#coolcritters

[boredinearth]

Couple more pretty pika pics and one more post of pika pics will follow this. . I haven't really been taking as many pictures lately. . Washington is pretty, there just aren't that many spots nearby that are quickly accessible. There's also work and a general feeling that I'm sort of languishing in life has meant I mostly just watch the little birds... And YouTube. . . . #floof #bunny #pika #americanpika #discoverwildlife #discoverearth #wonderfulwildlife #coolcritters #coolanimals #coolcreatures #cutenessoverload #cuteness #bunniesofinstagram #bunnies (at Mission Ridge Ski & Board Resort) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQUGGoGA8YR/?utm_medium=tumblr

[benthicsbelow]

Day 126.

Ti Point w / The Pod. Today, my experience in the water could not have been more polarised. I wasn’t feeling too functional before getting in, so I slid in gently at the wharf and took myself off out into the channel while the pod bustled into the water in their usual gleeful manner.

As we all swam out the yellow buoy, the estuary bed rose up towards me as the water got shallower and the regular mismatch pattern of sea cushion stars (Patiriella sp.) pockmarked the sandy bottom. I was excited to be swimming out to see the sea anemones on the channel marker again. I only found them there earlier in the week and the size of the green lipped mussels (Perna caniculus) and their colourful cnideria bonnets (Anthothoe albocincta, the white striped anemone) is a sight to behold. In fact I don’t think I’ve seen green lipped mussels that big before! Gorgeous to see them thriving. 

As I floated around taking photos under the buoy and the pod got ready to set off on their swim to the point, I noticed a strange centipede looking creature crawling along the sandy bed. It was about the length of my finger and scurrying along, blissfully unaware of all the splashing above. I was instantly mesmerised and transfixed on this little being, and my brain automatically said ‘pistol shrimp’. 

Whaaaaa?

I watched it for a good 5-10 minutes as it wandered around confidently, It was a grey/brown kind of colour with brick read markings down its back, all the while I was having an argument with myself about what it was. I dove down a few times to take photos and also some video, desperate to have some decent evidence for ID. I then saw it dive down a burrow hole, only to see another creature come up and evict it with gusto!!! I was in love - what was this little creature!!!???

I think in my intuition I knew it was a mantis shrimp, but I couldn’t place it because firstly, I didn’t even know we had these in Aotearoa and secondly, it’s colouring was confusing me. In addition, I couldn’t see those little punchy pistol arms on the front which are known as ‘thumb crushers’ due to their ability to break finger bones. Yep, thats a fact.

So in true Steve Irwin style, I decided to nervously go down to pick it up and have a look. To be honest, I came off lightly. A short nip to the palm of my hand and then it went back to it’s business as I let it go. I mainly wanted to hold it to get a close up look and then photo by the surface so I had better evidence... however it turns out I did not need it.

In short, yes. It was indeed mantis shrimp. Heterosquilla tricarinata to be precise and it was a female (the males are a lot less colourful) who was either out looking for a mate, or a new burrow. It turns out that this specific species is prolific in the Whangateau harbour (which was identified as a hotspot in a NZ Geographic article) and that this particular species is a ‘shredder’ not a ‘thumper’. Still, after gingerly picking her up for a closer look, I feel lucky to have gotten away without a scratch! What an incredible thing, to see something that I have admired all my life, in my own backyard - and not even know they were there. My heart was full.

I must have spent a good 40 mins kicking around the channel marker, watching her march around and taking photos of the anemones and other creatures until the swimmers were slowly dribbling in, so I started to head back in.

With such a feeling of sheer delight after my blissful interactions, I decided to zig zag off to the boat buoys and see if there was any mussels growing on them out of curiosity. However, when I got there and looked down it was like a horror show.

Tangled and draped around the first buoy line were a scary amount of fishing lines, discarded and stuck with their hooks, lures and sinkers still attached. I felt livid at the mindless littering that was occurring and furious that there was no accountability for the mess being left behind by the daily fishermen. I decided that I had to document this so started taking photos and then I took a video dropping as far down the anchor line as I could without getting tangled.

I know that the wharf gets pretty messed up and there is often plenty of discarded fish carcasses and line around there, but I couldn't believe that it was spreading out into the channel. I was shaking with emotion. Before heading back in I swam to the next buoy and looked down, and too my horror, there was a live fish (a jack mackerel) stuck on a hook!!!. What was most horrific about this situation was that this fish had clearly been used as live bait, because the hook was piercing it’s back (something this fish could not have accomplished by swimming up to the hook). I was distraught at the suffering. As this fish was desperately trying to swim away, it was ripping its own body open. How long had it been there? Days??

I decided that the only thing to do was to remove the hook and set it free, to give it a chance at survival and release it from the pain it was in.

I dived down, hugging the rope to steady myself and held the fish tightly as I ripped the hook out of this poor living creature. My heart was pounding and I felt sick, but I watched it swim away and it seemed to be holding it’s own for a good few minutes until it disappeared into the blue turquoise water.

I surfaced, started to shake and cry and swam in to the pod people waiting on the boat ramp who sat with me while I cried my heart out. To go from a place of such sheer bliss and being at one with the creatures, to having to deal with suffering on such a mindless level broke me. It took me all day to recover.

I am not sure what I can do to change this situation, but I have some ideas and a group of willing and motivated helpers who are keen to take action, so let’s see what is possible. But wow, what a day. What a day.

[neworleansvoudou]

Did Katy, or didn't she? #katydid #coolcritters

[poisonivydesigns]

My new custom little nugget dude arrived today from @shopcoolcritters and he is freaking ADORABLE!!! Horns, tongue and all!! EEEEEEE!!!!! #cuteness #nugget #coolcritters #madeinmichigan #michiganmade

[l00pys0upy]

a wise looking Spinecercus Short-wing Grasshopper

photo by Mikie Green (yt: coolcritters)

[akonthego-blog]

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A post shared by Erin Brady Kirkland (@akonthego)

I'm gonna get these antlers scrubbed off if it's the last thing I do. "Red Bull" the reindeer takes advantage of some willow branches to rub off the velvet before the fall rut. Cool fact: Both male and female reindeer grow antlers, and the males drop theirs first. Which means, folks, Santa's power team is made up of girls. Ahem. . . . . #williamsreindeerfarm #reindeer #redbull #kidfriendlyak #yahoomatsu #AKontheGO #teentraveler #learnnewthings #outdoorswithkids #coolcritter #wildlife #alaska #familyfunexpert #familytravel #animals #travelalaska #nature (at Williams Reindeer Farm)

[40hourartweek]

Same stylist. THANKS JESS!!! #coolcritters (at Wilton, Connecticut)

[ericahampton-blog]

Two of my favorite things : my pups and #CoolCritters!! I cannot get over these custom critters of my fur babies!!! 😍❤️😍❤️😍❤️😍❤️ Thanks to @shopcoolcritters for making these beauties and to @mikeambs and @alexanderzervogiannis for gifting them to me 😊❤️

[mistynyc]

Cool yard visitor! #prayingmantis #coolcritter #yardvisitor #nature #insectsofinstagram #insect #insectphotography (at Westbury, New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnwPe25Dd14/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1hm4drikligap

[poisonivydesigns]

So I bought this little guy from @shopcoolcritters today at the #downriverindiecraftfair and he was originally intended as a gift....the more I look at him now that I'm home the more I think he found his home with me and he may very shortly acquire a sibling in black. Thanks so much Jesse I love him!! #handmade #coolcritters #shopcoolcritters @dc4arts #stuffedcritters #handmademonster #monsters

[l00pys0upy]

photo cred:

coolcritters on YouTube and Instagram

[mistynyc]

Along came a spider! This little critter is living outside our front window! So cool! #alongcameaspider #itsybitsyspider #coolcritter #arachnophile (at Westbury, New York)

[survivalrecovery]

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A post shared by Maria Burgess (@burgessmaria)

Bees love that nectar!! I encourage you to get some type of citrus to attract these valuable insects. It will help get them working on your other flowers. #bees #pollen #nectarcollector #grapefruit #flowers #coolcritters

[bonnie8507]

#lionfish #CoolCritters