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Theme Parks That Have Banned Plastic

Each year, another 8 million metric tons of plastic pollute the ocean. By 2050, scientists predict that ocean plastic will outweigh all of the ocean’s fish. In some places, the garbage has formed giant patches, like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch which covers an area twice the size of Texas and includes an estimated 1.8 trillion pieces of garbage. This is hardly a new problem, but it was recently thrust into public consciousness when, in 2015, a video of a sea turtle with a straw stuck up its nose went mega-viral. Further adding fuel to the fire was the news of two whales that were found dead with massive amounts of plastic in their stomachs.

The reaction to these events was swift, and in many cases, decisive, with organizations everywhere announcing their intentions to ban plastic straws. Interestingly, several theme parks were at the forefront of this effort:

Royal Caribbean

In 2018, Royal Caribbean announced that by the start of 2019 all 50 ships in their fleet would be free of plastic straws. A year prior to the announcement, the company had already transitioned to a “straws upon request” policy. In 2019 any guests that request a straw will receive a paper one. They further plan to remove other plastic items like bags, cups and condiment packages by 2020.

SeaWorld

Given its commitment to ocean conservation, it’s no surprise that SeaWorld banned plastic straws as well as plastic bags in its 12 parks, including SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Discovery Cove and more. SeaWorld has long been at the forefront of conservation efforts, educating people about the effects of single-use plastics on marine life and coming out in support of California’s Proposition 67, which banned single-use plastic and paper shopping bags state-wide. In fact, many SeaWorld parks hadn’t offered plastic straws for years prior to the official announcement of the ban; the announcement simply solidified what they had already been doing. It seems appropriate that it didn’t take a viral moment to elicit action from SeaWorld on this particular issue. SeaWorld is the largest marine life rescue organization in the United States, which means they are the ones actually seeing the tragic effects of ocean pollution every day.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Most of the businesses that banned plastic straws did so recently in the wake of public outcry brought on by the turtle video. Disney is one of those bandwagon companies, announcing they would eliminate single-use plastic straws and stirrers at all Disney parks by mid-2019. However, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a different story; plastic straws have been banned there since the park’s opening in 1998. They take the ban seriously too, security’s policy is to confiscate any plastic straws they find while performing bag checks at the park.

Conservation

Researchers Catch Footage of ‘Monster’ Deep Sea Sixgill Shark in Exuma

Scientists from the Florida Program for Shark Research got more than they bargained for when they recently encountered a ‘monster’ shark that was bigger than their submarine. The shark was a bluntnose sixgill, an ancient species that can grow over 16 feet long and weigh more than a ton. Living in tropical waters around the world, the bluntnose typically live at depths between 650 and 3,300 feet, making it difficult for researchers to learn about and protect the species. However, as commercial fisheries cast deeper into the ocean, deep sea sharks like the bluntnose are being increasingly caught as bycatch.

In an effort to conserve the species, researchers began investigating whether these sharks would die if released after being caught. Initially, the sharks were brought to the surface and tagged, however the data garnered from these efforts showed an interesting trend. Every day and night the bluntnose consistently migrate vertically, staying closer to the surface during the night and moving thousands of feet deeper at dawn. For the first two days after being brought to the surface and tagged, however the sharks broke this pattern and behaved more erratically. Scientists theorized that the two day behavioral change represented a recovery period due to the short term physiological stress resulting from being captured and brought to the surface.

In order to combat the effects of surface tagging, researchers pivoted and began making attempts to tag the sharks at depth using a submarine. It was during one of these expeditions that the team captured video of the massive shark. After some trial and error, the team was eventually able to successfully tag a bluntnose. The tag will remain on the shark for three months before detaching. Once the detached tag floats to the surface, it will upload its recorded data via satellite link for analysis. Scientists expect to see the vertical migration pattern without the two day recovery period, but they won’t know for sure until the tag resurfaces.

Shark

Residents Fear Increased Shark Activity in Cape Cod Will Affect Tourism

The movie Jaws is set in a fictional New England town that depended on tourism for its economy. When the great white shark came to town, it brought fear and panic. Unfortunately, the movie taught many people to hate and fear sharks; instead of celebrating the beauty of these sharks, people sought to eliminate them.

Recently, great white sharks have been returning to the Cape Cod area. The return should be a celebrated ecological event. The fact that sharks are returning to the area means that the system is once again healthy enough to support apex predators. However, the sharks’ return is making the local residents fearful instead of happy.

With the return of the sharks came unfortunate shark encounters, such as the death of a boogie boarder last year. The event represented the first deadly shark encounter in decades. It is not only the presence of sharks that is inciting fear among local residents; if increased shark activity leads to a fall in tourism it could bring about an economic slump in the area.

The recovery of the seal population has led to the rebound of the shark population. Hopefully, sharks and residents will be able to start living together in peace soon.

Shark

10 Tips For Avoiding a Shark Attack- Awesome Ocean

Anyone who’s seen Jaws has probably experienced the moment: You’re out in the ocean, enjoying the ebb and flow of the waves when you look down and notice that you can’t see your feet in the murky water. That’s when your brain unhelpfully starts playing the telltale notes, dun dun…dun dun. Surely there is a massive shark lurking beneath you just waiting for the moment to strike. Turns out, a shark attack is actually extremely unlikely, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take steps to protect yourself. Here are a few tips to avoid becoming a hungry shark’s midday snack.

Swim in a group
Don’t stay too far from shore
Don’t go into the water if you’re bleeding
Don’t wear shiny jewelry
Look for diving seabirds-They are an indication of a lot of baitfish present which will also attract sharks
Avoid bright clothing
Don’t splash a lot, the erratic movements can attract sharks
Avoid the water at night, dawn and dusk
If sharks have been reported, don’t go in the water
If you see a shark, don’t touch it!

Sharks are amazing animals that usually have no interest in eating you but they will attack when provoked. Follow these guidelines, keep your hands to yourself and you can enjoy the beach without fear of losing life and limb to a hungry shark.

Shark

4 Of The World’s Weirdest Shark Species

When people hear the word “shark” they likely picture a great white thanks to the species’ starring role in “Jaws”. And while many sharks do have the standard characteristics we have come to expect, many species of sharks are, quite frankly, weird. Here are some of the weirdest shark species hanging out in the world’s oceans.

Goblin Shark

Image Source: Flickr.com

Great whites may have made the public afraid to go to the beach, but take one look at a goblin shark and it’s likely to haunt your nightmares for years to come. With a nose like pinocchio after a week’s worth of lies and a jaw that looks like it is actively trying to escape the skeleton it’s attached to, this species of shark is just plain ugly. Considered a “living fossil” these sharks have only been seen about 50 times since their discovery in 1897 and thank goodness for that because this is a face that would turn any underwater excursion into a lesson in terror.

Megamouth Shark

Image Source: Medium.com

This shark species cruises around the ocean looking like an octogenarian with their dentures removed. Megamouth sharks swim with their enormous mouths open, filtering water for plankton and jellyfish. Discovered in 1976, these sharks are very rare; only around 100 have ever been caught or observed. Not much is known about this rare species but its Wikipedia page gives it a rather pathetic characterization: “A relatively poor swimmer, the megamouth has a soft, flabby body and lacks caudal keels”. Poor Swimmer, flabby body and no caudal keels? Sounds like I’ve found my new spirit animal.

Basking Shark

Image Source: Flickr.com

A relative of the Megamouth shark, the basking shark is similarly endowed with a mind-blowingly large mouth. Growing to an average of 26 feet, these sharks swim with their 3 ½ foot mouth wide-open in order to filter zooplankton and invertebrates. To say that this looks bizarre would be a massive understatement. It looks like a normal, albeit stupid, shark tried to swallow a laundry basket that subsequently got stuck in its mouth. Being the second-largest living shark species only makes the bizarre mouth more disconcerting. On a smaller fish, it would be an interesting feature, on the 5.2-ton basking shark, it’s nothing short of terrifying.

Wobbegong

Image Source: Flickr.com

Besides being incredibly fun to say, wobbegong is also a name given to 12 species of sharks. Due to the ornate patterns on their backs, these are also referred to as carpet sharks, but that is way less fun to say so we’re going to stick with wobbegong. Unlike most sharks, wobbegongs use their back patterns to camouflage into the ocean floor, snatching up any prey that wanders too close. A series of lobes resembling weeds are attached to their mouths, helping them lure fish and adding to the overall weirdness of this wonderfully named species.

News

Orca Conservancy Speaks Out Against The Whale Sanctuary Project’s Plan For A Permanent Sanctuary

After attending a meeting with the Whale Sanctuary Project, Orca Conservancy has spoken out against the Whale Sanctuary Project’s plan for creating a permanent seaside sanctuary.

Orca Conservancy has been a supporter of facilities that recuse, rehabilitate and return whales to their home but are concerned about the value of permanent facilities. Noting that the sanctuary would trade-off increased space for more limited social lives, Orca Conservancy stated that conservation efforts would be better focused on making a difference for wild whales instead of moving a few captive whales into an environment with significant problems.

The WSP’s planned facility would have the capacity for 6-8 whales and would separate males from females. This separation would severely limit non-kin social interaction as well as the family life that is central to the species.

Orca Conservancy notes several other significant issues with the current plan. The facility cannot protect the whales from sewage and oil spills, and the proposed site is likely to have consistent noise levels that will prove stressful to the whales. In terms of disease transmission and escape, Orca Conservancy characterizes WSP’s plan as “naive”. Because of these issues, Orca Conservancy made it clear that they would not support the current WSP plan.

Activists have been vocal about wanting to “save” captive whales but have yet to find a realistic means of doing so. Activists’ plans, like the one proposed by the WSP, center on the use of sea pens, which are essentially cages in the ocean.

Experts agree that the additional space the proposed sea pens claim to offer is negligible in the context of the stress the whales will experience as a result of relocation. Factoring in the issues observed by the Orca Conservancy it’s clear that this solution is not in the best interest of the whales.

Read the Orca Conservancy’s full response here.

6 Bizarre Sea Creatures You Have To See To Believe

Featured Image Source: The Irish Times

Like people, ocean animals come in all shapes and sizes. When we think about these ocean critters we often think of dolphins, sharks, sea turtles, crabs, and the run of the mill fish. But that’s not all that’s swimming around in the deep blue. Little do we know that there are tons of bizarre-looking creatures that also call the ocean their home.

Blobfish

This jiggly looking fish was deemed the world’s ugliest animal in 2013. The Blobfish resides at the bottom of the ocean where it’s skin has become as dense as the high-pressured water it swims in. Thanks to its lack of density, feeding time requires minimal energy. The Blobfish simply opens its mouth while floating along swallowing any critter that crosses its path.

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Deep Sea Hatchetfish

These scary-looking fish got their name from their silver-colored thorax, which resembles a hatchet’s blade. The Hatchetfish can be found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans 50 meters underwater. Their bioluminescent properties allow them to lurk in the dark depths of the ocean to hunt their prey.

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Flamingo Tongue Snail

The Bruce Willis of the ocean suffers no harm and is truly unbreakable. In fact, the snail becomes toxic by absorbs venom from sea fans, much to the demise for their predators. They also lack a hard exterior shell, unlike other mollusks. Instead, they have vibrant colored tissue, which scuba divers can easily identify.

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Fangtooth

Don’t let their chompers scare you away. The Fangtooth, who has the largest teeth among others their size in the ocean, is actually not as terrifying as it looks. Since the Fangtooth is nearly blind, in order to catch a predator it needs to basically bump into them to find them. Not to mention this deep ocean dweller lives 16,400 feet below the ocean’s surface.

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Sea Cucumber

The flexible echinoderm has the same mental capacity as the vegetable it received its name from. Sea Cucumbers live without any true brain or sensory organs. However, their high level of collagen allows them to wedge through tiny surfaces by liquefying themselves and moving to the area they desire. The sea cucumber also uses a peculiar defense mechanism, in which they push their organs out of their anus to scare off predators.

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Angler Fish

This fascinating fish is also quite terrifying to ocean creatures and humans alike. The Angler Fish has a spine that extends out of their bodies and over their heads that grows pieces of glowing flesh used to lure their prey into an attack. When a male angler finds a female to mate with the male bites onto the bottom of the female’s skin, fusing the two bodies together and stays there for the rest of its life.

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