3 • 2008 - Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo

Quarterly Magazine of the
Bermuda Zoological Society
&
Atlantic
Conservation Partnership
“To
inspire
appreciation
and care of
island
environments”
CONTENTS
1 The Power of One
3 Membership &
Development
4 Aquarium News
6 Museum News
8 Zoo News
10 Marine Operations
11 New Members
12 Education
14 Volunteers
16 The Bermuda
Lionfish Project
18 Enviro Chat
19 Gift Shop Goodies
20 Membership Sign Up
Volume 31
Number 3 • 2008
$1
On April 16 and 17, seventy student delegates from more than thirty public
and private schools throughout the island attended this year’s two-day
Environmental Youth Conference entitled “The Power of One”.
Students were inspired to appreciate the difference that they could make
individually to help protect the environment.
This event was organised by the Bermuda Zoological Society (BZS) and
sponsored by the Ernest E. Stempel Foundation; the venue was the
Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo and it was supported by the
Department of Conservation Services and the Bermuda National Trust.
This was the fifth biennial event held in Bermuda and students aged ten and up
had the opportunity to meet many of Bermuda’s local scientists and eco-heroes.
They also took part in workshops designed to give them hands-on experience in
conservation projects. For many of the delegates this was the first time that they
had really explored Bermuda and they were given only one responsibility; to learn
as much as they could about the environment and to consider ways in which they
could protect it. This conference also provided a chance to showcase some of the
more secluded natural areas in Bermuda including the Alfred Blackburn Smith
Reserve and the exploration of Harrington Sound by boat.
continued next page
“To inspire appreciation and care of island environments”
1
The keynote speaker for this year’s conference was research development
Manager Sophie Benbow, of the award-winning marine
research group Blue Ventures in
Madagascar. Ms.
Benbow had recently
returned from
Madagascar and was
eager to inspire our local
delegates with stories
of what others are doing
around the world to protect
the environment. The Blue
Ventures organization is
a great example of “The
Power of One” because it
is the result of two college
students who dared to dream
Visiting the new
about how they could protect
Recycling Plant
the marine environment in that
part of the world. Bermuda
Zoological Society and the Bermuda Aquarium,
Museum & Zoo look forward to working with
Blue Ventures in the future.
The Environment Minister, the Hon. Elvin James
JP, MP, was on hand to give an official
welcome at the beginning of the conference
and also presented
certificates to
each student at the
event’s closing
ceremonies at
the Bermuda
Underwater
Exploration
Institute on Friday,
April 18.
“One thing that
was evident across
Trash cleanup on
the board was the
railway trail
high level of environmental awareness
amongst the delegates. They were very eager to learn
ways in which they could actively get involved and
make a difference. So, although there is much more
environmental education that needs to take place, it
is encouraging to take note that the eco-heroes of
tomorrow are listening and learning.
I believe that with our continued encouragement
and support, the youth today will be
well-equipped to face the environmental
challenges of tomorrow.”
Joseph Furbert
Education Officer
2
Square foot
gardening
GPS (global
positioning system )
& GIS (geographic
information system)
workshop
Fish conservation
in Bermuda
Making new friends
“To inspire appreciation and care of island environments”
Photos:
Lynn Thorne
membership & development
Thank you,
Ross “Blackie” Talbot Charity Classic!
The BZS is proud to announce we have received a cheque for $67,000 — our
proceeds from the highly successful Ross “Blackie” Talbot Charity Classic Raffle.
The funds will go towards supporting vital BZS education and conservation
programmes, which benefit thousands of local schoolchildren and the whole
Bermuda community.
We would like to sincerely thank the Ross “Blackie” Talbot Charity Classic for
selecting BZS as one of five beneficiary charities this year. A big thanks also
goes to all our volunteers, BZS members and the public for supporting BZS
efforts to make the raffle drive such a success. Thank you!
Lynda Johnson
Development Officer
“To inspire appreciation and care of island environments”
3
aquarium news
Venom versus Poison
The earth’s oceans are teeming with creatures sporting a variety of weapons and defences ranging from
the obvious, like great size and sharp teeth, to the bizarre like ‘size disguise’ and jet propulsion. In a world
where it’s eat or be eaten, only those with the greatest assets (and the skills to use them) can survive and
it’s not always the biggest and the strongest. A particularly potent weapon utilised by sea creatures is toxin.
We know how effective toxin can be when used offensively as demonstrated by snakes and spiders but it is
equally as effective when used as a deterrent as demonstrated by toadstools and poison dart frogs. To clarify
the biological usage of toxin; something is said to be poisonous if it is consumed or absorbed and venomous
if it is injected (e.g. by a bite or sting).
Spotted scorpionfish (Scorpaena plumierl)
The use of toxin is advantageous in a
number of ways. It enables weaker
less agile predators to immobilise
larger or more agile prey; it can be
used in defence when threatened
or attacked and it can be used as a
deterrent to predators who learn that
consuming that toxic creature can
have disastrous effects. The two
most common biological toxins are
neurotoxins which disrupt nerve
functions and haematoxins which
destroy red blood cells.
4
The ocean is also home to some of
the world’s most powerful toxins.
It can be found in some of the
smallest organisms like algae up
to larger creatures like stingrays.
Luckily, Bermuda is considered to
be extremely safe when it comes to
the exposure of humans to marine
toxins. Sea snakes, stonefish, blue
ringed octopus and box jellyfish are
just some of the potential dangers
found abundantly in other parts
of the world that can be deadly to
bathers. Local toxic reactions range
from mostly mild to occasionally
severe with the cnidarians (corals,
anemones and jellyfish) making
up the bulk of the offending
culprits. Fire coral, a hydroid, is
a local resident that has spoiled an
unsuspecting bather’s swim from
time to time but the perennial ‘watch
out’ for nasty is the Portuguese mano-war. This jellyfish floats around
the world in tropical seas, a slave to
the wind. Their toxin is quite painful
“To inspire appreciation and care of island environments”
aquarium news
as many a Bermudian can attest to.
Their tentacles can potentially reach
120ft in length and keep on stinging
even after the animal has been
stranded upon a beach.
Of particular concern recently are
the venomous lionfish which have
somehow made it to our shores
from the Pacific. A member of the
scorpionfish family (with stonefish
and scorpionfish), this invasive can
inflict a painful, nasty wound from
venom delivered through long dorsal
and pectoral spines. Interestingly,
its relative the spotted scorpionfish,
is native to Bermuda and is also
capable of producing the same
wounds; but, there has been
little record of people
getting stung by
them here.
Many marine toxins
are neurotoxic in
their effect. They
are mostly made up
of complex molecules,
peptides and/or enzymes
and can be denatured or
made less effective when
exposed to excessive
heat. One of the best
remedies for a sting is to
immerse the affected area in the
hottest water tolerable for as long as
possible as opposed to the emptying
of one’s bladder.
Various marine algae produce
toxins. When some algae bloom
in large numbers they can produce
what is known as a red tide due to
their making the water red in colour
although other colours are also
possible. Toxins are released by
the algae during a red tide causing
massive fish and other organism
die-offs. Some dinoflagellate
algae produce ciguatoxin which,
in very small amounts, is harmless
to humans; however, ciguatoxin
can bio-accumulate in fish flesh
through grazing of the algae by
herbivores which are in turn eaten by
carnivores. The fish at the top of the
food chain will have higher levels
of the toxin in their bodies than
organisms lower in the chain making
them unfit for human consumption.
Humans eating fish with high levels
of this toxin, like barracuda, can
suffer from ciguatera poisoning.
secretes thick mucus when it feels
threatened which can froth up
the water like soap. This mucus
contains the toxin grammistin which
is toxic to other fish. Another fish
found in Bermuda with a similar
defense mechanism is the smooth
trunkfish whose mucus contains
the toxin ostracitoxin. Taking the
dose to ‘lethal to human’ level
are Tetraodontidae fish (puffers).
The bodies of these fish contain
tetrodotoxin, a powerful neurotoxin
also found in blue ringed octopus
making them active ingredients in
a last meal. Consumption of these
fish is strongly discouraged although
some areas of the world prepare
pufferfish as a delicacy called fugu.
The chefs that do this must go
through years of special
training to learn how
to prepare the fish
properly yet, in
Japan alone,
several people
die every year
just from eating
ill-prepared fugu.
The most lethal
toxins are produced by
Fire coral (Millepora alcicornis)
the box jellyfish, which
is common off north
Cone snails are slow moving marine
eastern Australia. Many people die
snails which are highly efficient
every year from their stings as they
predators capable even of hunting
are difficult to see and the most
lethal ones have no antivenin.
fish. These animals have special
barbed harpoons loaded with
conotoxin which they fire into their
One should never rule out the ‘little
guy’ when it comes to danger in the
prey to immobilise it so that they
can then consume them. Their shells
ocean, but be content that swimming
are often collected by unsuspecting
in Bermuda is more like ‘a day at the
people out shell collecting. This is
beach’ than playing Russian roulette.
when humans tend to get injured,
The ocean has been central to the
sometimes fatally. Live cone snails
development of our island and, for
should never be handled, even with
the most part, it’s been a very safe
gloves.
place to be.
The greater soapfish, in the grouper
family, gets its name because it
Patrick Talbot
Photos: Patrick Talbot
“To inspire appreciation and care of island environments”
Head Aquarist
5
museum news
Invasive plants threaten our biodiversity
There are a few plants in Bermuda that you really should make the effort to know better.
Which plants are these, you might ask? In a word, invasives!
Invasive plants are plants that were introduced to the island. They self-seed and spread aggressively and
“ultimately out-compete or over-shade virtually everything else and become monopolistic;
and monopolies mean loss of biodiversity.” 1
Asparagus fern is a very visible example of a monopolistic plant. It forms a virtual curtain of foliage on the rock walls
of most of our public roads. In nature reserves it often forms a ‘carpet’ of vegetation, covering and smothering other
plants such as grasses that would otherwise provide food, in the form of seeds, for a number of our native and migratory
bird species.
Several government departments are actively working to reduce the negative impact of invasive plants on the island’s
biodiversity but they can’t do it alone. It is becoming increasingly important that members of the public learn to recognize
invasive plants and get involved in removing them from the landscape — starting with the property on which they live.
I encourage people to:
1) commit to making their properties more biodiversity friendly, and
2) embark on a plan to remove, over time, any invasives, replacing them with more suitable plants that
will support our native and migratory fauna (birds, bats, dragonflies and butterflies).
Some other plants invasive in Bermuda include:
Brazil/Mexican pepper .................... Schinus terebinthifolius
Asparagus fern .......................... Asparargus densiflorus
Clerodendrum sp. .......................(unidentified at this time)
Chinese fan palm............................Livistonia chinensis
Indian laurel ..................................... Ficus retusa
Umbrella tree ............................. Brassaia actinophylla
Bridal fern ................................. Asparagus setaceus
Sickle thorn .............................. Asparagus cf. falcatus
Pothos vine ................................ Epipremnum aureum
Mother-in-Law’s Tongue ........................Sansevieria spp.
Giant balloon vine ........................... Cardiospermum sp.
Casuarina............................... Casuarina equisetifolia
Common morning glory ............................ Ipomoea sp.
Wedelia...................................... Wedelia trilobata
Madagascar buddleia ..................Buddleia madagascariensis
Elaeagnus ......................................Elaeagnus spp.
Pride of India................................. Melia azedarach
If you’re not sure what these plants look like, the reference libraries at BAMZ and the Botanical Gardens are a great
source of information on Bermuda’s flora, plants in general, invasive plants, gardening for wildlife and much more. Call
to make an appointment. If you have access to the Internet, you can go to Google, click on “images” and put the scientific
name (in quotation marks) into the search field. In most cases, you will get a lot of photographs of the plant.
6
“To inspire appreciation and care of island environments”
museum news
As the song goes……Getting to know you……
Known to many people in Bermuda as schefflera (Brassaia actinophylla), this popular ornamental is also
known as the umbrella tree, the Australian or Queensland umbrella tree, the octopus tree and starleaf.
Native to Queensland, Australia, it was introduced to Bermuda as an ornamental. It
now spreads naturally and is considered naturalized, verging on invasive. It is
becoming common to see seedlings of schefflera growing out of walls and in
crevices in trees.
An umbrella tree can grow up to forty feet high and has a single,
upright trunk with upright branches. Its large leaves are made up of
seven to sixteen shiny oblong leathery leaflets, all attached to a central
point at branch ends. Each leaflet is four to twelve inches long.
A kiskadee delights in picking and
eating an umbrella tree’s fruit
The umbrella tree
The umbrella tree bears its flowers on stiff
branches which radiate out and up from
the top of the trunk. These floral branches
are two feet long and bear round heads of
small red flowers and look like an octopus’s
suckers. The fruit, which follow the flower,
contain ten to twelve one-seeded dark
purple nuts and are very popular with pest
birds like starlings and kiskadees. The
birds (the vector for dispersing scheflerra
throughout the island) eat the fruit and
spread the seeds, islandwide, in their
droppings. Because it grows quickly,
schefflera is often planted by people
unaware of the threat the tree poses to the
island’s biodiversity.
Casuarina (Casuarina equisetifolia)
Well-known as the tree used to re-forest Bermuda after the loss of the cedar in the 1950s, casuarina
is less well-known as a significant invasive that threatens the island’s coastline by increasing coastal
erosion. Casuarina’s rapid growth, salt spray resistance and evergreen foliage seemed to make it the
ideal replacement for the cedar. Moreover, it does not readily self-seed in Bermuda’s soil1. However, it
does self-seed in disturbed sand and coastal rocks. The small seeds are carried by the wind and water and
some are, inevitably, deposited into cracks in coastal rocks and on our beaches where many germinate and
proceed to grow very quickly. Take a walk in almost any coastal area, and you’ll see casuarina seedlings
springing up all over the place.
David Wingate wrote in 2003 that “casuarina now threatens to become dominant on the coastline including even our
beaches! Unlike the native coastal flora which grows prostrate and doesn’t obscure the vistas of the sea, the casuarina
continues to grow tall and straight even in this environment. Where they are rooted in soft rock the levering effect of
strong winds causes them to break off large sections of cliff, thus hastening coastal erosion.” Today, casuarina is rapidly
taking over the coastal habitat and, from the water, large white areas of coast (the result of recent cliff falls) are becoming
a more common sight.
Staff have begun to remove scheflerra and casuarinas from the BAMZ property and are replanting with more suitable,
non-invasive plants.
Lisa Greene
Collections Officer
Photos: Jill Raine & Debbie Boyer
1
“To inspire appreciation and care of island environments”
David Wingate, Bermuda Sun Oct. 3, 2003
7
zoo news
Zoo Update
The pace in the Zoo has definitely stepped up with the heat of summer bearing down upon us.
Several ongoing projects have given staff the opportunity to practice their teamwork
by making improvements to animal exhibits. Fortunately for us we have the help of
interns, and dedicated volunteers, who take care of animal husbandry and
help with behavioural enrichment and diet preparation as needed.
Binturongs
Our two male binturongs, Kuma and Sakura, are
eagerly anticipating some new exhibit furniture
to scratch up and scent mark. The complete
restructuring of an enclosure is a great way
to keep an animal’s surroundings fresh,
and this inevitably stimulates an increase
in activity. Head keeper Robin Marirea
is busy with new plans for the area
which will satisfy the species’ needs.
Binturongs, or Asian bearcats, spend
much of their time in the wild moving
about slowly in dense forest canopy.
Because of their frugivorous (mainly
fruit) diet they are considered important
seed dispersers but deforestation in their
native Asia has unfortunately caused
bearcat numbers to fall.
Training and Enrichment Committee
The newly formed BAMZ Training and
Enrichment Committee has been lending
support to the binturong enrichment
programme with great success. Staff members
across all departments have come together to
form a committee dedicated to the psychological
well-being of our animals. Monthly meetings and
Kuma and Sakura
brainstorming
sessions are helping to keep this important
our binturongs (Arctictis binturong)
area of animal care a top priority. Volunteers are crucial in
the observation part of the process having spent several hours
recording all activity observed in a selected exhibit every five minutes. The catalogue of behaviours, referred
to as an ethogram, help to determine what type of enrichment or training plan is most suitable for that animal.
Kuma and Sakura particularly enjoy finding delicious grapes and figs hidden throughout their exhibit as part
of their enrichment programme. Our goal in this example was to stimulate natural foraging behaviour but the
options available to us are wide ranging from sensory, foraging, structural or manipulating, just to name a few.
Photo: Jermiko Dillas
8
“To inspire appreciation and care of island environments”
zoo news
Animal Forecasters
Hurricane Bertha quickly whipped the
zookeepers into shape with its arrival
this July. Given several days warning
there was plenty of time to batten down
the hatches and ensure the safety of our
inhabitants. The animals, oblivious
to the weather warnings, were wise to
the impending danger as their strange
behaviour suggested. Unlike most people,
animals are finely tuned in to fluctuations
in barometric (air) and hydrostatic (water)
pressure and any major changes will
activate a series of survival mechanisms.
At BAMZ, the flamingo flock grew tighter
and parrots sought shelter in low lying
Parrots sought shelter in low lying areas
areas. Some mammals like the binturongs
grew defensive and acted erratically as the
pressure dropped. Were they predicting disaster? It’s a common believe in many parts of the world that animals
have forecast imminent threats like earthquakes long before people, though the science behind this phenomenon
has yet to be understood.
Reptiles
Being cold-blooded, or ectothermic, reptiles become more active during the summer months as temperatures
rise. This means turning off the heat lamps they require over winter and increasing their weekly diet that
usually consists of rodents. The endangered radiated tortoises can now be found cohabiting with the ring-tailed
lemurs after having spent the cooler months inside. These four juveniles have been growing up in the Zoo since
they came to us three years ago. Providing them with a special herbivore diet and correct reptile care will help
them to reach a maximum 16 inches and 35 pounds. Recently the tortoises were given an annual health check
from Aquarium and Zoo curator, Dr. Ian Walker. For most animals this involves a brief sedation followed by a
physical examination. Faecal samples reveal any intestinal parasites and often an X-ray is taken. Once a clean
bill of health is declared the patients are returned to their exhibits after a short recovery period. We hope our
radiated tortoises will live happily to a complete lifespan of forty years.
Be sure to look out for our team of encounter animals: Stimpy, the blue and gold macaw; Chico, the crested
gecko; Sigma, the boa constrictor and Atticus, the ball python! These are the animals that love to come
outside and interact with visitors who walk through the Zoo. Being this close to an exotic animal and learning
something new always seems to leave a lasting impression.
We wish to say a big thank you to all of our trusted zoo volunteers and interns. This month we are sad to say
goodbye to Ben Outerbridge and Lauren Vincent. We wish them all the best and hope to see them again soon in
the Zoo.
Claire Porteous
Senior Zookeeper
Photo: Claire Porteous
“To inspire appreciation and care of island environments”
9
marine operations
The Algae Guys
For a number of years now, Drs. Craig Schneider (Trinity College) and Chris Lane
Dalhousie) have been coming to Bermuda to study algae. Craig began his work as a
graduate student with Dr. Rick Searles in 1970 (Duke University) and made his first trip
to the island in 1983. Chris Lane, who was Craig’s undergraduate student in the late 1990s,
went on to earn his Ph.D. at the University of New Brunswick under Dr. Gary Saunders.
The two have worked together on the study of Bermuda’s algae since 1999.
I began working with Craig when I
joined the Marine Operations team in
1997. Although I have learned plenty
about algae I can’t say that I share
their enthusiasm for these marine
plants. To me algae are what you
move out of the way in search
of more interesting creatures, such
as fish!
are the autotrophic (food making)
component of plankton. Plankton is
the foundation of many aquatic food
chains, supporting an abundance
of animals from the tiny hogmouth
fry (Anchoa choerstoma) to whale
sharks (Rincodon typus). The larger
macro-algae are what the ‘algae
guys’ work on.
So what are algae, and why are they
so important that someone would
devote a large portion of their life
to studying them? Algae are a
diverse group of simple to complex
organisms. Like most plants they
are able to utilize sunlight to make
their own food through a process
known as photosynthesis. There are
two general classifications of algae:
micro-algae (that which is only
visible through a microscope) and
macro-algae (that which is visible
to the naked eye). Micro-algae
Since Craig has been coming to
the island, he has found a number
of new genera and species, and
many taxa not previously recorded
in Bermuda; over seventy-five in
number. Chris Flook, our collector
of specimens has helped him to
locate many of these species. Chris
is renowned for his extraordinary
knowledge of Bermuda’s marine
environment and his uncanny ability
to seek out and capture almost any
specimen requested. It is because of
his invaluable input that Craig and
Chris have named one of the three
new species in their latest submission
to the journal Phycologia after him,
Botryocladia flookii. This species is
a member of the genus commonly
known as sea grapes and the new
one will simply be called Flook’s
sea grapes. It appeared in several
Aquarium display tanks in February
2008, along with the other two
new species of Botryocladia—B.
bermudana and B. exquisita. Take a
look and find sea grapes in
our displays!
LeeAnne Hinton
Marine Operations
Manager
Algae collecting
10
“To inspire appreciation and care of island environments”
Botryocladia flookii
Photos: Dr. Craig Schneider & LeeAnne Hinton
new members
Welcome New Members
With assistance from over 4,000 supporters, the BZS promotes conservation education by working
with the local community, government and other organizations to protect and manage our natural
environment, fund conservation efforts and raise public awareness.
The Bermuda Zoological Society would like to welcome the following new members
for the period March 1 through May 31, 2008.
We look forward to you visiting us at the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo.
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Abbott
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Ainsworth
Mr. and Mrs. Chris Allington
Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Almeida
Mr. Fred Armstrong and
Ms Jasmine Daniels
Ms Gloria Bacsa
Mr. and Mrs. Leon Bean
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Beilstein
Mr. and Mrs. Keith Bernhard
Mr. and Mrs. Mirko Biondi
Ms Lisa Bishop
Mr. and Mrs. Karan Bisht
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Bolt
Mr. and Mrs. Devarr Boyles
Ms Nicole Brockington
Mr. and Mrs. Warren Brown
Mr. and Mrs. Sergio Burgess
Ms Shannah Butterfield
Mr. and Mrs. Jai Cadenio
Mr. Keoki Cann and Ms Stacey Hall
Mr. and Mrs. Chris Caponigro
Mr. and Mrs. David Cassidy
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Chevallier-Cooke
Mr. and Mrs. Philippe Chevereau
Ms Denise Clark
Mr. and Mrs. Evard Cole
Ms Terrilynn Cox
Mr. Edward-Troy Darrell and
Ms Deshan Thompson
Mr. Larry Davis
Ms Elizabeth Denman
Ms Georgina Dill
Mr. and Mrs. Fraser Dodd
Ms Narinder Dosanjh
Mr. and Mrs. James Douglas
Ms Keeva Douglas
Ms Kendra Dowling
Ms Kim Eugenia Michel Dowling
Ms Alikeh Doyle
Mr. and Mrs. Gary Dunn
Mr. and Mrs. John Dunne
Mr. Ramesh Ekanayake
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Evans
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Felix
Mr. and Mrs. Fernando Ferreira
Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Foggo
Mr. and Mrs. Duane Frances
Ms Aneika Francis
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Francis
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Fraser
Mr. and Mrs. Allan Fray
Mr. Carlton Fubler
Mr. and Mrs. Gary Garnett
Mr. and Mrs. Eric Gesick
Ms Mia Gibbons
Ms Simone Gibbons
Mr. and Mrs. Belhadri Haffar
Mr. and Mrs. Sean Hassell
Ms Michelle Heise
Ms Melanie Hopper
Mr. Nicholas Hughes and Ms Storey
Mr. Corville Hylton
Mr. Bradley Issler
Ms Nina Jacobs
Mr. and Mrs. Lionel Jean-Marie
Mr. and Mrs. Dan Johnson
Ms Eulene Jones
Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Judd
Mr. and Mrs. William Kempe
Mr. and Mrs. Owen Keserel
Ms Judith King and Mr. James Emery
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Kinseley
Ms Judith Anne Lait
Mr. and Mrs. Barrie Langan
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Lavery
Mrs. Nelsalene Lespere
Mr. and Mrs. Darrin Lewis
Ms Shelley Lewis
Ms Joan Lombardozzi
Ms Jennifer Looby
Mr. and Mrs. Coleridge Lowe
Ms Stephanie Lynam
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Lyons
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew MacFarlane
Mr. and Mrs. Mark MacInnes
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Maliabur
Ms Carmela Mallari
Mr. and Mrs. Ricky Mallory
Mr. and Mrs. Merley Manzueta
Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Mason
Mr. Michael McColm
Ms Elsa McKain
Ms Debbie Mello
Mr. and Mrs. Steven Millington
Ms Suzanne Moniz
Ms Moira Mundy
Ms Chaira Nannini
Ms Tammica Nesbitt
Mr. Jonathan Northcott and
Ms Feven Binega-Northcott
Mr. and Mrs. Kirk Outerbridge
Ms Leslena Outerbridge
Mr. and Mrs. Shawn Outerbridge
Ms Christine Pai
Ms Tianna Paiva
Ms Olive Pantry
Ms Ana Catarina Parkin
Ms Victoria R.M. Pearman
Mr. and Mrs. Craig Perry
Ms Lisa Perry
Ms Melanie Philibert
Ms Carmelita Pitcher
Mr. and Mrs. Feliks Podgatts
Rev. W. David Raths
Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Rawdon
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Raynor
Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Raynor
Mr. Thomas Reisinger
Mr. and Mrs. Neil Robb
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Roberts
Mr. and Mrs. Alex Robinson-Potts
Mr. Larry Rogers
Mr. and Mrs. Eckart Roth
Ms Julia Rutland
Ms Naiafe Ruzgal
“To inspire appreciation and care of island environments”
Ms Vita Sanchez-Wales
Ms Josephine Sarmiento
Mr. Paul Sawden
Ms Rachel Sawden
Mr. and Mrs. Christian Schoen
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Sedwick
Ms Sanali Senanayake
Mr. and Mrs. Blair Simmons
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Simmons
Ms Keita-Roy Simons
Ms Alana Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Jared Smith
Mr. Kieshon Smith and Ms Deborah Trott
Mr. and Mrs. Roger Smith
Ms Margarita Solarte
Ms Kathy Somner
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Spencer
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Steede
Ms Karima Stevens
Ms Katrina Stevens
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Summerville
Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Swan
Ms Natalie La-Verne Talbot
Ms Judy Teart
Ms Terry Lynn Thompson
Ms Danilee Trott
Ms Victoria Charmaine Trott
Ms Anne Van Der Molen
Ms Rebecca Van Homan
Mr. and Mrs. Riian Visser
Ms Nicole Waldron
Mr. and Mrs. James Weir
Mr. and Mrs. Tom Weist
Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Wilken
Mr. and Mrs. Dwayne Williams
Ms Rachael Willitt
Mr. Dupre Pierre Wilmot
Ms Cyrlene Wilson
Mr. and Mrs. Tom Worthington-White
Mr. and Mrs. Reeve Young
Ms Valerie Young
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Zorrero-Wenk
11
education
In the Eyes of the Interpreter
The subject of interpretation has more than one manifestation, most often the immediate mental
picture is of a person who serves as an oral translator between people speaking different languages.
In the tour guiding world, the term takes on a different and more subtle application as the guide’s
duty to the recipient is to excite the senses and convey a depth of understanding that will linger well
beyond the experience and, ideally, radiate outward to friends and family. As we know in life, not
all things are as simple as they may seem and, characteristically, there is complex meaning to the
actions and behaviour of all the earth’s inhabitants. Tour guides, who interpret exhibits whether they
are living or inanimate, help to identify and explain the reasons for the actions as we know them,
supported by the ever evolving body of scientific research.
There are creative and engaging methods to
communicate knowledge by way of artistic
representation in music and live performances
where a learning lesson can be embedded within the
entertainment factor. Responsible animal encounters
or nature theatre also provides an opportunity for
people to conquer their fears and approach animals in
a more realistic
and calm state
of mind. The
visitor then walks
away with a
more pleasurable
experience burned
into their memory
rather than simply
strolling through
the exhibits
without an
interpretive guide
to amplify the
occasion.
Here at the
Aquarium, Natural History
Museum and Zoo you can
join in the fun of the:
North Rock Diver-in-the-Tank
(1:10 pm) and Harbour Seal
Feeding (1:30 pm daily from
April through September).
Check us out on Tuesdays and
Thursdays for a Ring-tailed
Lemur Feeding at 12:00 noon,
Tuesdays a Tortoise Encounter at
12:30 pm and Thursdays a Ball
Python Encounter at 2:00 pm.
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Keep an eye out for our Critter Carts in the Aquarium
and Caribbean exhibit areas featuring touchable
specimens and cool facts… did you know, the ocean
sunfish (Mola mola) is the heaviest known bony fish
in the world, can grow 800 lbs. in little over a year and
has an average adult weight of 2,200 lbs? Delight, too,
in our interactive exhibit fun in the Natural History
Museum. We also offer
facility and behind the
scenes tours per request
along with eco-tours to
our island’s distinctively
charming, natural gems —
the ones we need to protect!
Lynn Thorne
Interpretive Tours Coordinator
The interpretive guide’s
duty to the visitors is
to excite the senses
and convey a depth of
understanding that will
linger well beyond the
experience and, ideally,
radiate outward
to friends and family.
“To inspire appreciation and care of island environments”
Photos: Lynn Thorne
education
OFFSHOOTS of the 2008 Youth Conference
Local students Jahmali Bridgewater, 10, of Gilbert Institute, and Noah Beek, 11, from Warwick Academy
were selected to represent Bermuda at the 2008 Tunza International Children’s Conference
organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Stavanger, Norway June 17 to 21.
The conference theme was “A Climate for Change.” Both students’ attendance at the conference was
sponsored by BZS through the Ernest E. Stempel Foundation.
Interested Primary 6
student delegates (aged
10 and 11) who attended
“The Power of One”
Environmental Youth
Conference were invited
to fill out an application
form and write an essay
that included research
information on the city
of Stavanger, as well as
a convincing appeal as
to why they should be
selected to attend. I am
l to r: Bermuda representatives: Noah Beek and Jahmali Bridgewater
thrilled that Jahmali and
Noah were chosen and am confident that they will
represent Bermuda well at this conference.
The aim of the conference, according to UNEP, is to
increase children’s understanding of environmental
challenges, to demonstrate new ideas, to allow
children to express opinions, and inspire them
to think globally and act locally. In Norway, the
conference headquarters will be at the University
of Stavanger, in the Scandinavian city voted the
“European Capital of Culture in 2008.” Activities
over the five days will include workshops,
group discussions, and educational visits
to nature reserves, museums, and other
cultural sites. Finally, participants will
create a wish list of challenges that will be
sent to world leaders through the
United Nations.
This marks the fourth UNEP conference
attended by Bermudian students through the
BZS and the Stempel Foundation. Delegates
attended similar events in Brighton, England in
2000, Victoria, British
Columbia in 2002,
and New London,
Connecticut in 2004.
“I would like to take
this opportunity to
thank Mr. David
Hamshere of the
English Sports
Shop for graciously
sponsoring the official
delegate attire for
this conference”.
Joseph Furbert
Education Officer
Young people in their
national dress
Exploring Stavanger, Norway
“To inspire appreciation and care of island environments”
Photos: Tamara Coleman
13
volunteers
Corporate Volunteering at its Best
On May 21, 2008, the XL Group bombarded us with many helping hands during their Global Day
of Giving. The wonderful volunteers toiled their way through some pretty messy jobs with smiles
on their faces. Our staff really appreciated their help.
A diver collects loose algae in the North Rock tank
Some of the tasks they completed included:
Scrubbing of the walls in the North Rock tank
Tree clearance on the water side of the Caribbean exhibit
Algae clearance in the water reservoir
Scraping of walls behind Aquarium display tanks in
preparation for painting
´ Building of seventy Bluebird boxes
´ Labelling of “Critter Talk” for mailing
´ Cleaning and tree clearance in Discovery Cove
´
´
´
´
BAMZ and BZS are more than happy to organize your
company in a day of giving.
Contact our volunteer office at
293-2727 or
[email protected]
for information.
Joanne Chisnall
Volunteer Coordinator
14
Two fellas
clear algae off the
sides of the reservoir.
Salad anyone?
A kind lady helps with building
bluebird boxes
“To inspire appreciation and care of island environments”
volunteers
Turtle Scrubbers
Join the team and get an up close and personal encounter with our green sea turtles.
Once a month we scrub our turtles’ backs, removing any accumulated algal growth.
If you would like to help, contact the volunteer office at 293-2727 ext 130.
Next dates for scrubbing sessions are:
October 19 • November 9 • November 30 • December 21
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0
0
2
e
fl
f
Ra
Volunteers Needed for Raffle Fundraising Drive
The Annual Raffle is our number one fundraising drive.
The local business community
has donated many fabulous prizes.
Thank You!
Thank You!
Thank You!
Your help at the
Annual Exhibition
was so appreciated!
We are extremely grateful to
the seventy-eight volunteers
who donated 325 hours
manning the gates at the
Annual Exhibition.
Volunteers are needed
to stuff the mailing and to sell raffle tickets
for two hours on various days, including Saturdays.
Give an hour or two – All help is appreciated!
For more info. call 293 2727 ext. 130.
“To inspire appreciation and care of island environments”
Your time
has truly given
so very much
to the BZS
15
bermuda natural history news
The Conquering Lionfish — the Mane Problem!
Bermuda has always been
conscious of its delicate ecobalance. Some of the first laws
restricting the introduction of nonnative species date back to the early
1600s. So far we have managed
to ‘dodge the bullets’, but times
change.
I have been
collecting fish and
keeping fish tanks since I can
remember. I always wanted to
find new and exotic species to
display and study. Some of the
Pacific species seemed so beautiful
and different and completely
unattainable. Bermuda’s ban on
importation of live marine species
prevented me from having any of
these foreign critters. One species
always caught my eye, the lionfish.
Beautiful, poisonous and easy to
keep — a young boy’s ideal pet!
Times change, however, and
now I no longer desire these
devastating invaders.
The Atlantic is in trouble and, yep,
humans are responsible. Two
species of lionfish (Pterios volitans
and P. miles) from the Indo-Pacific
region have established themselves
in the Atlantic. The pet shop trade is
the big culprit.
16
Some 750-thousand lionfish are
imported every year into Florida
alone. Accidental releases from
hurricanes and owner’s “Oh, it’s only
one” mindset when releasing pets
into the ocean that have outgrown
their tanks, have thrown the Atlantic
into turmoil.
The earliest reports of lionfish
seen in the Atlantic go
back to the late 1970s.
However, one or
two fish probably
were not enough
to establish
a breeding
population. As
more have
been released
we have now
passed the
point of no
return. There
are several other species of
fish that are becoming more and more
common in the Florida area, and
unless we can stop this unacceptable
behaviour of juggling species around
the world, more will come.
Lionfish pose a real threat to the
Atlantic. They are at the top of the
food chain and breed unbelievably
fast. Recently I was invited to team
up with a group of scientists and
environmentalists on two expeditions
to the Bahamas, to study the effect
of these devastating predators — and
what I saw left me speechless.
In the constant warm conditions of
the Bahamas, female lionfish dump
about thirty-thousand eggs into
the sea every month! Within one
year these offspring begin breeding
themselves. Compare that to three
to five years for native coneys,
graysbys and hinds, and twenty to
thirty years for groupers. Lionfish
will eat anything that moves. They
particularly favour cleaning stations
where, with little effort, they stuff
themselves with local fish. Sharks,
groupers, moray eels and other apex
predators won’t eat them. This has
left some areas in Nassau, Bahamas
with the lionfish being the dominant
fish on the reef! The only way
lionfish could be worse is if they
grew to six feet long.
In their natural environment of the
Indo-Pacific, thousands of years of
experience has caused the prey fish
to develop a sense of respect for
these indiscriminate eaters. Lionfish
have to work a lot harder for their
food than with the naive juveniles
of the Atlantic. Their population is
exploding at an incredible rate and
some countries are very concerned.
The Bahamian government sees
lionfish as a real threat to their
commercial fishing industry.
Lionfish are here to stay and the
Atlantic will, (it’s just a matter
of time), lose certain vulnerable
species. Nothing is off their menu.
Shrimps, crabs, fish and even
moving fragments of algae have been
observed sliding down the throat of a
gluttonous lionfish.
Enough ‘doom and gloom’! BAMZ,
in partnership with the Department
of Environmental Protection, has
undertaken a bold and inspiring
approach to this potentially
devastating invasion. At this point
Bermuda is behind in the invasion,
but definitely ahead on management.
Special licences have been created
and issued to help learn more about
these fish and to potentially manage
their population. Three major factors
are without a doubt in our favour:
“To inspire appreciation and care of island environments”
bermuda natural history news
Our Size: 200 square miles of reef
platform is a relatively small area to
manage, compared to the east coast
of the States, or even the Bahamas,
which have 100-thousand square
miles of reef platform.
Resources: Many more people have
boats and many divers and fishermen
(both commercial and recreational)
are out on the water on any given
weekend in relation to our size.
Seasonal Temperature Variation:
Our winter temperatures get
cool enough to stop lionfish from
spawning all year, as compared to
the constant warm temperatures in
the Caribbean.
equipment to catch these unique and
greedy creatures.
We will never eradicate them,
however, if we can successfully keep
them out of known nursery areas,
we might have species other than
the lionfish in the future. This could
play a huge role in the future, where
fisheries and tourism
are concerned.
If you see a lionfish, please report
it to lionfi[email protected] or 293 4464
ext. 820. Do not touch or harass
these fish! Their venom is carried in
their spines. I have been stung twice
and I can tell you it is very painful.
The pain rages for about an hour and
the swelling is instantaneous. It took
about two months for the swelling
to settle down, and now, six months
I cannot stress
enough how serious
this issue is. The
first lionfish
reported in Nassau
was around 2004.
In four years they
The unique dive flag for
warning and identification
Now, that’s eight in the bag that I’ve got. Next!
Photo: Ned DeLoach
Licensed cullers will be expected
to do the following: Complete a
training course to better understand
the behaviour and life history of the
lionfish; how to handle them safely;
keep in regular contact with fisheries
wardens; take in all captured lionfish
for analyses; fly a unique dive
flag from their boat for warning
and identification and use specific
have become so common you can
expect to see more than you can
count on any given dive! They have
cleaned out most of the smaller
species of fish on certain sites and
their range is constantly expanding.
later, I am still having
some complications with
the infected area. If
stung, place the wound in
hot (not scalding) water
and soak for as long as
possible. Seek medical
attention.
Note: the venom remains potent
for several days after lionfish are
dead. Children, elderly people
and those allergic to bee stings
should take particular care.
Lionfish have been found in very
shallow water and will take up
residence just about anywhere.
“To inspire appreciation and care of island environments”
Chris Flook
Collector of Specimens
& Lionfish Project Leader
Other Photos: Chris Flook
& Debbie Boyer
17
enviro-chat
Clothing gets the eco-friendly makeover!
Clothing is part of all our lives, whether we’re fashion conscious or purely practical.
Clothing is a product that has a very high impact on the environment.
The best way to lower the impact clothing has on the environment is to
reduce, reuse and recycle!
Reduce the amount of clothes you buy,
Reuse clothes by shopping at The Barn and other second-hand or vintage stores, and
Recycle by donating your unwanted clothes.
How should we go about choosing eco-friendly clothing? What if a clothing label gave us information on the
environmental, social and ethical impact that garment was having? Our decision making process would be so much
easier! The good news is that many retailers are waking up to the idea that their consumers, given the choice, will
buy eco-friendly clothing. Clothing is beginning to be marketed as eco-friendly, fair trade and green.
Here’s how to ensure you are purchasing eco-friendly clothing Try to avoid clothing made from acrylic, nylon and other synthetic fibres. All of these
contain plastic which could have toxic effects.
Choose organic cotton as opposed to regular cotton. Organic cotton farmers don’t use
pesticides and the dyes are generally less toxic.
Look for clothing made from eco-friendly fibres such as hemp, jute, ingeo, calico,
hessian cloth, recycled polyester, bamboo fibre, tencel, ramie, organic wool, organic
linen, FORTREL ecospun, milk silk, soy silk, nettle fibre and even spiderweb fabric!
Don’t be tempted to purchase no-iron cotton fabrics as these fabrics are often treated
with formaldehyde finishes. No-iron fabrics should always be washed before wearing
to remove excess finishes.
As well as the fabric used to make clothes, many clothes are dyed and/or have laminate
finishes. Clothing dyes pollute our waterways. Make sure you are purchasing ecofriendly finishes and dyes.
Look for clothing that has not been manufactured in sweatshops. This can be difficult
as there is very little monitoring. Some retailers are beginning to carry and advertise
fair trade lines of clothing.
As we become increasingly aware of the importance of purchasing eco-friendly clothing, demand will increase
and retailers will respond with increased product lines and eco-friendly clothing will replace the unsustainable
product lines.
Alison Green
Librarian
18
“To inspire appreciation and care of island environments”
gift shop
s
’
r
e
m
m
Su e!
Her
Get ‘fun & funky’ on the beach and:
Swim like a Dolphin,
Sparkle like a Mermaid,
Chomp like a Shark, or,
Glide like a Turtle
in our playfully fun, hooded beach towels — $20 ea.
“To inspire appreciation and care of island environments”
19
Quarterly Newsletter of the
Bermuda Zoological Society
and
Friends of the Bermuda Aquarium
NOTICE
PO Box FL 145
Flatts FL BX
Bermuda
Tel: (441)
Fax: (441)
or
(441)
Please keep in mind
children 12 & under must be
accompanied & supervised
by an adult
when visiting BAMZ
293 2727
293 3176
293 4014
Bermuda Zoological Society’s
Check Out the Bermuda Natural History Course, Sept. 18 — Oct. 23, 2008
The best, non-specialist course on Bermuda’s natural history
Thursday evenings, 6.30pm — 8.45pm
at the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo
Field Trips: Sunday afternoons 2.00pm — 4.30pm (Sept. 21 — Oct. 26 (Nov. 2 rain date))
Course Fee: BZS members $140 • Non-members $170
(Membership available at time of application)
Contact: 293 2727 ext. 116, Monday to Friday, 9.00am — 12 noon
E-mail: [email protected] • Website: www.bamz.org
sign up here!
BZS or ACP Membership Form
I wish to take out a _________________________ Membership at $ _______
Last name __________________ First Name(s) _______________________
Mailing Address __________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________ Post Code __________
Telephone No. (Home) __________________
(Work) __________________
e-mail __________________________________________________________
Children’s Names (under 18 years) ___________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Method of Payment
q Cash
q Cheque*
q Mastercard
(*Please make cheques payable to BZS or ACP)
q Visa
Debit/Credit Card # _______________________________________________
Expiry Date _____________________________________________________
Holder’s Name ___________________________________________________
Signature _____________________________________________________________
Mailing Address: Bermuda Zoological Society, PO Box FL 145, Flatts, Bermuda
Tel: (441) 293 2727 • Fax: (441) 293 4014
20
Student (13 – 18 yrs.) ............. $
15.00
Senior (65 ) .......................... $
15.00
Individual ............................... $
35.00
Killifish GRP (Grandparents). $
55.00
Killifish (Family) ................... $
55.00
Bermudiana ............................ $
150.00
Cahow .................................... $
250.00
Longtail .................................. $
550.00
+
Palmetto ................................. $ 1,000.00
Cedar ...................................... $ 2,500.00
Gift Memberships
are also available
For more information
call Peggy Frith:
293-2727 ext. 121
Remember, upon presentation of
your membership card
you save 10% in the Gift Shop!
Printed on recycled
paper appreciation
by Triangle Press
Limited
Design:
Deborah Boyer 1994 — 2008
“To inspire
and care
of •island
environments”