Thursday, March 7, 2024

 

Map of Viking World Cruise 2023-24

We just joined the Viking World Cruise in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. 

We will be on board the Viking Sky for the cruise around Africa and disembarking in Lisbon.  

My lectures will introduce guests to some of the unique ecosystems and wildlife of SE Asia, Mauritius, and continental Africa. Here's a sampling of my lecture topics:

"Dodos to Lemurs: Contrasting Creatures of Mauritius & Madagascar" Explore the evolutionary marvels of Mauritius and Madagascar, where isolation in the same sea has sculpted wildly distinct wildlife wonders from dodos to lemurs." 
 
“African Wildlife Up Close & Personal.” Experience the rich ecosystems of the Okavango Delta and Kruger National Park through a photo safari. 
 
"Apex Predators of Africa" Discover the fascinating role of the largest carnivores in Africa… and their valuable ecological roles in “top-down” structuring of the ecosystem. Without Lions, would their prey survive? 
 
“Southern Coast of Africa—Where the Sea Saved Humanity.” Gain insight into how modern humans survived on this coast more than 100,000 years ago. 
 
“In the Realm of the Great White Shark.” Explore the fascinating lives of these top marine predators and the ecosystems they help create. 
 
“Namib & Kalahari Deserts—Ecosystems & Adaptations.” Find out how wildlife—elephants, lions, oryx and more—and the first affluent human culture evolved. 

"Sun, Wind, and Water: Africa's Green Energy Safari" Embark on a thrilling safari through Africa's renewable landscape, where the power of sun, wind, and water is driving an energy revolution. 
 
"Some of the Most Fascinating Creatures from Our Travels!" Embark on an exciting journey with our real-life wildlife adventures. Discover fascinating facts about egg-laying mammals, the world's most perilous birds, massive sea-going reptiles, and much more. 

“The Remarkable Story of How We Cracked Open Planet Earth.” Learn how one remarkable woman mapped the seafloor, helping to reveal surprising scientific secrets about Earth’s dynamic crust. 

"Canary Islands: Remarkable Ecosystems and Adaptations" Dive into the natural tapestry of the Canary Islands, where volcanic origins have given rise to ecosystems and cultures as unique and dynamic as the islands themselves.

You can follow along on our journey! Visit AnimalsFYI.com and follow the links.

Happy Travels!  Go Wild!

George
World Explorations Speaker






Saturday, December 18, 2021

How Many Brains does an Octopus Have?

 

Good question!!  Probably a lot more than you think.  

Octopus waving its arm...and mini-brain!

Here's a clue: each arm has its own mini-brain!  Now we're getting into some serious math.  8 arms X 1 mini-brain = 8 brains...but WAIT!!

There's also the central brain so that makes 9 brains in TOTAL!  WOW, talk about a lot of brain power.

For a lot more fascinating info on octopus brains check out my in-depth article "Why do Octopus have 3 Hearts and 9 Brains?"

For some additional brain-benders on Octopuses, take a look at my entire series of articles:

How Smart are Octopuses?  As Intelligent as Your Dog?

How do Octopuses Reproduce?  Detachable Penis!?

Can Octopus Arms Grow Back?  As Good as New?

Saturday, February 13, 2021

Shocking Ability of Sharks to Sense Electricity


Sharks possess an amazing sense called electroreception.  The ability to sense tiny electrical currents is outside of our range of abilities and may not seem all that useful.  But I think you'll be surprised at how remarkably handy this sense can be if you are a shark searching for food in the vast ocean realms. 

The electro-sensory system of a shark is so sensitive that it can detect the tiny electrical currents generated by the muscles of a fish swimming nearby, a great advantage for those trying to find prey in the pitch-black.  This ability would be like a magic sixth sense to us, considering that a shark can detect the electrical signals given off by the beating of a fish’s heart (or human’s heart for that matter). 

Consider the implications!  As soon as you jump into the ocean, every shark in the vicinity knows you are there.  There’s no hiding behind a boat or chunk of coral.  If your heart is beating or your muscles are twitching, sharks will sense the electrical current. 

Sharks have by far the highest level of electrical sensitivity of any animal on the planet.  

Electroreception is based on a system of sensory organs called the ampullae of Lorenzini (see my article to learn more).

Electroreceptor pores on the snout of a Leopard Shark. Photo by Albert Kok on Wikimedia CC-by-03

The electrical sensitivity of a shark is equivalent to being able to detect the electric field of a flashlight battery connected to electrodes placed 10,000 miles (16,000 kilometres) apart in the ocean.  Seems like a stretch, doesn’t it! Believe me, this is based on extensive research.

How many senses do sharks have?  How does electroreception work?  What are the lateral lines used for?

If you want to learn how electroreception works and about all seven of the amazing senses that sharks possess, check out my recent article on biogeoplanet.com.




Friday, December 25, 2020

Merry Fishy Christmas!!

Happy Holidays!! Even ugly fish like to celebrate!


Of course, ugliness is in the eye of the beholder! 

Check out my recent article Why are Deep Sea Creatures so Weird and Ugly? to learn more about the fascinating adaptations that allow these creatures to survive and flourish in the cold, dark depths of the deep sea.

Viperfish are uniquely adapted to hanging onto prey with needle-sharp teeth.

Deep sea creatures have some unique adaptations for living in the icy cold, pitch black depths of the oceans far below the photic zone where light penetrates.  They can have fishing lures that glow in the dark, immense teeth to hold onto prey, and giant stomachs. We may consider these adaptations weird and ugly, but they can be key to survival in the oceans depths of the world.

There’s a certain beauty to adaptations that allow these creatures to survive and thrive in the extreme conditions of the deep sea.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with joy and fulfillment.  And less Covid too!

 George