Saving the Endangered Ridgway’s Rail

By Jessica LaFave

Did you know that the Living Coast is one of the only zoos in the world where guests can see a light-footed Ridgway’s rail? In addition to our current Ridgway’s rail resident, we now have a breeding pair on exhibit!

These two rails come to us at a very exciting time, since they will become our primary breeding pair within the Ridgway’s Propagation Program.  Formerly known as the light-footed clapper rails, these endangered birds call marsh habitats and coastal wetlands their home. But because these birds require very specific conditions to thrive, they’re an endangered species. With support from the Port of San Diego, the Living Coast Discovery Center has been able to expand our role within the rail breeding program and conduct conservation research on Sweetwater Marsh and throughout the region. With breeding season fast approaching and our new breeding pair, we hope to help contribute to the success of this program and introduce new young birds to the Refuge and throughout Southern California.

The light-footed Ridgway’s rail (Rallus obsoletus levipe) is a state and federally-listed endangered species that can be found throughout southern California and northern Baja California, Mexico. Loss and degradation of habitat threaten the continued existence of this bird, although recent management efforts are reversing those trends in the wild.  The presence of the Ridgway’s rail indicates the presence of a functioning tidal salt marsh ecosystem and its rich biological diversity.

The Living Coast is proud to be part of Team Clapper Rail, composed of organizations dedicated to the study, restoration and reintroduction of rails in southern California. Thanks to the team’s efforts, over 400 rails have been zoologically propagated and released into the wild since 2000. This year, the Living Coast has participated in the husbandry care and vital observation sessions that prepare rails for release into the wild. The Living Coast also provided raft maintenance, assisted with rail monitoring and collection, and participated in rail releases throughout the region. Our Animal Care Specialists have been working side by side with members of Team Clapper Rail from the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, SeaWorld, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other scientific partners. We look forward to continuing to take steps to save this indigenous species. This project is just one of the many ways we are fulfilling our mission to partner in collaborative research in San Diego County.

Jessica LaFave is the Development Manager at the Living Coast. She is very passionate about her work to help raise awareness for the conservation of local wildlife. Jessica has a very optimistic outlook on life and a great sense of humor, bringing laughter to all staff at the Living Coast.

Can You Spot this Fish?

By Lindsay Bradshaw, Animal Care Manager

The spotted bay bass (or spotted sand bass) is a fish unlike any other.  He is large, silver, and covered in dark spots.  He can swim quickly, but also likes to rest at the bottom, propping himself up with his two large pectoral fins.  Here at the Living Coast, we feed our spotted bay bass chopped up pieces of squid, mackerel, herring, smelt and clam tongue.  A diet with lots of variety helps keep the fish healthy.  The spots on the fish act as camouflage – when the fish is swimming around in kelp and sea grass, the sunlight filters through the vegetation and causes spots of light and shadow to be cast down to the bottom.  The pattern of spots on the fish helps him look just like a rock when he rests on the bottom and it tricks his predators who don’t even see him resting there.  He is found right here in San Diego bay, so if you go snorkeling, see if you have a keen enough eye to spot this elusive spotted fish. 

Lindsay Bradshaw is the Animal Care Manager at the Living Coast Discovery Center. She has worked for several animal-focused organizations, including Birch Aquarium at Scripps, Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo, Maui Ocean Center, and the Vancouver Aquarium.

What’s the Deal with Sharks?

By Lindsay Bradshaw, Animal Care Manager

🎵“They say I’m the tyrant of the sea.  Everyone, everyone’s afraid of me.  I wish I could see just what they see.  Does anyone have a mirror?  I think of myself as cuddly!  As cute and nice as a shark can be.  But people scream when they see me… does anyone have a mirror? Even when I smile most graciously, everyone, everyone swims from me.  I wish I could see just what they see.  Does anyone have a mirror?”🎵

I like to think of this little song when I talk about sharks. Sharks, like some other animals, have a bit of a bad reputation.  For example, think of the killer whale:  an animal that in the past was feared for its violent hunting techniques.  But opinions change with knowledge and now orcas (another name for killer whales) are one of the most beloved animals in the ocean.  People go out on tours and pay a lot of money for just the chance to see one in the wild.  Now, there are shark enthusiasts and shark tours out there too.  A select few adrenaline seekers might find themselves getting lowered into the ocean in a cage which is then surrounded by sharks.  But that certainly is not everybody’s idea of a good day. 

Sharks get their bad reputation mainly from movies and the media. It is true that some sharks are more likely to bite a human than others, but out of the ~475 known species of sharks in the ocean, the vast majority are small and harmless and only about 10-12 are actually known to pose a threat to humans.  In fact, the largest fish in the sea is a whale shark, who happens to be a peaceful plankton eater.  Most reported cases of shark attacks are due to mistaken identity.  The water near shore is often murky and a human can be mistaken for a marine mammal like a seal as they surf or play in shallow water near the shore.  Sharks do not want to eat humans.  We aren’t a natural source of food for them.  Sharks have been around on Earth for over 400 million years.  Modern day humans have only been around for about 200,000 years.  We just aren’t part of their diet.  We don’t have enough fat on our bodies to be of much use for a shark.  They are looking for plump seals, sea lions, turtles, and fish to munch on.  They need high calorie food to survive. 

At the Living Coast Discovery Center, we exhibit four different species of shark (leopard sharks, smoothound sharks, swell sharks, and horn sharks), all smaller than 6 feet and no danger to humans.  In fact, if you book a Shark and Ray VIP tour, you actually get to go behind the scenes and touch a real live juvenile shark!  For some people, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity!  During our public talks, we try our best to educate people about sharks and the threats to them in the ocean. Sharks play a very important role in the ecosystem and the food chain as apex predators and without them, the balance of all life in the ocean would change.  Millions of sharks are killed each year by humans but the truth is that coconuts kill more people each year by falling on their heads.  I bet no one would admit to being afraid of coconuts though!

We hope that through education we can change the perception people have of sharks so they may be inspired to help protect them.  Sharks need our help, and that help begins with you!  When someone flinches at the mention of sharks, share with them your knowledge and together we can help save these amazing animals!

Lindsay Bradshaw is the Animal Care Manager at the Living Coast Discovery Center. She has worked for several animal-focused organizations, including Birch Aquarium at Scripps, Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo, Maui Ocean Center, and the Vancouver Aquarium.

Researching an Endangered Plant: Salt Marsh Bird’s Beak

Have you ever seen Salt Marsh Bird’s Beak? You might be thinking of a bird who may have an interesting beak, but what if I told you Salt Marsh Bird’s Beak is actually a plant? This plant grows in small clumps that have green stems with purple ends and cream colored flowers with yellow or purple tips on top.

As an endangered species, Bird’s Beak population has been monitored on the Sweetwater Marsh for years. In fact, this study is the longest running case study of a human-planted Bird’s Beak population in the world! A few years ago there were attempts to sow seeds throughout The Sweetwater Marsh in order to increase population. However, these attempts were deemed unsuccessful as the plant needs very specific conditions to thrive. This left the population at around 100 plants as of two years ago, when the last survey was conducted. Recently, Living Coast Horticulturist Mark Valen was part of a Salt Marsh Bird’s Beak survey done here at the Sweetwater Marsh Unit of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge. However Mark was not alone as other scientists from across the country flew in to count Bird’s Beak as well. To everyone’s surprise, Bird’s Beak seemed to be everywhere! They counted over 14,000 individual Bird’s Beak plants on the marsh. We certainly hope this means the tides are turning and this plant population is receiving the specific conditions it needs to thrive. 

So the next time you’re out on our trails, keep an eye out for the Salt Marsh Bird’s Beak and know you might be seeing the comeback of a truly spectacular species!

Who’s the Best Animal Father?

By Lindsay Bradshaw, Animal Care Manager

Father’s Day is this Sunday and here at the Living Coast Discovery Center we are celebrating a very special animal father.  He is an aquatic animal that has a long prehensile tail and whose head somewhat resembles a horse.  Can you guess it?  If you thought “seahorse”, you are correct!  But what is it about a male seahorse that is so unique? They really are one of a kind in the animal kingdom – most babies that are born come from the mother, but in the seahorse world, it is the dads that take on the task of carrying the young!  Wait… what?!  The DAD’s get pregnant?  Yup!  In the seahorse world, the males are the ones who become pregnant and give birth to the babies.  Hundreds and hundreds of babies! 

Let’s back up for a second. You might be wondering how this all magic happens, so let me tell you:  Seahorse courtship begins with a male and female seahorse performing a ritualistic dance up the water column. They call this the “predawn dance”.  They swim towards the surface spiraling around each other, tails sometimes entwined.  Eventually, they will engage in a true courtship dance and the male will open his pouch to receive the eggs passed over from the female.  The eggs are deposited in the pouch, where fertilization then takes place.   Most species incubate the eggs for two to four weeks.  When it is time to give birth, the male expels the young from his pouch through a series of abdominal contractions.  Depending on the species, there could be hundreds to thousands of babies.  Once they are out of the pouch, the dad’s job is done and the babies are on their own.  They are fully formed miniature seahorses no bigger than a grain of rice.

Here at the Living Coast Discovery Center we are celebrating Father’s day with the super seahorse fathers!  Come join us!

Lindsay Bradshaw is the Animal Care Manager at the Living Coast Discovery Center. She has worked for several animal-focused organizations, including Birch Aquarium at Scripps, Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo, Maui Ocean Center, and the Vancouver Aquarium.

Home is Where the Shell is

By Lindsay Bradshaw, Animal Care Manager

First things first, take a moment to picture your house.  It probably has these important characteristics: a kitchen, a bathroom, bedrooms, and a roof.  We humans need to have a safe, warm, and dry place to call home.  Animals all have homes too, but they are pretty different than our idea of what a home is.  Can you think of a good home for an owl?  A tree!  What about a home for a squirrel?  A burrow!  And what about a clownfish? An anemone!  Homes come in many varieties to suit the needs of each animal. 

Today, I want to introduce you to one of nature’s most resourceful homeowners: the hermit crab! A home for a hermit crab is a shell, but hermit crabs don’t make the shells themselves, so where do they get them?  Believe it or not, they actually recycle them from other animals like snails. Snails also use shells as their homes, but they grow the shell themselves. As the snail gets bigger, so does its shell. When a snail dies, the soft part of the animal decomposes or is eaten by another animal. The hard shell is left behind and becomes the perfect residence for a hermit crab! 

Hermit crabs, unlike other crabs, have a soft abdomen that makes them very vulnerable to predators.  They seek out these leftover snail shells and when they find one that is the right size, they climb right in. They don’t need to worry about renting a U-Haul, or carrying a floppy mattress down a steep staircase. Moving day for a crab only takes a minute or two. Can you imagine carrying your whole house on your back? Hermit crabs carry their shell with them wherever they go and only leave the safety of their shell when they molt or when they outgrow their current residence.

At the Living Coast Discovery Center, you can see hermit crabs in their shell homes as part of the Passport to the Pacific exhibit. The crabs are nocturnal so you might not see them scuttling around, but they are excellent climbers and you can see them all together at the tops of their branches. Come check them out!

Lindsay Bradshaw is the Animal Care Manager at the Living Coast Discovery Center. She has worked for several animal-focused organizations, including Birch Aquarium at Scripps, Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo, Maui Ocean Center, and the Vancouver Aquarium.

Scarlet Macaws- Rainbows of the Rainforest

by Lindsay Bradshaw, Animal Care Manager

The scarlet macaw is one of the most impressive birds you will ever encounter.  With their vibrant feathers full of a rainbow of colors, they look more like a flying bag of Skittles.  Macaws are rainforest dwellers and many animals living in the jungle are green to camouflage with all the trees and plants.  The scarlet macaw, however, seems to be doing the opposite of camouflaging.  You might be wondering why they sport all those flashy colorful feathers rather than trying to blend into their background.  The fact is, they’re using all those colors as a strategy to stay safe. They are trying to trick their predators!  Scarlet macaws have a type of coloration known as “disruptive coloration”.  Disruptive coloration is most often found on animals that live in groups.  Macaws are flock birds (meaning they live together in large groups) so if a predator, like a large raptor, was ever to try to prey on a scarlet macaw, the whole flock would fly away together and the colors on their feathers would disrupt the shape of the body of the birds, making it very hard for a predator to focus and catch one.  Many other animals use disruptive coloration as a survival strategy- for example the stripes on a zebra or the patterns on many schooling coral reef fish.  So those pretty feathers actually are actually a survival technique! 

The other thing you may notice about a scarlet macaw is the large beak.  Scarlet macaws love to eat fruit, berries, seeds, and nuts.  With that large beak, they can crack through the shells of even the toughest nuts.  And from that very large beak comes a very loud noise.  The Central and South American jungle where they live is a vast habitat and communicating over long distances is essential for scarlet macaws.  Their call is mighty and can be ear piercing for those who hear it up close!

Come visit our beautiful scarlet macaw “Tico” who is here with us as one of our Passport to the Pacific animal ambassadors.  He might even say hello to you so bring your earplugs!  A hello from a parrot like Tico might turn out to be the loudest hello you have ever heard!   

Lindsay Bradshaw is the Animal Care Manager at the Living Coast Discovery Center. She has worked for several animal-focused organizations, including Birch Aquarium at Scripps, Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo, Maui Ocean Center, and the Vancouver Aquarium.

Tarantulas- delightful desert dwellers

by Lindsay Bradshaw, Animal Care Manager

When people ask me, “What is your favorite animal?” I have a hard time replying.  It sounds like a simple enough question because someone who works with animals surely has one that sticks out above the rest, but I truly have a place in my heart for each and every animal on this planet – even spiders and creepy crawlies.

Today, I want to talk about the desert tarantula, a unique animal that falls under the category “arthropoda” on the taxonomic tree.  For some science background, the taxonomic tree is a way to organize animals into groups, with each animal sharing certain characteristics at different levels of the tree.  Arthropods are characterized by having no backbone, an exoskeleton, a segmented body, and jointed legs.  Spiders are “cousins” with other arthropods like insects and crustaceans.

The cool thing about desert tarantulas is that they are so well adapted to their environment, which can be very harsh with temperature extremes and very little water and shelter.  To stay protected, these spiders live in burrows in the ground.  The burrows offer a shady, cooler spot to spend the day, where temperatures can easily reach over 100 degrees.  They come out at night when temperatures are a little more bearable.  Once they emerge from their burrows, it’s time to feed.  They will seek out small insects, beetles, and other smaller spiders to feast on.  Tarantulas don’t have teeth, so they rely on the venom from their fangs to liquefy their prey, and they suck it up like a milkshake.  A tarantula bite is not particularly dangerous to humans, but it could sting a little- like a bee sting.

Tarantulas have another creative way to defend themselves against predators like weasels, hawks, owls, skunks, and snakes: mildly venomous barbed hairs on their backs called “urticating hairs”. They can use their rear legs to brush off the hairs into the air around their attacker, hopefully deterring them and allowing the spider a chance to escape.

The biggest threat to tarantulas, however, is not their natural predators.  Humans have developed much of the land that tarantulas call home, and they are losing the habitat that they need to survive.  Deserts and dry grasslands are becoming more and more urbanized.  Though the desert tarantula is not an endangered species, habitat loss could make it vulnerable in the future.  We must continue to protect these environments for all the animals that call it home, even the creepy crawlies. 

Lindsay Bradshaw is the Animal Care Manager at the Living Coast Discovery Center. She has worked for several animal-focused organizations, including Birch Aquarium at Scripps, Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo, Maui Ocean Center, and the Vancouver Aquarium.