Monthly Archives

July 2015

Cocos Island July Trip Report: Whale Shark, Dolphins, Hammerheads, Silver Tips, Tiger Sharks …

By Cocos Island Research Expedition, Marine Mammals & Seabirds, Sharks

On this trip, our team was fortunate enough to see many tiger sharks, a small whale shark, giant manta rays and mobula rays, and schools of dolphins, tuna and marlin. All in all it was an incredible showing of marine wildlife and a successful trip in terms of collecting new data.

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Lawsuit Challenges Loopholes in New EPA Rule Exempting Wetlands and Streams From Clean Water Act Protections

By Resources for the Media

Conservation groups filed a lawsuit today challenging last-minute exemptions for industries in the new “waters of the United States” rule that could open the door to more pollution of wetlands, streams and other waterways. The rule, finalized in May by the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, defines which waterways can be protected against being destroyed, degraded, or polluted without a permit under the Clean Water Act.

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Meet Photography for a Change’s Ron Wooten

By Cocos Island Research Expedition, Got Mercury?, Gulf Education & Outreach, Marine Mammals & Seabirds, Sea Turtles, Sharks

Ron is one of the featured photographer’s in Photography for a Change’s incredible online show. As a quick recap for those of you who haven’t already heard, Photography for a Change, provides exquisite photographs of our natural environs. This show features four photographers who have generously donated their images and prints to support Turtle Island Restoration Network.

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Endangered Salmon Rescued from Drying Creeks by SPAWN & CA Fish and Wildlife Staff During 4th Year of Drought

By Uncategorized

Last week Turtle Island Restoration Network ‘s Salmon Protection And Watershed Network (SPAWN) teamed up with CA Fish & Wildlife biologists to rescue salmon trapped in drying pools including “Roy’s Pools,” located on the San Geronimo Golf Course and El Cerrito Creek, a small tributary of San Geronimo Creek.

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Drones & Submarines Assist Scientists At Cocos Island National Park, Costa Rica

By Cocos Island Research Expedition, Marine Mammals & Seabirds, Sea Turtles, Sharks

During a recent scientific expedition to Cocos Island National Park (May 4-15, 2015), small two and three passenger submarines known as submersibles were used to deploy acoustic listening stations at 180 m (590 ft) depth, an inflatable boat was used to catch sharks and implant acoustic tracking tags, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs, also known as drones) were used to patrol from above in search of marine wildlife below. The expedition was directed by Randall Arauz, Central American Director of the Turtle Island Restoration Network (Turtle Island), in collaboration with Costa Rica’s National System of Protected Areas (SINAC) and the Cocos Island Marine Conservation Area (ACMIC), and with the companies Alucia Productions II, Precision Integrated and Aeroval.

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