Why Are Lemon Sharks Called Lemon Sharks?

Lemon sharks might not be as famous as other shark species (looking at you, white sharks and hammerheads), but they’re an important part of the Atlantic and eastern Pacific ecosystems. Today we’re giving lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris) some much-deserved love by diving into five fun facts about these animals.

At the very least, you’ll have some new shark trivia to impress your friends. But who knows, perhaps lemon sharks will turn out to be your new favorite shark species!

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Lemon sharks get their name from their yellow hue

Lemon sharks are, unsurprisingly, named after lemons. They have a yellowish tint to their skin, which is darker on their dorsal (back) side and lighter on their belly. This helps them blend into the sandy habitats where they like to search for food.

You can find these sharks in shallow marine ecosystems like coral reefs and mangroves, or even around docks. Sometimes they’re spotted resting on the seafloor, where they use a technique called buccal pumping to push fresh, oxygen-rich water over their gills.

Lemon sharks are from a famous family

Lemon sharks are part of the family Carcharhinidae, which contains some of the most well-known sharks around the world. Other family members include tiger sharks, blacktip reef sharks, silky sharks, oceanic whitetip sharks and bull sharks. Carcharhinids are also called requiem sharks and are found in tropical and temperate waters. Carcharhinidae is one of the largest families of sharks, and its members have the quintessential “shark” look (hammerheads, for example, with their unusually-shaped heads, are in a different family called Sphyrnidae).

© Albert Kok / Wikimedia

Lemon sharks are pretty social

Lemon sharks are social homebodies—they like to stay in a defined home range and hang out in groups. Juveniles have small home ranges of about 1.5 km or less, which expand as they grow older and larger. Living in groups can have advantages, like reducing the risk of predation, but studies show that these sharks will hang out with each other purely for social interaction, too. They are most likely to associate with other lemon sharks of similar age and size, and can even learn from each other.

Lemon sharks are well studied  

Many sharks don’t do well in captivity, especially large species that like to move long distances. But the lemon shark does very well in captivity, meaning scientists can ask all kinds of questions about their behavior and physiology that they might not be able to otherwise. The Bimini Biological Field Station in the Bahamas has been studying lemon shark populations for decades—both in the field and in captivity—which has contributed greatly to our understanding of lemon sharks and shark biology more broadly.

Lemon sharks are at risk

Lemon sharks were recently reclassified from “near-threatened” to “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Although near-threatened means it could be at risk of extinction without conservation measures, vulnerable means they’re “facing a high risk of extinction in the wild”. Like many sharks, they are slow-growing and it takes a while for them to reach sexual maturity, meaning they are sensitive to fishing pressure. Lemon shark populations are threatened by fishing, including being caught as bycatch, and habitat degradation.

Want to learn more shark facts? Check out our fact sheets:

• Blacktip reef shark
• Bull shark
• Greenland shark

The post Why Are Lemon Sharks Called Lemon Sharks? appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.

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4 Reasons the Great Shearwater Deserves Your Attention

On my first beach trip this season, I noticed a beautiful bird sailing across the shore, wings outstretched, skimming the water. I was struck with an appreciation for its grace and skill.

But I also realized how few species of seabirds I am able to identify!

I feel as though puffins, pelicans, penguins and seagulls get all the love (well, not seagulls, really … but at least they get beach snacks!) so I did some research. I quickly discovered many incredible varieties and wanted to take some time to spotlight a lesser-known, but equally worthy, majestic marine bird: the great shearwater.

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Here are some cool facts about what makes this species (Ardenna gravis) so special:

1. They have an incredibly long and unique migratory pattern.

Great shearwaters are one of the only species to travel from breeding grounds in the Southern Hemisphere to the Northern Hemisphere, the normal pattern being the other way around. They follow a circuitous migration route, moving north up the eastern seaboard of first South and then North America, before crossing the Atlantic in August. They then take a nice tour of Great Britain and Ireland before heading back to South America. What a life!

Great Shearwater in Tristan da Cunha © Marian Herz

2. Shearwaters are mainly divers and swimmers.

They forage for food by plunging into water from the air, diving down to depths more than 200 feet! The prey caught underwater is then brought to the surface and devoured. They can even feed by diving from the surface and swimming underwater to seize fish and squid, their main choice for dinner.

3. Their conservation status is ideal.

Thankfully, great shearwaters are not threatened or endangered in any way. Currently, they are abundant with enormous total populations in remote islands of the Atlantic Ocean. 5 million breeding pairs live on Tristan da Cunha, 600,000 to 3 million pairs live on Gough Island and some pairs live on the Falkland Islands.

Thousands of short tailed shearwaters. Kilcunda, Australia © Renee De Bondt

4. These birds need a running start to become airborne.

They run along the water surface before taking flight, aided by webbed feet to facilitate takeoff.

Bonus fact: A group of shearwaters is collectively known as an “improbability” of shearwaters.

This large seabird can be recognized by its distinctive plumage. Check for a dark cap and brown belly patch, in addition to dark markings on its underwings, which remain straight and stiff in flight. Although I can’t say for certain if the bird I saw was a great shearwater, my beach encounter led me to learn all about these incredible creatures of the sea and sky. Hopefully, as the weather heats up and visitors flock to the beaches along the eastern coast of the United States, these facts and photos can help you identify a great shearwater yourself this summer!

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Celebrating Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month

May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, which is a time to celebrate the rich culture and history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and their deep cultural connections with the ocean. The month of May is significant—it commemorates the first Japanese immigrant to the United States, who arrived on May 7, 1843, and the completion of the transcontinental railroad in May 1869, which was primarily built by Chinese immigrants.

The history of this country is rich with Asian American stories, culture and contributions—even if they aren’t always recognized in the way they deserve. From contributions to science and technology—Chinese-American physicist Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu was instrumental in the field of atomic science and Indian-American computer scientist Ajay Bhatt developed the USB—to challenging outdated and racist laws, Asian Americans have helped shape this country into what it is today. These accomplishments were often in the face of cruel racism and prejudice, including the Chinese Exclusion Act, which prohibited immigration from China, and Japanese Internment camps in World War II, which incarcerated 120,000 Japanese-Americans in an act Congress later called based on “race prejudice, war hysteria and a failure of political leadership.”

We are still living in the shadow of those actions today, and the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light long-simmering anti-Asian racism. There has been a disturbing increase in anti-Asian violence, including the devastating shooting in Atlanta that primarily targeted Asian American women. From the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, there have been 3,800 reports of anti-Asian violence, and 68% of those were against women. In light of these findings, the Senate recently passed an anti-Asian hate crimes bill, which is expected to pass the House and be signed into law. While I’m optimistic, I know there is much more to be done.

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This is one of many crises facing Asian and Pacific Islander people. The majority of people living in high-risk climate zones live in the Asian Pacific and South Asian regions. For many, ignoring the effects of climate change is simply not an option as seas rise and storms increase. In 2018, about half of all the natural disasters worldwide occurred in the Asian Pacific region.

Among the somber climate change effects in the Asian Pacific and South Asian regions, we’re seeing passionate individuals and groups pave the way to action with strong climate leadership. One example is Nainoa Thompson, president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and a Pwo navigator. As a Pwo navigator, Thompson has been recognized through a sacred ritual as a master navigator of traditional voyaging. Nainoa Thompson was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and has helped inspire a revival of traditional Polynesian voyaging practices. He has spoken extensively about the art of voyaging and the unique bond one forges with the ocean. “What’s good about the deck of the canoe, because we’re not sailing with instruments,” he stated, “[is that] it requires the navigator to constantly be observing. They’re looking at the surface of the oceans all the time.” The rich history of sea navigation and the health of our ocean are undeniably linked. By sharing his intimate knowledge of our ocean with people around the world, Thompson helps inspire people to not only protect our ocean but also to continue to build their own relationships with the sea.

“My draw to the ocean is because I fell in love with it. I fell in love with it because of just the infinite beauty of life itself. It was the definition for me.” –Nainoa Thompson

Thompson is one of many people taking action around the country and around the world for our ocean. All month we will be sharing more stories of Asian/Pacific Americans in ocean conservation, and we hope you will join us! I also encourage us all to learn more about the historic and current injustices faced by the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, and celebrate their history, culture, art and achievements through this month and beyond.

The post Celebrating Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.

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Stepping Up to the Plate for Our Ocean With Major League Baseball

This blog was written by Susie Goodell, Ocean Conservancy’s Communications intern for the Spring 2021 term and a member of the Dartmouth College Class of 2023, majoring in Environmental Studies. She is the Build Chair for the Dartmouth chapter of Habitat for Humanity and a scouting intern for the Dartmouth football team. Susie loves spending time on the coast of Maine with her dog.

Earth Week is an exciting time of the year, especially for those of us who care deeply about protecting nature. It is a chance for us to celebrate our planet and the incredible biodiversity it houses. It is also an opportunity to learn from and educate others about the threats to the planet and encourage them to act.

This Earth Week, the ongoing pandemic made us think about the impact of a new, everyday form of plastic waste: personal protective equipment (PPE).

In March 2021, Ocean Conservancy published Pandemic Pollution: The Rising Tide of Plastic PPE, a report aimed at raising awareness of the threats around PPE pollution. PPE includes face masks, gloves, face shields and disposable wipes, and these items are often made of plastic that is not recyclable. While PPE is an absolutely critical tool for protecting us from COVID-19, the sudden increase in these often single-use items means more pollution. Researchers have estimated that more than 129 billion face masks have been used every month of the pandemic. If not properly disposed of, one mask can shed more than 173,000 microplastic fibers in a day. It is also easy for marine animals to become entangled in the ear loops of masks.

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Luckily, there are steps all of us—from individuals to companies—can take to tackle this problem.

Ocean Conservancy teamed up with Major League Baseball (MLB) to organize an Earth Week program to help educate employees from MLB and its 30 Clubs on the topic. Employees joined Nick Mallos, Senior Director of Ocean Conservancy’s Trash Free Seas® program, to discuss PPE pollution.

As Nick explained, the PPE pollution we see today is the exacerbation of an existing crisis. A recent study found that 11 million metric tons of plastics per year—more than one garbage truckload per minute—are entering our ocean. During the last six months of 2020, International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) volunteers collected 107,000 pieces of PPE, which is just a small portion of the actual amount of PPE pollution.

While ICC volunteers are hard at work keeping our beaches and ocean clean in the face of this pollution, there is still much to be done, and we all have a part to play.

We are proud to work with organizations like MLB who are stepping up to the plate to help spread awareness of the urgent issues threatening our oceans. Through MLB Green, the league and teams have taken steps to make the game more ocean-friendly, from reducing single-use plastics in different ballparks to installing solar panels across ten different parks. Meanwhile, players like former San Francisco Giant, Hunter Pence, have used their platform to join Team Ocean. Learn more about we’re bringing our ocean to the world of sports with Team Ocean.

Here are steps that you can take to help:

• Cut the ear loops of masks after use to lessen entanglement threats.
• Make sure to dispose of your PPE at home or in secure, covered containers.
• Participate in local cleanups using the Clean Swell app.

To see Nick’s conversation with MLB, watch the video here.

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The post Stepping Up to the Plate for Our Ocean With Major League Baseball appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.

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President Biden’s First 100 Days

In 100 days, some pretty incredible things can happen in our ocean. Some Emperor Penguins will go without eating for up to 100 days while they keep their eggs warm and safe. In 100 days while feeding, a blue whale can eat up to 800,000 pounds of krill.

Today marks a different kind of 100-day milestone: President Biden’s 100^th day in office. When it comes to achievements in 100 days, the ocean puts up some stiff competition. So, what about this administration? Here are seven accomplishments the Biden administration achieved for our ocean in its first 100 days.

1. NOAA Budget Proposal

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is the premier agency to understand and take action on climate change, as well as supporting our sustainable blue economy and managing our ocean resources. With our ocean and coastal communities being on the frontline of the impacts of climate change like sea-level rise and increased extreme weather events, NOAA must have the necessary resources to understand these changes and provide local communities with the tools and expertise to take action to mitigate or avoid these changes. The Biden budget framework does just that by proposing historic funding levels to an agency that has been chronically underfunded.

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2. Paris Climate Agreement and Committing to Emissions Reductions

On day 1 of the Biden administration, the United States rejoined the Paris Climate Agreement, committing to reducing our emissions to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Specifically, the Biden administration highlighted the important role the ocean has to provide climate solutions, including the decarbonization of the shipping industry, scaling up renewable energy such as offshore wind, and protecting and utilizing natural climate solutions like wetlands, marshes, mangroves and more.

3. Executive Action on Climate Change and Scientific Integrity

It took just about a week for the Biden administration to show the United States is serious when it comes to taking action on climate change. On January 27, 2021, the Biden administration released an Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. This Executive Order put an emphasis on increasing renewable energy, protecting our most wild places, collecting information on how fishing communities are adapting to shifting fish stocks as a result of increased stressors in the ocean and understanding the impacts of climate change on our most vulnerable communities. On the same day, the President also released a Presidential Memorandum on scientific integrity, ensuring that our agencies, including NOAA and the Environmental Protection Agency, are making decisions based on science—not politics.

4. Offshore Oil and Gas Pause

We’ve seen time and time again that offshore oil and gas drilling is a risky endeavor. In 2010, the BP Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded, taking the lives of 11 oil rig workers and spilling an estimated 210 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. In 1989, the Exxon Valdez ran aground, spilling roughly 11 million gallons of oil into Alaska’s Prince William Sound. While these are just some of the devastating results of offshore oil and gas drilling, there have been countless other incidents that have damaged coastal communities and our ocean. We’re encouraged that the Biden administration released plans to review our offshore oil and gas program to improve the stewardship of our waters and promote a just and equitable transition to renewable energy.

5. Offshore Wind

To transition away from climate change-causing greenhouse gas emitting forms of energy, we will have to make significant investments and shifts towards a variety of other renewable forms of energy, including offshore wind. To put the United States on a pathway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and curb the impacts of climate change, the Biden administration set the ambitious goal of 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy by 2030 while protecting the marine environment and balancing other ocean uses. To meet this goal, the administration released plans to direct funding towards the science to understand the impacts of offshore wind, created key agreements with offshore wind companies to share data, and allocated funds for research and development into offshore wind technologies that will reduce impacts on the environment.

6. Jobs, Jobs, Jobs

In late March 2021, the administration released the American Jobs Plan, which includes more than $2 trillion in proposed investments to improve our nation’s infrastructure and spur economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The President’s proposal includes significant investments in our ocean and coastal communities, including plans for coastal restoration and investments in zero-emission shipping and port infrastructure.

7. Government Leaders

As with any new administration, the people who you surround yourself with, the people that you choose to run agencies like NOAA, are crucially important in how these agencies function. Everything from the big picture priorities of an agency to the day-to-day operations is the responsibility of appointed agency personnel. The Biden administration has selected some great individuals to lead our government to tackle the challenges our ocean faces today and implement solutions. From Secretary Haaland leading the Department of the Interior to Secretary Raimondo heading up the Secretary of Commerce and the recent nomination of Dr. Spinrad to lead NOAA, we know our agencies are in good hands.

The first 100 days of any administration can speak volumes about their priorities. We’re glad to see that climate change, environmental justice and our ocean are high on the list for the Biden administration and we look forward to more actions to come.

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Do Ocean Animals Dance?

Are you ready for this?

Yes, some ocean animals dance!

You read that right, friend. And I’m here to bring you some absolutely astounding levels of ocean joy, courtesy of eight ocean animals who have no fear when it comes to bustin’ a move. Some have dance rituals that are critical to their survival, some just appear to like to get groovy … and some honestly probably aren’t dancing on purpose, but they sure look like they’d be good at it if they were! Dive on in and check out these spectacular waltzers, twisters and tango-ers that are sure to leave you feeling fin-credibly impressed.

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Spanish Dancer

This show-stopping creature, reminiscent of a fabulous flamenco dancer, is a type of nudibranch (aka: a sea slug). It twists and twirls through the sea with such grace, it’s sure to hold the attention of anyone who has the opportunity to witness its moves.

Blue-footed Booby

Source: GIPHY

You may feel like you’re watching a tap dance right now, but this is actually a mating ritual for these seabirds. After a male blue-footed booby garners a female’s attention, he’ll put on an elaborate performance for her, placing particular focus on his fabulous blue feet in an effort to impress his hopeful mate.

Laysan Albatross

© U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/GIPHY

Oh, and by the way … blue-footed boobies aren’t the only seabirds to engage incredibly complex courtship dances! Laysan albatross engage in a similar performance … and in case you didn’t notice yet, it’s pretty hilarious to watch. A quick summary: they look like they both just heard their favorite song, started bouncing their heads to it, then dove in for a smooch. Nice, albatross duo. Nice.

Sea Angel

Source: GIPHY

These pteropods, dubbed “sea angels” for their humanoid-like shape and delicate transparency, also engage in graceful dances when fielding a potential mate. They may be sheer and appear slightly flimsy, but their level of underwater elegance is truly a spectacle to behold.

Pom-pom crab

Source: GIPHY

Behold: the most cheerful-looking crustacean you will probably ever lay eyes upon. Alright, I’ll admit it … I’m not really sure if this counts as a “dance,” but I certainly love the fact that this little one looks like it’s ready to cheer on any other marine specimen that dares take on the dance floor. How could I bear to not include it? Keep up that positivity, non-crabby crab!

Humpback whale

Source: GIPHY

Remember when I mentioned those tiny pteropods that were ridiculously elegant? Well, that elegance isn’t limited to just the smaller creatures of our ocean, and humpback whales are living proof. Whether a female humpback is waltzing with a mate or twirling through the water with its young calf, these massive marine mammals boast grace-filled dance moves that will surely leave anyone mesmerized. 

Feather star

Source: GIPHY

Say hello to one of the most fantastically fabulous echinoderms in the sea! These feathery sea stars are really just swimming, not purposefully dancing, but watch them for more than a few seconds and you’ll see why I included them. No matter how or where feather stars are floating through the water, they’re utterly reminiscent of an energetic twirler in an elaborate ball gown, showing off her style and threads in an impressive constant flutter through the sea.

Pygmy seahorse

Source: GIPHY

Source: GIPHY

Last but most certainly not least on the list of our ocean’s most talented dancers: seahorses! When it comes to finding a partner during mating season, the horses of the sea are yet another species group that could probably conquer many of us if it came down to a rumba or foxtrot show-down. In an adorable display of commitment, seahorse pairs will attach themselves to their mates during morning courtship dances by interlocking their tails, and the visual this makes for is not only fascinating, but also insanely adorable. This tiny pygmy seahorse couple in particular is here to steal both your heart and the dancefloor!

And there you go, friends: eight marine wildlife species that are truly gifted dancers. No matter where on our blue planet you look, these creatures certainly prove that there’s no shortage of spectacular talent gallivanting throughout our seas at all times!

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How Much Do You Know About Shipping?

Whether we know it or not, many of us rely on international shipping for the products we use every day. Shipping not only plays a big role in the economy—it plays a big role in ocean health.

You’ve heard us talk before about shipping and its effects on the ocean, but now we want to hear from YOU. How much do you really know about one of the world’s biggest industries? Today, we’re going to put you to the test.

Take our shipping quiz and find out just how much you now about the impacts of shipping on our ocean. Then, learn more about the dangers of shipping and how we can make it more sustainable for our ocean, our planet and ourselves.

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Shipping has long been a big part of global trade, but we’re seeing it expand and change in the era of climate change—including in the remote Arctic region. As seasonal sea ice melts due to our rapidly warming climate, passage through the Arctic is becoming easier for commercial vessels, and interest in shipping through the region is increasing. As more vessels travel through the Arctic, the risk of disrupting wildlife and impacting local communities increases—and so does the threat of pollution, including a major oil spill.

Shipping is an important part of our lives, but it needs to be done sustainably for the health of our ocean and climate. Smart shipping starts with understanding the problem: Test your knowledge with our shipping quiz!

Will you score 100%? There’s only one way to find out…

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