At the beginning of our winter season, El Nino left some dramatic effects on our seal and sea lion population here in Southern California. Since June of 1997, about 6,000 sea mammals have perished on this San Miguel Island, 50 miles off the Ventura coast. This island is home to the largest population of seals and sea lions south of Alaska. Scientists estimate that there are approximately between 85,000 and 180,000 California sea lions breeding on this island and other Channel Islands.
There are about 11,000 Northern Fur Seals on San Miguel Island. The adult sea lions go to northern California and British Columbia after they breed, while the pups are left behind around the central coast. In one of the most physical demonstrations of El Nino, oceanic warming drove away much of their food supply: squid, anchovies, herring, and sardines. The pups are spending most of their energy in search of colder waters for their daily intake of 30 pounds of food.
Experts in marine biology are strictly observing and documenting the famine, not attempting to rescue the dying animals. They have been conducting studies on this island since the 1960s. Several rescue groups, such as Sea World located in San Diego, were ready to bring back the starving pups. However, the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibits them from going to the remote island and disturbing their natural habitat. Experts would rather wait for the mammals to get washed up ashore than to separate a pup from its mother. The goal is to minimize human impacts.
Scientists are now trying to learn from the mistakes they made when studying the effects of the 1983 El Nino. There was a research project conducted on the marine ecosystem at the Punta San Juan de Marcona sea lion reserve, a remote point of land on the coast about three hundred miles south of Lima, Peru. The project consisted of an in-depth study of the sea lion and the ecosystem it inhabits; it focused primarily on the behavior of more than fifteen thousand sea lions, the largest sea lion colony in the South American Pacific. Documenting the sea lions living traits for over 10 years, the biologists are also observing behavioral changes produced by El Nino, the same Pacific current that altered oceanic conditions. When El Nino dampens the point in warmer water, the sea lions' prey swims deeper. Consequently, the pups remain with their mothers longer, until they are able to dive themselves to hunt for food.
Michael C. C. Adams' book, The Best War Ever: America and World War II, attempts to dispel the numerous misconceptions of the Second World War. As the title suggests, Americans came out of the war with a positive view of the preceding five turbulent years. This myth was born from several factors. Due to the overseas setting of both theaters of the war, intense government propaganda, Hollywood's glamorization, and widespread economic prosperity, Americans were largely sheltered form the brutal truth of World War II. Even to this day, the generation of World War II is viewed as being superior in morality and unity. The popular illusion held that 'there were no ethnic or gender problems, families were happy and united, and children worked hard in school and read a great number of books.' (115)
Hawaiian monk seals, Neo Monachus schauinslandi, are no ordinary species. They are Hawaii’s state mammal and are currently endangered. The Hawaiian Monk seal is rare because of many factors, which include overhunting, getting trapped in fishing nets, and overhunting of their favorite food, lobsters. Because of their rarity, the Hawaiian Monk Seal is a main attraction to tourists all over the world. Found in Hawaii, this monk seal is one of the two species left of the ancient seals. Grouped into the earless seal category, the Hawaiian Monk seal has two other cousins, the Caribbean Monk Seal (extinct), and the Mediterranean Monk Seal (critically endangered). The Hawaiian Monk Seal has a lifespan of 25-30 years, weighs 500-600lbs,
Guadalupe fur seals only live on rocky coasts and in caves found along shores. Out of all of the nine species of the seals, the Guadalupe have been the only ones sighted in the northern hemisphere. Meanwhile, all of the other fur seals are in the southern hemisphere. These seals tend to only live in tropical weather and swim in saltwater. While they aren’t on shore, they dive to an average maximum 17 meters for about 2.5 minutes. After that time they have to surface for air.
The gray whale is a migratory species that spends the majority of its summers feeding in the Arctic Ocean near Alaska. Every winter thousands of gray whales, many of them pregnant, leave the hostile waters of Alaska and travel 4000 miles to the warm and salty lagoons of Mexico’s Baja California Coast. They cluster around 3 primary lagoons in which they stay until late April, however only one of them remains unmarred by human activity. This last remaining refuge, Laguna San Ignacio, is now in great danger of becoming invaded by the corporate world. The high salinity of the waters provide many benefits for the whales. Because of this high salt content, the whales become much more buoyant and expend much less energy remaining afloat. This proves to be very beneficial for the newborn calves that are just learning to swim and nurse. Another benefit the lagoons of Baja California possess is the warm water temperature in comparison to the chilly waters of the Arctic. This warmth provides heat to the newborns and prevents excessive losses of body temperature, thereby conserving energy that would otherwise be required to maintain a constant body temperature. Also, the seclusion of the lagoons from the dangers of the open seas, such as high waves created by storms, makes it a safer place for the newborn calves, as mother and child are less likely to become separated. These benefits substantially increase the survival rates of newborns as well as provide a more comfortable nursing environment. However the country of Mexico as well as the Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan project to make millions by the development and expansion of the salt factory, Exportadora de Sal.
Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) are marine mammals capable of spending their entire lives in water. Being carnivorous in nature, they feed on sea urchins, crabs, fishes, mussels and clams. They are referred to as keystone species due to their profound impact on marine ecology. The interaction between sea otters, sea urchins and kelp forests has been studied as a model for the impact of predator-prey interactions on community ecology. Sea otters are keystone predators, whose presence has a far-reaching influence on the marine food web by affecting the populations of sea urchins, which indirectly affects the populations of kelp forests & other marine organisms. There has been a steep decline in sea otter populations due to water pollution and exploitation for furs. This has affected marine ecology adversely. It is therefore suggested that sea otters should be included in the endangered species list to protect them from further exploitation. This study focuses on the community ecology of sea otters and their impact on marine ecology. The need for their inclusion in the Endangered Species list and the implications of such an intervention are also evaluated.
Fish and Wildlife Service “Endangered Species in the Pacific Islands”). Following this further, if humans keep on fishing, the seals will have less food and this means that they will starve. Seals depend mainly on fish for food. If their main food source is not there, there will surely be a decline in their population. Some may decide to head into dangerous waters to look for a meal. Sharks can be found prowling in these waters. In conclusion, by reducing fishing in Hawaii these seals have a chance to get out of
Save the World: Save the sea otters During the 18th and 19th centuries, sea otters were hunted for their luxurious pelts, and by the early 1900s, the species was believed to be extinct in California. (Carswell) Why do we care you ask, well not only are they super cute and eat with their hands. Apparently, a healthy population of sea otters keeps the sea urchin population in check. An unhealthy or small population of sea otters allows the sea urchin’s number to explode thus decimating kelp beds, which is the sea urchin’s food source, and causing a “chain reaction that depletes the food supply for other marine animals consequently causing their decline.
The fear of communism first emerged after the Soviet Revolution in 1917 during the First Red Scare in the 1920s. The fear of extreme ideologies that emerged in Europe during the Great Depression was present in the United States and President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Second New Deal was established to guarantee a modest level of economic safety and security thus avoiding communism and fascism which used fear to gain popularity (LeCain). The New Deal programs to conservatives were un-American and began criticism towards liberals for being weak on communisms, rooted in the fear of big government, but establishment of the House Committee on Un-American Activities and the ratification of the 1940 Smith Act undermined the conservative argument (LeCain). After World War II the criticism against liberals came back and again the conservatives accused the democrats for being too weak on communism. In 1950, Senator McCarthy, arriving late on the Red menace arena (Fried 121), began his communist-sympathizer which-hunt and became the symbol of anti-communism. But events such as the Truman Doctrine, the Berli...
In order to end WWII, the world’s most infamous war, drastic measures had to be taken to restore peace, such as the dropping of two atomic bombs on Japanese cities by the United States. However, that particular decision by America, clearly caused more harm than good. Many reasons make this claim true, one being the excess amount of destruction and killing the bombs caused and another being the influence this act left on the world. Dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was not the solution the world needed to end WWII.
Although the Unites States and the Soviet Union were allies during World War II, the two countries had a very tense relationship and did not share mutual ideals. Directly after World War II ended, the Cold War began and lasted until the fall of the Berlin Wall. America was already cautious of communism and its impact on Joseph Stalin’s reign over the Soviet Union. These tensions continued to grow stronger and eventually led to the Cold War, which caused many postwar anxieties for America. The fear of communism and nuclear war rapidly swept the United States and affected American life at home.
Peacock et al. (2013). Population ecology of polar bears in Davis Strait, Canada and Greenland. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 77: 463-476
When we hear about an endangered species we auto, automatically think of great blue whales, African elephants, polar bears, pandas, etc. These are highly publicized by the media and documentary makers. People are aware of this endangered species but not of the less popular endangered species that are in our own backyard. Based on published historic range and population there is roughly 317 animal and plant species endangered in California. The endangered species are protected under the federal and state Endangered Species Act. Under this act species are protected from being taken from their environment, creates a safe habitat for animals to thrive again, restore population numbers, etc. One of the animals in central California that is listed as being endanger is Vulpes macrotis mutica, commonly known as the San Joaquin kit fox. The San Joaquin Kit Fox habitat has been listed by the United States National Wildlife Services as endangered since March third, 1967. The kit fox has been in the endangered, due to its inability to adapt to the changes in their habitat due to humanity. After 46 years a healthy San Joaquin kit fox population is yet to be achieved.
Canadian’s culture initiates from their wildlife and forests. Many different ways of living in Canada’s regions has an impact on the cultural view. The major problem with the wildlife view involving cultural acts is Seal Hunting. Seal Hunting has been continuing for years and harming many of the seas natural inhabitants. In the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which is in the Maritimes, is a popular venue for such activities. An exploration of a day in the life of a seal and hunter is portrayed in the Maritimes, and its effect on the culture in the Maritimes.
The aftermath of El Niño on Darwin 's finches was the result of more than two thousand finches. Also, the wetness resulted in a game change for the Tribulus and for the finches who ate small-seed crops.
The lions habitat has been destroyed over the years because of humans destroying their land for farming and livestock. So their habitat is destroyed for our needs, but we need to remember that they were here before us and think were to grow our crops and livestock. When the lions hunt they use their habitat to hide in the high grass to kill their prey and since we are destroying it they can’t kill their prey so they are dying and now some can’t kill their prey they are dying and now there might be some increase of other animals dying because of disease. If we proceed to destroy their habitat they won’t have anymore of their land.