Life at low tide

During a recent trip up to Whistler in beautiful British Columbia, I had the opportunity to stop along the way and check out some local marine life during a low tide. Low tides provide a glimpse into interesting marine life communities that are seldom seen.

I’m a HUGE starfish fan! I was so excited to see literally hundreds of them attached to rocks. Did you know that starfish have microscopic eyes at the end of each arm? This enables the starfish to view movement and differentiate between light and dark.

Some marine life you just can’t see during a low tide. We talked to some scuba divers in the area and they said that just 20 feet below in a rocky cave was a Giant Pacific Octopus! I couldn’t get a picture for obvious reasons so here is captive octopus at the Vancouver Aquarium.

These little crabs could be found everywhere! It was so funny to see the males with these huge claws fighting one another over the females. Gotta love it!

It shocked me to find that even the smallest marine creatures could withstand being out of water during a low tide; like this little eel! We found him under a rock along with several crabs.

Here is a great picture taken during our walk back up to the car. It captures British Columbia’s gorgeous waters and holds the mystery of what lies beneath the waves.

Pacific White Sided Dolphins

I’m talking about the Pacific White Sided Dolphin. During a recent visit to the Vancouver Aquarium I had the opportunity to see first-hand how amazing these marine mammals truly are.

This isn’t the first I’ve worked with these dolphins. I actually had the opportunity to train Sea World San Antonio’s six White Sided Dolphins during my internship there back in 2006. Look how young I look!!!

These dolphins are more acrobatic than any other species of dolphin exhibited in marine parks. They can jump 30 feet in the air!!! Some trainers even believe that they are easier to work with than Bottlenose Dolphins (which can be surprisingly very aggressive).

The aquarium houses three Pacific White Sided Dolphins named Helen, Hana, and Spinnaker; ALL of which have been rescued. My favorite dolphin was Helen. She’s a 21 year old female who was rescued from a fishing net entanglement. Unfortunately her pectoral flippers had to be partially amputated.  

This is one of my favorite pictures taken of a dolphin’s blowhole. This allows the animals to breathe once they reach the surface. Powerful muscles shut the blowhole while the dolphin is submerged underwater to prevent drowning.

The Vancouver Aquarium offers overhead and underwater viewing of its gorgeous dolphins. They even have educational shows where the trainers show off some of the dolphin’s behaviors. If you want to visit Helen, Hana, and Spinnaker in person please visit http://www.vanaqua.org/

***A special thanks goes out to Rosemary Pritchard who joined me on my aquarium adventure and took these amazing photos. Thanks Rosemary!!!  

Kayaking around Galiano Island

Just recently before heading back to school I had a chance to kayak around beautiful Galiano Island in British Columbia, Canada. This was my first time EVER kayaking and boy was I in for it: I got soaked! It was all worth it though because on our kayaking adventure we spotted all sort of amazing wildlife!

At first you might have thought this was a rock…we sure did! It turned out to be our first glimpse of a Harbor Seal. These marine mammals frequent Galiano Island where they are often found basking on rocks or on the shore away from predators.

This unique rock is what Galiano Island is famous for. The only way to see it up-close is by kayak. It really reminds me of an alien!

I was so excited to spot my first wild jelly fish! These unique creatures can be found all around the island. Some unfortunately even wash up to shore. Swimmers must beware: they blend in so well with the aquatic vegetation!

This had to been the highlight of my trip: seeing a mama Harbor Seal feeding her pup. What astonished me was how close you could get to these animals. It seemed like they had no fear of humans. I could have sat and watched them for hours!

Galiano Island had to have been one of my favorite destinations. With its beautiful scenery and amazing wildlife it is a place that I look forward to visiting again in the future.

For more information on how YOU can kayak around Galiano Island please visit http://www.seakayak.ca/

Reptiles Galore!!!

 

I was SO excited today to write a blog about my recent visit to one of the of country’s most diverse collection of reptiles at the St. Louis Zoo. The Charles H. Hoessle Herpetarium is home to hundreds of species of reptiles found all over the world, most of which are in danger or threatened.

Look at this toothy creature! Rarely seen in zoos, the False Gharial is unique because of its long slender snout and sharp pointy teeth designed to catch fish. Found in Indonesia and Malaysia these crocodilians are endangered due to habitat destruction, interference with humans, and the skin trade.

One of my favorite species that has quite an aggressive reputation is the Gaboon Viper. Found in the tropical rainforests of East and West Central Africa this snake holds the record for having the longing fangs which can reach 2 inches!

I could stare at these gorgeous creatures for hours! Alligator Snapping Turtles are some the world’s largest freshwater turtles weighing in at 155 – 175 pounds. Their sharp jaws catch anything from fish, frogs, snakes, birds, and even alligators.

Behind me is what “Soni” will look like a few years. This is a full grown adult alligator enjoying the beautiful sunshine!

One of the reasons why I favor the St. Louis Zoo’s reptile collection over others is because their exhibits are extremely naturalistic. They replicate each individual species habitat.

The zoo is also a leader in reptile conservation and has established breeding programs for endangered species. For more information on how YOU can visit the St. Louis Zoo please visit www.stlzoo.org

Rescued Bears

Check out this amazing picture taken of the two rescued Grizzly Bears who live at Grouse Mountain in Vancouver, BC Canada. Their exhibit was incredible complete with grassy hills, trees, ponds, and flowing streams. They sure live in 4-STAR accommodations!

More pictures and stories coming soon.

- Corbin