fish

Walking Fish

Walking Fish

We are so excited to be back snorkeling with our campers after shark week! Chompy will be back later next week! Today we are meeting a strange but super cool fish today. And yes is it known to walk and not swim!

Longnose batfish on Bari Reef, Bonaire

 

Longnosed Batfish Fun Facts: 

  • Longnosed batfish can grow up to 12 inches long.
  • These crazy looking creatures use their side fins to “walk” along the sand floor.
  • They lay in wait for prey to swim by. They can can detect prey with the small antennae on their head.
  • They can range in color from yellowish to purple with small spots. They have red-orange lips.’
  • They are carnivores that eat fish, crustaceans and shellfish.
  • They are in the same family as of the anglerfish.
  • They are listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

2D766DAB-EDB7-477B-96A5-2C56234121A3

These strange and amazing creatures have filled a nook in the environment that other fish have not. They prey on animals at the bottom. While most fish swim higher in the water column, batfish “walk” along the floor. It’s an amazing adaptation if you ask us! Think batfish celebrate Halloween?

Categories: adventure, Animals, camp, Children, conservation, education, Environment, fish, nature, oceans, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Guess the Shark

Guess the Shark

Can you guess the shark species with the cartoon clues? Hint- each shark has the name of another animal too! Answers at bottom.

 

CF1C8E71-6C15-4942-B11C-D208375EFA3C

2ABD5738-4A51-4843-90A6-3EC0C4B04E1D

 

 

4FCB537A-9A06-4971-BBE0-2035FB8A69AB

B129029E-1C01-48A0-B21F-835E02E85DA8

93FE5FAC-A532-4C31-BCE7-4EF3CC7C8C7F

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1- Tiger shark, 2- whale shark 3- cat shark 4- bull shark 5- zebra shark

Categories: adventure, Animals, camp, Children, conservation, education, endangered species, Environment, fish, nature, oceans, science, sharks, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Chompy on Chompers!

Chompy on Chompers!

Chompy is back to talk about shark teeth! Shark teeth are one cool adaptation these fish have!

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, fish, nature, oceans, science, sharks, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Shark Week- Shark Basics

Shark Week- Shark Basics

Chompy the shark is hanging out with us and sharing some fun facts about shark with us! Today- he’s talking the basics.

Categories: adventure, Animals, camp, Children, conservation, education, endangered species, Environment, fish, nature, oceans, science, sharks, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

When You Put a Fish in a Box

When You Put a Fish in a Box

Hehehehe! We’re just kidding- we’re not putting fish in boxes today, but we are going snorkeling and meeting the boxfish! You campers may remember meeting Barry the Boxfish on World’s Oceans Day. Today we’re going to learn more about them.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Boxfish Fun Facts: 

  • Boxfish can grow up to 18 inches.
  • These little omnivores eat algae, worms and crustaceans.
  • Boxfish are bright yellow as juvinelles. They get darker as they get older.
  • That bright coloration is called warning coloration. It serves as a warning to predators that it is toxic.
  • Boxfish excreate poison when threatened.
  • They are solitary.

9F9ADB39-95E7-456E-8F00-E906DD1187C6

We love these cube shaped fish. A car company even thought their funny shape would make for a good car design. We wonder if they added the fins?

Categories: adventure, Animals, camp, Children, conservation, education, Environment, fish, nature, oceans, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Happy World Oceans Day!

Happy World Oceans Day

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, endangered species, Environment, fish, movies, nature, oceans, Today's Post, wildlife, Worlds Oceans Day | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Raccoon + Butterfly= Fish

Raccoon + Butterfly= Fish

We met another great animal during our snorkel trips- this time a wonderful reef fish- the raccoon butterflyfish! Meet them with us!

B0E55D71-9A77-4EFF-A7DB-326A6CAB640D

Raccoon Butterflyfish Fun Facts: 

  • These Butterflyfish average 8 inches long.
  • They are nocturnal.
  • These carnivores each small invertebrates and nudibranch.
  • They have large eyes.
  • They prefer shallow reefs.
  • They have a false eyespot to fool predators.

49D64616-0953-4737-A019-DBD5BF7D925C

These little fish are fun! They are popular in aquariums too. We love their bright coloration!

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, fish, nature, oceans, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Hi Spot!

Hi Spot!

We spent the last few days snorkeling in and around the reefs around these magically islands. We met so many spectacular animals and we are sharing one with you today!

70A39A3B-1C2A-41D0-84BF-592D209771DE

Spotted Moray Eel: 

  • Spotted morays can grow up to 6 ft long and weigh up to 5 1/2 lbs.
  • These carnivores eat fish, mollusks and crustaceans.
  • Spotted morays have two sets of jaws. The first set is in the front of their mouths. The second set is in the esophagus. The second set of jaws grabs the prey and pushes it down the throat.
  • They have poor eyesight. They use their excellent sense of smell to locate prey.
  • They are nocturnal.
  • Typically spotted morays are nocturnal.
  • They are listed as Threatened by the ICUN.

A480DCC3-50C6-4F56-A822-60F48B2FC1F1

We had a blast snorkeling and it was even more special to meet the shy and elusive eels. They love to hide among the coral and in crevices in the rocks!

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, elephants, Environment, fish, nature, oceans, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Piranha Relative

Piranha Relative

We decided to take a boat ride today to find some fish today! These funny round relatives of the piranha do not have the reputation of their cousins, but they’re no less cool!

6820F764-F9A5-45B8-93B4-BA0F2C18F109

Pacu Fun Facts: 

  • Pacu are a fresh water fish.
  • They are herbivores and feed on aquatic plants.
  • They are famous for their square teeth that resemble human teeth.
  • Pacu can grow up to 3 1/2 feet and weigh up to 88 lbs.
  • Some of them have red on their bellies and some of them do not.

16741840-7D12-4B34-8B7F-73DA27F6D426

These fish are popular in the aquarium trade. Unfortunately they can be dumped in local rivers where they are not native. They can interrupt a local ecosystem though.

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, fish, nature, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Pantanal

EPantanal

Did you guess where this month’s adventure is? We’re in Brazil in the Pantanal region! This amazing habitat is rich with plants and animals and we’re so excited to see as much as possible! Come learn more about the Pantanal today with us!

EBA86EC8-C290-41F6-B2E6-D4C42C01DCF4

 

Pantanal Fun Facts: 

  • The Pantanal is mostly wetlands. Those wetlands are submerged in water during the rainy season.
  • The average temperate is 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 C).
  • Many of the species are aquatic.
  •  The word Pantanal comes from the Portogese word pantano that means wetland.
  • The average rainfall in this area is 40-55 inches.
  • There are about 3,500 plant species in this habitat.
  • This wetland is also home to almost 700 species of birds!

E77A3068-B066-4611-8BCD-9AE16B8634EB

 

This amazing habitat is very special. Unfornately on 2% of it is under protection. We will meet several animals that are endangered because of habitat loss. We hope you are ready to meet them with us!

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, endangered species, fish, nature, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Blog at WordPress.com.

%d bloggers like this: