Postcards from Nancy...By Olivia Sanchez

Texas Wildlife Association presents....

November 2016 Kid’s Quarterly Mini-Mag! Vol. 10 No. 4

Postcards from Nancy...... by Olivia Sanchez Hey there TWA Pals! I can’t believe it’s almost time for the holiday season! were swimming as fast as the boat and jumping in and out of the It seems like just yesterday I was enjoying the end of water. Their bodies looked smooth as they glided through the water. my summer vacation down at the coast. Just before They were all making noises, some made clicking noises and school started some friends of mine invited me to others made this squeaking sound. I was fascinated by how many go deep sea fishing down at South Padre Island. I had surrounded our boat as we cruised along. I kept seeing this one never been before so I jumped at the opportunity! dolphin with a scar around its nose pop up where I was sitting. I As we crossed the Queen Isabella Causeway, the waved to it and to my surprise it waved back to second longest bridge in Texas, I could see water me. Out of nowhere he said, “Hey…my name is… for miles. The water was a rich blue-green color and Danny…what’s your name?” as he went in and out clear enough I could see schools of fish swimming of the water. just below the surface. “Hi, my name is Nancy! It’s nice to meet you!” As we drove further into the island, I saw so “Nice to….meet…you too!” he said in return. many families enjoying the water before their kids Before I could ask anything in return he jumped returned to school and fishermen and women high up in the air and made a big splash as he casting out their lines in hopes of catching big fish. landed back into the water and swam off to join That was also the goal for my friends and I as we his pod. After that I never saw Danny again but the made our way to the boat that would take us out memory will last me a lifetime. We finally made it to into the deep sea. Before we got to the harbor we stopped by a local our fishing location and began to cast out our lines. With some trial store to get some bait, water and snacks to eat. We loaded up all our and error we all were able to catch some big fish that day. I will never goods and headed to the loading dock. I could see so many boats and forget that day. Not only was I able to catch some really big fish and see was excited to see which one we would be on. With the boat in sight, dolphins for the first time, but I actually we grabbed all our gear and headed down to meet our captain. “Hey made a lifelong friend Danny y’all! My name is Marie and I’ll be your captain for the day. Are y’all the Dolphin. One day I ready to catch some big fish!?” All at once we shouted, “YEAH!!!” hope to return and see After we loaded our gear onto the boat, I heard the engine power him again! on and I could feel the sun beating down. I grabbed my sunblock and made sure I was covered head to toe. The boat took off and we were Until then, headed for deep water. All of a sudden, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something jump from out of the water. I peered over the side of the boat and saw a small pod of bottlenose dolphins swimming next Nancy to us. I had seen them on TV and read about these beautiful creatures Nine-band but never actually seen them in real life and here they were. They

Critter Connections is made Attention Teachers: possible by a grant from the San Antonio Livestock To receive a free one-year subscription, go to: Exposition. http://www.texas-wildlife.org/program-areas/ subscribe-to-critter-connections Join TWA Today! TWA is a membership-based, non-profit organization whose mission is to educate all people, especially the youth of Texas Wildlife Association Texas, about the conservation, management, and enhancement of wildlife and wildlife habitat on private land. All programs are made possible through memberships and grants or donations. TWA HAS RESOURCES FOR EVERYONE - CLASSROOM TEACHERS, HOMESCHOOL TEACHERS, Your consideration of support is most appreciated. INFORMAL EDUCATORS, AND EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, FACILITIES, AND CAMPS!

Last year, we provided programming for over 288,000 youth across the state through Distance Learning, Discovery Trunks, Wildlife by Design¸ Learning Across New Dimensions in Science (L.A.N.D.S.), and Texas Brigades. Contact us to find out how we Wildlife by Design - FREE presentations for grades K-8 may help you incorporate wildlife and natural resources into your classroom! brought to your location by a TWA Educator. Each program includes a hands-on, inquiry based lesson and Most programs are free for teachers. activity, 30-60 minutes in length, for a group of 20-45 For information on our educational programs, please contact us at 800-TEX-WILD (800-839-9453). students, and can be repeated up to six (6) times that day. Joining TWA is optional. Each membership helps support TWA programs but it is not required to participate in our programs. Presentations are available regionally. http://www.texas- wildlife.org/program-areas/wildlife-by-design Join us at www.texas-wildlife.org

Membership Levels: Discovery Trunks - Statewide Discovery Trunks are full of hands-on, program-enhancing, natural resource materials ____ Life Member $2,400 ____ President’s Council $1,000+ and lessons, geared for grades K-8. Seven (7) trunk topics ____ Corporate $750 ____ Active $150 are available in two-week reservation periods and are ____ Family $250 ____ Online $35 available at no cost! Designed for groups of 40 students or more. Reserve your Discovery Trunk online http://www. ____ Associate $75 ____ Online Student $20 trunks.texas-wildlife.org/ All members receive a one year subscription to our monthly magazine, Texas Wildlife. Critter Connections - An educational, Educator and Volunteer Workshops & Trainings - Are interactive newsletter targeted for you interested in including conservation, natural youth ages 13 and younger. Subscribe resources, and wildlife education in your classroom? online for a free class set (25 copies) or Would you like to help advance natural resource literacy Diving Dolphin Craft an individual subscription (1 copy). All in your community? For more issues available for free online. Several information go to: http:// issues also available in Spanish! Quantities www.texas-wildlife.org/ Materials That You Will Need limited. http://www.texas-wildlife.org/ programs-areas/category/ 2 paper plates resources/publications/category/critter- educator-and-volunteer- Dark blue and sky blue paint connections/ resources (if you are doing this with a group look for colored plates to save time) Split pin/paper fastener Distance Learning - Watch TWA’s programs to spark your student’s interest in wildlife and private land stewardship. Silver or holographic cardstock Available as On-demand Webinars and via videoconferencing (also online). Programs are interactive, TEKS-aligned White cardstock for grades 1-6, and free to view! http://www.texas-wildlife.org/program-areas/youth-videoconferencing Glue Pencils Viewing On-demand Webinars: http://www.texas-wildlife.org/ Viewing Videoconference programs: programs-areas/youth-on-demand-webinars Visit www.connect2texas.net Procedure 1. Paint the plates so one is dark blue and one is sky blue. L.A.N.D.S. Intensive Program & iTunes U - TWA has 2. Cut a wave design across the dark blue plate. Trinity River Project - With the collaborated with the Texas You need to make sure the center of the plate is part of your sea design. L.A.N.D.S. Intensive program, Education Agency (TEA) 3. Place the dark plate on top of the sky blue plate. schools and teachers have to bring our On-demand 4. Use a pencil to push a hole through the mid-points of both plates access to natural resource Youth Webinars to the TEA and push a split pin through to connect them. lessons, special presentations, page on iTunes U. Previews 5. Cut a dolphin from silver or holographic cardstock and glue to the sky blue field investigation days, and of each On-demand Webinar and corresponding plate. Cut clouds from white cardstock and glue to the other side of the sky blue necropsies, as part of our worksheet are now available right on your iPhone plate. See page 6 for a guide. Learning Across New Dimensions in Science (L.A.N.D.S.) or iPad. https://itunes.apple.com/us/itunes-u/texas- 6. Now hold the sea and turn the sky blue plate. youth stewardship initiative. Trinity River Project, Grades wildlife-association/id884228948 It will look like the dolphin is jumping in and out of the waves! 4-5 — L.A.N.D.S. Intensive Program Grades 7-12. http:// www.texas-wildlife.org/program-areas/learning-across- Follow us on: 2 new-dimensions-in-science-l.a.n.d.s. 7 2 Did you know... puzzles.....mazes.....oh my! go ahead.....give it a try! ...that air can be expelled from a dolphin’s blowhole at speeds topping 100 mph? ...that they can jump as high as 20 feet out of water? Dolphin Crossword ...that they sleep resting one side of their brain at a time? Directions: Complete the crossword puzzle. ...that they don’t have a sense of smell? 1 2 ACROSS ...that they have feelings like you and me? They can be sad, curious and happy! 3 3. the round part of the dolphin’s head 4. attached to end of taiI 7. what dolphins use to stop and turn 5 4 9. sleeping pattern (include hyphen) 10. female dolphin 6 DOWN 7 1. male dolphin 2. what dolphins use to breathe 8 5. see through sound word searches...... 6. order dolphins belong to 9 8. baby dolphin

10 Photo by Manada Created with TheTeachersCorner.net Bottlenose Dolphin Label & Color Me (Tursiops truncatus) Label Me adapted from Enchanted Learning Software Conservation Action Items ® ® ® ® ®

Photo by NOAA_Photo_Library •Switch to re-fillable bottles for drinking water ®

® •Take part in a local river/water source clean-up day •Minimize the use of insecticides ® •Switch to reusable bags and containers •Respect nature and its wildlife by not disturbing it’s habitat beak - the elongated part of the mouth and jaws eye - sight organs located on the head •Write to your state legislator about preserving ocean habitat blowhole - the hole on the top of the head through fluke - one half of the tail and keeping it free from pollution which the dolphin breathes air (it is the dolphin’s nostril) flipper- one of a pair of wide, flat forelimbs that is used for swimming •Become more involved in marine environmental issues dorsal fin - the fin on the upper side of the body melon - the rounded structure in the top of the dolphin’s head just in ear - hearing organs located on the head behind the eye front of the blowhole 6 3 corner Like humans, dolphins have lungs and need air to breathe. While swimming Unlike humans, dolphins do not have vocal chords. Instead, they produce sounds underwater, the bottlenose dolphin can hold its breath for about 15 minutes. that vary in volume and type. They talk through clicking, squeaking, creaking and After that, they come up for air using their blowhole that sits on the top of their buzzing clicks. Some of these sounds we can hear and some we can’t except with the head. The blowhole flap opens up just before coming to the surface, and it takes help of technology. Every dolphin has a signature whistle that is distinct. A mother cow less than a third of a second to exhale and inhale before going back into the will whistle for days as a way to imprint and help her calf learn her identity. The calf may water. develop a signature whistle as young as one month. No matter where bottlenose dolphins live they all have the same skin Another way they communicate with the world around them is by using coloration. Their back is a dark gray and starts turning white towards the belly. echolocation. Dolphins produce high frequency clicks, and these clicks create sound This coloring acts as a camouflage to protect against predators and allows them waves. These sound waves bounce off objects which returns to the dolphin; therefore, to sneak up on prey. The dark coloring blends in with the dark depths of the ocean they are able to interpret what kind of object it is. Using echolocation they can determine c while the white belly blends with the light from the surface, so they are able to size, shape, speed, direction of travel, distance and even some basic information about swim undetected. The skin of a dolphin plays an important role by acting as the internal structure of the object. camouflage as well as with the way they swim through the water. Their skin feels They are intelligent creatures capable of emotions, recognizing themselves in the smooth and rubbery and because of this, it helps them to glide through the water mirror, mimicking humans more effectively. Just beneath the surface of the skin lies the most important key and other dolphins. When a to a dolphin’s survival. Blubber! Dolphins are warm-blooded, so they need a way fellow dolphin dies, they are to keep warm. Just as we use jackets to keep us warm during the wintertime, known to mourn their loss r the bottlenose dolphin’s blubber keeps them warm. Blubber is a layer of fat that just like we would. They are stores calories and provides energy when food is in short supply. It also reduces extremely social animals and Bottlenose Dolphin heat loss and helps streamline their shape making them better swimmers. they love to play. Bottlenose dolphins live in fluid social Photo by Alejandro Linares Garcia By Olivia Sanchez groups of about two to 15 Photo by Tom MacKenzie Epidermis called pods. Bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, have more in common with you than you Dermis might think. These large aquatic animals are mammals the same as people. A mammal Calves are the most vulnerable to predators especially during the first few weeks of i is an animal that has a backbone, is warm-blooded, produces milk for their young and life. Mothers carry their babies for 12 months, and they have babies every 2 or 3 years. has hair or fur. I know what you’re thinking, “A dolphin has hair!?” When dolphins are born Birthing season peaks in May along coastal Texas waters. Calves are born darker than they have whisker-like hair on their jaw that falls out soon after being born. Bottlenose Blubber adults and can range anywhere from 39 to 53 inches long and weigh anywhere from dolphins are complex creatures, and there is a lot to learn about them. Let’s dive in! 20 to 45 pounds. The mother’s rich milk helps the baby to develop a thick blubber layer. The bottlenose dolphin belongs to the order Cetacea that also houses whales, Nursing may last as long as 18 months, and the calf will stay with the mom between 3 to porpoises and other dolphins. The animals in this order have flippers, a horizontally Connective tissue 6 years. flattened tail, a blowhole, no hind limbs and of course, they are all mammals. Dolphins can Bottlenose dolphins can live between 20 and 60 years. During their long life, Fascia t be found all over the world, and there are several different types, 43 to be exact. dolphins face few predators. One of them being sharks, but they do a good job at protecting themselves and have been known to even kill sharks. Another threat they Bottlenose dolphins can range in size depending on where they live and if they are Muscle male or female. Males, referred to as bulls, are slightly longer and are much heavier than face is humans. A majority of coastal dolphins face threats from heavy boat traffic, females, referred to as cows. They range in size between 6 to 12 feet long and can weigh habitat destruction, fishing gear and pollution. The bottlenose dolphin is by no means anywhere from 300 to 550 pounds. Their bodies are sleek and streamlined, perfect for endangered, so we don’t have to worry about them going Photo by S. Braden gliding through the water. Bottlenose dolphins that live offshore in deeper water have anywhere. But we should still do our best to take care of larger bodies, weighing up to 1,100 pounds, which helps protect them against predators Some of their day-to-day activities include eating, playing and sleeping. But them and the environment in which they live. and colder waters. Coastal dolphins tend to be smaller and have longer flippers to help sleeping can be a bit tricky. The way a dolphin breathes is voluntary, which means In Texas, you’re not allowed to swim with dolphins, t but to learn more about them there are places all along them navigate through the shallow waters. they have to actively decide to breath. So when they sleep they have to exercise a Bottlenose dolphins have everything they need to survive in the water. They have a sleeping pattern called cat-napping. Dolphins shut down half of their brain along the coast that offer dolphin tours where you can observe total of five fins on their body. Their dorsal fin, on top of their back, helps them stay upright with the opposite eye, keeping the other half of the brain awake at a low level them in their natural habitat. If you’re lucky you may even and prevents them from rolling. It also helps them to maintain their body temperature. of alertness and the other eye open. This helps them get sleep while still being get to touch them. Thankfully, Sea World San Antonio has Their pectoral fins (on each side) serve as their way to stop and turn and also keeps alert enough to watch out for predators, obstacles and other animals. It also alerts opened up an exhibit called the Dolphin Lagoon, where them balanced. Their flukes attached at the end of the tail are responsible for forward them of when to rise to the water for air. Every couple of hours, they will switch you can learn, interact and swim with bottlenose dolphins. e movement. They can bend their flukes up or down to push them where they want to go. to the other side of their brain to give the other side rest. A baby dolphin, also What a way to experience them! The head of the bottlenose dolphin is round and is called the melon. The melon known as a calf, will rest or sleep alongside the mother as she swims. contains fat and plays an important role in Bottlenose dolphins are active predators and eat a wide variety of fish, squid Sources: echolocation, one way of communication a and crustaceans such as shrimp. They have different methods of hunting and are https://seaworld.org/en/animal-info/animal-infobooks/bottlenose-dolphins/habitat-and-distribution dolphin uses. On the side of the dolphin’s head, flexible and adapted to habitat and available food sources. In open water, one http://www.seaworld.org.za/uploads/files/DOLPHINS.pdf they have a pair of eyes that are near the corner method they use to hunt is by circling large schools of fish and herding them into http://wilddolphin.org/you.html of their mouth. They have sharp vision both in small dense masses while each dolphin takes turns charging through the school http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-do-dolphins-use-echolocation/ and out of the water. Right behind the eyes are to feed. As they eat, they do not actually chew their food. They will shake or rub http://www.dolphinworld.org/stories/where-do-dolphins-live.htm r them on the ocean floor until the right size piece breaks off for them to eat. Not http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/mammal/cetacea/cetacean.html the dolphin’s ears. They are tiny slits that you can barely see. Even though their ears are so tiny, only do they get their energy from their food, but they also get their water from http://understanddolphins.tripod.com/dolphinfinstructurefunction.html http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/04/these-genius-dolphins-are-using-sea-sponges-as- bottlenose dolphins have a well-developed sense Photo by Elmore San Diego it too! Through all of their hunting, communication is one of the most important of hearing. things. tools/361168/ Did you know... puzzles.....mazes.....oh my! go ahead.....give it a try! ...that air can be expelled from a dolphin’s blowhole at speeds topping 100 mph? ...that they can jump as high as 20 feet out of water? Dolphin Crossword ...that they sleep resting one side of their brain at a time? Directions: Complete the crossword puzzle. ...that they don’t have a sense of smell? 1 2 ACROSS ...that they have feelings like you and me? They can be sad, curious and happy! 3 3. the round part of the dolphin’s head 4. attached to end of taiI 7. what dolphins use to stop and turn 5 4 9. sleeping pattern (include hyphen) 10. female dolphin 6 DOWN 7 1. male dolphin 2. what dolphins use to breathe 8 5. see through sound word searches...... 6. order dolphins belong to 9 8. baby dolphin

Photo by NOAA_Photo_Library •Switch to re-fillable bottles for drinking water ®

November 2016 Kid’s Quarterly Mini-Mag! Vol. 10 No. 4