a new model for aging
In the urban environment of Arlington, Texas we were excavating the lower part of a ridge within sight of the Dallas Cowboys Stadium for fossils of dinosaurs, crocodiles, turtles and other life forms that lived about 95 million years ago near the shores of an ancient sea. This was the first full day for the six EARTHWATCH INSTITUTE volunteers and we hadn’t found much in the first hour, when … [Read more...]
Although no one knows exactly where Columbus made landfall in the New World, it still was thrilling to see the likely site on San Salvador Island in the Bahamas! One of the coral reefs that we were studying was just off the beach near the monument site. We were a group of eleven Earthwatch Institute volunteers doing research on BAHAMIAN REEF SURVEY, a long-term study of the health of the coral … [Read more...]
There was a lot of splashing and commotion ahead of our boat and as we got nearer we saw that a bald eagle had a salmon too big to fly with, so was dragging it to shore; we rounded a point and an Alaskan brown bear on the beach whirled and disappeared into the willows; a mother black bear with two cubs stood and watched us from a gravel bank by a small stream; we heard some pitiful cries and saw a … [Read more...]
The sun was just setting as we left by boat from the little river town of Luis Alves and motored around sandbanks and dead trees downstream to the mouth of a backwater lake to begin the evening caiman census. When it was dark enough we switched on spotlights in order to spot their eyes along the shore. A few red eyes appeared, I marked them on the GPS and another Earthwatch volunteer took notes of … [Read more...]
The next Earthwatch Institute Brazil adventure was in the Pantanal. This is a huge wetlands area in southwestern Brazil and parts of Bolivia and Paraguay that is so flat it takes water four months to flow from the north to the south! It floods half of the year and dries out the second half. It is a wildlife paradise and one of the world’s “Great Places”! This Earthwatch Institute expedition … [Read more...]
The weather looked fine when George and I joined Don Eaton, Earthwatch Institute research scientist, right after breakfast for a trip to a remote part of the Caetetus Reserve in the Atlantic rainforest near Galia, Brazil. We were planning to do a quick stream quality survey and fish census and return to the research station a little early for a special dinner because Earthwatch President Roger … [Read more...]
The Earthwatch Institute expedition WILD DOLPHIN SOCIETIES was in a more urban setting at Sarasota Bay in Florida. This was a little different from most expeditions in that the research scientists were employed by the Mote Marine Laboratory and went home at night and weekends so there wasn't as much interaction with the volunteers as usual. To research dolphins, we went out in the boat each day to … [Read more...]
My next whale adventure was Dolphins and Whales of Abaco Island, another Earthwatch expedition a great winter getaway in the Bahamas! The research scientists, Dian and Charlotte met the three volunteers in Marsh Harbor and drove us to the house and research center on a scenic each in the fishing village of Sandy Point where we met the rest of the friendly staff, Kiya, Stephani and Edward. The … [Read more...]
My next real whale adventure was with the Earthwatch Institute expedition Gray Whale Migration at Laguna San Ignacio in Baja California Sur. The volunteers met Dr. William Megill and the staff at Loreto, Mexico and had a day to tour the surrounding desert and mountains, including an old mission and ancient petroglyphs. Then we headed north on steep and winding roads to San Ignacio and the Kuyima … [Read more...]
One of the four key areas of EARTHWATCH INSTITUTE scientific research is OCEANS, including studies of coastal ecology, coral reefs, sea turtles, sea otters, dolphins and whales. I've enjoyed working as a volunteer in all of these areas, but probably the most exciting ocean adventures are those involving whales! This is an account of several of those expeditions. While in the U. S. Navy many … [Read more...]