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Day 6- I PET A SHARK!!!!

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Squishy the octopus !!!

I saw a small shark in the sea grass (only 1 ft.) and I pet him and it was soon cool!!! Also, Hermy our trash crab died today before we could find him a shell and it was sad.  BUT we made a new friend named Squishy the baby octopus!!!

In regards to my taxon, crustaceans, I saw a boat load today (hehe get it, boat load).  I saw one spotted pony lobster and four Caribbean spiny lobsters.  Adrienne pushed one of the lobsters out of its hiding place in the coral from its tickle spot and I saw the full Caribbean spiny.  It as really cool and came up to me, not afraid at all. Finally, it retreated.

Batwing Coral Crab

I also got to hold a Batwing Coral Crab which was super cute.  It had a rounded carapace and really pretty patterns on it.  I had to hold it from the back end so it would not bite me.

Mantis shrimp, Ciliated False Squilla
Water louse of some kind, species unknown

We brought a bunch of little crabs, one shrimp, and one water louse back to the wet lab and I was able to look at it up close.  The shrimp was a Ciliated False Squilla (a type of mantis shrimp). It tried to attack the crabs so we had to move it to its own area.  The water louse was weird and reminded me of head lice and was scary.  Mostly it was fine and moved quickly.  The name still grosses me out.

Additionally, I found 3 green porcelain crabs, 3 mangrove crabs, and 2 decorator crabs.  They were all fighting and trying to camouflage on top of each other.  Eventually, I put them back in the ocean but a school of fish came by and possibly ate them. So all my children are dead now.  BUT I STILL PET A SHARK so life is alright currently.

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Day 5- Adventures of Hermy the Trash Crab

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Close up of the molt of the Caribbean spiny lobster

I held so many crabs today.  Today was a big day for crustaceans.  I found a juvenile Caribbean spiny lobster molt and it was much more intact than I expected.  Also the spines on it were very sharp.

We found a big piece of wood that we brought onto shore because it was disturbing the reef. On shore, I noticed so many crabs!!! I picked up a few and brought them back to the wet lab on the island and filled a bucket with salt water for them.  When they got in the water they all came together probably to try to camouflage themselves.

On the right, the two fuzzy crabs, on top of each other,  later identified as decorator crabs. To the left is a green porcelain crab. 

Two of them were species I had never seen before.  They looked like green algae and were fuzzy.  Their carapace was also more pointed which is very different.  It felt weird to hold them in my hands, they tickled.

Hermy the Trash Crab!

In the afternoon we picked up trash and collected data on it.  In one of the trash piles collected we noticed a land hermit crab hiding inside a styrofoam cap.  This makes it very vulnerable to predators because it is easily taken out of its “shell.”  We are in the process of finding Hermy (thats what we named it) a shell.

Me + Trash Crab 4 eva

Overall, it was a pretty good day with some free time at night and I can go to bed early (-ish)!

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Day 4- I SAW A SHARK

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This was the face I made when I saw the shark. I was so excited that I smiled so hard and let water into my mouth. Also this face is disgusting but shows my joy

I SAW A SHARK. I SAW A SHARK. I SAW A SHARK. I SAW A SHARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So yeah, that happened today, highlight of my life.

AREN’T I PHOTOGENIC?? My reaction to holding the sharpest of the urchins, the Diadema antillarum

Today we compared the data we have been collected between the marine protected area (MPA) and non-protected area patch reefs. Using various methods and just observations it became clear that the MPS was healthier in regards to urchin abundance, less algae, and from out observations it looked healthier with more abundant corals.

Caribbean spiny lobster found at non-MPA site under coral cover

While doing these investigations today, I saw a Caribbean Spiny Lobster hiding under a coral reef around 11 AM probably because they are nocturnal. It was easily found because of its large antennas sticking out of the crevice that alerted me to it.

I am pretty sick of of land hermit crabs and blue land crabs by now. They are everywhere. I am started to map out their general locations because I have realized that they tend to stay in patches. So far, I have noticed that the blue hermit crabs like to be in grassier areas especially behind the showers while the land hermit crabs dominate a certain trail that heads off of the main path.

I am tired, I am itchy, but I am happy because this has been such a unique experience so far.

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Day 3- I ITCH EVERYWHERE

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Day 3, and I have learned that bugs hate me and that fire coral is mean.  I think I jinxed myself by saying I did not have any bug bites because now I am covered.  Plus I bumped some fire coral so my rear is itchy and hurts, making fire coral my least favorite coral.  Pseudodiploria labrinthiformis is easily my favorite though and I have been finding and identifying it!

Back in the world of crabs, I have stopped getting overly excited over land hermit crabs now.  I counted 213 of those little guys just today.  There is one part of the trail that is just land hermit crabs (184 in one place).  They seem to be very spotty on the island as to where they are most found.  We tried to quantify their per square meter space on the island using quadrants and a transact, but it resulted in very little crabs and brac holes being recorded when in actuality they are everywhere.

Mangrove crab on a pillar camouflaged at Middle Caye

I also saw a mangrove crab today on the pillar of the dock.  It was camouflaged above a bunch of algae.  A few minutes prior I noticed two unidentified crabs.  They were two hermit crabs on a turtle sea grass leaf very close together and moving up the leaf.  From their shells I first thought they were mollusks but then I noticed their blue pincers sticking out.  I am not sure what type of hermit crab has blue pincers, but they were interesting to watch.

AND OF COURSE, I saw some more blue land crabs at night.  They are really much more accustomed to humans than I had imagined they would be.  They don’t even run away when walk by or even when I run at them.

Well the benedryl I just took for the fire coral is kicking in and I’m about to sleep for days… well really only like 7 hours but thats alright.

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Day 2- CRABS, CRABS, AND MORE CRABS

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ARRIVED AT GLOVERS REEF ATOLL, MIDDLE CAYE!

It’s day two and we arrived at Middle Caye in Glovers Reef Atoll.  Surprisingly for waking up at 5 am, I’m still energetic about everything we are doing. Sadly my camera broke today, so I will be using others’ photos or mooching off their camera.

To get to Glovers Reef we took a bus to Belize City and then a 3 hour boat ride.  On the bus, I saw another Great Heron in a marshy area of the savannah. It was bobbing around and moving in circles, but I wasn’t able to view it for long enough to see what exactly it was trying to do.  Also as soon as we hit water, I noticed dozens of Brown Pelicans pitched on the dock or wading in water looking for fish.

Land hermit crab, found everywhere on the island

Once we got to Glovers I suddenly realized that crustaceans, and specifically crabs, are everywhere and it would not be too difficult to find them.  There is literally a trail called hermit crab trail where land hermit crabs just wonder around.  The largest I encountered was around the size of a softball and the smallest was smaller than a quarter.  My encounters of them have usually consisted of me noticing them and the crabs scurrying into the bushes.  The smallest one I saw was a pale color which confirms what I have heard that juveniles are light while adults are red.

When we went snorkeling on a patch reef I found a Spiny Spotted Lobster.  It was in the middle of a patch reef hidden beneath a covering.  I was able to see it from a hole above and below.  Since they are usually nocturnal it was not really doing anything, only slightly moving with my movements.

The night belonged to the Blue Land Crabs. They are surprisingly large and not too afraid of humans.  The crabs came out of the underbrush.  I made a friend with one and named him crabby (not very original). He started walking towards me and when I walked towards him he jut continued.  It looked as if it wanted to figure out what I was.  After 5 minutes it finally scurried away.  I am currently in the mini library here and I fully expect to see more on my walk back to my room. I am excited to see what other creatures I can find in the next few days!

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HERE!!!

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Wow, we’re finally here! It’s a whole lot warmer and sweaty here than I anticipated, but that’s not stopping my excitement.  Within the first hour of being here, I  had already seen views of the savannah, some goats, and of course some birds.

I saw two white birds with longer necks on the side of the road when we were traveling to the Tropical Education Center.  They looked similar to Great Egrets, but this was in the tropical savannah and usually Egrets are found in marshlands or waterside.  I also saw a glimpse of a parrot and Scott did an impression of its fast wingbeat that is so characteristic of parrots.

I keep hearing bird noises and wanting to find the source of them! I guess to see them well I’d really have to wake up early.  I also saw a bird feather, but cannot identify what it is from.

Other cool highlights so far is that we saw an iguana and two toads, one of which was in my room. The iguana was feeding and I was surprised to see how agile it was on such a small branch.

The trip is only just getting started and I cannot wait to see what else it holds!

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I Can’t Believe I’m Almost in Belize!

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There’s only a few days left before I leave or Belize and it really has not hit me yet.  I am still in Chicago where it was 40 degrees last week and in a few days, I will be in the tropics?! However, I am extremely excited to have this opportunity.

I expect this trip to give me a good look into what field research would be like.  My goal for the summer is to figure out what I want to major in because I am currently stuck between biochemistry (bioc) or ecology and evolutionary biology (ebio).  I hope this trip gives me a good idea of what research in ecology and evolutionary biology would be like.

So far I have been preparing by reading up on Belize and my assigned organisms.  I now know more about crustaceans and birds than I ever thought I would especially since I grew up in downtown Chicago where all I would ever see was maybe a pigeon.

My mother is very nervous about the snakes or random risks associated with the trip, but I am not.  I feel like all the animal planet and discovery channel television shows I watched when I was younger about venomous snakes or deadly trips people took in forests should make me think twice about my safety; however, I am more excited than nervous.  My only concern is about my dietary restrictions.  I am gluten and dairy free and a little nervous about not getting enough food or accidentally eating something contaminated and getting sick.

I am most excited for snorkeling and the caves.  I absolutely love being in the ocean and watching all the marine species.  Sharks are my favorite animal and I am really hoping to see one.  I also think caves are so interesting because they are a hidden form of beauty and shelter.  I went in a crystal cave in Bermuda when I was a lot younger, but I have not been since.

My don’t have much experience in the tropics.  I have been to the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos which are tropical, but I think they feel different knowing you are on an island.  In the Bahamas, I stayed at a resort and did not really explore much of the ecosystems.  I went scuba diving in Turks and Caicos and that was amazing.  I saw two sharks!! I have never been in a tropical forest which will be super interesting.  Overall, I am super excited to go to Belize and learn all about the ecosystems and field research.