• Home
  • About
  • Marine mammals
    • Dolphins
    • Porpoises
    • Seals, sea lions
    • Whales
  • Phenomena
    • Climate change
    • Invasive species
    • Pollution
    • Oceanography
  • Inspiration
    • Animal encounters
    • Earth musings
    • Easy Reader columns
    • Ocean heroes
    • Photography
    • Writing & Poetry
  • Happenings
    • Consumer Alerts
    • Ocean events
  • Resources
  • Contact

Ocean Wild Things

Has being endangered become cliche?

February 21, 2013 by Carolyn Kraft 4 Comments

As I was browsing for Valentine’s Day cards, I came across a cute card with two pandas snuggling on the front. I picked it up to get a closer look and on the front next to one of the pandas there was a thought bubble that said, “I understand you’ve got a headache, Sweety. But… [read more]

Filed Under: Earth musings Tagged With: endangered, extinct, threatened

Michael Daniel Ho reports from a polar bear adventure

November 12, 2012 by Carolyn Kraft 2 Comments

Wildlife photographer Michael Daniel Ho just returned from a polar bear adventure in Canada! He generously shared some stellar photos and took time to answer a few questions about his trip. After reading his answers, you will most likely add “seeing polar bears” to your bucket list. Just bring lots of warm layers along, Michael… [read more]

Filed Under: Climate change, Polar bears Tagged With: global warming, nature photography, polar bear, threatened, wildlife photography

Q & A with Nat Geo Photographer Thomas Peschak

March 13, 2012 by Carolyn Kraft 1 Comment

As part of doing a write up on the The Seas of Arabia article, National Geographic gave me the chance to ask writer Kennedy Warne a few questions and I jumped at the opportunity because I wanted to know more about what happened behind the scenes as he was gathering information for the article. Well,… [read more]

Filed Under: Photography Tagged With: endangered, fishing, gillnet fishing, National Geographic, shark, threatened, wildlife photography

Ted Danson on his new book Oceana

May 2, 2011 by Carolyn Kraft 2 Comments

I had an awesome weekend at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books at USC. For anyone who hasn’t been to the festival, you must go! It’s the largest book festival in the U.S., maybe even the world (but don’t quote me on that), and it’s FREE! The only thing you have to pay for… [read more]

Filed Under: Ocean events, Ocean heroes Tagged With: books, endangered, fishing, gillnet fishing, marine debris, ocean trash, pollution, threatened

Climate change near the equator

July 20, 2010 by Carolyn Kraft Leave a Comment

Climate change in warmer parts of the globe could also mean a loss of habit. It’s the reverse of losing ice habitat because where is all that excess water going to go? Three words…sea level rise. All that excess water has to go somewhere and it’s quite possible that it could end up flooding crucial… [read more]

Filed Under: Climate change, Marine mammals Tagged With: endangered, pinniped, sea lion, seal, threatened

Climate change at the poles

July 19, 2010 by Carolyn Kraft Leave a Comment

Well, I have been seriously neglecting my project to blog through the entire Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals, so it’s time to revisit the “C” section, which brings us to climate change. The concept of climate change has become so political that it’s easy to ignore sometimes. But based on all the numbers I’ve seen something… [read more]

Filed Under: Climate change, Marine mammals Tagged With: fissiped, krill, pinniped, polar bear, seal, threatened, walrus

Dear IWC Commissioner Monica Medina

May 10, 2010 by Carolyn Kraft 6 Comments

The International Whaling Commission is considering a proposal to legalize whaling. Please take time to send an email to IWC Commissioner Monica Medina before the next IWC meeting in June. For more information on how to contact Commissioner Medina and how else you can take action please visit: the ACS action alert page. According to… [read more]

Filed Under: Marine mammals, Say Something, Whales Tagged With: action alert, cetacean, extinct, pollution, threatened, whale, whaling

Australian Snubfin Dolphin

January 5, 2010 by Carolyn Kraft Leave a Comment

The Australian snubfin dolphin or Orcaella heinsohni is a curious creature indeed. According to the Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals, this dolphin used to be considered an irrawady dolphin, but after much analysis and noticeable differences in color, skull shapes and body shapes scientists determined that the Australian snubfin dolphin is a separate species and was officially declared… [read more]

Filed Under: Dolphins, Marine mammals Tagged With: cetacean, dolphin, threatened

Australian sea lion

January 4, 2010 by Carolyn Kraft 2 Comments

What better way to kick off 2010 than with a post about the Australian sea lion, “one of the world’s rarest and most unusual seals?” A direct quote from the Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals. Although, technically a sea lion is not a true seal. Seals and sea lions both belong to the scientific suborder Pinnipedia… [read more]

Filed Under: Marine mammals, Seals, sea lions Tagged With: blastocyst, pinniped, sea lion, threatened

Snowy Plover: dirty square dancing in the sand

December 17, 2009 by Carolyn Kraft 1 Comment

To live on the beach, bask in the sun, scrape a nest in the sand, run near the waves and make love along the dunes is to live the life of a snowy plover. Western snowy plovers or Charadrius alexandrines nivosus are cute little birds that inhabit prime waterfront property along California’s coast and inland… [read more]

Filed Under: Birds, Easy Reader columns Tagged With: bird, courtship, sex, threatened

Join the Conversation

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Subscribe Via Email

Latest Tweets

  • RT @CabrilloAqua: Join us this Saturday for our monthly Walk Cabrillo! During the coastal park walk you'll visit the native garden, salt ma… 02:04:45 PM March 07, 2023 from Twitter Web App ReplyRetweetFavorite
  • RT @wantokmoana: Halo oloketa! Introducing Sabrina Pania MSc students and an ACAIR scholarship recipient. Sabi is studying the Nutritional… 03:58:25 PM June 14, 2022 from Twitter Web App ReplyRetweetFavorite
  • RT @TXSeaGrant: Approximately 45 Kemp's ridley turtles were discovered hatching on Magnolia Beach. "This has never happened in modern times… 03:57:48 PM June 14, 2022 from Twitter Web App ReplyRetweetFavorite
@oceanwildthings

Archives

Ocean Wild Things | Copyright ©2025 | All Rights Reserved