Apologies if I caused any confusion in my last post, I received several questions from people. So just to be clear, Ocean Wild Things, as in oceanwildthings.com is still a go, I will continue writing for this website. The Easy Reader column called Wild Things is on hold for now until I find a new… [read more]
Update on Easy Reader column
It all started with the California sea lion and ended with the black crowned night heron…or did it? Many people reading this website first found me through my Wild Things column in the Easy Reader, which launched in June of 2009. Having the chance to write Wild Things was an awesome opportunity for me and… [read more]
Black-crowned night herons: masters of motionlessness
It’s a statue, it’s a fake bird, no wait, is that a bird? This is the series of thoughts that ran through my mind the first time I saw a stout, squat, perfectly still bird sitting on the Redondo Pier. This bird didn’t move an inch, even when I was standing less than a foot… [read more]
Legless lizards slither around in the sand
In honor of the New Year and trying new things, Wild Things is stepping out of the ocean wildlife comfort zone to examine a fascinating land-dwelling, sand-loving critter called the California legless lizard. A major challenge facing legless lizards is being mistaken for a snake, a case of misnaken identity. So it’s time to set… [read more]
The garibaldi: OCD in the sea (part 2)
Here’s the second section of the Wild Things column on the garibaldi, one crazy fish! “The only thing that seems to affect their fearless behavior is the color of the animal that’s approaching them,” said Cabrillo Marine Aquarium (CMA) Research Curator Dr. Kiersten Darrow. “They will attack everybody else, but if they see that it’s… [read more]
The garibaldi: OCD in the sea (part 1)
Underwater photos of California’s coast featured in books and magazines almost always showcase a certain fish: the garibaldi. The brilliant orange coloring of the garibaldi is a must have in any underwater shot because this fish dazzles the eyes and brings California’s ocean landscape to life in the same way brightly colored coral reef fish… [read more]
Ocean sunfish holy mola!
What on earth is that? This is a common exclamation upon meeting an ocean sunfish, the craziest looking fish inhabiting the same ocean layers humans frequent. But this peculiar fish sports the coolest scientific name: Mola mola. Possibly Linnaeus, the father of modern taxonomy who scientifically named thousands of species, suffered a brief nervous tic… [read more]
The bald eagle: a salute to our national emblem
In 1782, six years after the Declaration of Independence was signed and a new nation was born, Congress chose the bald eagle to be the national emblem of the United States. Today, the eagle is printed, painted and carved on everything having anything to do with our government. But how often do Americans even notice… [read more]
Humpback whale: the ocean’s motivational leapers
If you have been feeling down or have lost touch with the fun side of life, then it’s time to purchase a ticket to see the famous motivational speakers, I mean the famous motivational leapers…humpback whales. The ocean’s merriment masters, thrill seekers and acrobatic all-stars. Humpback whales or Megaptera novaeangliae are easy to spot with… [read more]
Elephant seals: ocean aliens have landed!
Picture an elephant crossed with a seal and add in a little “District 9” alien. The result: the male northern elephant seal or Mirounga angustirostris. The elephant part of the description helps convey the sheer mass of the male elephant seal, plus the shape of its nose. According to the book Elephant Seals by Carole… [read more]