Fins Talesn T E E R N E W

nov 201 • oct/ 2 e r & t t v o e lu s l Fins Talesn t e e r n e w

brillo Marine Aquarium. After lunch Steering Committee the LCDC docents boarded their bus and headed to the Point Vicente The CMAV Steering Committee will Interpretive Center. That’s when we commence its regular meetings on discovered that one of the docents Monday, October 1, in the Multipur- left behind a backpack full of vital pose Room at 9:30am. The meetings information, including a wallet full are always on the first Monday of of credit cards. Our Good Samaritan each month. All volunteers are wel- for the day was Nancy Cook. She come to attend. The CMA Director, got in her car and hand-delivered the Mike Schaadt, gives an interesting backpack to the Interpretive Center report on upcoming events here at and was greeted by cheers and ap- CMA. Other committee members From the Prez plause. If anyone has ever lost a wal- give reports as well. Please try to Esther Imbagliazzo let, misplaced a purse or backpack, attend when you can. You’re more CMA Volunteer President you can imagine the feeling of dread than welcome. that overcomes you. Thanks, Nancy! Needless to say you made her day. he CMA Volunteer Steering The Living Coast Discovery Center is T Committee held its annual Fall a wonderful facility – and accessible. Luncheon on Monday, September The former name was Chula Vista 18. The event was wonderful thanks Nature Center. For more information, to our training chairs, Bob Bailiff visit their website. It’s very interest- and Jane Seaburn. Jane worked her ing. usual magic on the centerpieces and Bob had the tables and chairs set There are many websites such as up under canopies to block the hot yelp.com, tripadvisor.com, smart- sun. This event is for all volunteers destinations.com and gocitykids. and is a chance to showcase our parentconnection.com that rate new docent training class. Cabrillo travel destinations. Cabrillo Marine Marine Aquarium attracts the best Aquarium consistently gets no less and the brightest. This class is no than a four- out of five-star rating. exception. Members of the new class When you read the reviews you’ll are: Michael Bell, Michael Bronkey, find that most people think highly Kandi Gusha, Nadine Koerner, Anne of our facility. Those of us who work Maben, Amparo Leon-McCone, and volunteer here know it’s a great Maya Monroy, Judy Mossman and facility and it’s good to know that Katie Peraudeau. On behalf of all others do as well. CMA also has a CMA volunteers: welcome aboard! wonderful website. It’s a wealth of information. Visit the website when Docents from The Living Coast Dis- you can. You won’t be disappointed. covery Center in Chula Vista paid us a visit in August. A few of our CMA docents gave them a tour of our facility. Ed Mastro was on hand to welcome the docents and give a history of Ca-

1 Linda Ayers, CMA “Feeder”

Someone left the cover off a plumbing access hole in the shop area in July and a skunk slipped in during the night. A staffer discovered the “guest” and called Animal Control. Two officers arrived and made an effort to catch the poor thing, getting only slightly sprayed.

Unfortunately, their trap was too big to fit in the hole, Rinkes Scholarships and the sides were too slippery for the skunk to climb Mike Masinter, FCMA Board Secretary, Steering Committee Past out on its own. Roosevelt, CMA’s very handy handyman, President made a sort of skunk ramp with little steps and I left a small fish (smelt we feed to our regular occupants) on the FRIENDS of Cabrillo Marine Aquarium (FCMA) recently ramp. Once it got dark, a safe exit with snack was made. awarded $6,000 in college scholarships. The Christiane Not exactly like trapping a bear, but a nice break from Rinkes Memorial Scholarship Fund annually makes the routine. awards to Cabrillo Marine Aquarium and FCMA youth volunteers and part-time staff who are beginning or Editor’s note: Linda is an Olympic-class face painter. Will she be continuing college with a life sciences or environmental adding another animal to her repertoire? sciences major. This year’s recipients are Madaly Alcala, San Pedro High graduate, who will be a UC Berkeley freshman in the fall majoring in molecular environmental biology; Zoe Allen, Taking the Ocean’s Pulse San Pedro High grad who will be studying marine biology at CSU Long Beach; Emily Buczko, Mary Star of the After two years of collecting global data and developing Sea graduate, entering Stanford with a biology major; models, scientists have a new, comprehensive way to Nicole Enciso, Rolling Hills Prep grad entering Loyola measure the health of the world’s oceans that recognizes Marymount in environmental science; Xana Hermosillo, humans as part of an integrated marine ecosystem, as who continues her marine sciences study at Evergreen opposed to just trying to keep people out of the ocean. State College; Kayla Kelly-Slatten, CSU Fresno student The scientists’ report gave the oceans an overall score majoring in environmental sciences; Julian Kimura, of 60 on a scale of zero to 100. Among the world’s 133 recent Palos Verdes Peninsula High graduate, entering countries with ocean coastlines, scores ranged from 36 Duke University majoring in general biology and to 86. The United States scored slightly above average at pre-med; Ellen Kosman, continuing at 63. Florida State majoring in biology; and There is a lot of room for improvement, but still a lot of India Smith, San Pedro High grad Awardees have success – at least it wasn’t a ten. who will pursue environmental The index score for the U.S. suggests that the country studies at UC Santa Cruz. devoted at least could improve its ocean health by supporting tourism businesses that are environmentally friendly, encourag- two years to ing sustainable fishing practices and investing in aqua- the mission of culture to provide jobs and economic benefits to coastal communities. CMA. Boosting the global index score depends mainly on improving sustainable fishing and cultivation of marine organisms for food as well as halting the loss of coastal habitats.

Source: Nika Soon-Shing, L. A. Times

2 and reporting network could become mandatory world- wide through the U.N.’s International Maritime Organiza- tion.

Source: Associated Press

The Re-Tale of a Whale

CMA volunteer Jeanne Peterson submitted the following article which appeared in the March 2002 Fins & Tales. She felt it might be time to rerun it. It is – and here it is:

A Whale of a Day March 2002 Fins & Tales Who Killed that Baby Whale??? On Friday, August 10, the vessel Voyager out of Redondo Beach went on her first whalewatch Most of us have been asked that question by at of this season. To everyone’s delight they spotted a least one concerned young visitor. But just how blue whale off Point Vicente. did that one-year-old gray whale skeleton find its way to CMA? Recently Leonard Bennett Our own Bobbie Hedges narrated this outing, explaining gave Jeanne Peterson a collection of articles to passengers the specifics and habits of blues in that his late wife Grace had saved during her particular and baleen whales in general. This blue was years as a CMA volunteer. Jeanne found the headed south to Long Beach, where they’d been seen answer in the article below from the January the prior week feeding on swarms of krill. 1981 Fins & Tales and was kind enough to share it with us. Thanks Jeanne! Bobbie also pointed out a few minkies and many long- beaked common dolphins, California brown pelicans, sea January 1981 Fins & Tales lions, mola mola (ocean sunfish) and jellyfish (mola mola The Tale of a Whale chow). By Penny Holland

Source: Daily Breeze On July 15, 1975, a female whale, about a year- and-a-half old, washed up on the Palos Verdes shore at Point Vicente. Her fluke had apparent- ly become entangled in a fisherman’s gill net. It is not certain how she died, Protecting the Whales but her skull was broken, sug- gesting that in her panic she Scientists studying the carcass of a 47-foot fin whale dived too quickly and hit washed ashore in Point Reyes in June discovered the bottom, then drowned whale’s spine and ribs severed, probably from the pro- and was washed peller of one of the huge cargo ships in the area. There ashore by the tide. have been many similar accidents in recent years as migrating blue, fin and humpback whales have come Led by Bob closer to California shores in search of krill (whale chow). Bonde, vol- All three whale species are endangered. unteers from After a two-year effort, federal maritime officials have ap- Cabrillo Muse- proved a plan to protect whales in and around San um were soon on hand to save the Francisco Bay, including rerouting and/or slowing ship- specimen. Flesh ping traffic and establishing better ways to track whale was stripped locations. The changes will probably go into effect next away and the year. If this is successful in San Francisco, the tracking bones scraped, 3 Re-Tale of a Whale Cont... then transferred to the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History where they were steam cleaned. Once prepared, the next step for the bones was assemblage. The vertebrae were strung on a long rod bent to the shape of the backbone. Some bones, such as the jaw, Aquatic Nursery were wired together and still others were at- tached with hot-melted glue. Preparation and A nice place to escape the sun and ooh and aah assemblage of so large a skeleton proved to be over purple-striped jellies, white abalone and sea- an expensive operation. Contributions from horses? Well, sort of. This relatively small area is a hive of local corporations helped finance the project: activity! There are currently about 28 scientific research principally Union Oil Co. and Rockwell Corp., projects being conducted by really bright students from with additional contributions from Flying Tiger 8th to 12th grade, under the guidance of Kierstan Dar- and Dow Chemical Co. row, Research Curator. Just the names of these projects For nearly five years the skeleton hung in the make me feel like I have an IQ equal to their grade levels upper room of the original Marine Museum. It (somewhere between 8 and 12). was complete except for its baleen, which bent out of shape when dried and seemed impos- Taking the easy out, I jumped on the project readily vis- sible to properly reposition in the upper jaw. ible on a storyboard in the Nursery: In mid-1980, the gray whale skeleton was dismantled, bone by bone, and transferred “The effects of melanin and astaxanthin-based to its latest home. Balancing on scaffolding, dietary supplements on the pigment of cultured hoisting the huge bones with ropes and pul- chrysaora colorata” by Madison Uetrecht, 10th leys, staff members John Heyning and Judy Grade, PVPHS Hopkins are well into the reassemblage project. As in the old museum, the skeleton will be Purple-striped jellies have been placed in three tanks of suspended from the ceiling so the visitors may the same size, water temperature, number of jellies, etc., walk around below, viewing it from any angle. but are on three different diets. One tank receives brine But this time something new has been added shrimp only, one brine shrimp with squid ink and the – baleen. John finally has solved the problem other brine shrimp with haematococcus. Photo analysis of getting the tough, bristly stuff to fit inside will determine the effects of diet on the jelly’s pigmenta- the upper jaw. “It will probably be the only tion. whale skeleton on the west coast with baleen intact, and one of only a few in the world,” he reported.

How did we get this whale skeleton?

4 CMA Gift Shop Jean Steinmetz, Manager

The CMA Gift shop is bursting at the seams with new inventory found at gift shows in Los Back to School Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas. There are new It’s back to school time and back to California aquatic-themed T-shirts, Science Standards time. The following standard books, CMA mugs, octo- examples and worksheet were contributed to F&T by pus purses, fish wallets, Esther Imbagliazzo, CMA Volunteer President: women’s socks, scarves and antique spoon The next 3 pages include the California Science Stan- jewelry. dards and a standards worksheet. New home décor items that will blow you away with your own mini personal animal fan, lighted paint- ings, small animal lamps and clocks, sea life art tiles, metal lanterns, fish ceramic ware and aquatic salt cellars. Come in and discover what’s new on your own – or Jean will give you a tour. Shop at CMA and get your 20% FRIENDS discount, and remember that all proceeds go back to CMA educational programs. Happy Autumn!

Save the Date! 4th Annual Holiday Preview Jean Steinmetz, CMA Gift Shop Manager

Be sure to stop by the Gift Shop on Saturday and Sun- day, November 3-4, 1:30-5:15pm, for the 4th Annual Holiday Preview. View the fourteen aquatic-themed Christmas trees,including Baby’s First Christmas, Our First Christmas, Beach Santa, Driftwood and Sand, On the Sea, Aquatic Man Cave, Mermaids under the Sea, Native Garden, Our American Heroes, Fish Schools, SpongeBob & Friends, Autumn Teasels, Peacock Feathers and Cloisonné Creatures. You’ll find many new and exciting ornaments on these trees, plus stocking stuffers for the little ones - and that special gift for that special someone in your life.

5 California State Grade Level Science Content Standards Examples by grade level: Kindergarten General Themes: physical properties; senses; air, food, water, shelter · Describe physical properties (color, size, shape, weight, texture, flexibility, attraction to magnets, -float ing or sinking)

· All plants and animals need air, food, water to grow and be healthy · Most animals can move from place to place, which helps them find food to eat · Plants are usually rooted in one place and must obtain nutrients and energy from air, soil, water, sunlight

· Know the difference between real world and fantasy (ex: animals and plants can’t talk) · Identify major structures of common plants and animals (stems, leaves, roots, arms, wings, legs) · Identify resources from Earth that are used in everyday life and many resources that can be conserved · Make observations using senses · Describe relative position using one reference (ex: above or below) · Communicate observations orally

Grade One General Themes: adaptations for survival; different environments; energy sources for plants and animals · Different plants and animals inhabit different kinds of environments · Special ways to survive in different habitats (ex: whale’s blubber, sea otter’s thick fur) · Energy for plants comes from sunlight, energy for animals comes from food · Interdependence of living organisms (ex: animals need plants for food, shelter; plants need animals to help spread seeds)

· Relationship between teeth and the food animals eat · Green leaves are associated with making food from sunlight · Sun warms land, air, water · Describe the relative position of objects using two references (above and next to, below and left of)

Grade Two General Themes: life cycles; life stages; environmental stress · Plants and animals have predictable life cycles · Offspring resemble their parents and one another · Sequential stages of life cycles are different for different animals (ex: molting in animals with tough

6 external skeletons) · There can be competition for resources in an ecosystem · Variation among individuals of one kind within a population (differences in color, size, behav- · Food webs and food chains represent the rela- ior) tionships between organisms, animals/plants connected to each other by who eats what, · Light or environmental stress can affect and is eaten by what growth of plants (inadequate light, lack of nutrients, pollution) · Decomposers complete the food chain, nutrients return to the soil to feed the plants

· Living organisms depend on their environment Grade Three General Themes: adaptations; sur- to live vival in different habitats · Ecosystems can be characterized by their living · Sun is a major source of energy for Earth and nonliving components

· Food is stored energy making it possible to · Animals depend on plants for food and shel- grow, maintain body temp, work and play ter, hiding places from predators

· Adaptations in physical structure or behavior · Estimate the weight, length, volume of objects may improve an organism’s chance for survival Grade Five General Themes: photosynthesis and · Plants and animals have structures that serve respiration; structures and organs for physiological different functions in growth, survival, repro- functions; cells duction · Plants and animals have structures for respira- · Earth has different habitats; name organisms tion, digestion, waste disposal and transport that live in different habitats; describe char- of materials acteristics of some of the plants and animals living in each · Organisms have cells within them that need food and oxygen · Moon’s appearance changes during the four- week lunar cycle; know terms like full, quarter, · Photosynthesis: plants use CO2 + sunlight to waxing, waning, crescent moon make sugar and release oxygen

Grade Four General Themes: energy for organ- o 6 CO2 + 6 H2O == > C6H12O6 + 6 O2 isms; food webs and interactions between all organisms · And the other way around (respiration) · All organisms need energy and matter to live · Most of Earth’s water is present as saltwater and grow in the oceans which cover most of the Earth’s surface (3/4) · Plants are the primary source of matter and energy entering most food chains

· Herbivores and omnivores eat the plants; carnivores eat the herbivores and omnivores; decomposers eat plant and animal waste, returning nutrients to the soil

· A food chain is the flow of matter and energy from organism to organism by consumption (plants get energy from sun, herbivores eat plants, carnivores eat herbivores); solar energy indirectly sustains carnivores

7 Cabrillo Marine Aquarium Science Standards Worksheet for Exhibit Hall Tours

Name(s) of Contributors: ______

Grade Level: ______

Science Standard Being Addressed:

Suggested Terminology/Vocabulary to introduce during tour (list words):

Exhibit Hall Topic (Describe typical presentation, discussion or conversation):

Exhibit Hall Location (s) (Suggest ideal points along the tour for the science standard):

Suggested Parting or Follow Up Questions (What questions might you ask students at the end of the tour to remind them of the science standard?):

Write any other comments on back of page

8 Editor’s Corner Sherry Ruffer, Editor

Bits & Pieces Climate Change And now to plagiarize from an article co-written by Ed Theodore (Ted) Walters Mastro, CMA Exhibits Director for Tidelines Fall 2012 Theodore Walters passed away peacefully on July issue: 15 at the age of 87. He was born June 11, 1925 in Iowa and had been a longtime resident of Lomita, In December 2008 the Monterey Bay Aquarium, National California. Theodore is survived by his wife, Lorraine Aquarium in Baltimore, New England Aquarium and Walters; children Ed (Susan) Walters, Marti (Charles) the Association of Zoos and Aquariums hosted more Louwerens, Richard (Elaine) Walters, plus seven than 40 aquariums and related organizations at the grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Communicating Climate Change and the Oceans A memorial service was held at Green Hills Mortuary and Summit. The goal of the summit was to elevate our Memorial Chapel on July 26. collective focus on climate change and the creation In lieu of flowers, the family suggested a donation to of collaborative strategies for communicating climate FRIENDS of Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. change and inspiring solution-oriented actions among our institutions and audiences. CMA Director Mike Docent Tours Schaadt and Exhibits Director Ed Mastro were able to attend this summit and made a commitment that CMA On August 24, CMA high school docents took senior would discuss with staff things that we can all do to docents on an aquarium tour. The senior docents were reduce our carbon footprints, both at CMA and at home, quite impressed and everyone had a good time. through simple choices, such as: • Ride a bike or walk instead of driving • Carpool or use public transportation for longer distances • Turn off lights (and TVs) when not in a room • Turn down the thermostat, especially while on vacation • Unplug appliances that use power in standby mode (see that little red light on your computer?) • Plant a tree • Install solar panels • Sign up for green power

A Cree Indian Proverb

Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realize we can- not eat money.

9 Mark Your Calendar

October

21 AUTUMN SEA FAIR – 10am-4:30pm 21 Salt Marsh Open House – 11am-1pm 27 Weekend Tidepool Walk – 1:30-3pm 27 SEA SCARE – Halloween Party – 6-9pm Fee - Costumes welcome 28 Weekend Tidepool Walk – 2-3:30pm 30 American Cetacean Society Lecture – Auditorium – 7:30pm – For information www.acs-la.org

November

3 Native garden Workday/Beach Cleanup – 8-10am 3 CMA Gift Shop Holiday Preview – 10:30am-5:15pm 4 CMA Gift Shop Holiday Preview – 10:30am-5:15pm 10 Weekend Tidepool Walk – 11am-12:30pm 10 Salt Marsh Open House – 2-4pm 11 Weekend Tidepool Walk – 12noon-1:30pm 17 Walk Cabrillo – 2-4pm 18 Sunday Story Studio – 1:45-2:45pm 22 Thanksgiving Day – Aquarium Closed 24 Weekend Tidepool Walk – 11:30am-1pm 25 Weekend Tidepool Walk – 12:30-2pm 27 American Cetacean Society Lecture – Auditorium – 7pm – for information www.acs-la.org

10 Mission Statements

CMA Cabrillo Marine Aquarium engages all visitors in education, recreation and research to promote knowledge, appreciation and conservation of the marine life of Southern California.

FCMA FRIENDS of Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is a non-profit corporation created to provide support and resources to Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in its mission, which is to engage all visitors in education, recreation and research to promote knowledge, appreciation and conservation of the marine life of Southern California.

CMAV The mission of the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium Volunteers is to recruit, train and retain volunteers who will support the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium and FRIENDS of CMA in carrying out their missions. More specifically, CMAV will: • Recruit, train and retain docents, service volunteers and gift shop volunteers for both onsite and offsite activities • Provide continuing enrichment, training and recognition for volunteers • Provide support, as appropriate, for Aquarium programs and activities • Support functions of FRIENDS of CMA

Credits: Fins & Tales Editor: Sherry Ruffer, Graphics/Layout: Katie Peraudeau Photos: Gary Florin, Nancy Cook