On the public floor of the California Academy of Sciences is a direct tie into research and resources of many a variety and color. The Naturalist Center is located on the third floor adjacent to the exit from the planetarium. It is an often overlooked treasure. The Center offers a wide range of resources and services to individuals interested in learning more about the natural world. Academy visitors can walk in during open hours, explore the library, conduct research, and connect with staff members as well as other visitors.

Academy visitors can also ask questions about Academy exhibits or natural history. One day, when I was working in the Naturalist Center, a woman asked if squirrels eat bark and if so are they particularly fond of citrus bark? With a bit of research, we found out that some California-native squirrels indeed do eat bark and are fond of citrus trees. Below are some of the questions asked recently in the naturalist center, their corresponding answers as well as links to relevant fact sheets.

Q: Why is the green iguana orange? What do you feed it? (Visitor)

A: According to an Academy aquarium biologists, when males reach sexual maturity their coloring will turn orange. It's more hormonal than dietary, however diet can slightly influence color. The Academy has a male that is roughly three years old. He was rescued from a flea market as a baby in very poor condition. He is fed primarily greens (dandelion, collard, arugula) and small amounts of green beans, sweet potato, yellow squash, mango, berries, banana, papaya, cactus, and flowers along with a vitamin/calcium supplement.

Q: What is a hyrax?

A: A hyrax is related to the manatee and dugong and is the closest living relative of the elephant. More information is given on hyraxes in this fact sheet: www.awf.org/content/wildlife/detail/hyrax

Q: What is the wattage of the lights that are above the rainforest dome?

A: The electrician in the Academy noted that they are 1000 and 2000 watt bulbs.

Q: How much does the roof weigh?

A: It weighs between 2.7 and 2.8 million pounds not including the steel and concrete. More specific information is given on the Living Roof Fact Sheet: http://www.calacademy.org/newsroom/releases/2007/living_roof_fact_sheet.php

Q: How many African Penguins are in an average colony?

A: The number varies greatly and there is no true average. There are colonies with as few as 240 breeding pairs and one that was as high as 55,000 at one time. African penguin numbers have declined worldwide at an alarming rate in recent years. Decline in numbers is due to threats that range from oil spills to feral cats. Food availability and prime breeding territory are major factors in colony size as well. Today, there are an estimated 50,000 total breeding pairs worldwide. More information is given on African penguins in this fact sheet: http://combine.cs.bris.ac.uk/opencms/opencms/Richards_Homepage/My_Research/AfricanPenguin.html

Penguin-cams are now at
the California Academy of Sciences.

Upon writing this blog, the California Academy of Sciences is scheduled to open in 94 days. After years of planning, staff is contemplating two digits – literally three months until opening. It seems surreal. But progress at the park is moving along at a steady clip. African Hall is nearly done, with the backdrops painted and the specimens perfectly placed.

Select staff took a tour the other day across the western expanse of the public floor to see the new changes. The Foucault pendulum is placed in its new home with only a few touches needed before opening. Speculation was given over who will have the job of placing the pegs on a regular basis. The floor exhibits are being placed and labels are being printed. The tanks on the floor are being outfitted and water is being tested before fish are added. The opening is starting to feel palpable.

Yet so much is still to be done and a great deal of the building is off limits for staff because construction is on-going. Yet, so many still just want a little sneak peak. For this, there is one area with constant access albeit through technology. Three webcams have been placed in the new African penguin enclosure that now streams real time video footage. The enclosure sports a more natural rocky look and is twice the size of the penguin enclosure on Howard Street. The new residents at the end of African Hall are acclimating quite well to their new abode. The enclosure holds the 20 African penguins and they are now Academy ambassadors through our website. Views give a wide view of the enclosure, an underwater view and a handheld view from Pam Schaller, senior Aquatic Biologist and Penguin handler.

Along with streaming video, the Academy penguin-cam page features a blog updated by Pam about penguin behavior and research. Amongst the blog tidbits include observations of penguin courting and unusual markings on Ocio, one of the penguins. But you don't have to take my word for it – you can visit yourself and spend some time with the Academy African penguins by visiting here.