of the sea. I just found out on this trip that the masked boobies found in the Galapagos are now called Nazca boobies. Can someone tell me why their name was recently changed, and where the name came from?
Thanks for the question, Alexa!
Sea Lions of San Cristobal
I made a video clip about the sea lions on the island of San Cristobal. The video doesn't get into the natural history of the sea lions, so I'll give you a little bit of information here.
Sea lions are actually the largest animals on the Galapagos Islands. The estimated population is 50,000. These animals are very playful and inquisitive. I have spent hours watching them lounge on the beaches and lava rocks and play in the water. The male sea lions have a harem, with one bull (the male) with up to thirty cows (the females). The males will defend their territory by barking, posturing, pushing, and biting.
We have a videographer with us on our trip, documenting the program for Toyota. He was telling us about when he one time was swimming near sea lions, when one of the sea lions bit him on the butt! The sea lion's teeth when through his wet suit and punctured his skin! So in addition to be playful and inquisitive, they can also be aggressive.
http://www.mtlaurelschools.org/mbmovie5
Funding from Toyota
Rhonda Glasscock, the Corporate Contributions Manager for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., is with us on this trip. It has been a pleasure traveling with Rhonda, and I sincerely appreciate the funding I received from her organization. Thanks, Rhonda, and thanks, Toyota!
http://www.mtlaurelschools.org/mbmovie4
http://www.mtlaurelschools.org/mbmovie4
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Google Earth
Are the students finding your location on Google Satellite Maps? They may not be able to see you in real time, but they can zoom down to the locations you´re visiting. It will give them great perspective.
I would like to know how much change has taken place in regards to sea height, temperature, aquatic life, and amount of krill as a food source in the Galapagos region.
Mr. G (Alexa´s dad)
Mr. G., I will have to find out exactly what effects climate change are having on the Galapagos Islands. One of the teachers at the forum mentioned addressing global warming by planting schools gardens and encouraging the students to have gardens at home.
Hey, students, BioBuck offer: Googe Earth San Cristobal of the Galapagos Islands. I am in the town of Puerto Baquerizo Morelo!
I would like to know how much change has taken place in regards to sea height, temperature, aquatic life, and amount of krill as a food source in the Galapagos region.
Mr. G (Alexa´s dad)
Mr. G., I will have to find out exactly what effects climate change are having on the Galapagos Islands. One of the teachers at the forum mentioned addressing global warming by planting schools gardens and encouraging the students to have gardens at home.
Hey, students, BioBuck offer: Googe Earth San Cristobal of the Galapagos Islands. I am in the town of Puerto Baquerizo Morelo!
Fishing, anyone?
Hey Ms. Barrett,
I was just wondering, are there any major cities in the Galapagos Islands, and if so what can you do there? Also, if I were to go fishing, would I catch anything different than I would in the United States?
Elijah Pd. 1
Elijah,
Yes, the major town on this island is Puerto Baquerizo Morelo, which happens to be the capital of the Galapagos Islands. But it really isn´t that large at all. The largest town is Puerto Ayora on the island of Santa Cruz. For fun on the islands, children around your age play soccer, volleyball, basketball, go swimming, spend time with their families, and hang out with friends.
The locals on San Cristobal fish for carabale, loros, sapatillas, and roncadores. These are the Spanish names; I have to find out what they are in English!
I was just wondering, are there any major cities in the Galapagos Islands, and if so what can you do there? Also, if I were to go fishing, would I catch anything different than I would in the United States?
Elijah Pd. 1
Elijah,
Yes, the major town on this island is Puerto Baquerizo Morelo, which happens to be the capital of the Galapagos Islands. But it really isn´t that large at all. The largest town is Puerto Ayora on the island of Santa Cruz. For fun on the islands, children around your age play soccer, volleyball, basketball, go swimming, spend time with their families, and hang out with friends.
The locals on San Cristobal fish for carabale, loros, sapatillas, and roncadores. These are the Spanish names; I have to find out what they are in English!
GALAPAGOS Boobies on YouTube
There are many clips of the boobies on you tube, but I was sure to keep the word Galapagos in the search! They seem like a cross between a large seagull and a pelican. There was on particular clip with at least 50 of them flying by but I couldn't make out the feet to be sure it was a booby. All the other clips seem to only have one or two together. Since they do not migrate in flocks, do they stay in groups?
Also, another question, which do you like better Galapagos or Africa?
Patti
Patti,
There are three species of boobies here on the islands: Blue footed, red footed, and masked boobies (now known as Nazca boobies). They are colonial birds meaning they like to stay together as a group (like the purple martins in front of Harrington). I have seen the blue-foots every day in front of the hotel diving in the water for fish. They are well-adapted for this method of feeding. As they plunge into the water, they hit the water at break-neck speed. However, this does not hurt them because they have air sacs in their skull to cushion the impact of the dive. They also have pointed, tapered beaks and torpedo-shaped bodies. These adaptations serve them well when fishing for a meal.
Africa or the Galapagos??? Tough choice! While watching the frigate birds today, I thought it would be great to be involved in a scientific study of them. While in Africa last year, I thought about returning to study elephants or South African penguins. Both the Galapagos and Africa are places I would return to in a heartbeat!
Also, another question, which do you like better Galapagos or Africa?
Patti
Patti,
There are three species of boobies here on the islands: Blue footed, red footed, and masked boobies (now known as Nazca boobies). They are colonial birds meaning they like to stay together as a group (like the purple martins in front of Harrington). I have seen the blue-foots every day in front of the hotel diving in the water for fish. They are well-adapted for this method of feeding. As they plunge into the water, they hit the water at break-neck speed. However, this does not hurt them because they have air sacs in their skull to cushion the impact of the dive. They also have pointed, tapered beaks and torpedo-shaped bodies. These adaptations serve them well when fishing for a meal.
Africa or the Galapagos??? Tough choice! While watching the frigate birds today, I thought it would be great to be involved in a scientific study of them. While in Africa last year, I thought about returning to study elephants or South African penguins. Both the Galapagos and Africa are places I would return to in a heartbeat!
Contaminated Water
Hi! I think I have the answer to the contaminated water question. The most common diseases in the food and water supply are Hepatitis A and Typhoid Fever. They're caused by bacteria and viruses that our bodies aren't use to.
I have part of an answer about my mom's question about the coast guard. Different parks have their own river patrol boats and to help with their funding they get private donations and grants from other countries like the US. When there is an oil spill they will call the US coast guard to help clean it up.
Mike C. pd. 8
Mike,
Thanks for the answer. Unfortunately, the people of these islands have to worry about getting several diseases from the water. Solid waste products filter through the rock and contaminant the ground water, and the population increase is speeding up the rate of contamination. This may sound really gross, but it is a reality the Galapaguenos have to deal with on a daily basis. In addition to diseases from the waste, the water is also salty.
I found out the Ecuadorian Navy patrols the islands. When we pulled into port yesterday, there was a navy ship in the harbor. I heard there are a handful of these ships patroling the Galapagos Islands.
I have part of an answer about my mom's question about the coast guard. Different parks have their own river patrol boats and to help with their funding they get private donations and grants from other countries like the US. When there is an oil spill they will call the US coast guard to help clean it up.
Mike C. pd. 8
Mike,
Thanks for the answer. Unfortunately, the people of these islands have to worry about getting several diseases from the water. Solid waste products filter through the rock and contaminant the ground water, and the population increase is speeding up the rate of contamination. This may sound really gross, but it is a reality the Galapaguenos have to deal with on a daily basis. In addition to diseases from the waste, the water is also salty.
I found out the Ecuadorian Navy patrols the islands. When we pulled into port yesterday, there was a navy ship in the harbor. I heard there are a handful of these ships patroling the Galapagos Islands.
Scuba Diving
Soon after the education forum, the Institute of International Education had arranged for us to go snorkeling. Since a group of us are certified scuba divers, we suited up to go diving instead.
Typically when scuba diving, you do two dives. Our fist dive site was called “Kicker Rock.” The boat ride to the site and the camaraderie were great, but the dive wasn’t too spectacular. The visibility was less than twenty feet, and there was a strong surge on the bottom swaying us back and forth the entire dive. We were hoping to see some hammerhead or Galapagos sharks on the dive, but they didn’t show up. Actually, they probably saw us, but we didn’t see them! We did, however, see two huge sting rays. Each one was about the size of four school desks put together! We also saw schools of fish, starfish, and thousands of pencil sea urchins. The visibility on the second dive was the same…lousy! But the highlight of the second dive was the sea lions. They were swimming all around us, playful and curious, getting closer and closer each time they passed. It is amazing how graceful these animals are under the water. I took many photos using a disposable underwater camera. I hope a few of the photos turn out.
International Teacher Forum
We left the island of Santa Cruz on Saturday. After a three-hour boat ride, we arrived on the island of San Cristobal. This island is less populated than Santa Cruz, with a total population of 6,142. Greeting us at the dock were playful sea lions, soaring frigate birds, and blue-footed boobies diving headfirst into the sea. After checking into our hotel and eating lunch, I took a walk to a beach to find a colony of sea lions. There must have been over one hundred of these mammals lounging on the beach! I even saw some newborn sea lion pups. They were adorable!
On Sunday, all of the United States and Galapagueno teachers met at the Charles Darwin Convention Center for an environmental teacher forum. This forum allowed us to collaborate on both a national and international level through activities and presentations. Ms. Cecilia Machado Barrera from the Escuela Galo Plaza Lasso School on Santa Cruz, presented a wonderful Power Point about the environmental projects her students do at their school. She explained how the increased population on the islands is creating an increase in environmental problems. Her students are addressing these problems and trying to find solutions. One way they are helping is through a recycling program, trying to reduce the amount of waste produced at their school. They use recyclable products, such as paper, to make products that are then sold at a business fair. They create compost from all of the organic waste collected during lunch. This compost is used in their school gardens. One of the gardens is a butterfly garden (yes, they have milkweed and monarchs here!), and they also have gardens for native and endemic species. These habitats are used as outdoor classrooms for all the subject areas. Ms. Machado Barrera also has an after school ecology club, and takes the students on many field trips to learn about their environment. In addition, the school hosts after school and evening activities to educate the public, allowing the students to present their findings through presentations to family and community members.
Through Ms. Cecilia Machado Barrera presentation, I learned that the increase in population on the islands is a major concern to the locals and causing problems. Some of the problems they are facing are: introduced species, air pollution, water pollution, increase in solid waste, possible extinction of species, and more vehicles.
Ms. Machado Berrera and her colleagues feel everyone needs to contribute in the care and protection of the islands. Teachers at the Escuela Galo Plaza Lasso School are trying to do their part by motivating the students to care about the environment through engaging and fun environmental activities.
I have heard several times throughout this trip about the troubles with a population increase on the Galapagos Islands. Many people are concerned about this issue. Some people recognize the environmental impact, while others see the economical issues related to it. I am thankful there are teachers like Ms. Cecilia Machado Barrera addressing the Galapagos population issues in the classroom.
On Sunday, all of the United States and Galapagueno teachers met at the Charles Darwin Convention Center for an environmental teacher forum. This forum allowed us to collaborate on both a national and international level through activities and presentations. Ms. Cecilia Machado Barrera from the Escuela Galo Plaza Lasso School on Santa Cruz, presented a wonderful Power Point about the environmental projects her students do at their school. She explained how the increased population on the islands is creating an increase in environmental problems. Her students are addressing these problems and trying to find solutions. One way they are helping is through a recycling program, trying to reduce the amount of waste produced at their school. They use recyclable products, such as paper, to make products that are then sold at a business fair. They create compost from all of the organic waste collected during lunch. This compost is used in their school gardens. One of the gardens is a butterfly garden (yes, they have milkweed and monarchs here!), and they also have gardens for native and endemic species. These habitats are used as outdoor classrooms for all the subject areas. Ms. Machado Barrera also has an after school ecology club, and takes the students on many field trips to learn about their environment. In addition, the school hosts after school and evening activities to educate the public, allowing the students to present their findings through presentations to family and community members.
Through Ms. Cecilia Machado Barrera presentation, I learned that the increase in population on the islands is a major concern to the locals and causing problems. Some of the problems they are facing are: introduced species, air pollution, water pollution, increase in solid waste, possible extinction of species, and more vehicles.
Ms. Machado Berrera and her colleagues feel everyone needs to contribute in the care and protection of the islands. Teachers at the Escuela Galo Plaza Lasso School are trying to do their part by motivating the students to care about the environment through engaging and fun environmental activities.
I have heard several times throughout this trip about the troubles with a population increase on the Galapagos Islands. Many people are concerned about this issue. Some people recognize the environmental impact, while others see the economical issues related to it. I am thankful there are teachers like Ms. Cecilia Machado Barrera addressing the Galapagos population issues in the classroom.
School Visit In Santa Cruz
Part of this Toyota International Teacher Program includes visiting schools in the Galapagos. All of the school visits were arranged for Thursday, October 4th on the island of Santa Cruz. Five of us were assigned to the Colegio Miguel Angel Cazares, a middle/high school in Puerto Ayora. We were welcomed at the school gate with open arms.
The principal, assistant principal, and a science teacher took us on a tour of the garden area and greenhouse. The school is working on several environmental projects, one of them pertaining to native and endemic plants and introduced species. The students grow hundreds of plants from seeds and cuttings. As the plants grow, they are transplanted on the school grounds. All of these plantings are endemic or native plants, meaning they are naturally found on this island or in Ecuador.
In the meantime, the students have been getting rid of the introduced species on the school grounds. Introduced species cause trouble for the native species because they usually out compete the native species and spread rather quickly. The school in also working on an ecological path that will wind its way around the school grounds and to an outdoor classroom. This outdoor classroom is situated in a small volcanic crater. The students are clearing the underbrush so that they can install ampitheater seating made out of the native rock and cement. They expect their outdoor classroom to be ready by 2008. One of the attractions of the location of this outdoor classroom is that natural geographic strata are visible in one section of the wall. This entire project is being funded by a Toyota grant awarded to the school as a result of last year’s teacher forum.
The staff at the Colegio Miguel Angel Cazares is very enthusiastic about the possibility of communicating and sharing student work from Harrington Middle School. The school was also given an Apple laptop to help facilitate communication between the United States schools and the schools in the Galapagos.
The teachers that joined me at the Colegio Miguel Angel Cazares were Shannon Hill from the John Cooper School in the Woodlands, Texas, Kelli Ramer from the New York State School for the Deaf, Joe Green from the Pope High School in Marietta, Georgia, and Preston Lewis who teaches at the South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind.
Picture link: http://www.mtlaurelschools.org/administration/mbpage.php
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Anything besides tortoises?
Hi, Mrs. Barrett! How's the Galapagos? I got a question about the Charles Darwin Research Center. Is the only thing they study there tortoises? And if they do, why don't they study other endangered animals? Do they have separate centers for different animals? Are there many different endangered species on the Galapagos? Hopefully none of these animals are endangered for long! Well have a safe and nice trip and I hope to see you soon!
Amanda Pd. 2
Amanda, good question about the Darwin Research Station. In addition to tortoises, they have a land iguana conservation program. The station is also involved in many other projects throughout the Galapagos; projects that help protect native and endemic plants and animals. One such project was on the island of Isabella. There were 150,000 feral goats on the island. This huge population was depleting the vegetation on the island, leaving very little for the endemic species, like the tortoises. After the majority of the goats were eradicated, the vegetation came back in three months and species that were in trouble benefited. This was the largest successful eradication project done in the world. The CDRS also get involved in educating students about the environment and challenging them to create solutions.
I don't know exactly all the species that are endangered, however, over the years, the Galapagos has had few extinctions and still has >95% of its native species. The islands of Hawaii have lost approximately 50% of their native birds alone. All is not lost in the Galapagos.
Amanda Pd. 2
Amanda, good question about the Darwin Research Station. In addition to tortoises, they have a land iguana conservation program. The station is also involved in many other projects throughout the Galapagos; projects that help protect native and endemic plants and animals. One such project was on the island of Isabella. There were 150,000 feral goats on the island. This huge population was depleting the vegetation on the island, leaving very little for the endemic species, like the tortoises. After the majority of the goats were eradicated, the vegetation came back in three months and species that were in trouble benefited. This was the largest successful eradication project done in the world. The CDRS also get involved in educating students about the environment and challenging them to create solutions.
I don't know exactly all the species that are endangered, however, over the years, the Galapagos has had few extinctions and still has >95% of its native species. The islands of Hawaii have lost approximately 50% of their native birds alone. All is not lost in the Galapagos.
Stupid, as in dumb?
Why is the bird with the blue feet called ''stupid''? It looks stupid, but is it really stupid (as in dumb)?
From,
Taylor in 3rd Grade (Ms. Barrett's niece)
Taylor, thanks for the good question. What looks so dumb about the booby?! The reason the booby was named so was because of its behavior when it was first discovered. They walked a little clumsy and were not afraid of humans. Because of this, the Spanish called them bobos. Read the journal entry posted on September 28th by Bobby, one of my students in period 8. He answered your question! Thanks for the question, Taylor.
From,
Taylor in 3rd Grade (Ms. Barrett's niece)
Taylor, thanks for the good question. What looks so dumb about the booby?! The reason the booby was named so was because of its behavior when it was first discovered. They walked a little clumsy and were not afraid of humans. Because of this, the Spanish called them bobos. Read the journal entry posted on September 28th by Bobby, one of my students in period 8. He answered your question! Thanks for the question, Taylor.
Migrating People
I'm glad that you arrived safely and are enjoying your trip. Your family, friends and classes are also enjoying your trip while you're on it! What a wonderful way for all of us to learn.
I know that the Galapagos are known for its endangered and rare animals and, of course, its beauty. But I wonder also about the people. I am curious about the schools you have visited, how alike and different the children are, what they have, and what they don't have. If the population is exploding, then there has to be a cross section of people from around the world. How do the locals feel about the tourists and the migrating PEOPLE!?!
Also, one of your students mentioned the funding for the islands. I'm curious to know whether the tourist dollars alone can support the park?
Enjoy the rest of your trip and have a safe trip home. Be sure to bring photos or your computer to George's 50th party!
Your sister in Medford,
Patti
p.s. Love those "not so smart" birds!
Patti,
Thanks for participating! I visited two schools so far. Both were on the island of Santa Cruz. I plan to do a post on the visits today. The middle school children seem very much like the students in my school. I´ll give you more details when I do the entry. I am meeting a group of Galapaguano teachers from the San Cristobal island tomorrow morning, and I will be spending all day Monday and Tuesday with them. I get some additional information from them about the students, schools, and educational system. Thanks for the questions!
I know that the Galapagos are known for its endangered and rare animals and, of course, its beauty. But I wonder also about the people. I am curious about the schools you have visited, how alike and different the children are, what they have, and what they don't have. If the population is exploding, then there has to be a cross section of people from around the world. How do the locals feel about the tourists and the migrating PEOPLE!?!
Also, one of your students mentioned the funding for the islands. I'm curious to know whether the tourist dollars alone can support the park?
Enjoy the rest of your trip and have a safe trip home. Be sure to bring photos or your computer to George's 50th party!
Your sister in Medford,
Patti
p.s. Love those "not so smart" birds!
Patti,
Thanks for participating! I visited two schools so far. Both were on the island of Santa Cruz. I plan to do a post on the visits today. The middle school children seem very much like the students in my school. I´ll give you more details when I do the entry. I am meeting a group of Galapaguano teachers from the San Cristobal island tomorrow morning, and I will be spending all day Monday and Tuesday with them. I get some additional information from them about the students, schools, and educational system. Thanks for the questions!
Red-foots & Blue-foots
I've decided to answer my own question from September 21st, asking about the red-footed booby. The red-footed booby, like the blue-footed booby, lives on the Galapagos Islands. Also there is another booby that lives there called the masked booby. As I researched this, I also found the answer to Savannah's question, about sexual dimorphism. You can tell which booby is the male and which is the female because of their voice. Male boobies make an asthmatic whistling sound while the females croak. Also the blue footed boobies can be distinguished because the females have a ring of dark pigment around their pupil (making them look bigger than the males). You can read more about the boobies on http://www.rit.edu/~rhrsbi/GalapagosPages/Boobies.html
Pam - pd.1
Thanks, Pam for the information. You are correct about the three species of boobies on the Galapagos Islands. And thanks for telling me how to distinguish the male blue-foot from the female. I definitely could have used that help today when I saw a pair of them at Tortuga Bay. Now I am ready for more field work!
Pam - pd.1
Thanks, Pam for the information. You are correct about the three species of boobies on the Galapagos Islands. And thanks for telling me how to distinguish the male blue-foot from the female. I definitely could have used that help today when I saw a pair of them at Tortuga Bay. Now I am ready for more field work!
Friday, October 5, 2007
Marine Iguanas
Our day started with a 6 A.M. hike to Tortuga Bay on the south side of Santa Cruz Island. The white sand beach reminded me of our New Jersey beaches. I wondered why the sand was not black from the volcanic rock. I found out it is because the sand on this beach was formed from coral and sea shells, not volcanic rock.
As we walked down the beach, we watched for wildlife. We saw sanderlings, ruddy turnstones, oyster catchers, brown pelicans, yellow warblers, and then, finally, a marine iguana! I had been waiting to see them since arriving on the Galapagos Islands! Just like the tortoises, the marine iguana were very easy to photograph. (See photo link below.)
We saw one marine iguana, then two, then three, and soon dozens! The longer and harder we looked at the lava rocks on the beach, the more iguanas we spotted. Their black bodies camouflaged very well against the rocks. In contrast, the orange-red sally light-foot crabs stuck out like sore thumbs! (See photo link.)
We also saw two blue-footed boobies on our hike, but I'll tell you about them later. In a few days we are going snorkeling on Lobos Island where we should see more blue-foots, and I hope to get video on them.
This link should bring you to a page of photos from the Tortuga Bay hike:
http://www.mtlaurelschools.org/administration/mbpage.php
As we walked down the beach, we watched for wildlife. We saw sanderlings, ruddy turnstones, oyster catchers, brown pelicans, yellow warblers, and then, finally, a marine iguana! I had been waiting to see them since arriving on the Galapagos Islands! Just like the tortoises, the marine iguana were very easy to photograph. (See photo link below.)
We saw one marine iguana, then two, then three, and soon dozens! The longer and harder we looked at the lava rocks on the beach, the more iguanas we spotted. Their black bodies camouflaged very well against the rocks. In contrast, the orange-red sally light-foot crabs stuck out like sore thumbs! (See photo link.)
We also saw two blue-footed boobies on our hike, but I'll tell you about them later. In a few days we are going snorkeling on Lobos Island where we should see more blue-foots, and I hope to get video on them.
This link should bring you to a page of photos from the Tortuga Bay hike:
http://www.mtlaurelschools.org/administration/mbpage.php
Smuggling
I was wondering, have there ever been any records of someone trying to smuggle an animal or plant (material) off of the Galapagos Islands?
Greg
Greg, I am sure someone has tried to illegally remove plant or animal material from the islands, but hopefully they got caught! For those of you that don't know, 97% of the Galapagos Islands are protected as a national park, and national parks have rules. Take a look at Alex's post on September 19th entitled, "Park Rules."
Greg
Greg, I am sure someone has tried to illegally remove plant or animal material from the islands, but hopefully they got caught! For those of you that don't know, 97% of the Galapagos Islands are protected as a national park, and national parks have rules. Take a look at Alex's post on September 19th entitled, "Park Rules."
"Is it different from Mt. Laurel, New Jersey?"
How are the Galapagos Islands different from here (Mt. Laurel, NJ)?
Caroline
Thanks for the questions, Caroline. Yes, the island of Santa Cruz looks different from Mt. Laurel. There is less congestion here on Santa Cruz, however, the population is increasing (see the "Galapagos Population" post by Sanil). There are fewer cars, there aren't any huge shopping areas or large grocery stores, and the homes are much smaller than what we see in Mt. Laurel. People seem to life a simpler life. However, many people from the United States may think the life is harder because people here on the islands do without many of the luxuries we are afforded in the US.
But this island has its share of problems, and fortunately for us, one of these problems we don't have to deal with in the United States. It is the lack of clean, fresh water. We are not allowed to drink the water that comes out of the faucets here on Santa Cruz. It is contaminated. In our hotel, there is a container of water on the sink that we must use to brush our teeth. We also have to drink bottled water. Can anyone find out exactly how the water here on the islands is getting contaminated? Ten-point BioBuck offer!
Caroline
Thanks for the questions, Caroline. Yes, the island of Santa Cruz looks different from Mt. Laurel. There is less congestion here on Santa Cruz, however, the population is increasing (see the "Galapagos Population" post by Sanil). There are fewer cars, there aren't any huge shopping areas or large grocery stores, and the homes are much smaller than what we see in Mt. Laurel. People seem to life a simpler life. However, many people from the United States may think the life is harder because people here on the islands do without many of the luxuries we are afforded in the US.
But this island has its share of problems, and fortunately for us, one of these problems we don't have to deal with in the United States. It is the lack of clean, fresh water. We are not allowed to drink the water that comes out of the faucets here on Santa Cruz. It is contaminated. In our hotel, there is a container of water on the sink that we must use to brush our teeth. We also have to drink bottled water. Can anyone find out exactly how the water here on the islands is getting contaminated? Ten-point BioBuck offer!
"Meetings and Stuff"
I wanted to ask a question about your trip. Are you going to have meetings and stuff or are you going to travel as a group and just go around the island? And where are you going to be staying during the trip too?
Sonal pd.1
Sonal,
Yes, we definitely have meetings...everyday! The Institute of International Education (IIE) and Toyota have arranged for us to have discussions with several people on the islands: educators, conservationists, students, etc. so we get a good understanding of the educational system on the islands and the environmental programs that are taking place. I spent yesterday morning at a school. It was really fun! (Yes, I miss school!) When I get back, let's send some projects or something down to them. I would like to share your work with them.
We are on the island of Santa Cruz for another day or so, then we travel to San Cristobal. I hope I can stay in touch with you at San Cristobal.
I'll post pictures of the school visit soon. Yes, we have meetings!
Sonal pd.1
Sonal,
Yes, we definitely have meetings...everyday! The Institute of International Education (IIE) and Toyota have arranged for us to have discussions with several people on the islands: educators, conservationists, students, etc. so we get a good understanding of the educational system on the islands and the environmental programs that are taking place. I spent yesterday morning at a school. It was really fun! (Yes, I miss school!) When I get back, let's send some projects or something down to them. I would like to share your work with them.
We are on the island of Santa Cruz for another day or so, then we travel to San Cristobal. I hope I can stay in touch with you at San Cristobal.
I'll post pictures of the school visit soon. Yes, we have meetings!
Charles Darwin Research Station
We spent part of yesterday at the Charles Darwin Research Station, an organization that in trying to conserve the Galapagos tortoise. Before seeing the tortoises, we spoke to the education outreach person, Sandra Tapia. She shared with us a pilot program they are doing with schools on Santa Cruz. By providing environmental lessons and activities, they hope that the students will maintain an interest in the natural environment, learn to solve environmental problems, and develop environmental values and ethics.
After our meeting, we walked around the research station with our naturalist guide, Morris Garcia. He explained the work being done at the research station. I thought you should meet Morris and listen to him as he explains some of the work being done at the Charles Darwin Research Station.
http://www.mtlaurelschools.org/mbmovie3
After our meeting, we walked around the research station with our naturalist guide, Morris Garcia. He explained the work being done at the research station. I thought you should meet Morris and listen to him as he explains some of the work being done at the Charles Darwin Research Station.
http://www.mtlaurelschools.org/mbmovie3
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Here at last!
After a long day on airplanes and at airports, we finally made it to the Galapagos Islands! We arrived in Ecuador around 11:00 P.M. on Tuesday night, got a few hours sleep, and then boarded a flight to the islands.
Our plane touched down on the island of Baltra by noon on Wednesday. Baltra looks like a desert. We saw a few finches flying here and there, but not too much of anything else. The United States used Baltra as a military base during WWII to keep a watch over the Panama Canal. Rumor has it, the marine iguanas on the island were used as target practice. There are no more iguanas on Baltra today. We gathered our luggage and left the airstrip.
A bus took us to a ferry to get to our first destination, the island of Santa Cruz. As we crossed the water, we saw our first frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, sea lions, pelicans, and more! Our long journey was worth the wait! The boobies were diving into the water head first for their meals, and the sea lions were playing near the dock. The frigate birds soared high in the air, but there was no trace of the red skin fold on the males’ throats. They only expand this red, balloon-like throat pouch when they are trying to attract a mate. I am not sure if it is mating season for the frigates, but I sure hope so!
We boarded another bus and headed to the highlands of Santa Cruz. It had been arranged for us to visit a center that teaches the locals about sustainable living. You may have read about sustainable living or heard the term on the news. It is basically the ability to live without depleting our resources (water, energy, etc.) and ruining our environment. The center is open to teachers, students, farmers, fishermen, and anyone else who wants to learn how to live sustainability. They also teach about organic agriculture, invasive species, habitat restoration, and more. Sustainable living is not a topic that only islanders need to learn about; it is an extremely important global issue. The center’s vision is to promote harmony between nature and people and to create a model that can be used worldwide.
After our discussions, we took a hike. Guess what we ran into? The Galapagos tortoise! We saw one after the other. They are huge animals! In all, we saw at least a dozen of them. I put together a video for you. I hope Internet connection is good enough to upload the clip. If not, I'll try again at the next island I visit. Stay tuned!
Our plane touched down on the island of Baltra by noon on Wednesday. Baltra looks like a desert. We saw a few finches flying here and there, but not too much of anything else. The United States used Baltra as a military base during WWII to keep a watch over the Panama Canal. Rumor has it, the marine iguanas on the island were used as target practice. There are no more iguanas on Baltra today. We gathered our luggage and left the airstrip.
A bus took us to a ferry to get to our first destination, the island of Santa Cruz. As we crossed the water, we saw our first frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, sea lions, pelicans, and more! Our long journey was worth the wait! The boobies were diving into the water head first for their meals, and the sea lions were playing near the dock. The frigate birds soared high in the air, but there was no trace of the red skin fold on the males’ throats. They only expand this red, balloon-like throat pouch when they are trying to attract a mate. I am not sure if it is mating season for the frigates, but I sure hope so!
We boarded another bus and headed to the highlands of Santa Cruz. It had been arranged for us to visit a center that teaches the locals about sustainable living. You may have read about sustainable living or heard the term on the news. It is basically the ability to live without depleting our resources (water, energy, etc.) and ruining our environment. The center is open to teachers, students, farmers, fishermen, and anyone else who wants to learn how to live sustainability. They also teach about organic agriculture, invasive species, habitat restoration, and more. Sustainable living is not a topic that only islanders need to learn about; it is an extremely important global issue. The center’s vision is to promote harmony between nature and people and to create a model that can be used worldwide.
After our discussions, we took a hike. Guess what we ran into? The Galapagos tortoise! We saw one after the other. They are huge animals! In all, we saw at least a dozen of them. I put together a video for you. I hope Internet connection is good enough to upload the clip. If not, I'll try again at the next island I visit. Stay tuned!
Monday, October 1, 2007
Welcome to the Galapagos...Not!
Visit the web address below to view a video clip from day 1:
http://www.mtlaurelschools.org/mbmovie1
or try this:
http://youtube.com/profile?user=barrettgalapagos
http://www.mtlaurelschools.org/mbmovie1
or try this:
http://youtube.com/profile?user=barrettgalapagos
Galapagos Population
Hey Ms. Barrett, are you excited to be going to the Galapagos? Well, I just wanted to ask you some questions. What areas of the land are you going to be working on? What is the population of people living on the island? What kind of weather conditions are the Galapagos experiencing everyday. I hope you enjoy your trip. See you in two weeks.
Sanil Pd.8
Sanil,
I can't believe you just asked about the population of the Galapagos. At a meeting today, I found out that since 1980, the population of the Galapagos has increased 833% since the 1980s - from 3,000 to 28,000! That is pretty scary!
For the answers to your other questions, check out "A typical September day" by Allie (9/27) and "Where will you be working?" by Mike C. (9/26).
Sanil Pd.8
Sanil,
I can't believe you just asked about the population of the Galapagos. At a meeting today, I found out that since 1980, the population of the Galapagos has increased 833% since the 1980s - from 3,000 to 28,000! That is pretty scary!
For the answers to your other questions, check out "A typical September day" by Allie (9/27) and "Where will you be working?" by Mike C. (9/26).
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