The Life of an Ocean Activist

Hello! My name is Megan, a 19-year-old ocean activist currently living in Florida. Going to a high school across the street from an amazing view of the ocean, I found myself ever-so enthralled in its seemingly infinite beauty. I also realized the desperate state the ocean is in from society's poor choices--things like over-fishing, illegal whaling, and, you guessed it, pollution. I am currently a college sophomore on the pre-veterinary track and studying Wildlife Ecology & Conservation. Join me in the fight to save our oceans!

[thelovelyseas]

Stingray by Ocean Frontiers Diving Adventures 

[anoceanactivist-blog]

[daniiiie-96-deactivated20160817]

The kakapo is a critically endangered species of large, flightless, nocturnal, ground-dwelling parrot of the super-family Strigopoidea endemic to New Zealand. It has finely blotched yellow-green plumage, a distinct facial disc of sensory, vibrissa-like feathers, a large grey beak, short legs, large feet, and wings and a tail of relatively short length.

The total known population is only 126 living individuals, as reported by the Kakapo Recovery programme, most of which have been given names.Because of Polynesian and European colonisation and the introduction of predators such as cats, rats, ferrets, and stoats, the kakapo was almost wiped out. Conservation efforts began in the 1890s, but they were not very successful until the implementation of the Kakapo Recovery plan in the 1980s. (x) 

There are ways you can help save the kakapo population through donations, adoptions, voluteering, becoming a supporter, or buying merchadise. 

Please spread the word!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PLEASE DON’T LET THIS BEAUTIFUL ADORABLE SPECIES OF BIRD DIE OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can find more information on the endangered kakapo here, here, and here .

[lesburrito-deactivate-deactivat]

is this the rare head-shagging parrot from that gif 

[bitter-badfem-harpy]

I believe it is and is it not the cutest of cuties

[freedomforwhales-blog]

After watching the CNN documentary “Blackfish,” Steve-O, famous performer and comedian had the anti-SeaWorld campaign on his mind and, after passing “SeaWorld Drive” in San Diego, the inspiration for a perfect stunt struck him (see the video)

“I have a pretty passionate stance against animal cruelty, as everyone knows,” he said. “But I want to be really clear here too: when I go on tour to various locations, one of first things I think of is what kinds of trouble can I get to to shake things up and get some news … this worked out so great. I could kill two birds with one stone: bring attention to the cause I believe in, and bring attention to myself.” 

Steve-O noted that he was very careful not to damage any property during the stunt. And the result is something of a circus itself. The whole ordeal (which took place last May) took five tries and cost him more than a few injuries, but Steve-O says it was worth it.

“It’s magical if I can take a wild and crazy stunt and do some good,” he said. “Here I am setting out to entertain people and then I can do something to make a difference.”   

Source

[onceuponawildflower]

What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.

Jane Goodall (via onceuponawildflower)

[anoceanactivist-blog]

Dear Mr. Hertz...

Love, Lolita

(Credit: plantpupp)

[rhamphotheca]

SeaWorld is 50 years old and we have 50 good reasons NOT to go there! No. 33:  In the wild, the main life expectancy of orcas is 30 years for males and 50 for females. While a very small number of captive whales has achieved these average life spans, most die in their teens and 20s and none have come anywhere close to the estimated maximum life spans of 60-70 years for males and 80-90 for females. Please go to http://uk.whales.org/Wdc-in-action/ending-captive-cruelty to support our fight against captivity!

[tulipnight]

 Kroatië juni 2014 by wally nelemans on Flickr.

[anoceanactivist-blog]

Hey Megan! We love that you are following us on tumblr! It's so wonderful to see someone so young and passionate. I was born in Florida and still visit all the time and have always felt an extreme connection to the ocean as well. We wanted to see if you would be willing to share our site on your blog and spread it around on your social media sites. You can find our website through our blog. Our focus right now is ocean conservation! Thanks so much! Heidi + Alex

Sure, I absolutely love your shop and your goal!

Everyone, go check out Moral Minority and shop for a cause. :)

[adviceforvegans]

What are some occupations that involve working with animals but does not exploit or harm them? Thanks. X

Here is an always evolving list of career possibilities for animal lovers, including veterinary careers, divided into categories. A few careers are listed in multiple categories.

Veterinary Careers

Veterinarians can choose to work in general practice, to specialise in working with a particular species or related group of animals (i.e. large animals, small animals, equine), or pursue board certification in a veterinary speciality (such as dermatology, anaesthesiology, or pathology to name a few specialist paths).

VeterinarianAnimal Welfare VeterinarianAquatic VeterinarianAvian VeterinarianBovine VeterinarianEmergency & Critical Care VeterinarianEquine VeterinarianFeline VeterinarianSmall Animal VeterinarianLarge Animal VeterinarianMixed Practice VeterinarianWildlife VeterinarianVeterinary AcupuncturistVeterinary AnesthesiologistVeterinary DermatologistVeterinary EpidemiologistVeterinary MicrobiologistVeterinary Nutritionist

Veterinary OpthalmologistVeterinary PathologistVeterinary PharmacologistVeterinary RadiologistVeterinary SurgeonVeterinary TheriogenologistVeterinary ToxicologistVeterinary Support Staff Careers

Veterinary technicians can assist veterinarians in a variety of areas (i.e. equine or small animal practice). They may also pursue specialty certification (in areas such as surgery, emergency and critical care, etc) after gaining several years of practical experience and taking a comprehensive exam to achieve accreditation.

Veterinary TechnicianClinical Practice Veterinary TechnicianClinical Pathology Veterinary TechnicianEmergency & Critical Care Veterinary TechnicianEquine Veterinary TechnicianInternal Medicine Veterinary TechnicianVeterinary Behavior TechnicianVeterinary Dental TechnicianVeterinary Nutrition TechnicianVeterinary Surgical TechnicianVeterinary Technician AnesthetistZoo Veterinary TechnicianOther Animal Health Careers

There are many careers (not directly related to careers in veterinary medicine) that are concerned with maintaining the health and well being of animal species. These career paths range from advising on behavioural or nutritional topics to hands on careers such as massage therapy and animal care.

Animal BehavioristAnimal Care SpecialistAnimal GeneticistAnimal Massage TherapistAnimal NutritionistAnimal ScientistCareers with BirdsOrnithologist

Careers with Dogs and CatsAnimal Cruelty InvestigatorAnimal Shelter ManagerDog GroomerDog TrainerDog WalkerDoggie Day Care OwnerHumane EducatorK-9 Police OfficerAdoption CounselorPet Bakery OwnerPet Boutique OwnerPet SitterMobile Dog GroomerPooper Scooper Business OwnerCareers with HorsesBarn ManagerBloodstock AgentBroodmare ManagerEquine Dental TechnicianEquine Extension AgentEquine Pedigree AnalystEquine VeterinarianEquine Veterinary TechnicianFarrierFoaling AttendantGroomHorse IdentifierHorsemen’s BookkeeperHot WalkerStallion ManagerTack Shop OwnerYearling ManagerCareers with Marine AnimalsAquaristMarine BiologistMarine MammalogistIchthyologistCareers with ReptilesHerpetologistSales Careers

There are many sales and marketing related careers that involve animals to some degree. While a career in veterinary pharmaceutical sales may be the first animal related sales career you think of, there are certainly several other options to choose from. These additional options include career paths such as insurance sales and a variety of jobs related to pet product sales.

Equine Insurance AgentEquine Product Sales RepresentativePet Food Sales RepresentativePet Product Sales ManagerPet Product Sales RepresentativePet Insurance AgentVeterinary Pharmaceutical Sales Representative

Wildlife Careers

Wildlife careers can involve a wide variety of native or exotic species. Zoo careers, fish and game management careers, biology related careers, and wildlife rehabilitation careers are just a few of the available options for those interested in having a career with wildlife.

Aquatic VeterinarianEntomologistHerpetologistIchthyologistMarine MammalogistOrnithologistPrimatologistWildlife BiologistWildlife ManagerWildlife Forensic ScientistWildlife InspectorWildlife RehabilitatorWildlife TechnicianWildlife VeterinarianOther Animal Careers

Some animal careers don’t quite fit any of the categories mentioned above. These careers combine an interest in animals with work in law, training, photography, painting, or writing.

Animal EditorAnimal Career RecruiterAnimal LawyerAnimal PhotographerAnimal Science ProfessorGrant WriterPet Portrait ArtistPet WriterAnimal Internships

If you have the chance before beginning a serious job search, also be sure to pursue an animal related internship opportunity or two. There are options available in a number of fields and they can really enhance your resume by providing evidence of direct, hands on experience. Hands on experience is particularly valued in the animal industry.

Animal Behaviour InternshipsAnimal Nutrition InternshipsAvian InternshipsCanine InternshipsEquine InternshipsMarine Animal InternshipsPre-Veterinary InternshipsReptile InternshipsVeterinary Pharmaceutical Sales InternshipsWildlife Rehabilitation Internships

[adcollector]

OGILVY & MATHER (New Zealand) for WWF

[adviceforvegans]

Arturo lives in the blistering sun of Argentina. A naturally Arctic animal spends his days living in 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius) of nothing but heat.  If this upsets you as much as it upsets me, please consider signing the following petitions:

Please allow Arturo to have a better life in the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Canada Quickly issue a special import permit to Canada for Arturo the Polar bear. Free Arturo, Argentina’s only polar bear, from living hell!!! FREE ARTURO: The Polar Bear In Despair If you know of any more petitions I can add, please let me know and I’ll add them right away.  Let’s rescue this poor little guy together!

[tacticalturtlenecks]

This breaks my heart!! Ugh poor guy!

[theofficialariel]

The first photo is so heartbreaking. 

Poor baby :( 

[fuckyeahcompassion-blog]

[anoceanactivist-blog]

What classes do you take in school?

During my first year in college, some of my electives were:Forests for the FutureIntroduction to OceanographyGeography of a Changing WorldBiodiversity ConservationWildlife of FloridaClimate Change EcologyI have just switched my major from Zoology to Wildlife Ecology & Conservation, so I am looking forward to being able to take allllllll the fun wildlife courses. ;) In the fall I will be taking Wildlife Behavior and Conservation along with Wildlife Techniques!

[anoceanactivist-blog]

Ahhh it's so nice to see you again on my dash! I've recently become much more interested in marine life and the ocean, and it always reminds me of your lovely blog!

Thanks!! It's great to be welcomed back by all of my lovely followers. :)

[upworthy]

You Know All The Scary Talk About Sea Levels Rising That Seems Like A Bunch Of B.S.? Well…

Ladies and gentlemen, we’d like you to meet some of the facts about global warming. What they have to say is pretty darn eye-opening.

[kny111]

[anoceanactivist-blog]

Secret Lives of Flower Hat Jellyfish Revealed

For decades, flower hat jellyfish managed to keep their early lives a secret.

In adulthood, the jellyfish are striking, with a nest of fluorescent tentacles that look like party streamers, but pack a nasty sting. In infancy, well, scientists didn’t know. Aquarists tried, unsuccessfully, to raise the animals in tanks to understand what happens before the jellyfish are fully grown.

"They just aren’t like other jellies," said Wyatt Patry, senior aquarist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California.

Now, Patry and colleagues report they’ve finally raised the jellyfish in captivity. In a new paper, the researchers describe the elusive species’ life cycle, from egg to larva to single-tentacled polyp to juvenile to adult.

Scientists at the aquarium first bought a group of flower hat jellies back from Japan in 2002 for an exhibit on jellyfish. At the time, aquarists tried to mate and culture the species (scientifically named Olindias formosus), but they just couldn’t seem to get the jellies to release any sperm or eggs.

Patry said the researchers tried performing in vitro fertilization and exposing the jellies to stresses that might make them release sex cells. The creatures produced some larvae, but they didn’t grow much larger than that stage. Ultimately, it seemed that the scientists were missing some cue the jellyfish needed for reproduction.

When it came time for another jellyfish show in 2012, the team tried again. They kept groups of flower hat jellies in small tanks with mesh netting to keep the creatures off the bottom, where detritus and rotting pieces of half-eaten fish settled. The scientists don’t exactly know what they did right the second time around, but during routine maintenance, they discovered fluorescent jellyfish polyps attached to the wire mesh and glowing under a blue light.

Jellyfish larvae attach themselves to a solid surface and become stalklike polyps, which then bud into juvenile “medusae” — what jellyfish are called when they reach their most recognizable, umbrella-shaped form. Jellyfish polyps persist for an unknown amount of time. The polyps of flower hat jellies were unusual in that they had a single, highly active tentacle.

"They just look like little sea anemones," Patry told Live Science. "They seem to use the tentacle to sweep around their position to capture food."

Patry hopes the new information might help scientists and wildlife managers look for the species in the wild — and predict when and where “blooms” of the jellyfish could affect beachgoers.

Flower hat jellies kill and eat entire fish, and their venom is powerful enough to inflict a painful rash on humans. The mark looks like a burn, said Patry. (Take it from him. He said he usually gets stung a couple of times a year.) A 2007 review of jellyfish incidents recorded around the world found one death associated with flower hat jellies, in Japan in the 1970s.

The findings on young flower hat jellies were published in June in the Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom.