QUEST Community Science Blog Author: Amy Gotliffe

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Mittens for Bears and Other Tales

May 7th, 2008 by Amy Gotliffe

Why do Moon Bears need you to knit?

Once upon a time in the far away land of Hong Kong, a woman named Jill Robinson discovered that beautiful moon bears where being held captive in tiny cages in China and farmed (through their bellies) as a living source for bear bile, which is used in traditional medicines. She decided to do something heroic about the issue and founded the Animals Asia Foundation. Animals Asia became a thriving organization, dedicated to ending cruelty and restoring respect for all animals in Asia.

For many moon bears, their stories have a happy ending. Jill and the AAF crew have rescued 500 bears, releasing them into their idyllic sanctuary in Chengdu China. Newly rescued moon bears tentatively step on fresh grass, slowly learn to climb, socialize, scamper through bamboo, wrestle and eat honey, finally becoming a real bear.

Of course, the bears can’t go from cages to sanctuary directly; they must endure urgent veterinary care and often surgery to remove the bile equipment from their bodies. Bears must be anaesthetized to receive this care and it is important that they stay warm and comfortable during the process. Just as with humans, the bears’ extremities are the first things to get cold and that is where knitters on the West Coast of the United States, worlds away, come in. They must knit giant bear mittens!

The Oakland Zoo is hoping to have some mittens knitted in order to hand them directly to Jill Robinson on May 21, when she speaks at the Oakland Zoo. We will have a knitting party at the zoo on Friday, May 9, from 1pm-3pm. However, mittens can be turned in to the Oakland Zoo at anytime and mailed to China in the hopes that the thousands of moon bears still in captivity will need them soon.

The mitten pattern allows for several weights of yarn and includes instructions for knitting in the round with one circular, two circulars, double-pointed needles, or knitting flat. Finished mittens are about 7″ wide (14″ circumference) with a 12″ foot and 6″ cuff. The pattern is intended to be beginner level, but if you have any questions about the techniques mentioned, you might find the website knittinghelp.com helpful.

Click here for the pattern and try it yourself:

bearbooties.pdf

The Oakland Zoo will be working with Article Pract in Oakland on more mittens for bears.

Find out more about Moon Bears and their plight, and meet Jill Robinson on Wednesday, May 21 at 6:30 for the lecture entitle, “From Prison to Paradise: Rescuing the Endangered Asian Moon Bear. Bring the family to Bear Day at the Oakland Zoo on Saturday, May 17.

Some of this information is thanks to Twisted, the Knit Shop in Oregon who is helping the Oregon zoo knit mittens.


Amy Gotliffe is Conservation Manager at The Oakland Zoo.




Tags: animals, bear, bear bile, china, knitting, KQED, mittens, moon bear, oakland, oaklandzoo, pbs, rescue



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Posted in Biology, Environment, Geology, KQED, Partners | 1 Comment

Should Nemo Be Found?

April 23rd, 2008 by Amy Gotliffe

And live in an aquarium in my living room?

A fish tank calms my nerves. A fish tank connects me to the sea. A fish tank brings peacefulness into my hectic world. These are the words of marine aquarium owners. The lure of a tropical fish tank is clear: they are mesmerizing and colorful, they are relaxing to gaze at and they bring real sea creatures right into one’s home. In fact, between 1.5 and 2 million people worldwide feel this way, and keep marine aquariums, including 800,000 households in the United States alone.1,471 species of fish are traded worldwide, with global trade ranging between 20 and 24 million individual fish annually.

Unfortunately, not enough aficionados of tropical fish know how these beautiful beings got to their local tropical fish store. Fewer than 10% of the fish are captive-bred, meaning most are collected from their coral reef habitats off of places such as Indonesia.

Most collectors are men from small villages, who make mere pennies on their catches. Though they sometimes use nets and their own hands, often they employ squirt bottles full of cyanide. As a result of cyanide use, mortality rates of captured fish are between 5% and 75% within hours of collection, with 20% to 50% of survivors dying soon thereafter. Of those that survive the collection process, another 30% on average die prior to export. Collection using cyanide results in an overall survival rate of less than 1 in 10 fish, at best, and often produces 100% mortality.

For those that make it out of their country of origin and onto a plane, eight out of ten will die en route from lack of oxygen, stale water and trauma. For U.S. export, most of these bagged fish are sent to “fish row” in Los Angeles where they are distributed to fish supply stores all over the country.

The good news is that once tropical fish collectors know more, they tend to act. More and more collectors are asking suppliers about their collection techniques and making informed decisions. Reef Project International is a project of Earth Island Institute (and the supplier of most of this information). They have created a Reef Fish Guide for the aquamarine hobbyist that lets them know if a particular fish falls under “Take it Home” or “Keep it Wild”. The guide is available at (www.reefprotect.org). The hope is that when consumers demand sustainable and humane tropical fish, suppliers will respond, and fish and their habitats will benefit.

By the way, Clownfish, like Nemo, are one of the few species that can be captive-bred.

Amy Gotliffe is Conservation Manager at The Oakland Zoo.


Tags: aquarium, clownfish, cyanide, EII, fish, KQED, nemo, okalandzoo, pbs, pets, tropical fish



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Posted in Biology, Environment, Partners | Please Comment

Up A Creek: an exploration of your watershed

April 9th, 2008 by Amy Gotliffe

Raise your hand if you live in a watershed! Are all of your hands up? We all live in a watershed, an area of land that all water (from rain, snow and springs) flows across, under and through on its way into a common body of water, such as a creek, river, bay or ocean. The water may travel through city streets and into storm drains, over the surface of the ground and across farm fields, or suburban lawns, or it may seep into the soil and travel as groundwater. Along the way, water picks up and carries materials.

Everything we do impacts our watershed. Use of land and water from any part of the watershed, such as polluted run-off from farms, forests, ranches, and cities, eventually affects the health of the whole watershed – as well as the plants, animals and people within it.

A healthy watershed is important to everyone! Animals find food, water and shelter near creeks and waterways. Humans enjoy clean water and places to relax, swim and appreciate nature. One of the best ways to help your local watershed is to connect with it.

So, may I suggest a visit to that creek in your neighborhood for an old-fashioned, low-tech exploration? Bring binoculars, a nature journal, a creek creature identification sheet, and empty baby food jars. Bring some kids and all your senses.

At the creek, sit quietly and listen for the sound that is the nearest or the sound that is farthest away. Can you hear the creek running or the birds calling?

Notice the variety of habitats in the creek. Look for a place in the creek where there is a riffle: a shallow area where water breaks over rocks, promoting high oxygen levels. Invertebrates and the small fish that feed on them live here, in a pool: a deeper area with slower moving water. Pools provide a spawning, feeding and resting site for fish, or a run: a straight, fast moving, section of a creek between riffles that has a diverse mixture of aquatic life. Look for tracks and scat along the creek banks. Use the baby food jars to carefully capture aquatic life. Observe, sketch and release.

Smell the variety of plants and flowers now blooming in the riparian zone. Notice that the bushes, trees and roots are all home to various wildlife. Draw a guide to the plants and trees in one small area of the creek.

Blindfold a friend or sibling and carefully lead them to a tree near the creek. Allow them to touch it, then give them a spin and lead them away. Remove the blindfold and challenge them to find their tree using their eyes.

Find edibles along the creek, like wild onion, miner’s lettuce or blackberry and taste wild food right off the vine.

Once connected, it is easy to care, and help keep our watersheds clean, in simple ways such as monitoring what you allow down the storm drains, refraining from flushing cat feces, or participating in a creek clean up. Please add your own ideas!

The Oakland Zoo has restored a section of the Arroyo Viejo Creek on the zoo grounds with support from City of Oakland, the California Coastal Conservancy, the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, and the City of Oakland Measure DD Bond. With six outdoor classrooms featuring educational signage and seating on logs, the creek will offer an exploration experience for all. Help us celebrate with a ribbon cutting ceremony at noon on Saturday, April 12, as part of the Oakland Zoo’s Earth Day celebration.

See you down at the creek!

Amy Gotliffe is Conservation Manager at The Oakland Zoo.





Tags: fish, KQED, nature, oakland zoo, QUEST, riparian zone, water, watershed



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Posted in Biology, Education, Environment, KQED, Partners | Please Comment

Disaster Cats

March 28th, 2008 by Amy Gotliffe

How to prepare your pets for a disaster.Remember Katrina and the thousands of pets left behind, as heartbroken people headed for shelters? Or how about the many people who refused rescue because their pets could not join them?

I know I didn’t remember, because when I heard a presentation by Karen Oberdorfer, Pet Disaster Ambassador, I realized I was disastrously unprepared. Should an earthquake, tsunami or fire hit my home, neither I nor my pet family was at all ready.

It is now time to remedy that! I pledge to Disaster Cats, Bear and Elphia, that I will take the following steps before my next blog:

1. Collar, tag and Micro-chip each pet. I am using the HomeAgain system.

2. Create a Go-Bag for my crew. This waterproof backpack will contain: An extra leash and collar, food and bagged water, a spill proof bowl, a can opener and plastic can lid, litter and a pan, garbage bags and towels, a first aid kit with medical records, medications and micro-chip information, a toy, bed or piece of clothing that smells like me, lights, a current photo of each cat and one with me in it. I will tag the Go-Bag with bold letters and their names and keep it near my front door by their pet carriers. Pre-made packs can be purchased at Berkeley Humane Society. Go to www.berkeleyhumane.org or www.yoursafetyplace.com.

3. Get a Door Sticker for my front door. I need neighbors and rescue workers to know I have pets and what to do with them. The sticker will provide an animal inventory of who is inside, so a rescuer knows who they are looking for. When I or the rescuer leaves with them, we can mark that we have taken this precious inventory with us, so others know that my home is empty. The ASPCA offers free pet stickers.

4. Find a boarding option. If I must evacuate my home, I will then have a place lined up in a different neighborhood for my pets to stay.

5. Find a Pet-Buddy. I will find a neighbor to act as the cat’s back-up parent. I will give that neighbor a key to my house, the cat’s vet information, my emergency phone numbers, and make sure they have a comfortable relationship with my cats. This neighbor can rescue them if I am not home.

6. Continue to learn! The USGS is working to educate cities and individuals about disaster preparedness.

Please submit any resources you know of – and we can all feel prepared for… anything!

Amy Gotliffe is Conservation Manager at The Oakland Zoo.




Tags: Biology, KQED, oakland zoo, pets



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Posted in Biology, Health, KQED, Partners | Please Comment

Spring Dating Tips from the Plant Kingdom

March 12th, 2008 by Amy Gotliffe

It’s almost spring: time for sultry nights, birds, bees, renewal and the sweet promise of new love.

For us humans, that might mean flirty skirts, a new perfume, a dapper new hat or hip hair cut, all in the hopes of attracting a new, or very old and loyal, perfect mate. Plants also feel the call of spring and respond. They too show off their brightest colors, excrete their most seductive scents and attempt to lure a mate. Of course, plants can’t move (very quickly), so they hire a pollinating partner, and pay them to assist with reproduction.

Pollination is the act of moving pollen from the male anther to the female stigma. Plants work hard to attract these pollinators, and nectar is their delicious reward. Plants and their flowers take their job of attracting so seriously, that they have evolved to become irresistible to their pollinator. Pollinators, in turn, have adapted to a particular plant. Some of these Co-evolved partners have become so exclusive, that one could not survive without the other. Thus, attracting that pollinator is vital. Perhaps, with these tricks of attraction, we can all have a successful spring!

Like some humans, snapdragons have stooped to trapping. As an unsuspecting bee, just interested in a good dinner, sits on a lower petal, their weight causes the stamen to tip downward and dump dusty pollen on the bee’s fuzzy body to carry onward.

The honeysuckle takes advantage of those who prefer the nightlife. Nocturnal moths are turned on by the pale white flowers that glow in the moon light and the alluring nighttime scent.

The African Raflessia flower knows that their partner has an unusual fetish and radiates a once-a-year stench of rotting flesh. Its petals peel away, revealing a brownish, fleshy color and the smitten flies come at once.

Queen Anne’s lace takes pity on pollinators with short proboscises (ahem…) and offers pollen at the base of their tiny flowers, where bees, ants, wasps and beetles can easily dine.

The columbine flower offers very potent nectar in a bright, red, long flower: perfect for the active hummingbird with their long tongue and penchant for the color red.

In Madagascar, The 40ft Travelers Tree attracts the black and white ruffed lemur to climb the trunk, pull apart the flower bracts and stick their snout and tongues deep inside the flower. Nobody could do it better.

The agave plant works hard to attract the long-nosed bat with its night-blooming, tall flowers and strong nectar. (So if you were planning on a date that included tequila, you and the agave may thank a bat).

Now, why should we care about all of this wild romance? One reason is that one out of every three bites we take comes from a pollinated plant. Another is that without pollinating partners, we would miss out on such aphrodisiacs as strawberries, blueberries, garlic and chocolate.

So this spring, on your next dinner date, thank a pollinator for the delicious meal and know that the plants and I wish you the best of luck and love.

To learn more about pollinators, visit www.coevolution.org and attend a lecture on April 3^rd at The Oakland Zoo: Connecting Pollinators, Plants and People with Laurie Adams (www.oaklandzoo.org/news_and_events/detail/248).

Amy Gotliffe is Conservation Manager at The Oakland Zoo.




Tags: flowers, KQED, kqedquest, oaklandzoo, plants, pollination, pollinator, Science, spring



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Posted in Biology, Environment, Partners | 2 Comments

A Visit with Losers and Weaners

February 28th, 2008 by Amy Gotliffe

A Northern Elephant Seal at Ano Nuevo State Park.On a sunny Tuesday, our education staff quietly slipped out the zoo door and headed south for an off-site enrichment day: a day to learn and be inspired by nature, in order to teach and inspire others.

We headed west, then south down the coast to the site of the largest mainland breeding colony of the massive Northern Elephant Seal: Ano Nuevo State Reserve.

The Northern Elephant Seal is named for the large, protruding nose, or proboscis on the male of the species. Like elephants, they are also gigantic. The bulls can grow up to 16 feet long and weigh up to 5000 lbs, while the females are much smaller.

On a hike guided by a knowledgeable naturalist volunteer, Scott, our staff spent 1.5 hours traipsing over the dunes to see the winter breeding action of this charismatic pinniped. Getting respectfully close, we first saw what they referred to as “Loser Males”. Though this term felt a bit un-PC (how about “mating-challenged?”), the idea is that these males are not old enough or savvy enough to be an alpha or beta male. They are simply not in the competition this year, so they lounge away from the females, thermo-regulating by flipping sand on themselves and holding fins up into the ocean breeze.

We then came upon a pile of weaners. This is another fine term used to describe the young pups that are newly weaned from Mom. These co-ed pods spend time losing some of their 300 lbs of milk fat while they learn to swim in the rain water pools. Born at 70 lbs, pups are nursed for a month or so before they gain weight and take on their new role as weaners. Some pups nurse from two or three females and gain up to 600 lbs. These are then dubbed Super Weaners. The weaners are the last to leave the site, waiting until the adults have gone to take their time swimming away in the salty waves.

Towards the shore the real show was on; Females (cows) gathered in harams, some nursing pups. Males (bulls) fought other males, or at least postured, in order to establish dominance and control of the harams. In one case, a masculine fellow came after another male, blubbering up towards him with full barks, only to then claim his seawater puddle. The fights between males are usually short, but very dramatic and violent. According to Scott, an Alpha Male Elephant Seal in mating-mode has more testosterone than any other mammal.

Our staff left feeling like weaners ourselves; happy and exhausted, but not as exhausted as Scott, whom I am sure has never fielded as many questions as he did for our staff!

Breeding Season at Ano Nuevo is December 15-March 31. In spring and summer, the elephant seals return to molt.

The Ano Nuevo Interpretive Program is excellent and popular. Book a guided tour and check out the dominance displays!

After your tour, visit the gift shop at the site. On your way home, I recommend the town of Pescadero for artichoke bread at Arc Angel Grocery Company & Bakery or the San Gregorio General Store.

Amy Gotliffe is Conservation Manager at The Oakland Zoo.




latitude: 37.1266, longitude: -122.3344


Tags: ano nuevo, beach, Biology, elephant seal, KQED, ocean, state park



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Posted in Biology, KQED, Partners | 1 Comment

Pet-Friendly Workplace

February 13th, 2008 by Amy Gotliffe



It’s 8:15 am on a sunny Monday; time to head to work.

Got my work bag? Check. Keys? Check. Purse? Check. Sunglasses? Check. Waste-free, organic lunch? Check.

Cat Carrier? Check.

I gather my 6 month-old cats, Bear and Elphia, and off I go.

I first brought them to work as tiny kittens out of necessity. I rescued them at a music festival at a mountain ranch when they were too young to be left alone. Fortunately, I had a nice boss and an open-minded, animal-loving staff and was able to bring them in to work with me. With them at the office, I could monitor their well-being, take needed cuddle and scratch breaks and not worry about rushing home.

As fall unfolded into winter and the cats grew up, they came to love their office time. They gladly jump in their carrier in the morning and upon release in the office, they happily saunter about visiting their adopted aunts and uncles. They can be found snoozing on laps, squished behind employees on their chairs, lounging in baskets or on shelves, sprawled on keyboards, chasing laser lights piloted by staff down the hallway or mischievously exploring our bio-fact bin (snake sheds, feathers, etc.).

The staff enjoys the exotic-looking Elphia and her climbing antics, as well as the big, soft and seemingly boneless Bear and his infamous, floppy bear-hugs. Even zoo keepers come around for some feline therapy. The cats have made me feel popular.

Bear and Elphia are joined by staff canines, as well. Trinity brings Mae, claiming that her border-collie mix makes work less stressful. Jamie brings Haley, stating that her Cavelier King Charles Spaniel brightens her day and keeps her chair warm. The office pets do indeed bring laughs to a sometimes stressful day, connect our staff to each other, relax us and give us perspective, and basically make us happier people.

Our office does have protocols around pets: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are designated pet days; no pets in the library (for those who are allergic); and staff takes full responsibility for accidents.

The San Francisco SPCA claims that offices that allow pets experience increased productivity and employee satisfaction, and decreased absenteeism. Is this not a win-win-win practice?

Jessica, who does not have a pet of her own, likes that there are animals at work for her to connect with, though she admits they can be slightly distracting. I don’t know what she is talking about.

What? Bear is drinking water from the toilet again? I had better go………..

Care to share the pros and cons of pets in the office? Please do!

Amy Gotliffe is Conservation Manager at The Oakland Zoo.




latitude: 37.7502, longitude: -122.148


Tags: animals, KQED, kqedquest, office, pets, QUEST, Science, work



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Posted in KQED, Partners | 1 Comment

Answering the Call of the Wild

January 30th, 2008 by Amy Gotliffe

Why cell phones are bad for gorillas and how Eco-Cell is helping.



Got a cell phone? Then in your pocket or stuck to your ear is a metallic ore called Coltan, short for Columbite-tantalite, a vital component in the capacitors that control current flow in cell phone circuit boards.

Your i-pod, laptop, DVD player and game console most likely also contain Coltan. This highly desired ore lives in the soils of the rain forest. 80% of Coltan comes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The main area where Coltan is mined contains the Kahuzi Biega National Park, home of the highly endangered Mountain Gorilla. In the Park, ground-clearing for mining operations has reduced food and habitat for the gorillas, cutting their numbers nearly in half. Mining has also displaced the local people, leading them to kill gorillas and sell the “bush meat” to the miners and rebel armies that control the area.

Within the Dem. Rep. of Congo as a whole, the number of Eastern Lowland Gorillas in eight national parks has declined by 90% over the past 5 years, leaving only 3000 gorillas total.

There is hope. Companies that use Coltan are beginning to demand that their Coltan only comes from a legitimately mined source and for that fact to be verified on the packaging, much like Dolphin Safe Tuna.

What you can do currently is reduce and recycle. Reduce the amount of electronics, including cell phones, that you buy and recycle them when you are definitely done with them. Recycling these items helps
eliminate the need for more mining and keeps them out of the landfill.

The Oakland Zoo is happy to take your old cell phone and recycle it through companies such as Cartridges for Kids or Eco-Cell.

Eco-Cell, a Kentucky based company, works to help gorillas by encouraging cell phone recycling, educating about the issues and donating funds to support gorilla conservation.

You can also help gorillas by attending a family friendly event at the Oakland Zoo, Gorilla Doctors: Saving Endangered Great Apes, featuring children’s author Pamela Turner and epidemiologist Dr. Lynne Gaffikin on February 6, 2008. Bring in a cell phone to recycle for a free raffle ticket.

Amy Gotliffe is Conservation Manager at The Oakland Zoo.




latitude: -4.03833, longitude: 21.7587


Tags: cell phone, coltan, congo, conservation, eco-cell, gorilla, KQED, kqedquest, oakland zoo, QUEST, recycle, Science



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Posted in Biology, Environment, Geology, KQED, Partners | 1 Comment

Have You Seen My Dog? Top 10 Tips for finding lost pets

January 7th, 2008 by Amy Gotliffe

Nyla - found safe and soundYesterday, a 10:00 am Text Message from friend stated:

My Dog Nyla had disappeared. I could use some help.

My reply:

Whatever you need.

I know what it is like to have a missing pet. When my cat Tucker slipped out two years ago around the winter holidays, I was distraught. I feared he was stuck in the garage of a vacationing family, hit by a car, starving in an alley, wet, cold and crying for me somewhere in the streets. I did everything to find him, creating a ‘CSI Oakland’ headquarters at my house. Though I did not find Tucker, I did feel at peace with my efforts and felt able to advise my friend on his search. The trick is to turn your guilt, fear and sadness into positive energy and to take immediate action!

1. Reach out to Friends and Family: Right away, reach out and ask for help. You would be surprised who steps up and offers their time, so give them the chance to do so.

2. Create an e-mail list of your team and keep them updated.

3. Flyers, postcards and business cards: It is PR time. Arm yourself with the flyers, tape, staplers and tacks and hit up the neighborhood. Use your most current photo of your dog and create bright-colored flyers, as well as smaller postcards or business cards. Post your flyers right away and everywhere within 1 mile of where the pet went missing. Post in coffee shops, store windows, video stores, parks, pools, churches and local hangouts. State clearly, “MISSING DOG”. Include what neighborhood the dog is missing from and when he/she was last seen, as well as your phone number and a description of the dog. If you are offering a reward leave out one detail of the description (eye color or odd patch on belly) in order to weed through responses.

4. Network: Set out in teams and talk to people. Give out the cards to your neighbors, dog walkers, bus drivers, taxi drivers, local police, neighborhood youth, the postman, garbage woman and everyone you meet. Give them away at the farmer’s market, shopping center and BART station, wherever you can encounter the most local people. Almost everyone can relate to a lost pet and most will be sympathetic to your mission.

5. Contact Pet Places: visit your local Animal Control, Humane Society, rescue places, veterinary offices, pet stores and pet supply places. Check their found dogs and give them flyers to post. With Animal Control, you must go in immediately and visit often. You can post in their Lost Dog binder and check the Found Dog one. Staff will show you current found dogs and, sadly, the police deceased animal cards. Bay Area Shelters are at www.animalservices.org/uploaded_files/shelterlist.pdf or www.labrescue.org/Pages/bayareashelters.htm.

6. Craigslist: As always, a fantastic resource. Use Craigslist to list your missing pet, but also use it to check for found dogs. Try the newspaper, as well.

7. Call the Police: Most officers are quite willing to take a card and keep an eye out.

8. Look: With a friend, look for your dog in his/her favorite places, like a friends’ yard or the local dog park. Call to them, rattle their leash, squeak their favorite toy or use an Acme dog whistle as you walk.

9. Stay Positive

and

10. Do Not Give Up! Pets have been known to find their way back home after being lost for several months.

Now for the good news: thanks to flyers (#2 above), someone called with a lead late last night and Nyla was found. Hey, it works!

Amy Gotliffe is Conservation Manager at The Oakland Zoo.



latitude: 37.7502, longitude: -122.148


Tags: animal shelter, KQED, kqedquest, lost pet, oakland, pets, QUEST, Science



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Posted in Biology, Health, Partners | 4 Comments

Mollusk Madness: can we collect shells responsibly?

December 19th, 2007 by Amy Gotliffe

Listen! You can hear the sounds of the ocean, but is it getting quieter?

Last week while snorkeling in Roatan, Hondoruas, I came face to face with a Conch. Not a shiny shell in a gift shop, but a moving creature, shuffling along the sea floor, munching on grasses and just being a mollusk. I was in awe. My crew was still digesting the Conch Soup from the previous night and would soon tap our feet to a Garifuna performance complete with Conch Shell blowing. And haven’t we all picked one up off of someone’s coffee table and listened to sounds of the ocean? I am sure I am not the only one who associates the Conch Shell, and so many shells, with jewelry, lamps, ash trays, picture frames, instruments, Bo Derek, and at times, dinner. But this, this was a living creature, using the shell for what it was created for; a home.

The study of shells, both amateur and professional, is called Conchology. There are millions of Conchology practitioners, or collectors, who feel drawn to collect shells. They are inspired by their spirals, blown away by their beauty, and drawn to keep them in their desire to connect with the earth. Many study shells scientifically and their findings can lead to conservation awareness, medical advances and my favorite, biomimicry ideas. I do not aim to deny anyone these experiences, but do wish to know how to collect shells, and all items from nature, responsibly.

As a conservation teacher, I have often talked to kids about picking flowers, etc. At times I will teach the ditty, “One for the butterflies, one for the bees, one for the beetles and one for me,” honoring the deep need to be close to nature, while teaching that other creatures need these treasures for survival. Therefore, we share.

Tips for collection shells might be:

• Adhere to the environmental regulations of the state and country you are in (for California, go to www.dfg.ca.gov/fish/fishing)
• Put things back where you found them as you look
• Take only shells with nobody home
• Be aware of your source and their conservation practices before you buy
• Join a club that practices responsible collection

Other ideas would be appreciated.

On the boat on the way back from the snorkeling, one woman could not resist. She had a shiny, pink Conch Shell on her lap. The guide attempted to explain why tourists are not allowed to take the shells directly from the ocean. As the woman protested, a hermit crab popped out of the shell and gave the woman a surprising poke. Over the edge and into the sea went the shell and its guest. When we listen to the ocean, it sometimes speaks for itself.

Amy Gotliffe is Conservation Manager at The Oakland Zoo.



latitude 37.7502, longitude -122.148


Tags: collecting, KQED, kqedquest, oakland, ocean, QUEST, Science, seashell, shells, zoo



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Posted in Biology, Environment, KQED, Partners, Physics | Please Comment
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