Kickin’ with the Naked Mole Rats

Digging is a way of life for the Naked Mole Rats. Living almost entire lives underground, natural pathways aren’t something you come across very frequently. Armed with large constantly growing teeth and some serious determination, naked mole rats are able to dig and chew their way through almost anything.

To keep our mole rats busy in their tube system, Animal Care staff members have been giving them an extra challenge to maneuver around. Ranging from their own bedding material to their food, we’ve been trying to keep that digging instinct at work while keeping them from digging their way out!

But when digging up fresh tunnels, in dirt or Carefresh, the extra material needs a place to go. This is where “volcano-ing” comes to play. Mole rats will line up along a tube or pathway and pass dirt down the row, until it gets to the last one. The mole rat at the end, instead of kicking the bedding backward, kicks it up through a vent hole, and out into the world above. This creates volcano shaped mounds of dirt which allows people to locate naked mole rat tunnel systems for research purposes in the wild. But how do we allow the mole rats to kick out things at the Science Center but keep them in?

The answer is simple. A funnel! A hole large enough for bedding material, but too small for naked mole rats will allow for containing the animals inside but leave them free to create a huge mess for Animal Caretakers to clean up the next morning. So next time you’re at the Naked Mole Rat exhibit, keep your eyes out for digging, kicking, and the maze of tunnels that pop up in their chambers!

Read more!

Invertebrates in Education and Conservation Conference 2012

From August 1 - 5, Life Sciences Manager Sarah Moore was in Tucson, Arizona to attend the 20th annual Invertebrates in Education and Conservation Conference at Lowes Ventana Canyon. This is a time for arthropod caretakers and educators to meet, exchange care ideas, and discuss the joys and occasional frustrations of providing glorious live insect and spider exhibits for the public.

Tucson is sunny 300 days of the year and exceptionally hot in August. But in the cool of nighttime, the insects come out to play - and so do the entomologists. Sarah attended several black lighting activities and saw giant moths, green-gold beetles, ant lions, and many other creatures that rarely fly by day.

The conference featured talks on insect rearing - such as how to build a setup to raise newly hatched tarantulas without the risk of cannibalism, and without having to store each spiderling in a separate lidded cage. Another speaker discussed the likelihood of a teacher presenting curriculum on carnivorous insects compared to plant eating ones.

Butterfly exhibit staff compared notes on what makes their butterflies happy and how this helps keep their Lepidoptera inside the exhibit instead of out damaging the environment. We learned about the fascinating and potentially devastating to insects bacteria Wolbachia. This complicated genus of bacteria can change the reproductive success of isolated insect populations. Understanding Wolbachia is critical in the success of any effort to repopulate insect
colonies.





Most importantly, this was a chance for people who care about the smaller life forms to see each other, talk, and share their concerns. Humans dominate the world in technology, but insects certainly rule in numbers, diversity, and adaptation. Insects deeply impact nearly every land habitat on earth. Either as food, pollinators, aerators, predators or pruners, they shape their environment and provide necessary balance. Without bugs, whole ecosystems would not be sustainable. So this collection of geeky bug lovers is actually working to preserve all the life forms that depend on insects. And they just happen to recognize how cool those insects are.


Read more!

Fresh Sheet – August 25, 2012

This week’s shipment of pupae is from the Philippines where the weather closely resembles that of the Tropical Butterfly House, only wetter.

Philippines
40 - Papilio lowii (Sunset Swallowtail)
32 - Papilio palinurus (Banded Peacock)
30 - Papilio rumanzovia (Crimson Swallowtail)
80 - Idea leuconoe (Paper Kite)
80 - Doleschalia bisaltide (Autumn Leaf)
24 - Pachliopta kotzeboea (Pink Rose)
05 - Graphium agamemnon (Tailed Jay)
77 - Parthenos sylvia philippensis (The Clipper)
30 - Papilio polytes (Polite Swallowtail)
14 - Cethosia biblis (Red Lacewing)
40 - Hypolimnas bolina (Blue moon)

Total = 452

“Fresh Sheet” is our weekly shipment report of pupae on display in the emerging window. Visit Pacific Science Center’s Tropical Butterfly House and meet our newest residents.

Read more!

Tide Pooling 101

Animal Caretaker Cari Garand is also an Interpretive Supervisor at the Seattle Aquarium. Recently, she became an Interpretive Diver as well. Cari’s diving experience, gained while working at the Catalina Island Marine Institute in 2003, more than qualifies her as our resident expert on tide pooling and marine life.

Cari has now added an interesting display to the Puget Sound Model exhibit area that further demonstrates her love of the water!

Anyone who knows me knows it doesn’t take much to convince me to head to the beach, rain or shine! So when our Life Sciences Manager, Sarah Moore, asked me if I wanted to create a beach themed board the answer was an astounding YES! With the board’s convenient location next to the Puget Sound Model in Building 2, it only seemed logical that the theme should highlight our local beaches and marine life.

The most difficult part of this project was picking and choosing what was most fascinating and relevant as I frantically filled pieces of scratch paper with ideas. In the end I knew I wanted to bring both locals and visitors the tools to explore the beaches throughout Puget Sound (or whatever beach is local) safely for them and the animals.

So if you have ever wondered, “What is the best time to go to the beach to see cool animals?” or “What’s the best way to interact with the animals on the beach?” or perhaps “How does an anemone reproduce?” We have the answers for you! Come and visit the new “Discover Our Local Beaches” board for an introduction to tides, Puget Sound marine life, beach etiquette, and even some ideas of how to learn more.

Happy Tide Pooling!

Read more!