Warning, this is about horses — terrestrial mammals, yes. But as you may know, cetaceans did come from an ungulate lineage. So settle down kids.

I wanted to tell you all a little bit about my sister’s upcoming epic journey.

On May 25, my sister, Samantha, will embark on a 28-day journey across Nevada on horseback.

Why you ask?

Because no one ever has!

This will be the first solo equestrian ride along the Nevada portion of the American Discovery Trail, the coast-to-coast trail across the United Stated from Point Reyes National Seashore in California to the Delmarva Peninsula in Delaware.

The American Discovery Trail cuts across Nevada in nine segments. It spans 496 miles across isolated backcountry wilderness. Check out the trail on the map below.

The American Discovery Trail in Nevada. Photo by discoverytrail.org.

Samantha will ride Sage, a six-year-old mustang that she bought at auction from the Carson City Correctional Center. Sage had been part of the Center’s Saddle-Horse Training Program after the Bureau of Land Management rounded him up in 2009. He is originally from the Callaghan Herd Management Area, north of Austin, Nevada.

Sage has since become a well known ambassador — demonstrating the ability for wild horses to be successfully trained and ridden, overcoming many challenges. Samantha even rode him in the 2011 Nevada Day Parade, while carrying the Nevada state flag.

With Samantha on her journey through 14 mountain ranges, 4 state parks, and 8 counties, will be her dog Bella, a five-year-old mutt that she rescued from an animal shelter in Tacoma, Washington.

Samantha, Sage, and Bella have been doing endurance rides and training for the past two years while finding sponsors for the food and gear they will need.

Samantha riding Sage. Photo by Trevor Oxborrow.

She hopes to encourage wild horse adoption (many languish in holding facilities because they are not being adopted) and to highlight the American Discovery Trail, a route that cuts across Nevada’s most remote backcountry wilderness.

Her trip is being filmed as a part of an upcoming documentary about wild horses in the West, so stay tuned!

If you are interested in learning more about wild horse roundups in Nevada, watch Postcards from Nevada, a two-part series that Samantha produced while working at KTVN Channel 2, a CBS affiliate in Reno. You can find it here.

You can also watch Stampede to Oblivion, a six-part-series on wild horse roundups in Nevada can also be found here.

Samantha will have Spot Satellite GPS so you can follow her on her journey. You can read more about her trip or donate at: www.nevadadiscoveryride.com.

Donations will go to the Wild Horse Preservation League, a nonprofit in northern Nevada dedicated to preserving wild horses in the United States with other wild horse advocacy groups across the country.

In March the MS211 class (Ecology of Marine Turtles, Birds and Mammals) climbed onto a small inflatable boat, pointed offshore, and ran a half mile obstacle course through rocks, waves, and seals to Año Nuevo Island.

This tiny boat (named Dragon Rojo!) carried us to the island. About an eight-minute boat ride though, so not bad. Photo from Oikonos.org.

Año Nuevo (Spanish for New Year) Island is a small (9 acre) island off Año Nuevo in San Mateo County between San Francisco and Santa Cruz. Two hundred years ago the island was connected to the mainland by a low peninsula. It served as a Coast Guard light station from 1872 to 1948. The foghorn building and former light keepers’ residence still remain on the island and can be seen from shore.

Now the island is an important breeding site for Northern Elephant Seals, Steller’s Sea Lions, and Harbor Seals, as well as six species of seabirds, including Rhinoceros Auklets, Cassin’s Auklets, Brandt’s Cormorants and Western Gulls. It also provides important resting habitat for California Sea Lions and many bird species including Brown Pelicans.

The Rhinoceros and Cassin’s Auklet breeding area at the island, with newly restored native plants.

The class went because vertebrate ecology student Ryan Carle has been working on the island for four years with Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge, a nonprofit that  studies and protects imperiled ecosystems. Ryan is doing his thesis work with Rhinoceros Auklets reproduction and diet.

Rhinoceros Auklet! These fish-eating seabirds breed at Año Nuevo Island in underground burrows that they dig with their sharp toes. Photo by Frank Balthis.

Ryan also does habitat restoration on the island. Over the past century, human manipulation, sea lion trampling, and introduced rabbits caused virtual extinction of  native plants on the island, and damage from erosion to fragile Rhinoceros and Cassin’s Auklet burrows on the island. In 2010, Oikonos implemented a restoration project to reduce sea lion trampling of seabird nests, restore native plants, and increase auklet breeding habitat. Read more about it here and  here.

The mammals class joined Ryan to volunteer on the island for a full day of science and stewardship (also known as hard manual labor to some). This included:

• Collecting pelagic cormorant boluses. Boluses are balls of mucus and hard parts from food that birds regurgitate after eating. This is used for diet studies. Collecting and analyzing is not for the faint of heart.

A sea bird bolus. Photo by FOAM: Friends of Albatross on Midway.

• Counting auklet burrows on the island to estimate breeding populations.

Ryan counting Auklet burrows. Photo by Emily Golson.

• Collection of sea lion scat for MLML student Keith Hernandez’s thesis project. Keith is looking at sea lion diet using these scats. Way to go, Keith. Iron stomach!

Keith Hernandez collecting California sea lion scat for his thesis project on their diet.

• Weed pulling: Removing invasive species to ensure survival of restored native plants that are better at resisting erosion.

Classmates Emily, Keith, and Ryan pulling non-native, invasive plants.

The craziest (and definitely grossest) part of the day was the half hour crawl each way through a sea lion haul out area. Ryan’s scientific permits did not allow for us to harass the seals or sea lions in any way. Since it’s a breeding ground we had to be very careful to not disturb them. So to avoid any unnecessary disturbance we had to crawl “commando style” from the fenced-in restoration area to the old Lightkeeper’s house, where we collected the Pelagic and Brandt’s Cormorant boluses. And since this part of the island belongs the seals and sea lions they urinate, defecate, and die anywhere they desire. And yes, we had to crawl through all of that … the joy of field biology!

But it was a great and we had a lot of fun in the name of science! Año Nuevo Island is a unique and amazing wildlife refuge that has been called the Galapagos of California — if anyone gets a chance to join Ryan on the island, I highly recommend it. It’s a chance of a lifetime.

Last Monday, I bussed it to Santa Barbara then hopped a train to San Diego. One night in a hotel and an overpriced taxi ride later, and I was laying eyes on the R/V Point Sur for the first time since November 29, 2012, on it’s way back from its 17,000 mile round-trip journey to Palmer Station in Antarctica.

The majestic R/V Point Sur.

By this time, what was once a full house was down to 11. The crew consisted of a mix of those who had spent the past five months on the boat and in Antarctica, and a few others who had boarded in Mexico two weeks prior to my arrival.

Much to my delight, I was not the only scientist on board. Ashley Wheeler, a master’s student in geological oceanography, had boarded in Mexico in April to work with the Naval Postgraduate School collecting oceanographic data.

Unlike the Antarctica crew, who were probably packed in, I had my own bedroom and bathroom. I was also privilege to three square meals a day, crafted by an amazing chef who had no problems making inventive and delicious vegetarian food.

We couldn’t have asked for better weather, which was great, as this was my first overnight trip on a ship. Land lubber no more! I had some nagging nausea the second day, but it passed after some time outside with the ocean breeze, a handful of ginger chews, and an iron will!

So why did I trek all this way to jump aboard the R/V Point Sur?

This trip was the kick-off of my thesis project, which, among other things, will include an assessment of the risk of ship-whale interactions in the shipping lanes off California. To do this I need to figure out where the whales are. And this of course is done with old-fashioned shipboard surveys.

Most of my time was spent standing in front of the bridge scanning the sea for whales with my trusty binoculars and Rite in the Rain data sheets. I stared patiently out into the expansive and seemingly empty blue ocean.

After about 16 hours of surveys, I saw 11 whales (mostly humpbacks), dozens of California sea lions, gangs of bow riding dolphins, and sea birds, which preferred wrack lounging to flying.

I was also lucky enough to have Ashley keep me company the whole time during my surveys. Thanks, Ashley!

Ocean life seems to agree with me. Of course I might get a little homesick after months at sea, but being on a ship in the middle of the ocean had a freeing feeling. And the crew made excellent conversationalists. (And did I mention the food!?!)

Next up: get on as many cruises as I can. Some one recently suggested cruise lines. Not a bad way to do thesis field work!

Humpys!

Mucus house of a Larvacean

Invertebrate Spotlight: Larvaceans

By Michelle Marraffini

Invertebrate Zoology Lab

Today in the Marine Invertebrate Zoology we learned about one of the most interesting marine animals.  Larvaceans (Class Larvacean) are unique animals in the phylum Chordata along with their close relatives sea-squirts (Class Ascidiacea) and slightly more distant relatives humans (Subphylum Vertebrata).   These chordates retain their tadpool larva form and excrete a mucus house from specialized cells located on their head.  This house starts off as a small balloon like structure, the tadpole Larvacean whips its body to inflate the balloon with water, then when it is big enough the animal crawls inside, and whips its tail to continue to inflate the house.  Larvaceans will also eat with the help of their house which also contains screens set up to filter water, water is then further filtered by the animal so that it can eat bacteria sized particles.

A schematic of a larvacean in its house with the screens and showing water current flow. Photo Credit: Earthlife.net

They live in this house until the screens become clogged and then they swim out of it start to make a new one.  They discard their old house with sinks to the ocean floor as marine snow.  Marine snow is considered a big source of nutrients to the deep sea, to learn more about how larvaceans contribute to marine snow check out MBARI’s website.

Larvacean photo, screens shown in red tint, white folds are more filtering tools, and the animal itself is in the center of it’s house. Photo Credit: Arctic Exploration 2002, Per Flood, NOAA/OER

You can help the PSRC collect information to save the Basking Shark! Photo by Greg Skomal

By Kristin Walovich, Pacific Shark Research Center

Contrary to Hollywood’s portrayal of gigantic man-eating sharks, the three largest species of shark spend their time peacefully roaming the ocean’s surface munching on the ocean’s smallest creatures.  Basking Sharks, the second largest species of shark, cruise the seas in search of plankton, filtering up to 2,000 tons of water across its gills per hour. Reaching lengths of thirty five feet, this shark exists worldwide, yet very little is known about how they live or where they go.

To discover more information about this vulnerable species, scientists from the Pacific Shark Research Center (PSRC) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) have begun a new type of shark hunt. Unlike the crazed and frantic scenes from the JAWS movie, this shark hunt only requires a boat, camera and telephone! The Spot a Basking Shark Project enlists the help of local sea-farers to uncover the demographics and distribution of the California Basking Shark.

Once common along the California coast, these gentle giants are now a rare sight. In the past, these social creatures were seen in schools of hundreds or thousands; however since 1993 no more than three basking sharks have been spotted together. Fishing and eradication efforts by fishermen who believed them to be ‘man-eaters’ contributed heavily to their population decline. Despite the fishery closure in the late 1950s, Basking Shark numbers have remained low, mostly due to human impacts like vessel strikes, fisheries bycatch and illegal shark fining. Based on the decline of Basking Shark numbers and lack of species information, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed this species as endangered.

If you see a Basking Shark, the PSRC and NMFS want to know! These sharks can be identified by their large size, pointed snouts, and large gill slits that encircle the head. Basking sharks have dorsal fins up to three feet tall that are visible as they slowly swim along the surface with mouths wide open catching plankton.  If you see a Basking Shark, call or email the PSRC with your location, date and time of the sighting and any photos or videos. Your information helps the PSRC document and understand these majestic and peaceful creatures.

Visit the PSRC Website to report a sighting and to learn more about Basking Sharks!

The basking shark can filter 2,000 gallons of water per hour while searching for plankton. Photo by Andrew Parsons

If you have been holding off on going to the Monterey Bay Aquarium until the sea otter exhibit re-opens…Now is the time!  On Saturday, March 23rd the exhibit was once again opened for the public.  I was there – and the crowd went wild!  Actually, there might not have been a crowd…I was too happy to notice!

The animals that you will see in the aquarium are southern sea otters who were born in captivity or rescued from the wild, and deemed non-releasable for health or behavioral reasons.

There are five female otters on exhibit, some new and some old, and several of the otters are ready to serve as surrogate moms to rescued sea otter pups.

This surrogacy program is a part of S.O.R.A.C., the sea otter research and conservation program, which studies and rehabilitates these endangered mustelids (in the weasel family!) just behind the scenes at the aquarium.

Here at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories we have several students and recent graduates who have worked with S.O.R.A.C.  Come and talk sea otters with us at the MLML Open House!  April 21st and 22nd.

See you there, if I don’t catch you at the aquarium first!

*All photos from the Monterey Bay Aquarium website*

by Jackie Schwartzstein, Vertebrate Ecology Lab

Last weekend, my fellow Vert-Lab-member Angie and I hopped in my little car and made the four hour drive down to Carpinteria, CA for offshore survival training.  We are preparing to join a research team that conducts aerial surveys for marine turtles and mammals along the central California coast.  Before we can participate in these surveys, we are required to take a course in open water survival.

The M.O.S.T. training course in Carpinteria was designed to give us the tools to survive in the open water when technology fails us, but help is on the way.  Courses like this one are increasingly being required for people who work on fishing vessels, oil platforms, and other types of ocean-based employment.

McMillan Offshore Survival Training

Early Monday morning, Angie and I jumped, fully clothed, into a swimming pool – pursuing safety and preparedness!  We started off the day in life jackets, learning how to put them on in the water and even manipulate them while blindfolded.  We  learned safety swimming patterns to make ourselves larger targets for rescue, to support injured companions, and to defend ourselves from curious or hungry marine life.  In an emergency one might not have the chance to even put on a life jacket, so we also practiced making life preservers out of our pants.  (This is by far my favorite new party trick.)

Helicopter crash training

After we practiced climbing abord life rafts and familiarizing ourselves with their layout and supplies, we began learning some techniques for surviving a helicopter crash over water.  The metal frame in the above picture has seat belts, just like in an airplane.  Our job was to strap ourselves into this ‘helicopter’, get turned upside down underwater, and then calmly un-buckle ourselves and swim out of a designated exit.  We did this blindfolded, with skeleton doors and windows attached to the metal frame, and even with a small, handheld tank of air that would extend the amount of time we could remain in the ‘helicopter’ before surfacing.  These tasks may seem strait-forward,  but even in a training simulation where there was no real fear of injury I found it difficult to think clearly while upside-down, cold, and underwater.  It’s a good thing I’ve had the chance to practice!

Life jackets, life rafts, and getting flipped upside down!

We finished off the morning pool training by learning to swim through oil and burning chemicals on the water.  By this time we had been in the pool for about four hours, and we were COLD!  We were happy to go inside for the remaining classroom-learning portion of the course.  Angie and I drove back home Monday night, exhausted, but equipped with a completely new set of survival techniques.  Now we just have to make sure that we never have to use them!

Hope everyone is having a relaxing and safe Spring Break!

All photo credit to M.O.S.T. http://www.mcmillanoffshore.com/pictures.htm

The vertebrate ecology lab’s recreation of the inside of a whale. (photo by The Moss Lander).

Tis the season for MLML Open House

By Michelle Marraffini

Invertebrate Zoology and Molecular Ecology Lab

The spring semester is buzzing with activity from classes, field trips, and preparing for Open House.

Have you ever walked inside the belly of a whale?  Want to know how long turtles live or what seastars eat?  This year’s Open House will answer these and so many more of your ocean questions.  Be there Saturday April 20th and Sunday April 21st from 9am to 5pm.  As a FREE EVENT we offer a marine adventure puppet show, education presentations by students and faculty, live touch tanks, a sea lion show, raffle and prizes, and so much more.  There is so much to see you will need to come back both days!

Entry Way to MLML. Dive into Open House! April 20th and 21st
Photo by: Scott Gabara

The subtidal ecology class gears up to go on an identification dive. The water temperature is around 11 Celsius (52 Fahrenheit), so thick neoprene suits are used as thermal insulation.

Identifying organisms in the field can be very difficult if using color, as it changes as you descend through the water column.  Red, orange and yellow do not penetrate through the water very far, so we use waterproof flashlights to restore the natural spectrum and hopefully more easily identify organisms.

Two students in the subtidal ecology class (Catherine Drake and Christian Denney) are on an identification survey, trying to learn different fish, algae, and invertebrates in Monterey Bay.

Comparing data with someone else when learning to identify organisms makes the process much easier.  You can quickly learn if you are mis-identifying something and try to find another one to recalibrate yourself.  Here are some species you may see around the Southern Monterey Bay area :

This alga, the Southern sea palm, reaches about 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) tall. An identifying feature of this alga is that is has a “Y” near the top of the stipe or stem, where is splits into two bunches of blades. Aggregations of this alga form understory forests, important for different fishes, invertebrates, and mammals.

This is an anemone, named the fish-eating anemone, which feeds on shrimp, small fish and other opportunistic food items.  An identifying feature of this anemone is the smooth red column seen at the bottom of the photo.