Shark Finning

This month’s upcoming edition of Land, Sea and Air, your class can learn all about coral reefs and the animals that call these reefs home, including many shark species. Yet, many shark populations are dramatically declining. What’s causing this decline? One major cause is overharvesting of sharks, mainly for their fins. In some cultures, dried shark fins are highly prized delicacies and used to make shark fin soup, which is served during special occasions. In the shark fin fishing method, only a shark’s fins are kept while the rest of the shark is discarded at sea to make room on the boat for more valuable fins. Unfortunately, the catch of millions of sharks taken each year by finning is unsustainable since sharks have slow growth and reproductive rates. Removal of these top ocean predators can disrupt the balance of entire ocean ecosystems. Shark finning is banned in the U.S. and many other countries including those in the European Union. The SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund provided grants to numerous projects involved in protecting sharks and their habitats.

 

What are some other threats sharks face? What are some activities that you and your class either have done or can do to raise awareness about these key ocean predators?

SeaWorld Celebrates Penguins

In February 2008, SeaWorld celebrates an important Anniversary—25 years of SeaWorld San Diego’s Penguin Encounter. If you haven’t had a chance to visit, Penguin Encounter contains a spacious and chilly habitat inside, perfect for Antarctic and subantarctic penguins. The freezing temperature and austral (southern) light cycle mimic the natural conditions in which emperor, king, Adélie, macaroni, and gentoo penguins thrive. Near the natural breeding season, nesting materials are also provided to the penguins. In fact, in 1982 SeaWorld made history by being the first zoological park in the world to hatch and rear Emperor penguins. In the following years, we’ve learned a tremendous amount about these engaging birds. This month in Land, Sea and Air, you and your class can help SeaWorld celebrate these charismatic birds by exploring a variety of penguin-related information and activities. You can also watch how the penguins participated in the celebration at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gXcAkPh1_Y.

Welcome from Patti

Welcome to SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Schooling blog! As a biologist currently working as a Science Writer in the Education Department at SeaWorld San Diego I’m excited to help bring you scientific information on some of the animals, habitats, and research going on at the SeaWorld parks. I’m armed with a degree in Zoology from San Francisco State University, a few years of field research on wild harbor seals (the spotted seals that don’t bark), and more than four years of presenting animal information in a variety of ways as first an Educator and then a Science Writer for SeaWorld. 

I’m looking forward to some enriching discussions with you in the future! 

-Patti

Admittedly, I was a little taken back when I heard that AZA named 2008 year of the frog.  I knew frogs were often used as environmental indicators but had no idea that at least one-third of the world’s amphibian population is at risk from habitat loss, pollution and fungal diseases.  As a teacher by heart and trade and a mother of two avid wildlife-lovers, frogs, toads and all sorts of amphibians are one of the easiest ways to engage students in hands-on, inquiry-based activities, because we can start in our own backyards.  My boys loved the Frog Listening Network (FLN) exercises.  While they are both young (5 & 3) they enjoyed matching up the frogs we found with pictures in a book- “two of the same game”.  FLN also gave a phonetic spelling of various frog and toad species’ vocalizations, which were apparently VERY funny to them.  The activities can be customized for nearly all ages.  The kids and I had a blast with them!

-Cathy   

Welcome to the Schooling blog!

The Schooling blog is intended to compliment our monthly Land, Sea, & Air (LSA) e-newsletter developed specifically for educators. Within Schooling, we will be discussing the application of the classroom resources provided via the LSA as well as considering novel extensions of those same resources. The Schooling blog will be updated bi-monthly. This blog is currently stuctured for open commentary among registered users.