It is strange being in a place where my professor has to
talk over the red-lored parrots that try to interrupt our class with their loud
cackling as they fly by, but it sure makes class more exciting. In addition to
classes, these past couple weeks have been filled with field excursions.
For our Tropical Coastal Ecology class we have been going
snorkeling about 3 times a week as we learn to identify fish, invertebrates,
coral, and algae. Each day and each snorkel site is a little different.
Sometimes there is so much color and so many animals in the reef it is hard to
keep track of all the species we see. The water can be so clear and when the
sun is out the sea bottom glistens with the patterns of surface waves. Some of
my favorite things I have seen are moon jellyfish and caribbean reef squids. But
sadly the effects of human activity in the area are visible. Amidst this beauty, there are coral reefs
that have been damaged and are dying.
A view of one of the reefs
A cool looking seastar
Our terrestrial field work, led by our Resource Management
professor, has been just as enjoyable (if not more in my opinion). These
include early morning bird watching hikes, butterfly catching (and release), night
hikes, and trips to other islands to observe differences in biodiversity. The
night hike was especially exciting for me because there was a chance we would
see an armadillo. We didn't, but that was okay because we did see a three-toed
sloth climbing up a tree. I am still on the hunt for an armadillo sighting.
My group as we are about to leave for our night hike.
Collecting insects for classification.
Eating yummy cacao fruit while hiking on Isla San Cristobal.
A group picture after one of our hikes.
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