Catt-Trax 2 - Wildlife

Ecuador - Galapagos Islands - The Gordon Lightfoot Crab

Danny Catt — Sat, 05 May 2007 17:41:26 -0700

Sally Lightfoot Crab, Galapagos Islands

One of the wildlife species in the Galapagos Island that I found particularly fascinating was the Sally Lightfoot Crab (no relation to Gordon Lightfoot apparently). They are very common and when you are walking along the lava close to shore you need to be careful not to step on them.

Sally Lightfoot Crab, Galapagos Islands

I was fascinated by their colours and found myself taking dozens of photographs of them as every time I saw them they appeared to give me a different pose highlighting different colours and patterns. I am a bit of a snap-happy photographer to begin with... but these crabs just kept me snapping more and more!

Sally Lightfoot Crab, Galapagos Islands

The Sally Lightfoot Crab not only has to be on the lookout for the feet of curious human visitors but also for predators such as the various heron species that like to prey on them (Great Blue Heron, Lava Heron, Yellow-crowned Night Heron). I observed and photographed one successful heron ... and one unsuccessful Sally Lightfoot Crab.

Heron Preying on Sally Lightfoot Crab

Ecuador - Galapagos Islands - The Weird & the Wonderful

Danny Catt — Fri, 04 May 2007 17:16:38 -0700

Blue-footed Booby, Galapagos Islands

If I had to come up with a single word to describe the Galapagos Islands it would be difficult if not impossible to do. ‘Amazing’ is an overused word… as is ‘fantastic’, and ‘wonderful’ just doesn’t do the islands justice. Some might even choose ‘weird’ to describe some of the very unique species that make the Galapagos their home. Perhaps the French word ‘incroyable’ might fit the bill. What would you choose?

Wildlife Viewing in the Galapagos Islands

The islands and the flora and fauna that inhabit them truly are incredible. I cannot think of anywhere else on Earth (except perhaps Antarctica) that you can watch wild animals in their natural habitat go about their daily business (nesting, feeding, playing) at such close range, where the animals don’t seem to be bothered by your presence. There are limits of course and that is why there are strict national park rules about not getting too close to the animals as well as rules ensuring that visitors don’t collect plants or rocks while on shore. In a nutshell the regulations are in place to make sure that all park resources (both living and non-living) are left as we find them.

Our itinerary aboard the Samba had us visiting 6 or so of the thirteen larger islands that make up the Galapagos archipelago. The Galapagos Islands are all volcanic in origin, and they are quite isolated – they are located about 1000 kilometres west of the South American continent. The first islands to emerge from the ocean did so between 5 and 10 million years ago while some of the other islands broke the surface much more recently (the eastern islands are reported to be the oldest… the western the youngest). The islands are still volcanically active and in fact the most recent eruption was just last year!

Landing ashore onto lava, Galapagos Islands

When oceanic volcanic islands are created they are devoid of life… they start with no living things on them at all. So how did all of the plants and interesting creatures that we see on the islands today get there?

The answer is fairly straightforward. Any plant of animal now native to the Galapagos must have dispersed to the islands by some means or another. Other than via the hand of humans (in boats or planes) there are two natural ways for organisms to travel to the islands – by sea or air.

Green Sea Turtle, Galapagos Islands

Some animals arrived by swimming or flying under their own steam while others may have been blown by strong winds. Sea lions, fur seals, sea turtles and penguins are all great swimmers and could easily have found their way to the Galapagos under their own steam. The Yellow Warblers and Vermilion Flycatchers that are now resident on the islands may have been blown off course many moons ago on their migration from North America to South America and successfully established populations on the islands. Some plants, their seeds and spores were carried by air currents, others by ocean currents but many (if not most) were likely transported by birds. Some bird species are seed and/or fruit eaters and in many cases the seeds are not damaged when they go through the bird’s digestive system. So, these birds can transport seeds in their stomachs, which they can expel complete with fertilizer in a new place (like an island!).

Galapagos Penguin

The Galapagos are in a great location to receive immigrants by both air and ocean currents. Trade winds blow toward the Galapagos from the South American mainland, and similarly ocean currents wash out from the coast of South America in a way that increases the chances of organisms reaching their shores. Some of the ocean currents around the islands are cold water currents while others are warm. It is thought that the ancestors of the Galapagos Penguin likely originated from a penguin population in southern South America that made its way to the Galapagos by following the Humboldt Current (a cold water current) that comes up from Antarctica.

Islands because of their isolation (away from the mainland or continent) typically have fewer species of both plants and animals (compared with the mainland) and often times the species found on islands are endemic… which means they are unique and are not found anywhere else. The Galapagos has a fairly low diversity of wildlife species, but a very high percentage of these species are endemic.

Flightless Cormorant, Galapagos Islands

Some of my favourite creatures on the Galapagos include the Marine Iguana (a sea-going iguana), the Flightless Cormorant (the only cormorant in the world that has lost its ability to fly), the Galapagos Penguin (the most northerly penguin in the world) and the beautiful Blue-footed Booby! The Marine Iguana, the Flightless Cormorant and the Galapagos Penguin are all examples of endemic species.

Antarctica - Arctic Tern vs. Wandering Albatross - Which is the Winner?

Danny Catt — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 10:41:45 -0700

Arctic Tern - Long Distance Migrant

Birds are incredible creatures and on my final days in Antarctica and on the journey back across the Drake Passage to Argentina I was able to observe and photograph two of the most amazing long distance fliers in the world, the Wandering Albatross and the Arctic Tern.

The Wandering Albatross has a number of claims to fame. It has the smallest clutch size of any bird in the world (one egg every two years); they take the longest time to reach breeding maturity (6 to 10 years), and … they have amazing wings! With a total wingspan of 3.45 metres (over 11 feet) the Wandering Albatross has the widest wingspan of any bird in the world. The widest wings ever recorded were from a bird captured in the Tasman Sea near New Zealand measuring 3.63 metres (11 feet 11 inches). This is huge when you consider that the wingspan of a Bald Eagle is about 2.0 metres (6.7 feet).

Wandering Albatross. Widest wingspan of any living bird!

The Wandering Albatross though is not only incredible because of its wingspan but I would say more so because of what it can do with those wings…. fly! Wandering albatross are noted for their long distance flights – in fact they are considered by some to be one of the world champions of long distance flying.

Wandering albatross nest on islands. Both sexes incubate the single egg and once hatched the parents take turns heading off on foraging flights to find food to feed their ever hungry chick. Using satellite telemetry scientists have learned that some parent birds fly as much as 1000 kilometres (600 miles) per day (yes, per day!), covering anywhere from 2900 kilometres (1800 miles) to an astonishing 15,000 kilometres (9,300 miles) in a single foraging flight! That is almost comparable to flying from Vancouver to New York City and back, TWICE… just for a feast of seafood. Once food has been found they return to the nest and the chick is fed by regurgitation (just as in penguins).

Another contender for the title of champion long distance flyer is the Artic Tern. On our last day in Antarctica I was able to observe and photograph one individual which was a real treat. We also saw lots of Antarctic Terns during our visit to the Antarctica Peninsula (which is a very similar looking bird) but it is quite easy to distinguish between the two species during the southern hemisphere summer because Antarctic Terns are in their summer breeding plumage (feathers) while the Arctic Terns are in their non-breeding (less bright or striking) plumage.

Arctic Tern in Summer Breeding Plumage (Photo from Spitsbergen, Norway)

The Arctic Tern is a classic example of a Global Connection species. They breed in the Arctic of Canada, Alaska, Europe and Asia (and occasionally in northern British Columbia) during the northern hemisphere summer and then once fall arrives they start migrating south all the way to Antarctica. The Arctic Tern has the longest annual migration of any bird in the world, flying on average 35,000 kilometres (22,000 miles) round trip each year.

Because they fly from summer to summer year after year Arctic Terns likely experience more daylight hours than any other living thing on the planet. And to top it off, since Arctic Terns can survive into their 20s (and sometimes longer) some individuals will travel over 700,000 kilometres in their lifetimes! Pretty amazing!

So, in your opinion, between the Arctic Tern and the Wandering Albatross, which is the long distance flight champion?

Antarctica - Whales Whales Whales

Danny Catt — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 10:32:08 -0700

Humpback Whales, Gerlache Strait, Antarctica

On our last day in Antarctica we were treated to an amazing opportunity to view and see some of the Humpback Whales that migrate to Antarctic waters to feast on the abundant krill. There are a variety of whales that make their way down to the far southern waters along the edge of the Antarctic ice including Minke, Sei, Fin and even the mighty Blue Whale, the largest animal ever to have lived on the planet. All of these species are what are called baleen whales. This means that rather than having teeth, they have baleen plates (made of the same material as your finger nails, keratin) that they use to sieve out the krill that forms a huge part (almost exclusive for some species) of their diet.

Humpback Whale Tail (also known as a Fluke)

It is said that a Blue Whale can consume up to 4,500 kilograms of krill in one day! And someone (I don't know who) has suggested that the baleen whales consume about 27 billion kilograms of krill each year! Wow!

Humpback Whale, Gerlache Strait

The other group of whales are the toothed whales. Examples of these include the sperm whale (the largest of the toothed whales) as well as the Orca or Killer Whale. It should be noted though that Orcas are in fact the largest member of the dolphin family although we don't call them dolphins.We saw Orcas twice during our trip but on both occassions we saw them briefly and then they were gone.

Orca, Antarctica

Antarctica - Leopards & Crabeaters

Danny Catt — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 09:56:18 -0700

Morning Light Along the Lemaire Channel, Antarctica

It is such a delight to wake up to calm seas and amazing light on the peaks that surround you. In the morning we slid our way along the smooth waters of the Lemaire Channel. The landscape and wildlife were spectacular. Gentoo Penguins in the hundreds porpoised their way beside the ship and both Humpback and Minke Whales were sighted surfacing nearby where they were slowly feasting on the abundant food available.

Gentoo Penguins on the Move

One of the highlights of the morning for me was the opportunity to get off the ship to observe, interact with and learn about the various Antarctic seals, and in particular the Leopard Seals and the Crabeater Seals. Crabeaters are the most abundant seal species in Antarctica, and although their name might suggest they are “eaters of crabs”… they in fact don’t eat crabs at all. Their main diet, is the same as so many other wildlife species in the region, krill!As mentioned in previous posts, krill is on the menu for dozens of Antarctic birds, seals and whales. Krill are small crustaceans (there are about 17 species in Antarctica but the largest is about 2 inches long) that are part of the plankton. Plankton refers to all of the plants and animals that move along at the whim of the ocean currents. Plant plankton is called phytoplankton while animal plankton is called zooplankton (plankton is plural, plankter is singular).

Crabeater Seal with Krill Smeared on its Stomach

There are a lot of Crabeater Seals in Antarctica. In fact, according to the sources I was able to fin, the Crabeater is the most abundant seal in the world with a population estimated between 30 and 70 million. This huge population of seals eat a lot of krill. It is estimated that the population of Crabeater Seals in Antarctica consume an astounding 90 billion kilograms of krill annually! That is a lot of crustacean!

Leopard Seal Chasing a Gentoo Penguin

Leopard Seals on the other hands are the meat eaters of the Antarctic seals. One of their primary food sources are penguins!

Curious Crabeater Seal

Both Crabeaters and Leopard Seals can be curious and both species allowed us to approach quite closely and in fact both species (at different times) swam alongside (and behind) the zodiac to get a closer look at us.An experience I will not soon forget!

Wildlife of Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Danny Catt — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 10:18:04 -0800

Guanaco, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Torres del Paine National Park is most famous for its glaciers, lakes and mountains but within its boundaries this diverse national park has a great variety of both flora and fauna.

Guanacos in Chile's Patagonia, Torres del Paine National Park

The most abundant large mammal is the guanaco, a wild relative of the Llama and Alpaca found further north in the Andes of northern Chile, Peru and Ecuador.

Grey Fox, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

In terms of carnivores there are two species of fox and I had some great views of one species, the Gray Fox, on a couple of occasions. The most feared predator in the park though, at least by the Guanacos, is the Cougar (Puma concolor). The Cougar of Patagonia, also known as the Mountain Lion, is the very same species that is found in British Columbia.

In fact, the Puma has the widest distribution of any carnivore in the western hemisphere!

Buff-necked Ibis, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

There are more than one hundred species of bird in the park ranging from the flightless Lesser Rhea, to Flamingos, to the largest flying bird in the world, the Andean Condor.

Andean Condor, Patagonia, Chile

British Columbia: Wildlife

The Catt-Trax2 Team — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 16:02:21 -0800

Report prepared by Jenny Ma and Jo-Leen Sellars, Students in BCIT’s Fish, Wildlife and Recreation program.

There are 488 bird species in British Columbia. To get a sense of the variety among this species, let’s look closely at three of these birds: the peregrine falcon, rufous humming bird, and the common loon.

The peregrine falcon, with flying speeds up to 300 km/h and specially designed nostrils to breathe at such speeds, is the fastest bird on Earth. Since 1999, this bird has been on the threatened species list (blue list). Before then, the farmers and commercial food industries were spraying their fields with insecticides to kill the bugs and this started to thin the shells of birds’ eggs. The falcon was most affected and the population crashed to almost extinction, so the government gave Alberta funding to raise them in captivity then release them into the wild.

Another speed demon is the rufous humming bird. It has the fastest wing beats of any bird species and it can fly backwards. They never perch while feeding they just hover in the air. The sound of their beating wings is like the buzzing of a big bumble bee. Their wings have shiny orange or green markings that shimmer.

A bird with black and white markings that cries in the sunset is the common loon. This is a common bird and its image is seen everywhere on camping commercials, camping gear, and on the Canadian dollar coin — the loonie. The cutest thing this bird does is carry its young on its back while swimming through the water. Its legs are situated so far back that it cannot walk on land properly. Its body is built for diving.

Reptiles are also common in B.C. The long-toed salamander hangs around in moist areas and near non-fish-bearing streams. If they were to hang around fish they would be eaten as would their eggs. The adults like to spend the majority of their time underground feeding on invertebrates.

The rough-skinned newt is of the salamander family who also eats invertebrates but these creatures are toxic. This newt has an orange belly that predators recognize as toxic. When the newt is in distress it releases tetrodotoxin which can kill a person if they ingest it. The toxin blocks nerve impulses and has a paralyzing affect. Like all salamanders and other newts, they can grow their severed limbs back.

Unfortunately for the northern leopard frog, they cannot grow back their limbs but they do lay 1,000 to 5,000 eggs to compensate for their high mortality rate. Their enemies are herons, snakes, turtles, fish, and larger frogs.

The two other groups of wildlife are mammals and reptiles. There are about 133 species of mammals within B.C. and eighteen species of reptiles.

Three-fourths of Canada’s mammal species are found here, twenty-four of which are exclusive to B.C. The terrestrial mammals include hoofed mammals – the deer family and the cattle family, carnivores, and rodents. The hoofed mammals include (in the deer family) mule deer, white-tailed deer, fallow deer, elk, caribou, and moose. In the cattle family we have the bison, the bighorn sheep, Dall’s sheep, and the Mountain goat. Some carnivores roaming throughout B.C. include the cat and dog families and our great bears: the grizzly bear and the black bear. Within the cat family there are cougars, lynx, and bobcats. Members of the dog family include wolves, coyotes, and the red fox. Amongst our many rodents, the beaver and the Vancouver Island marmot are significant.

B.C.’s reptiles include snakes, lizards, and turtles. Reptiles differ from birds and mammals in that they do not operate or create heat with their bodies – they use heat from the environment. There are nine native species of snakes:

the common garter
the north western garter
the rattlesnake
the Great Basin gopher
western yellow-bellied racer
wandering garter
night snake
sharp-tailed snake
the rubber boa

There are four species of lizards:

European wall lizard (introduced)
pigmy short-horned Lizard
western alligator lizard
the western skink

The five species of turtle include:

western painted turtle
northern Pacific pond turtle
Pacific Green Turtle
Pacific leatherback turtle
the red-eared slider

British Columbia’s rich variety of wildlife makes it Canada’s most biologically diverse province.

Peru: Wildlife and Wildlife Management

The Catt-Trax2 Team — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 11:43:05 -0800

Report prepared by Allison Hebert and Gabrielle Osswald, students in BCIT's Fish, Wildlife and Recreation Program.

Wildlife

Peru's amazing variety of climates and eco-systems ranks the country amongst the world's top eight nations in terms of biodiversity. The country is home to more than 400 species of mammals, 300 reptiles, 1,800 birds and more than 50,000 plants registered to date.

Peru has the second highest number of bird species in the world. Counting only breeding species, Peru ranks first. More new species were described in Peru in the last thirty years than in any other country in the world, with about two new species described each year.

Wildlife Management

Only a limited number of species have been managed for local use. Most management efforts have been directed to commercial, scientific, sport hunting, and the capture of live animals for sale.

Catt-Trax 2 - Wildlife

Ecuador - Galapagos Islands - The Gordon Lightfoot Crab

Ecuador - Galapagos Islands - The Weird & the Wonderful

Antarctica - Arctic Tern vs. Wandering Albatross - Which is the Winner?

Antarctica - Whales Whales Whales

Antarctica - Leopards & Crabeaters

Wildlife of Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

British Columbia: Wildlife

Peru: Wildlife and Wildlife Management

Wildlife

Wildlife Management

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