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Segment: Wild Sea Otters

Learn More
For now, you can check out some of my other blog postings and such on this topic here:

Blog: California Sea Otters Haul Out On Land
Special Assignment: California Sea Otters of Monterey Bay
More Photos & Info: The Monterey Bay Aquarium

If you have any problems with this video, please email me at the address listed below in the housekeeping section.

Housekeeping Stuffage

All video footage taken with: Canon PowerShot SD900

Music By: Zach Ashton, Ocean

Music Provided By: PodShow Podsafe Music Network

Email Comments & Questions: led AT perlgurl DOT org

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Segment: Marine Ecosystems

Freshwater

Upsidedown fish, I think it's an upsidedown catfish but I heard someone call it Butterfly (although there is a tropic fish called Butterflyfish, so I'm not sure).

Ocean Shoreline

This is one of the touch tanks at the aquarium, where you can feel starfish, urchins, and sea cucumbers (my favorite!).

Tropical Reef

All the kids love this exhibit because it has the fish species from Finding Nemo. Every kid points at says Dory! Lots of different coral species in here, too.

Pelagic

Pelagic fish live deep, open water habitat. The aquarium has a fantastic exhibit called Outer Bay which features all sorts of marine species that live way out there in a gigantic 1 million gallon tank. Schools of Pacific bluefin and Yellowfin tuna cruise by while Dolphinfish and California barracuda, along with a Black Sea Turtle, hang out towards the top of the exhibit. Several smaller sharks like Scalloped hammerheads patrol the tank, and there is occasionally a young Great White Shark in the tank. They recently released the latest one though, and now there is a monstrous Ocean Sunfish.

Sandy Bottom

Tube Anemones wait for something to hit its tentacles and then quickly bring it to their mouth as you can see if you watch closely. I'm pretty sure that's a Spiny King Crab shoveling food into its mouth.

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For now, you can check out some of my other blog postings and such on this topic here:

More on Marine Biology: Hawaiian Honu: The Green Sea Turtle and other posts on Our Oceans
Marine Ecosystems: Isolated Ecosystems: The Farallons Are California’s Galapagos
Special Assignment: California Sea Otters of Monterey Bay
Special Assignment: Elephant Seals of Año Nuevo
Our Take on the Aquarium: The Zoo Report Card
More Photos & Info: The Monterey Bay Aquarium

If you have any problems with this video, please email me at the address listed below in the housekeeping section.

Housekeeping Stuffage

All video footage taken with: Canon PowerShot SD900

Music By: 2012, Liberta

Music Provided By: PodShow Podsafe Music Network

Email Comments & Questions: led AT perlgurl DOT org

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Segment: Monterey Bay Kelp Forests

Some background Info on this video:

We are members of the Monterey Bay Aquarium and go there often. This past weekend, we went down to see some new exhibits. This is some of our footage from the kelp forest and Monterey Bay marine life tanks. It's also exactly what you see when you go diving in the Monterey Bay area.

Learn More
For now, you can check out some of my other blog postings and such on this topic here:

Sea Otters In Kelp Beds: Otter Says: I Was Here First and other posts on Our Oceans
Special Assignment: California Sea Otters of Monterey Bay
Special Assignment: Elephant Seals of Año Nuevo
Our Take on the Aquarium: The Zoo Report Card
More Photos & Info: The Monterey Bay Aquarium Kelp Forest Exhibit

If you have any problems with this video, please email me at the address listed below in the housekeeping section.

Housekeeping Stuffage

All video footage taken with: Canon PowerShot SD900

Music By: The Gorskys, I Like Fish

Music Provided By: PodShow Podsafe Music Network

Email Comments & Questions: led AT perlgurl DOT org

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Segment: Wild About Otters

If you watch the single otter eating and swimming in his tank, you'll catch his white spotted neck. Kipenzi is an African Spotted-Neck Otter and his mate Kamili was removed from the exhibit just recently as she's pregnant.

The four otters playing together in the hammock are Asian Small-Clawed Otters. My husband Shane and I were commenting on how the otter habitats didn't have much in the way of vegetation and soon we saw why. The otters tore apart the one plant in their exhibit over the course of about 2 minutes. That video was taken from within the kid's bubble view that pops up inside the exhibit. We happened to be there when no kids were around ;) but watch your head.

Learn More
For now, you can check out some of my other blog postings and such on this topic here:

Special Assignment: California Sea Otters
African Spotted-Neck Otter Info: The Monterey Bay Aquarium: Discover the Freshwater Otters of Africa
Asian Small-Clawed Otter Info: The Monterey Bay Aquarium: Explore the Freshwater Otters of Asia

If you have any problems with this video, please email me at the address listed below in the housekeeping section.

Housekeeping Stuffage

All video footage taken with: Canon PowerShot SD900

Music By: Psykosoul , Freaky Circus Sex

Music Provided By: PodShow Podsafe Music Network

Email Comments & Questions: led AT perlgurl DOT org

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Segment: Jellies

Some background Info on this video:

Jellyfish are an indicator of a healthy or unhealthy ecosystem.

Jellyfish blooms (outbreaks) can cause all sorts of problems. Researchers believe these events are caused by overfishing and warming oceans, since jellies natural predators are on the decline.

Jellies can also be invasive species. It gets sucked into ships, transported in the ballast water, and expelled near the ship's destination, far from the jellies' native habitat. The rainbow-like comb jelly was transported into the Black Sea this way in the early 1980's, with catastrophic results.

Learn More
For now, you can check out some of my other blog postings and such on this topic here:

Jellyfish: Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Barracuda?
Invasive Species: Sudden Oak Death & The Invasion of the Mud Snails
Our Take on the Aquarium: The Zoo Report Card
More Photos & Info: The Monterey Bay Aquarium Jellies: Living Art Exhibit

If you have any problems with this video, please email me at the address listed below in the housekeeping section.

Housekeeping Stuffage

All video footage taken with: Canon PowerShot SD900

Music By: David Kempers, Aquarium

Music Provided By: PodShow Podsafe Music Network

Email Comments & Questions: led AT perlgurl DOT org

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Segment: Autumn In The Sierras

Some background Info on this video:

You can see some great fall foliage just south of Mono Lake, on the June Lake Loop, as well as up 120 towards Yosemite in Lee Vining Canyon. There are some nice National Forest campgrounds along this route and that's where these videos were taken.

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For now, you can check out some of my other blog postings and such on this topic here:

Photos & Info: Autumn In The High Sierra

If you have any problems with this video, please email me at the address listed below in the housekeeping section.

Housekeeping Stuffage

Sorry that the quality of this video is so bad, but I am working on that!!!!

Email Comments & Questions: led AT perlgurl DOT org

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Segment: Jackass Penguin Colony In South Africa

Some background Info on this video:

We were traveling along the Garden Route along the coast of South Africa (the Indian Ocean side). Before we headed out of Cape Town, we decided to pay a visit to Boulder's Beach, known for its resident population of Jackass Penguins. They have a nice boardwalk you can take to go out amongst the penguins without seriously disturbing their nesting. You can also see one of their predators - the mongoose!

Learn More
For now, you can check out some of my other blog postings and such on this topic here:

Photos & Info: Jackass Penguin Colony - Boulders Beach, South Africa
Special Assignment: Around the World in 40 Days
Photos: San Francisco Zoo - Magellanic Penguin

If you have any problems with this video, please email me at the address listed below in the housekeeping section.

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Sorry that the quality of this video is so bad, but I am working on that!!!!

Email Comments & Questions: led AT perlgurl DOT org

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Segment: Maui, Hawaii

Some background Info on this video:

My husband has been a bit tweaked for a while about the fact that I had been to Maui and he hadn't. So I promised I would take him for his 30th birthday.

Some of the places we visited included:

• 'Iao Valley State Park
  
• Kapalua, Kaanapali, Lahaina
  
• Honokohau Bay and Kahakuloa Head
  
• Haleakala National Park
  
• Oneloa Beach and The Fish Bowl
  
• Road to Hana and Mama's Fish House
  

Learn More
For now, you can check out some of my other blog postings and such on Maui here:

Photos & Info: Hawaiian Honu: The Green Sea Turtle
Photos & Info: The Mongoose: A Maui Menace
Photos & Info: Hawaii: The Cat Conundrum
Photos & Info: Maui Marine Life
Photos & Info: Thoughts A-Slitherin'
Random Thoughts and Maui Restaurants: Eating Eels: Am I a Foodie Freak?

If you have any problems with this video, please email me at the address listed below in the housekeeping section.

Housekeeping Stuffage

Sorry that the quality of this video is so bad, but I am working on that!!!!

Email Comments & Questions: led AT perlgurl DOT org

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Segment: Frolicking Hippos

Some background Info on this video:

We were traveling around Kenya by car, and we stayed at Finch Hatton's Safari Camp, which we think is the best place to stay in Kenya. We also had the absolute best tent overlooking the hippo watering hole. We even had a run in with a resident croc!

Learn More
For now, you can check out some of my other blog postings and such on this topic here:

Photos & Info: African Field Notes: The Hippopotamus
Video: Podcast Episode #8: Kenya Waterhole
Special Assignment: Around the World in 40 Days

If you have any problems with this video, please email me at the address listed below in the housekeeping section.

Housekeeping Stuffage

Sorry that the quality of this video is so bad, but I am working on that!!!!

Email Comments & Questions: led AT perlgurl DOT org

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Segment: Kenya Waterhole

Some background Info on this video:

We were traveling around Kenya by car, and we stayed at Finch Hatton's Safari Camp, which we think is the best place to stay in Kenya. We also had the absolute best tent overlooking the hippo watering hole. We even had a run in with a resident croc!

Learn More
For now, you can check out some of my other blog postings and such on this topic here:

Photos & Info: African Field Notes: The Hippopotamus
Special Assignment: Around the World in 40 Days

If you have any problems with this video, please email me at the address listed below in the housekeeping section.

Housekeeping Stuffage

Sorry that the quality of this video is so bad, but I am working on that!!!!

Email Comments & Questions: led AT perlgurl DOT org

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Segment: Sunrise In Tsavo

Some background Info on this video:

We were traveling around Kenya by car, and we stayed at Finch Hatton's Safari Camp, which we think is the best place to stay in Kenya. We also had the absolute best tent overlooking the hippo watering hole. We even had a run in with a resident croc!

Finch Hatton's is on the outskirts of Tsavo West National Park, a wildlife refuge made famous by Isak Dinesen's story Out of Africa in which Robert Redford played Denys Finch Hatton, an Englishman known for his great love of the area.

Learn More
For now, you can check out some of my other blog postings and such on this topic here:

Photos & Info: African Field Notes
Special Assignment: Around the World in 40 Days

If you have any problems with this video, please email me at the address listed below in the housekeeping section.

Housekeeping Stuffage

Sorry that the quality of this video is so bad, but I am working on that!!!!

Email Comments & Questions: led AT perlgurl DOT org

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Segment: Afternoon Prayer Call In Cairo

Some background Info on this video:

The prayer call is also called the adhan or azaan. In Islamic areas, the adhan used to be performed by someone called a muezzin who climbed up into one of the towers of the mosque, but nowadays most are done by systems of loudspeakers which blast the calls across the city.

To us, it was amazing to experience, but for some locals living near the speakers, the tech improvements come at a cost.

Nowadays, there is even software to perform prayer calls for people working inside buildings or in areas where prayer calls are not performed.

You can find out more about prayer calls and and the Citadel Of Salahideen in Old Cairo on Wikipedia.

The last part of the video is of the Great Pyramids lit at night, from our hotel room.

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For now, you can check out some of my other blog postings and such on this topic here:

Photos: The Saladin Citadel
Photos: Great Pyramids - Giza, Egypt

If you have any problems with this video, please email me at the address listed below in the housekeeping section.

Housekeeping Stuffage

Sorry that the quality of this video is so bad, but I am working on that!!!!

Email Comments & Questions: led AT perlgurl DOT org

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Segment: Weather & Acts Of Nature

It's always fun to login to this website after you've felt an earthquake and fill out the form, and then find out how strong the quake was and where its epicenter was. Report An Earthquake: USGS Earthquake Hazards Program: Did You Feel It? Form

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Please check out the Frappr map to see where listeners live and fill out the two polls on podcast audio vs. video and podcast length, to help make this podcast better than ever.

Email Comments & Questions: led AT perlgurl DOT org

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Segment: Elephant Seal Video

Some background Info on this video:

Wildlife Preserve: Less than 100 miles from more than 4 million people, the Año Nuevo State Reserve is a surprisingly quiet spot with some of the best wildlife viewing in the world. Located about 20 miles north of Santa Cruz along the Pacific Coast Highway 1, it draws people from all over the world and is a haven for not just your standard California raptors and ocean critters. It is also one of the few breeding spots of the Northern Elephant Seal.

Hauling Out

In late November and early December, the male elephant seals haul out onto the beaches. They begin to establish their turf - fighting for dominance and the right to mate with the females, who arrive at the turn of the year.

Vocalizing

Males vocalize by shoving their long noses down their throats and making the coolest sound ever. It's sortof like blowing through a long metal pipe. You can sometimes hear these low sounds from miles away.

Harems

A male that wins against all takers is called an Alpha male, or beachmaster. He sets up his harem, and as the females arrive, he courts them, and if he's lucky, they will join his harem for protection.

Within 5 days of arriving, the female will birth a single pup. She nurses this pup for 28 days, at the end of which she mates with the alpha male and then heads back into the sea.

Sleeping

On land, elephant seals spend a lot of time sleeping. Movement on land is tiring, especially when one is awaked to have their harem challenged.

Mating & Pups
The pups are about 70lbs when they are born, but by the time they're a month old, they can be as much as 300lbs. Mating is a frantic activity, and the pops have to make sure to stay out of the alpha male's way. Sometimes pups get smushed when the big males battle over territory.

A Conservation Success Story
Early in the last century, there were less than 100 Northern Elephant Seals left in the world. They were hunted for their blubber. Some historians say ithe population was closer to 20 animals. But with conservational efforts like the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, the Northern Elephant Seal populations have bounced back to over 150,000.

Learn More
I am currently working on a significant photography project with the Northern Elephant Seals. For now, you can check out some of my other blog postings and such on this topic here:

Photos: Año Nuevo State Reserve - Male Elephant Seals
Photos: Año Nuevo State Reserve - Baby Elephant Seals
Año Nuevo: A Wildlife Preserve
Warming Weather Woes: Seal Pup Drownings
Strandings & Distressed Marine Mammals in Santa Cruz County
Isolated Ecosystems: The Farallons Are California’s Galapagos

If you have any problems with this video, please email me at the address listed below in the housekeeping section.

Housekeeping Stuffage

Sorry that I wasn't able to narrate this video, but I was having trouble with free video editing software and mixing the elephant seal sounds in with my voice and music. You can tell I wasn't using a tripod, but I still thought it was some little glimpses into what I've been working on. Hope you enjoyed!

Email Comments & Questions: led AT perlgurl DOT org