Conservation

Theme Parks Who Lead The Way In Worldwide Conservation Efforts

Theme parks are a great way to escape reality, but some parks offer more than just an exciting getaway. Several theme parks, especially those featuring animals, have made significant contributions to research and conservation. All the parks on our list are AZA-accredited, something that is only bestowed on facilities whose contributions to research and conservation are well established. However, each of these parks is also furthering conservation efforts in their own unique ways. Here are a few of the parks that put just as much focus on improving our world as they do on offering an escape from it.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Since 1995, The Disney World Conservation Fund has awarded more than $65 million to fight the decline of wildlife. The fund has awarded grants to a vast array of conservation organizations around the world to support things like snow leopard conservation in China, saving Tasman Parakeets, conserving the pygmy sloth in Panama and more. Animal Kingdom also brings conservation efforts into their parks. The benches throughout the parks are made from recycled plastic and the gift shops sell souvenirs made from recycled materials. And while ditching plastic straws has recently become a trend, Animal Kingdom got rid of plastic straws and lids years ago.

The San Diego Zoo

Easily one of the most famous zoos in the United States, the San Diego Zoo has over 200 conservation scientists working in 35 countries around the world. The zoo has received numerous awards for its conservation efforts and its institute is one of the largest zoo-based multidisciplinary research efforts in the world. In addition to the research contributions, the zoo also maintains a cryopreservation facility called the frozen zoo for rare sperm and eggs.

SeaWorld/ Busch Gardens

SeaWorld has been a leader in conservation long before conservation was a hot button issue. Since the park opened its doors in 1964, the company has rescued and rehabilitated more than 35,000 animals making it the largest animal rescue program in the United States. The SeaWorld facilities are one of only 3 places in Florida capable of rescuing stranded manatees and as their rescue team is available 24/7, SeaWorld often serves as the 911 call from local, state and federal agencies. SeaWorld San Diego is one of the few facilities that has successfully rehabilitated and released a whale calf. In addition to their rescue efforts, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Conservation Fund has awarded more than $11 million in conservation grants to more than 800 organizations since its inception in 2003.

Conservation

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

Gulf Coast Reports A Massive Spike in Dolphin Deaths this Year

Since February, over 200 bottlenose dolphins have been found dead on beaches along the Gulf of Mexico. The spike in strandings has the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration worried because the death toll is over 3 times the normal amount of dolphin deaths in a year.

Dr. Erin Fougere, with NOAA, says, “we are just starting our investigation now. We are concerned about the very low salinity that the northern Gulf is experiencing just due to the massive flooding that’s occurred over this past winter. It’s the wettest winter in the Mississippi Valley in the past 124 years.”

Bottlenose dolphins are not just dying, they are also showing up with skin lesions, indicating a problem in the water. Freshwater can harm bottlenose dolphins with prolonged exposure. Plus, these animals are still recovering from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.

Fougere says, “they do still have those health issues and any additional stressor or environmental change could potentially, you know, tip them over the edge which might be what we’re seeing here.We always say they’re like canary in the coal mines, so things that are impacting dolphins are things that could ultimately impact humans. They’re coastal residents. They live close to the beaches and the shore similar to the way humans do so it’s always worth monitoring what’s going on with them.”

Conservation

Grey Whale Found Dead in Alaska May Hold Answers To String Of Whale Deaths

Image Source: Pexels.com

Over the course of the last several months, the number of grey whales washing ashore along the West Coast has been staggering. Grey whales typically make their spring to summer migration up and down the coast with minimal casualties, however something seems to have gone horribly wrong this year.

Unfortunately, researchers remain unsure of what is causing the whales’ increased mortality rates. 167 grey whales have been found dead onshore from Alaska to Mexico since January but scientists say that the whales onshore only reflect a small number of the animals that died. Up to 90% of deceased whales will either sink, float offshore, or otherwise go undocumented.

A research wildlife biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in La Jolla, CA, Dave Weller, says, “if we can access a dead whale in time, we can look for evidence of disease, viruses, malnutrition, or human causes such as collisions with ships.” Scientists up and down the coast have been performing as many autopsies as possible which have provided vital information.

Most of the whales show signs of malnutrition. Some whales appeared to have starved to death. Others had eelgrass in their stomach, indicating the desperate consumption of a substance that they normally do not ingest. The whales fill most of their nutritional needs in Alaska, so scientists are searching for clues there. They have noted that it’s possible the population has simply grown larger than their food source, but more information is needed to establish a definitive cause.

Conservation

4 North Atlantic Right Whales Found Dead in Canada’s Gulf Of St. Lawrence

Image Source: NOAA

In the past three weeks, four North Atlantic Right Whales have been found dead. All four of the whales were found in Canada’s Gulf of St. Lawrence. The four whales represent a loss of 1% of the total population in the span of 3 weeks.

One whale, Comet, was a 33-year-old male that had recently become a grandfather. Another, Punctuation, was a female in her breeding years that had already birthed 8 calves. The other two whales were a younger male and a female.

The loss of these animals is a significant blow to the population. The New England Aquarium, said, “the loss of sexually mature females is biologically a major loss to this species that has seen a precipitous population decline over the past several years.”

Apparently, the whales were in the area because the warming waters had reduced their food source of copepods in their normal feeding grounds. The cause of death for these animals is not yet known, however, a study published this month suggests that they may be human activity. The study looked at the death of 70 North Atlantic Right Whales over the course of 15 years, and found that 90% of the deaths were human caused.

It is a sad blow to the population, but all hope is not yet lost.

Conservation

Horseshoe Crabs Could be on The Brink of Extinction

Horseshoe crabs have been living on this planet for around 450 million years and have survived 5 mass extinction events. Despite their tenacity, humans may be pushing these living fossils towards extinction.

For decades, horseshoe crabs have been used to detect harmful bacteria. Pharmaceutical companies have been using the blood of horseshoe crabs to ensure that our medicines, vaccines, and surgical implants are free from bacterial contamination.

Each year, around 500,000 crabs are collected, measured, and drained of up to ⅓ of their blood. The collections happen on the East Coast of the US, Mexico, and China. The blue blood of these crabs is in high demand. In fact, a single gallon of horseshoe crab blood is worth up to $60,000.

Although the horseshoe crabs are released back into the ocean after collectors take their blood, up to 15% of the animals collected die in the process. When this is combined with constant pollution, habitat loss, and sea level rise, it becomes clear why the population is declining.

One way to halt their decline is to stop taking their blood. Luckily, a professor at the National University of Singapore has created a synthetic version of the horseshoe crab blood. If the synthetic blood becomes a mainstream option, we might be able to save this ancient species.

Conservation

Unraveling the Mystery of Miami Beach’s Stinky Seaweed

Featured Image: tampabay.com

Although the shores around Miami Beach have enticed beachgoers for decades, the crowds have been thinned by an onslaught of foul-smelling seaweed. The seaweed in question, called sargassum, has been washing ashore in higher numbers in recent years.

Sargassum is a natural occurrence, and while it may smell similar to Red Tide, it will not harm any marine life. It has, however, provoked the ire of tourists and local residents.

According to one resident, Aresnio Milian, “we have been suffering the consequences of this sargassum for more than three years; our properties are being devalued, our quality of life is being impacted and tourism in Miami Beach will suffer if this continues.” The city plans to remove it, but it is that really the best course of action?

Scientists say that the sargassum will continue to increase over time. Although it can be annoying to tourists, those weeds are teeming with small marine life. Many young fish, shrimp, crabs, baby turtles, and more spend time developing in this perfect camouflage. The sargassum on shore can also fertilize the sandy dunes.

As there is no evidence that sargassum causes health problems for humans, it might be better to let nature take its course and allow the tourism industry to adapt to the changing environment instead of the other way around.

Conservation

How Legos Helped A Turtle Walk Again- Awesome Ocean

Featured Image: wbrz.com

Recently, a turtle with missing back legs was brought to the LSU Veterinary School teaching hospital. Sandra Traylor, the owner of the turtle, says that she adopted him with one missing leg. He lost the other as he was attempting to escape his enclosure.

At a loss for how to help the turtle, Traylor brought him to the experts. Traylor says, “I was impressed by the interest they showed in a box turtle. Sometimes people have this idea that pets are just cats and dogs. It’s very strange to walk in with a turtle and sit next to a dog, but they were very good about it and they were very nice.”

Luckily, there was nothing medically wrong with the turtle, so the veterinarians were able to focus on helping increase his mobility. Kelly Rockwell, a zoological medicine intern said, “the wound had already healed quite well and he managed to get back on his own with his front legs somehow. Without his back legs, he’s a little less mobile. As a box turtle, he can still ’box up’ and protect himself that way, but due to his weakened mobility, the owners decided to make him a permanent indoor turtle.”

Rockwell built a specialized lego car kit and epoxy to add some mobility back into his life. Overall, it is a great ending for this little turtle named Pedro.

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