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

Look! Up in the night sky! It’s a bird! It’s a bloodsucker! No, it is a beneficial friend, the bat!

Bats have been around for about 50 million years and are among the earth’s oldest animals: they also are some of the most misunderstood. Because they are nocturnal and strange looking, people have associated bats with evil things for centuries. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, bats play a very important role in the economic and environmental health of the world.

In rain forests and deserts, bats are some of the most important pollinators of plants. Without bat pollinators, the wild varieties of many foods we eat: avocados, bananas, cashews, mangoes and peaches couldn’t grow.

Fruit eating bats spread seeds as they fly and digest. As natural insect controls, they can’t be beat. One bat can eat up to 600 mosquitoes in one hour!

There are nearly 1000 species of bats worldwide, most of which live in tropical regions, like our very own Flying Foxes at The Oakland Zoo. Forty three species live in the US. In fact, almost a quarter of the world’s mammals are bats! Bats are the only mammal that can fly and are in a special order called Chiroptera, which means “Hand wing.” Bat wings are actually membranes of skin that stretch between their hands and legs. Bats give birth to helpless young and are breast fed milk by their mothers.

The nine Bay Area counties are a veritable haven for bats. To join the ranks of bat-watchers, head to a favorite outdoor spot at sunset anytime between May and October. Visit Sunol Regional Wilderness, Tilden Regional Park, or Foothills Open Space Preserve. Stroll the campuses at Berkeley or Stanford, or the beach at Bolinas, Pescadero, or Fort Funston. Sit beside one of the lakes in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park or find an open spot in downtown Martinez. The shadows you see in flight may be any of 14 species found in the Bay Area–from the ubiquitous little brown, big brown, or Mexican free-tailed bats, to the diminutive western pipistrelles and sparrow-sized hoary bats.

Over the past 150 years, as development has altered the California landscape, bats have faced the loss of roosting sites and the destruction of woodlands and waterways where they feed. Like birds, bats have been devastated by the use of pesticides that kill off their prey, contaminate water sources, and accumulate in their body tissues. Our beneficial friends are in trouble! You can help California bats by putting up bat houses, or joining a conservation group like Bat Conservation International www.batcon.org.

Check out http://flyingfur.typepad.com for more bat blogging.

*Editor’s note: This is not to be confused with “Bay Area Bites,” KQED’s award-winning food and wine blog, which is going strong.

Amy Gotliffe is Conservation Manager at The Oakland Zoo.

latitude: 37.7502, longitude: -122.148