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mylittledragonhoard · 7 years

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Fic: A Sign of Trust

WinterFRE2017 Prompt 94: Mer!Fili

Digital prizes please.

AO3 Link

It's a rather humbling experience when you gain the trust of a previously wounded animal, and Kili will do anything to make sure that trust is never broken.

The sun hadn't been up long when Kili parked his car in front of the large cement structure where he spent most of his time. The moment he opened the door and stepped out he could smell the salty water from the ocean not too far away and hear the seagulls as they fought over food on the beach.

Kili had been working for the Erebor Aquarium in the city it took its name from for a couple of years and he lived for his job and what he did. They housed all different kinds of marine life from the really small to fairly large, though thankfully they hadn't been needed to tend to an orca as long so Kili had been employed there.

The aquarium didn't keep animals to make profit from, but instead tried rehabilitate those that were injured and needed to heal before being released back into the ocean. Visitors could come inside the aquarium for a small donation to its cause and learn more about the species inhabiting the oceans, but it was never a big show and the animals didn't perform on demand.

Some people left unsatisfied, but Kili was never unhappy to see them go. Some people just didn't see animals the way the team there did and the sooner they left the better in Kili's opinion. The wildlife belonged in the wild, and it was part of Kili's job to ensure that as many of their residents as possible would be returned back to the wild. Sadly the aquarium did have a few permanent residents that would never be fit to be released, like a manatee that had been hit by a boat and would only swim counter clockwise because half her body had been paralyzed. On her own she'd either starve to death because she couldn't reach her food or she'd be hit by another boat. There was also a sea turtle that’d been injured by garbage, and a whitetip reef shark whose dorsal fin had been almost completely cut off.

But that was okay, Kili and the rest of the staff working there made sure that they lived happily and remained healthy.

At least they did their best. Some of the more difficult residents were impossible to please. Kili had been assigned to one such resident a couple of months ago, and he'd spent every day and a many nights since then trying to gain the creature's trust.

The resident in question was a mermaid and a rather rare sight nowadays thanks to overfishing, polluted waters, and human greed. Kili had never actually seen one in person before he'd met this one, and he hadn't known what to expect.

The species was known to be secretive and rather shy, keeping far away from land where humans dwelled. There were of course those myths about them being able to lure sailors to their deaths with their beauty and their song, but Kili had yet to observe any kind of singing so far. Most were known to be unpredictably moody, though the younger ones seemed to have a curious streak as they were the ones more often spotted or caught. Kili had read too many articles about the high price a tail fin could go for if sold to the right buyer, or how another mer had died in captivity after someone had taken it home and had been unable to provide it the proper care it had needed. Unable to, or didn’t care.

It was enough to make him sick.

It was with that thought in mind that Kili stepped onto the observation deck and made his way to the familiar tank. The mer in question had been brought to them after being found on a beach barely alive. Nobody could say what had truly happened to him, but Oin, the establishment's veterinarian, had discovered that among many other lacerations and injuries, certain fins along the tail had been sliced off, and he could only guess that the mermaid had somehow managed to escape before whoever had caught him could finish the job. This mer’s tail had a colouring blend of gold and black that would shine when the sun hit it. It seemed to be a sought after colour as it was unique and eye catching.

He had been lucky to survive, and even after having been brought to the aquarium it had been touch and go for many days since the forlorn creature had refused to eat or even move away from a corner of the tank. Dead fish weren't appetizing and he couldn't move fast enough to catch live ones. Oin had tried force feeding him once out of desperation, but that had only traumatised him further and ingrained a deep mistrust for the vet and most of the other staff members. Once freed back into his tank, the mermaid had retreated to the bottom where his body grew thinner and thinner as the days passed and the colour of his tail dulled to brown and grey.

Everyone had given up on him surviving except Kili, and it was only by accident that Kili had dropped some of the grapes he'd had in his lunch into the water. Suffice it to say, apparently mermaids really liked grapes. At least this one did.

From there Kili had tried all kinds of fruit and found that the creature would eat practically anything. The only exception seemed to be apples. Those would only be thrown back at Kili along with an annoyed splash. Yes, mermaids were very moody, but a deep bond formed between them regardless of how many apples Kili tossed into the tank. And because of Kili's dedication, the skeletal like mer had filled out more and grew stronger with each passing day.

But no matter how strong he grew, he could never gain back the speed his fins had provided him with, and because he wasn't fast enough to catch food on his own or flee from danger, he'd been deemed a permanent resident. But Kili had hope that he'd be able to adapt so that one day he'd be strong enough to leave. It was a high hope, but the creature was intelligent and deserved to be back with his family even if that meant Kili never seeing him again.

Knowing that that wouldn't happen for years if it happened at all, Kili was just enjoying the time he got to spend with the amazing creature. They were both teaching each other and it was an experience Kili wouldn’t trade for anything.

Humming to a song he'd heard on the radio on his drive over, he shouldered the backpack he always carried a little higher as he spotted a redheaded woman already standing by the railing of his tank, leaning over it and peering into the water.

"Hey T!" He called out but barely got a twitch in response. He frowned in confusion before the sudden thought that something was wrong entered his brain.

Before he could panic and race toward the tank, his friend turned back to look at him with a grin on her face. "Come slowly." She whispered and motioned him forward.

Still confused but less panicked, Kili did as he was told, approaching the railing slowly and coming to stand beside her before peering into the water. He let out a sigh of relief and immediately relaxed when he realized nothing was wrong, though the scene wasn't something he expected to see. "How did that happen?" He wondered as he crossed his arms on the metal railing, smiling fondly at the mer in the tank.

"Ori forgot to lock the penguin enclosure after feeding them last night. I'm pretty sure they've been here most of the night." Tauriel tried to sound annoyed, but it was clear that she was enjoying the sight by the smile on her face.

Kili certainly enjoyed watching as the two small Humboldt penguins that had come to them after getting caught in an oil slick zipped and darted around the mermaid floating in the middle of the tank. He had no hope of catching them, but that wasn't the goal of their play apparently. The goal was to climb up onto the mermaid's tail that was floating along the surface and jump off into the water only to zip around the tank once before climbing up and doing it all over again.

It thrilled Kili to see that tail on full display as it was usually hidden beneath the water.

The mer seemed to be enjoying himself too as he kept himself afloat so that his new friends could play while he made a clicking noise every few moments that Kili recognised meant that the mer was pleased. They didn’t normally mix species in the same tank, though it wasn’t like they had another mer to socialize with. The only interaction the mer truly got and actually enjoyed was with Kili. All the interactions with Oin and the medical staff were forced and stressful.

Kili hadn't been noticed yet since he was behind the mer, so he took that moment to observe the relaxed and almost carefree behaviour. Now that the mer was healthier, it wasn't hard to see why mermaids were said to be able to cast spells on human sailors and lead them to their doom. Kili had long accepted the fact that he was utterly enchanted by this creature.

Long blond hair spread out in the water around his head like the tentacles of an octopus and the gold and even black scales of his tail caught the sun and shined in places now that it was healthy again. The mermaid was a beautiful sight to behold despite the scars that littered his torso and his tail, and Kili couldn't help but stare in awe of him. He could only imagine what that tail would look like if it had all its fins.

By the scarring Oin had been able to tell that the mer had originally had pectoral fins that had been located just under the hips on both sides and a long dorsal fin that had spanned almost all the way down the back of his tail. There were also markings to indicate that he'd once had pelvic fins on either side closer to the bottom of the tail. The fin on the fluke itself had once been almost feather like, but it too had gotten damaged somehow. Whether it was from the humans who cut the fins or from the struggle to shore, nobody could say for sure.

There were other scars, but on sea creatures they were a common sight. It was an eat or be eaten world and everything had to struggle to survive, so Kili didn’t think twice about the few marks of lighter skin along the creature’s shoulders or his chest. The one that was highly noticeable, and usually kept hidden from sight, was the long jagged mark that ran from the bottom of his ribs on his right side to the joint in the tail that allowed it to bend, about where the human knee would be. That had been still freshly bleeding when their rescue van had finally brought him in. It had later gotten infected, which had thrown Oin into action.

A sudden squeal that was followed by a loud clicking sound brought Kili out of his musings and he realized he'd been spotted. Kili had easily become the mermaid's favourite human and he was always greeted enthusiastically on the good days, which were becoming more and more frequent.

"Hi Fili." Kili waved to him before kneeling down and opening his backpack. He hadn't been the one to name the mer, but the staff had insisted on it because he was Kili’s mer and the name had stuck. The mermaid seemed to like it if only because it was so similar to Kili's name.

Tauriel chuckled, "I'll grab Ori and we'll round up the penguins." She said as she pushed away from the railing. "I wish my boyfriend would greet me like that." She teased.

Kili rolled his eyes as he set his bag down, "He's a mermaid, not my boyfriend." It was a familiar argument that Kili had resigned himself to.

"He's a boy mermaid." Tauriel pointed out, "Which still applies. He's your merboy."

Kili scowled at her as he drew a smaller waterproof pouch from his backpack that he clipped to the side of his waist. "He's not even human and wouldn't understand things like that."

"Bullshit. Everybody else thinks it; I'm just saying it. Even Oin mentioned his mating behaviour when you're around. He gave you his frog, Kili." She was talking about one of the bath toys they'd dumped into the tank to give Fili something to do. For whatever reason, Fili had decided that a neon green rubber frog that spit water when squeezed was his favourite. He'd carried it around since that day and had refused to be parted with it. Admittedly it had been easier to get him to cooperate for Oin if he could cling to the toy, and they'd only had one incident where he'd sunk his sharp teeth into another staff member when the man tried to take the toy away so they could get x-rays.

Everyone in the facility knew that that toy had become Fili's, and they risked life and limb by attempted to take it away.

And yet he'd given it to Kili about two weeks and had become distraught when Kili had tried to give it back. Now it sat in the bottom of Kili's bag and he found himself carrying it around with him.

Mermaids were said to give a gift to a potential mate. Normally it would be a rock or a shell that they could weave into their hair, though sometimes it was a fish or some other type of favourite food, but Fili's tank was devoid of any rocks or fish, so he'd given what he could. And out of all the toys in the collection, he’d made sure to give Kili his favourite.

"Yeah he did." Kili sighed and looked up at her. Everyone also knew that Kili had grown attached to the mer. He'd been afraid it would be considered wrong or unhealthy and that he'd be fired, but he honestly couldn't help it. Forming an attachment to any of the animals was a given, but mermaids were on a whole other level. He was relieved to know that he wasn't the first of his kind to form such an attachment either.

"Mermaids are different from the other creatures we bring in." Thorin, the man running this whole operation had told him when Kili had first brought it up, "I don't even feel right calling them animals. They're people, just different from us. It doesn't happen as often now since they're rarely spotted, but do a quick Internet search and you'll see that you're not the first." Kili had been under the impression that Fili wasn't the first mermaid that Thorin had ever encountered before, but he hadn't been brave enough to ask.

"Everybody knows that mermaids choose one mate in their lives, and this one has chosen you. You know he'd be displaying his fins for you if he could." Tauriel was smirking, "And from what we've pieced together, they'd be pretty magnificent."

Kili hated thinking about the fins Fili had lost. They weren’t only to help a mermaid swim and manoeuver in the water, but the fins were a way to attract a mate. Even if Fili were able to be released one day, he was pretty much condemned to a life of solitude. "Could you just go get Ori and get those penguins out? It's hard to teach Fili when he's distracted." Kili muttered as he got up and moved to a ladder that would take him to a large smooth ledge a few inches under the water. The water of the tank itself was a few feet down from the observation deck where Tauriel was still standing for safety precautions so that any animal inside it couldn't climb out and hurt themselves.

"Oh please." Tauriel rolled her eyes, "As if he ever pays attention to anything else when you're around. Stop denying it Kili." She huffed but did as she said she would and left to go find Ori.

“I’m not denying anything.” Kili mumbled as he turned back to the three figures staring at him. The two penguins had already climbed out of the water and were standing near the edge of the ledge. Fili was between them, leaning on his arms so that he was half way out of the water and his tail was still beneath the surface. He was rather protective of it and rarely let even Kili touch it. Kili couldn't blame him and didn't take it personally.

"Hey you." Kili smiled at his friend before kneeling down in front of the three of them. The two penguins got greetings of their own as they crowded either side of him looking for fish. "You two know I don't carry fish, and I'm not giving you the grapes I have." He told them as if they understood.

The penguins might not have understood, but Fili understood the word 'grapes' very well and his blue eyes lit up in excitement. He reached across the short distance and tugged on Kili’s shorts, giving the man a pleading look.

"You know the deal. You'll get your treats when we learn something today." Kili laughed as he pried that hand from his clothing. He didn't let go of it though, and Fili clung onto him too. His hand was cool from being in the water, but it warmed quickly within Kili's grasp.

During one of his many talks with Thorin regarding the mermaid and mermaids in general, Kili had learned that there were records of older mermaids learning to speak the human language. While Fili was considered young for a mer, Kili had decided that he was going to try to teach Fili to speak. If the mer was going to be a permanent resident, then Kili didn't see the harm in trying to better communication with him for both their sakes. Besides, Fili grew bored easily and this gave him something to do, and of course it meant more time with Kili and getting his favourite treat every time he learned a new word.

So far he'd learned to say 'hi', 'food', 'yes', 'no', and they'd been working on Kili's name, though the L sound was giving him a little trouble. They'd only just started, so Kili thought it was great progress.

The hand disappeared quite suddenly as Fili slipped back under the water and the penguins suddenly started chittering loudly as Tauriel returned with Ori. Ori was their favourite because he always gave them fish, but Ori had also been one of those that had helped in Fili's forced feeding so he wasn't trusted, and every time he was near Fili would hide under the surface.

"I hope they didn't cause too many problems." Ori smiled sheepishly as he knelt down to receive one of the penguins that Kili picked up and handed over.

"Nah." Kili shook his head, grinning widely as he remembered the fun his mer had been having. “I don’t think anybody would complain if they happened to get out again." He said cryptically.

Ori understood his meaning and winked down at the brunet. "Oh, knowing these two I'm sure it'll happen again." He promised as Kili handed the second penguin to Tauriel. "We'll leave you and your merboy alone now." Ori laughed.

"Damn it Tauriel." Kili groaned as he watched them walk away laughing. By noon the rest of the facility would be using that term and Kili knew he'd be in for a lot of teasing. Oh well, it was all in good fun, and he supposed it was kind of true.

He glanced back and was greeted with nothing but the calm surface of the water. "Are you planning on hiding the entire time?" He asked but there was no response. He sighed dramatically even as he walked to the edge and sat down with his legs dangling over the cement ledge. The water quickly soaked the shorts he was wearing and made him shiver, but he seemed to spent more of his time in the water than out of it and was used to the cold temperature. He patted the surface of the water to get Fili's attention.

"Alright, looks like I'll have to eat these grapes all by myself then." He dug into the bag he carried and pulled out a couple of green grapes. Those were the favourite choice. Red just didn't cut it.

Before he could even pretend to pop one into his mouth, a wave hit him from the front as Fili surfaced right between his legs and he suddenly had his arms full of chirping mermaid. He laughed happily as arms circled around his neck and a wet nose nuzzled against his chin. "I was only gone for eight hours and you act like you haven’t seen me in forever!" He snickered once the chirping had died down.

Fili didn't care how long Kili had been gone for and he always hated having to watch the human leave. Kili was told that he'd usually sulk in the bottom of his tank most of the night afterward, and while Kili felt guilty for causing the distress, he couldn't very well live at the aquarium, even if he wished he could.

"Hihihi." Fili greeted him, looking pleased with himself as the words were clear though slurred together. His voice was a little rough sounding as he wasn't used to speaking yet, but Kili enjoyed hearing it all the same.

A hand reached down to grab at the pouch on Kili's waist.

"Hey, hey! You know the rules." Kili wiggled a little to get away from the grabby hand. "New word first." He insisted, grinning when the mer pouted at him. "I'm glad to see that that isn't just a human trait." He snickered before holding up the grape he held in his hand. "Say my name and you get this and a special treat."

Curious as to what this special treat entailed, blue eyes regarded him for a moment before he opened his mouth. "Keeeee." He began.

"Now try the last part." Kili encouraged before showing Fili how to make the L sound by pressing the tip of his tongue against the back of his front teeth. "Leeee." He prolonged the vowel a little.

Fili had no sense of personal space and got right up close to Kili's face so he could watch the movements of the human's tongue as it preformed the action. He smelled a little stronger than the sea, but it was a scent Kili was well acquainted with and actually enjoyed.

"Lllll..." He opened his mouth, showing Kili his sharpened teeth as he pressed the tip of his rough tongue against the backs of them just as Kili had shown him.

"Now it just sounds like you're growling." Kili teased, leaning back on his hands so Fili didn't just drag him into the water by the weight of his tail. The mer was happy enough to rest against him.

"No." Fili pouted again, eyes narrowing at the teasing. Kili recognised that he should lay off the teasing a little as a real growl escaped his friend's throat. Some days Fili was receptive to it, others he wasn't. Moody creatures indeed.

"Okay, okay. I won't tease you today." Kili promised before bringing one hand forward and poking Fili's nose.

Those blue eyes crossed to watch the finger and the mer shook his head when his vision went funny. Apparently he wasn't having that behaviour today either because he opened his mouth and had Kili's finger between his teeth faster than Kili could register the movement.

He frowned when he felt the sharp pinch of teeth close around his skin. It wasn't enough to really hurt or do any damage, but the warning was clear. "Hey now. We've talked about this. You bite me and I take the grapes and go eat them myself, and I will make sure you can see it." Kili threatened and since he'd done it before, Fili knew it wasn't an empty one.

The teeth tightened but Kili wasn't worried. He knew Fili just had to take a moment to make his decision. He'd been bitten before, mostly at the beginning when they were still building trust between them, but there had been a couple of times like today when the mer was extra moody or having a bad day.

Deciding that grapes were better than being a brat, Kili's finger was released and most of the upper body weight of the mer was pressed down on the man. There were soft chirps and clicks of apology as Fili cuddled into Kili's chest.

"I know you didn't mean it." Kili promised, using his now free hand to run through Fili's hair. It was tangled and wet, but Kili was careful not to pull on any snags. "Were you up all night playing with the penguins?" He suddenly wondered. That would explain the grumpiness.

"...yes." Fili sounded reluctant to admit it, like a child being chided by his mother for staying up too late on a school night.

"You're such a silly thing." Kili laughing softly. "If we can make it through a quick lesson without any blood shed or loss of fingers, we'll go easy the rest of the day. How does that sound?" He moved his head back enough so that he could peer into Fili's face.

The mer looked tired now that Kili was looking, and he couldn't help but smile softly at the cute sight a sleepy Fili made as he nuzzled against Kili's shirt. He made a rather displeased sound, but relented and sat up so they could continue.

"Lee." Kili prompted and they spent the next little while struggling with the L until finally, Fili grew frustrated and took a deep breath.

"Lee!" He shouted to release some of that frustration, but instead startled himself into silence. He stared at Kili with wide eyes before sinking back into the water with a squeak.

Kili laughed, the comical behaviour once more reminding him of a child who'd just done something wrong. It was quite the opposite though, and Kili clapped in pride, "You did it!" He cheered. "Don't hide, you did it!" He held his arms out, knowing Fili knew it meant Kili wanted a hug.

A wave soaked his shirt completely as Fili surged forward, wrapping his arms around Kili's waist, squeaking and clicking happily even as his swishing tail churned the water around them.

"Okay, now say it together." Kili pulled back a little, hands going up to gently cup Fili's cheeks. "We'll go slowly, okay? Kee."

Fili was grinning widely, his whole body wiggling in excitement. "Kee." He repeated.

"Lee." Kili was excited for him.

"Lllleeee." The mer forced out again. "Keelee." He wrinkled his nose and frowned because it wasn’t quite right.

"You almost got it." Kili would have been happy with that, but Fili didn't seem satisfied. "Just say it a little faster. Kili."

"Kili." Fili breathed out.

"That's it!" Kili gasped, utterly bursting with pride at Fili's accomplishment. He’d make sure to leave a big message on the whiteboard in the staffroom about this.

"Kili!" This time the name was followed by a series of clicks and squeals that Kili had learned was an equivalent to laughter. "Kili. Kili. Kili."

"I wish you knew what a nerd was, because you're being one." Kili shook his head in amusement as he pulled three more grapes out of his pouch. "Alright, that was amazing Fili. Here's your treat." He held the grapes out where they were snatched up quickly as though he might change his mind any second.

Fili lounged against him as he consumed his well-earned reward as though he were a large dog who still believed itself to be a lapdog, but Kili didn't mind the extra weight and waited patiently for Fili to finish.

When he had, those blue eyes focused on Kili again. "Kili." This was clearly going to be Fili's new favourite word. Maybe they'd work on Fili's name next.

"What?" The brunet asked with a grin on his face, a surprised yelp escaping him as questing hands were shoved into his shirt. "Hey!" He giggled, "What are you doing?" He tried to shift away from sharp nails but Fili was basically pinning him to his spot.

The mer whined, unable to communicate what it was he was looking for. He reached for the pouch again and wiggled it, though surprised Kili by not just pulling it and retreated to the bottom of the tank. That had happened before.

"I already gave you your treats." Kili said brows furrowed for only a few seconds before it dawned on him. "Oh! You want your special treat?"

"Yes!" Fili attempted to crawl into Kili's shirt again, hunting for whatever else the human might have brought with him.

Kili couldn't help the giggles falling from his mouth, "It's not food, so you might be disappointed."

That caused Fili to pause and look at Kili in confusion. "Food? No?" He tilted his head adorably as he stared at the human.

"No food." Kili shook his head before smiling down at his mer. "I don't even know if mers do this." He admitted before he took a breath, leaned forward, and then planted a kiss right on the tip of Fili's nose.

The mer stilled completely as he stared at Kili like a deer caught in headlights once the man had pulled back to see his face, even his tail had stopped shifting.

Kili grew a little worried. Did mers have offensive gestures? Had Kili just crossed a line?

But then his worry melted away as the shocked expression on Fili's face turned into one of pure delight, and before Kili knew what was happening, hands gripped his wrists and he was being pulled into the tank.

"Hey!" He managed to cry out before he went completely under. He didn't panic as he was an expert swimmer, and he really should have been used to being yanked into the water by the mer.

He surfaced in the middle of the tank and brushed his hair out of his face so that he could spot the dark shape swimming in celebratory circles around him. He chuckled at the dramatic display and certainly wasn't going to put a damper on the mer's happiness. Besides, Fili's excitement over something small was ridiculously cute. "Are you done yet?" He laughed, treading water as he watched the dark colour of Fili's tail move by him again. Instead of going around for another lap, the mer changed course under the water and came right up beside Kili and floated along on his back.

"Are you done with your little dance now?" Kili teased, sensing that it was okay to do so this time. His respond was to get a tail shoved against his side. "Wait, what-" He knew touching Fili's tail would usually end in one way: with a harsh slap and the mer hiding along the bottom of his tank for a few hours, but this seemed to be like an offering of some sort.

He watched the mer, careful to keep his hands away from the shimmering scales. Fili didn't seem disturbed by having Kili so close at all and made an encouraging little purring sound as they both bobbed in the waves he'd created.

"I can touch?"

"Kili. Yes." Fili promised as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes, seemingly not having a care in the world.

Apparently Kili was getting a special treat of his own today. It was the ultimate sign of trust as far as Kili was concerned, especially considering the harsh abuse Fili had already endured at the hands of other humans. He was not taking this offer lightly.

Carefully, and with more than a little caution in case Fili changed his mind as mermaids were known to do, Kili placed the tips of his fingers along the large scar along Fili’s ribs. The mer didn’t even twitch as he soaked up the sun that was beaming down into this part of the tank. Deciding it was safe, Kili trailed his fingers down marvelling at the change in texture as skin almost like his own turned rougher and darkened with scales. They were mostly smooth as long as he kept his hand going in the direction toward the fluke, but very rough if he moved back toward Fili’s head.

He paused when he reached one of the smooth scars where a pectoral fin used to be and ran his thumb gently over it. It saddened him, but he tried not to think about it. As much as he wanted Fili to be able to return to the wild and to his home, the chances of that were slim. He’d never survive, and now that he’d chosen a mate, the likelihood of him leaving was almost nonexistent. But like the other creatures at the aquarium, he’d be given the proper care and attention so that he would live a good and happy life.

Kili would personally make sure of it.

Just a note: Fili’s tail originally looked like #7, though different colours.

#My writing #WinterFRE2017 #It's a little different from usual mermaid aus I've seen but I hope someone can enjoy it!#loving the sea series

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wayneooverton · 6 years

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Diving Australia’s Hidden Gem: Rowley Shoals

Everyone knows Australia for the iconic Great Barrier Reef. But Western Australia is home to the country’s best-kept diving secret: Rowley Shoals. The shoals have one of the shortest dive seasons running only from September through December, meaning fewer than 200 people dive this isolated and pristine location each year.

Rowley Shoals

The Rowley Shoals Marine Park lies 186 miles (300 km) off Broome, Western Australia. Consequently. it remains one of the most remote and pristine marine environments in the world. The shoals consist of three coral atolls at the edge of the continental shelf. It’s a stunning location for a dive safari, with 360-degree views of turquoise waters and almost no other vessels or people in sight.

The best Rowley Shoals dive sites

Dives sites at Rowley Shoals offer something for everyone and the diving is suitable for novice and experienced divers. A minimum of 10 to 20 logged dives is usually required.

Rowley Shoals offers pristine coral-reef diving, mostly as wall and drift dives. The best dive areas include:

Mermaid Reef

Northeast of Rowley Shoals, Mermaid Reef is part of the Mermaid Reef National Nature Reserve. It rises from over 1,300 feet (400 m) and features a crystal-clear lagoon surrounded by corals. Sailfish and humpback whales visit the outer sections of the reef and there are numerous corals, giant gorgonian fans, and plenty of fish species about as well. Mermaid Reef has strong tidal flow and currents and features exciting drift dives from outside the atoll into the lagoon.

Vee in the Wall and Odyssey Alley are both on the outer sections and offer fantastic reef- and deep-blue diving. Cod Hole (not to be confused with the dive site of the same name on the Great Barrier Reef) is the place to dive with giant and friendly potato cod. Northern Wall is one of the world’s best dives, featuring a steep drop to 262 feet (80 m), and is home to numerous species of reef fish.

Clerke Reef

Named for Captain Clerke, who first spotted the reef in the 1800s, this reef features a shallow lagoon ideal for snorkeling. There are abundant corals and a variety of marine life. The Aquarium dive site in the lagoon offers easy diving in warm, calm waters.

Clerke Reef also has fantastic wall diving on the outer sections of the reef. Here you’ll find hundreds of fish and coral species as well as gray reef sharks. The visibility often reaches 164 feet (50 m) and divers should keep their eyes peeled for giant clams up to 5 feet (1.5) meters long. Jimmy Goes to China dive site is famous for curious reef sharks and pelagic species cruising along the wall, which is covered in gorgonian fans and black corals.

Rowley Shoals has a wide tidal range, resulting in exciting drift dives. The Rollercoaster is a great example of this and pushes divers through Clerke Reef channel. Fans of adrenaline-filled drift diving will not be disappointed.

Marine-life highlights at Rowley Shoals

Rowley Shoals is quite biodiverse, with more than 200 species of coral and 700 species of fish, many of which do not live to shore. Residents of the reefs include coral trout, clownfish, humphead parrotfish, Maori wrasse, Spanish mackerel, giant potato cod, dogtooth tuna and green turtles. Divers can swim among schooling trevallies and spot a wide variety of sharks, such as whitetips, blacktips, silvertips and even occasional hammerhead and tiger sharks.

The shoals are not a critter-diving destination as such, but there are plenty of nudibranchs and small stuff to keep fans of small marine life satisfied.

Other area activities

Broome is a popular holiday gateway to the Kimberley region and the area has a variety of highlights, including dinosaur tracks in the rock at Gantheaume Point, the white sands of 13-mile (22 km) Cable Beach and Broome’s famous pearl farms. There are also a handful of Kimberley adventure cruise ships that visit the waterfalls, beaches, gorges and mountains of this wild region.

When to visit

The best time to visit Rowley Shoals is between September and December. Since liveaboard diving is the only way to explore these reefs, early booking is best.

The MV Odyssey and True North liveaboards are the main vessels that visit Rowley Shoals. The MV Odyssey catamaran caters for up to 20 guests and offers 7-night Rowley Shoal safaris.

Getting to Rowley Shoals

Broome is the most common departure point for Rowley Shoals liveaboard safaris. It’s easily accessible via Perth, which has international flight connections from around the world.

Divers and writers at LiveAboard.com contributed this article.

The post Diving Australia’s Hidden Gem: Rowley Shoals appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

from Scuba Diver Life https://ift.tt/2Suspid

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nayrusfountain · 6 years

Text

Species: Zora

Subspecies: Makiiekdo

Breed: Blue Makiiekdo

Nationality: World of the Ocean King

Gender: Bull

Age: 46 years

Scar had no Zora family growing up. Being orphaned at a young age, he had lost his pack to an attack by the soul eating demon, Bellum. The beast took the form of a monstrous squid in the guise of a golden bell. His family were drawn to what they assume was an ordinary yet beautiful bell of pure gold that had been discarded by humans, and hopes to sell the gold for profit. However, it turned out to be a trap, for ten snake like arms and a fanged beak suddenly sprung forward and seize most of the Zoras. In the panic, Scar's mother was force to release her tiny weeping guppy to avoid having him killed. By the grace of Nayru, there had been a powerful turbulence in the water that evening, and the strong underwater currents whisked little Scar into the blue infinity, never to see his family again.

Era: Adult Timeline

Scar didn't protest her offer, finding her very kind. She escorted him across the kelp forest and brought him to her secret nursery where she birthed her pups. The nursery was a beautiful underwater glade with lush coral gardens, sunlit caves and soft sea grass to snuggle into.

From that day onwards, he had been huddled alone in the deep sea forests, his only company being the little colorful fishes who drop food supply to keep him alive and the nosy seals. Scar would snuggle them in his arms every night as he slept in crevices and flooded coves, squeaking in their native language. Each night they would nuzzle each other and wipe his bubbly tears away. During the day, Scar would travel with them to uncharted territory, where he learn to catch, identify, and consumes molluks. Unfortunately, the lifespan of these little fishes are brief. Knowing this, they scout out the company of a few horn sharks and dogfishes to look after him. After all, they felt it was more appropriate for a shark boy to be raise by sharks. Although they are not of the higher ranking lamnidae species (the apex predators of the fish world which what this little pup belong to), they can provide better insights to his species. It was not long after that the little reef fishes slowly passed away, one by one. Scar bury each one and mark their tiny graves with little translucent sea shells. The predators in the area, including the ray like angel shark and a local great white, promised him that no one shall ever disrupt their resting space.

The great white, a female who'd just given birth to five youngsters, approach Scar. Being quite motherly, she wishes to adopt him as one of her own, for she worries that he may inevitably fall prey to ill-minded predators or, even worse, rouge Zoras. The seas of these parts are home to some of the nastiest species of Zoras the world had ever known. They have no cities to call their home. No islands to harvest reefs on. No economy. And no rules. Because of the lawless, almost lifeless environment that dictates who lives and who dies, deep sea and oceanic Zoras are notorious for their cannibalistic nature to stay alive. A tiny, defenseless guppy like Scar would make for a quick snack for one of these desperate beasts.

She urged Scar to meet his new "siblings", all who are 4ft bundles of scary teeth and big friendly eyes. The pups were instantly all over him for his looks, fascinated by his sharkish appearance and strange anatomy. The fishes in the gardens welcomed him warmly, accepting him as a member of their community. His mother politely shooed them away to allow him to grow accustomed to his new environment. A small gathering was held later that evening by the reef's varying shark populous discussing how they will raise a Zora. They all came to an agreement that he is the responsibility of the entire community, and will all partake in his upbringing. The Great White decided to dub her new son Scar, for the X shaped mark on his flank, and to make him sound imposing to outsiders.

For a while, Scar live in perfect harmony with the creatures of the underwater Eden. He would play with his new Great White siblings and cuddle with the reef residents. Sometimes he would even spend the evening building tiny houses for them or listening to the elderly telling the younger generations talltales of humans and sea monsters. His mother isn't always home, something she explained is normal in shark parents. The act of leaving their young alone for certain periods of time is to encourage them to explore and discover the world through their own experiences as the proud parents watch on from afar. And being friends with the reef community, she trust them to look after her young whenever she hunts.

Being a Zora, Scar is naturally more intelligent then an average sea life, and is a very fast learner. He discovered how to attack and hunt small creatures by once observing one of his brother instinctively stalking a lone mackerel, and again while a walking shark was teaching him about mollusks. The mako boy is a quick learner, happily nibbling away on the catch he caught by himself each day. When his mother returned, she assigned him to social gatherings (schools) to be tutor on various life lessons, language, and the laws placed by Nayru. She personally taught him how to fight, how to communicate in white shark dialect, and how to use stealth to catch prey, but with public schooling, she wishes for him to be prepare to one day return to his kind in Zoran society.

Unfortunately after a few blissful years living among the family, the rouge Zoras from the open ocean moved into the kelp forests and started decimating the Great White population to eliminate competitors. Scar's adoptive mother took it upon herself to ambuse lone renegade to protect her terrified children, but they were eventually discovered by the pack.

It was the first time in many years that Scar had seen Zoras, but he was ignorant of the many species they come in. The beasts were sharks sure, but not the makos nor great whites he'd come associated with. They were a sleek silver in color, have smooth profiles, and have broad white tipped fins. The Zoras were skinny from the lack of food and rush in for the kill and picked off a few pups. The garden was under attack. Many fish flee as sharks try to battle against the famish Zoras. They were heavily armed though, and the community sharks, lead by Scar's mother, were fighting a losing battle as the remaining pups and fish squealed in terror. The Great White mother was badly injured and losing blood rapidly from the wounds on her gills, slowly suffocating her. With her last ounce of strength, she forcefully gather her surviving offspring and, with a heavy heart, left the injured ones to die. In the confusion, Scar broke away from his fleeing family and went back to try to ward the Zoras away from his dying brother and two sisters, nipping and scratching at their attackers' eyes.

They were stunned to find a Zora guppy, and upon realizing he is the son of terrible makos, they scattered off with the three withering pups, convinced that his pack would come out and kill them all. Fearing for his own life, Scar then locked himself in the cellar, whimpering at the horror he witness. It took him a moment to realize that he foolishly separated himself from his mother and surviving siblings in his petty attempt of rescue, and now he's alone. She couldn't return for him; she has to use what little energy she has left to save her remaining young before she dies of her injuries. Such is the law of nature.

All that remain of the glade was a battered and dead silence. The only remaining life were the small sharks who hid in the crevices.

For the next couple of years, Scar lived a lonely existence save for the remnants of the reef community checking up on him. He was careful not to alert any Zoras of his presence when he tries to find food, and would dart off once one of the creatures are within close proximity of him. He feared them greatly for what the oceanic whitetip specimens had done to his family, but he was instinctively drawn to them all the same. As a Zora, he needs companionship; Zoras are highly social creatures and very group orientated, with complex social structure and intricate interactions. The need of having a friend that looks like him is hardwire into his genes.

He would sit down and watch from afar a passing school of Zoras whistling and clicking happily to each other in unique languages. Each group he finds was made up of a different species all socializing, but he also saw that mountain sized behemoths like the Weor Zora (whale shark species) are mostly solitary travellers with grunts and sonorous growls making up their scarce interaction. He became enticed with memories of his days with his biological family, memories resurfacing after a few years of living among beasts, and he began craving for mako shark interactions.

Sometimes, he'd find a small school of Makiiekdo Zoras frolicking about overhead. The happiness they shared, the loyalty they demonstrated, the stories, cultures, and friendship they swore loyalty to, they were all a family, and he wanted so badly to be a part of their hidden society.

He would always try to join them, to the point of attempting to approach the pack a few times, but always grew hesitant and veer off the opposite way the minute they turn their heads to him. He try time and again to approach them, but each time they took wind of his presence, he loses his nerves and bolt out of there. And when he did approach them, he recite nothing but animalistic noises as his only means of speaking. This prompt the Zoras to become wild with fear, nervous of the potential danger a Zora like him posses. Scar is feral. He knows nothing that isn't the harsh living of the aquatic wilderness. And sometimes, Scar's wild side gets the best of him, for he reacts on instinct when one of the more curious Zora veers to close. For a little while, the pack began chasing him off as soon as he draws near for safety, and this discouraged him from trying to make friends. He thought they hated him, but in truth, they felt betrayed for turning away one of their own, and devise plans to hopefully help him one day.

Scar began spending his days wandering the forbidden vastness of the open seas, living a solitary existence for most of his teen life. His only source of companionship now were the obnoxious blue sharks following him around for scraps and the slezy oceanic whitetip who's always trying to persuade him to "come hang out in his turf". Scar found this particular individual annoying, aware of his true intentions of which are to eat him. His Great White mother had warned him to stay away from this treacherous breed of whitetip, for they bring nothing but chaos.

When wary of long days of travel and stalking random packs, Scar would retreat back to an abandon underwater house which overlooks a churned shipwreck ahead, the great vessel stationed across the grassy sea hills as its silhouette glowed ominously against the murky gloom. The house, a tiny property nestle between the shadows of the undersea canyons, was once home to a small family of Mers, of whom had abandon the residence when the life sucking demon itself, Bellum, attacked the occupants. Scar didn't mind his new tiny home; it was certainly better then sleeping out in caves and the desolate reef forests. And he made sure to bring the small survivors of the attack with him so they can live off the gardens his new property as neighbors.

As he is one day returning home from exploring the quiet reef, young Scar noticed sighs that trespassers were swimming rampant in his property. He nervously approach his home and bewilderment froze him in his tracks. Snooping around his vacant house was a small gang of Makiiekdo Zoras like him! Pure makos. Pure Zoras.

But they didn't look very friendly.

Scar was tempted to approach the group, but felt threaten by their presence. There was something horribly wrong in the vibe they emit. One of them spotted him, and spoke out crudely while gesturing him to come over. This was when Scar remembered that his years of being raised by the reef community hindered his ability to utilize his native language. He try to recite mako words, but it came off awkward and wrong.

The Zoras realize he didn't speak Mako, and suddenly became hostile. They saw this as an opportunity to bully him out of his territory, and lunge. Scar, not wanting to loose his beloved new home, stood his ground and all the Makos rolled and raked their sharp claws at each other. Scales scraped off, fountains of blood spew from cuts and gashes, tails and digits were broken. Against his odds, Scar used the lessons he received of great white combat and successfully kick off his attackers. His body was riddle with bloody cuts, his eye nearly scratched out. But he was alive at least. The menaces were riddle with gashes and bite marks inflicted by him, something that Scar was stunned by. They sneered before swimming off to open water, the forbidden blue of nothingness. That's when he understood that they are the dreaded cannibals of the lawless expanse of open ocean. This scared him enough to lock himself from the outside world, only coming out for necessities.

To Scar's surprise, spears and swords were discovered in the cellar where the Merman probably once trained, the weapons later proving to be useful to Scar when he fights off treacherous sea monsters during hunts. He develop a habit to train downstairs every night to hone his melee skills. Toys from Merchildren that once lay scatter in their pink and blue bedrooms served as his audience. To which Scar develop an attachment too. He fancied the figurines and dolls specifically model after Zoras, keeping them on his person at all times whenever he's around them. They help him coup with the loneliness he suffers from as if they were his little shoal. He knew they were lifeless figures, but he would gladly substitute the pestersome sharks for these tiny "friends".

When a few uneventful months flew by, Scar receive a knock to his door. Assuming it to be one of his reef friends, he was surprise to suddenly find himself face to face with armored Zoras. Based on their attires, they are authority figures prompted to take him into custody for his own safety. And they were Mako based like him too. Not understanding what they are saying (or their good intentions) Scar panicked and bit one of the Zoras in the face before shutting the door. He slink back to his house, hiding in the basement for the reminder of the evening as the officers try to barge in. He hugged his tiny dolls close as he babble to them in gibbering squeaks.

Finally the enforcers kicked down the door and approach him again. Scar grab his spear and order them in White Shark to leave him alone. The Zoras try to reason with him, but the wild eyed teen launch an attack. A small scuffle unfold, with the guards trying to remove his weapon. After giving his intruders a good jab and strikes, Scar's spear was yank out of his hands and his was force down by the guards. They try again to speak with him, this time in the aquatic dialect of reef fish, and Scar finally understood their true intentions:

The Zoras want to help him. They want him to be a part of their society, to finally swim among his kind and to share their happiness. The Zoran Government are task in removing feral Zoras from the wild and bringing them up in a safer and nourishing environment among their kind.

When he heard this, Scar felt bewilderment and shame for hurting these creatures. Now understanding that they want what's best for him, Scar made the choice of going with them so long as he can bring his friends and treasured belongings. The officers agree, and gave him a day to pack up before leaving to the city. His fish friends were thrill to hear the news, but not all are keen with living among packs of hungry Zoras in all directions, and some have livelihoods in the reefs. Scar was heartbroken by this, but promise to visit them occasionally.

By the next morning, the Makiiekdo Zoras were back to collect him, helping him with the luggage before disembarking. As Scar finally swam with his kind for the first time in years, feeling like his soul became a part of something greater, he look back at the tiny reef community as they wave their fins in goodbye.

Later that evening, upon arriving in the city, Scar was treated with a pleasant dinner within the town hall and was escorted to his new apartment. Here, he will be moniter and tutor by a mentor to help him understand city life, Zoran social structures, governments, laws and jobs he can participate in to earn his income. His first educational lessons are to begin first thing tomorrow morning, and by his request, he can bring his toy Zoras along with him. Scar settle into his small, but cozy new home, and gazed out at the city as the sealines (underwater skylines) illuminated against the twilight gloom of the evening. On his lap were his tiny Zora friends and he set them on the window sill to watch the Zoras whoosh by to hurry home. Scar finally felt that hole in his heart had been filled in at last, and he felt like he finally truly belonged with his kind. If only he knew this was actually the city he was born in, and where his original family had hailed from for generations.

As he soak in his new home watch the busy Zoras come and go, no one notice the faint silhouette of Bellum lurking out in the gloom...

A bio of a Zora I made based on a real world mako shark of the same name.

#the legend of zelda #zoras

0 notes

mrbobgove · 6 years

Text

Can You Guess Which Teeth Belong to Which Shark?

While you may be able to recognize some sharks in the water or by their photos, can you guess which teeth belong to which sharks in this nine-question quiz? As noted by Sharks Info, shark teeth are unique compared to most others. Humans and most animals have teeth rooted in their jaw, but sharks’ teeth are embedded in their gums. This allows them to replace their teeth without pain on a regular basis, either individually as they are damaged or in entire rows of teeth.

A shark can have up to 3,000 teeth in its mouth at any given time depending on the species, with several rows of teeth held out of sight in a special channel in their jaw as shown in the photo below.

As the animal must replace the teeth in front, a row in back moves forward to replace the front row like a conveyor belt. In this manner, a shark can lose over 30,000 teeth during its lifetime, so it’s no wonder divers often find shark teeth along the ocean bottom. Now, here’s your chance to see if you can correctly guess which teeth belong to which shark.

Can You Guess Which Teeth Belong to Which Shark?

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Your answers are highlighted below.

Question 1

Bull

Tiger

Great White

Blue

Question 1 Explanation:

According to the National Geographic Society, great white sharks are “highly adapted predators with mouths lined with up to 300 serrated, triangular teeth arranged in several rows. They have an exceptional sense of smell to detect prey, but the legendary great white shark is far more fearsome in our imaginations than in reality.” Size: Average of 15 feet (4.6 m). Large specimens can grow to as much as 20 feet in length (6.1 m) Weight: Average of 5,000 pounds (2,268 kg) though larger specimens can weigh more Average life span: Up to 70 years Preferred prey: “Young great white sharks eat fish (including other sharks) and rays. As they grow, the sharks’ favorite prey becomes sea mammals, especially sea lions and seals.” Commonly found: In cool, coastal waters throughout the world Endangered status: Vulnerable — at high risk of extinction in the wild Threats to survival: Coveted as a gamefish, great whites are victims of both overfishing and accidental bycatch in gill nets.

Question 2

Mako Shark

Wobbegong Shark

Great White Shark

Thresher Shark

Question 2 Explanation:

Question 3

Sand-tiger Shark

Hammerhead Shark

Blue Sharks

Fossilized Shark Teeth

Question 3 Explanation:

According to the Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, shark teeth fossilize when they sink down to the seafloor and sediment quickly covers them. Modern shark teeth are typically white in color; fossils are usually darker because they are impregnated by minerals in ocean sediment. Different minerals turn different colors as they react with small amounts of oxygen. While some fossilized teeth can have a white crown, the root is usually darker. Whether it’s a modern shark tooth or a fossilized shark tooth, it can be extremely difficult even for an expert to identify the species of an individual tooth since most teeth are found mixed and scattered. Within the same species, many shark teeth also vary in shape, size, and curvature with regards to position within the jaw. The age and sex of a shark can also play a factor in tooth morphology. So, while it is fairly easy to determine the genus of a shark tooth, it is almost impossible to determine whether that tooth is from a bull shark or Caribbean reef shark, for example.

Question 4

Smalltooth sand tiger shark

Wobbegong Shark

Basking Shark

Caribbean Reef Shark

Question 4 Explanation:

According to the MarineBio Conservation Society, smalltooth sand tiger sharks are known by many different names all over the world (e.g., bumpy tail ragged-tooth, Herbst's nurse sharks, etc.) and are often confused with other sharks. Size: Up to 12 feet (3.7 m) Weigh: Up to 637 pounds (289 kg) Average life span: Unknown Preferred prey: Small bony fishes, squids, and crustaceans Commonly found: On or near the bottom of the continental and island shelves in places like Japan and New Zealand though they are sometimes observed in shallow water Endangered status: Vulnerable — at high risk of extinction in the wild Threats to survival: They fall prey to accidental catching in gill nets. Humans also harvest them for their flesh and liver.

Question 5

Whale Shark

Nurse Shark

Galapagos Shark

Silky Shark

Question 5 Explanation:

According to the National Geographic Society, nurse sharks have “very strong jaws filled with thousands of tiny, serrated teeth, and will bite defensively if stepped on or bothered by divers who assume they’re docile.” Size: Average of 7.5 to 9.75 feet (2.3 to 3 m). Larger specimens can be up to 14 feet (4.3 m). Weight: Average of 200 to 330 pounds (91 to 148 m) Average life span: Up to 25 years Preferred prey: While they can crush and eat shellfish and even coral, they prefer fish, shrimp, and squid. Commonly found: In the warm, shallow waters of the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific oceans Endangered status: They have no special conservation status. Threats to survival: The closeness of their habit to human activities is putting pressure on the species.

Question 6

Silvertip Shark

Oceanic Whitetip Shark

Blacktip Reef Shark

Blue Shark

Question 6 Explanation:

According to the MarineBio Conservation Society, all blacktip reef sharks have fins with conspicuous black or dark brown tips, with the prominent black tips of their first dorsal fin contrasting with a light band below it. Size: Up to 6 feet (1.8 m) Weight: Up to 64 pounds (29 kg) Average life span: 12 to 25 years Preferred prey: They prefer reef fish, but also feed on stingrays, crabs, mantis shrimp, other crustaceans, cephalopods, and mollusks as well other animals indigenous to certain areas such as sea snakes in northern Australia. Commonly found: In shallow waters on and near coral reefs. They also live in mangrove areas and even in fresh water near the sea. Endangered status: Near Threatened — Close to qualifying for or is likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future Threats to survival: “Regularly caught by inshore fisheries and vulnerable to depletion because of their small litter sizes and long gestation periods.” Flesh, fins, and are liver utilized for human consumption, but these sharks have limited market value due to their small size.

Question 7

Tiger Shark

Broadnose Sevengill Shark

Bronze Whaler Shark

Bull Shark

Question 7 Explanation:

According to the National Geographic Society, bull sharks get their name from their “short, blunt snout as well as their pugnacious disposition and a tendency to head-butt their prey before attacking.” Size: Average of 7 to 11.5 feet (2 to 3.5 m) Weight: Average 200 to 500 pounds (91 to 227 m) Average life span: 16 years Preferred prey: Almost anything they see, from fish to dolphins and even other sharks Commonly found: In shallow, warm waters of every ocean. They even venture into brackish water far inland via rivers and tributaries Endangered status: Near Threatened — Close to qualifying for or is likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future. Threats to Survival: “Fished widely for their meat, hides, and oils, and their numbers are likely shrinking. One study has found that their average lengths have declined significantly over the past few decades.”

Question 8

Blue Shark

Shortfin Mako Shark

Goblin Shark

Copper Shark

Question 8 Explanation:

According to the MarineBio Conservation Society, shortfin mako sharks are the more commonly seen type of mako and “represent the largest, fastest, most-sophisticated species of pelagic shark on our planet. These makos have striking coloring with deep purple to indigo dorsal (upper) surfaces, silvery sides, and white ventral (under) surfaces.” Size: Up to 13 feet (4 m) Weight: Up to 1,102 pounds (500 kg) Average Life Span: 29 to 32 years Preferred prey: Tuna and billfish, but they also prey on squid, dolphins, porpoises, blue sharks, bonito, sea turtles, and mackerels. Commonly found: Around the world in warm and temperate seas Endangered Status: Vulnerable — At high risk of extinction in the wild Threats to survival: Prized as gamefish, these makos are fished for recreation and commercially. Flesh and fins are utilized for human consumption, and they are also often bycatch victims of the tuna and swordfish fishing industries.

Question 9

Gray Reef Shark

Thresher Shark

Great Hammerhead Shark

Lemon Shark

Question 9 Explanation:

According to the MarineBio Conservation Society, thresher sharks are “easily recognizable because of their long tail fins, which equal about half the total length of their body. These sharks' teeth are small, curved, smooth and razor sharp. Their teeth are similarly shaped in both the upper and lower jaws.” Size: Average of 8 to 25 feet (2.4 to 7.6 m) Weight: A maximum of 767 pounds (348 kg) Average life Span: 22 years Preferred prey: Squid, octopus, crustaceans, and small schooling fish such as bluefish, needlefish, lancetfish, lanternfish, menhaden, shad, mackerel, and others. Scientists think they stun prey with blows from their powerful tails. Commonly found: In warm and temperate waters worldwide. “They prefer cool pelagic waters but will wander into coastal areas as well in pursuit of fish. Juvenile threshers are often found close inshore and in shallow bays.” Endangered Status: Vulnerable — At high risk of extinction in the wild Threats to Survival: Prized as gamefish, threshers are fished for recreation and commercially especially in other parts of the world where their flesh, livers, hides, and fins are utilized for human consumption. “This species is especially vulnerable to fisheries exploitation (target and bycatch) because its habitat occurs within the range of many largely unregulated and under-reported gillnet and longline fisheries, in which it is readily caught.”

Question 10

Bonus Question: Which of the shark teeth below has the best teeth for cutting?

1 & 3

1 & 4

2 & 3

2 & 4

Question 10 Explanation:

Unlike mammals, the relationship between shark-tooth morphology and function is not readily discernable. In traditional testing, teeth from various species of shark performed equally well. A bunch of scientists had to get creative and “design a testing system under biologically relevant dynamic testing conditions” to quantify how well each shark tooth really performed. To mimic the head-shaking behavior used by large sharks when they feed, they glued a variety of shark teeth to the blades of a reciprocating power saw.

Drawing distributed under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license appearing in Royal Society Open Science included in Modelling tooth–prey interactions in sharks: the importance of dynamic testing by Katherine A. Corn, Stacy C. Farina, Jeffrey Brash, and Adam P. Summers. Drawing distributed under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license appearing in Royal Society Open Science included in Modelling tooth–prey interactions in sharks: the importance of dynamic testing by Katherine A. Corn, Stacy C. Farina, Jeffrey Brash, and Adam P. Summers.

While this nightmarish-sounding saw may seem unconventional, it allowed them to accurately test the performance of shark teeth when fixed in a weighted frame as shown in the second image above. The scientists tested these teeth at “biologically relevant speeds and found differences in tooth cutting ability and wear. Test species were chosen to represent three distinct tooth morphologies: triangular and pointed with small serrations across the edges (silky shark and sandbar shark), triangular and pointed with large serrations and a deep posterior notch (tiger shark), and elongated teeth with a series of cusps (sixgill shark).” The silky and sandbar sharks (the top two in the saw photo) were the clear winners with the tiger shark (in the middle of the photo) coming in second. Teeth from the bluntnose sixgill shark (at the bottom of the photo) showed a poor cutting ability compared with all the other shark teeth, but “they also showed no wear with repeated use. Some shark teeth are very sharp at the expense of quickly dulling, while others are less sharp but dull more slowly.”

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The post Can You Guess Which Teeth Belong to Which Shark? appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

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wayneooverton · 6 years

Text

Can You Guess Which Teeth Belong to Which Shark?

A shark can have up to 3,000 teeth in its mouth at any given time depending on the species, with several rows of teeth held out of sight in a special channel in their jaw as shown in the photo below.

Can You Guess Which Teeth Belong to Which Shark?

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Congratulations - you safely navigated our Shark Teeth Quiz!

You scored %%SCORE%% out of %%TOTAL%%.

Your answers are highlighted below.

Question 1

Bull

Tiger

Great White

Blue

Question 1 Explanation:

Question 2

Mako Shark

Wobbegong Shark

Great White Shark

Thresher Shark

Question 2 Explanation:

Question 3

Sand-tiger Shark

Hammerhead Shark

Blue Sharks

Fossilized Shark Teeth

Question 3 Explanation:

Question 4

Smalltooth sand tiger shark

Wobbegong Shark

Basking Shark

Caribbean Reef Shark

Question 4 Explanation:

Question 5

Whale Shark

Nurse Shark

Galapagos Shark

Silky Shark

Question 5 Explanation:

Question 6

Silvertip Shark

Oceanic Whitetip Shark

Blacktip Reef Shark

Blue Shark

Question 6 Explanation:

Question 7

Tiger Shark

Broadnose Sevengill Shark

Bronze Whaler Shark

Bull Shark

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Question 8

Blue Shark

Shortfin Mako Shark

Goblin Shark

Copper Shark

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Question 9

Gray Reef Shark

Thresher Shark

Great Hammerhead Shark

Lemon Shark

Question 9 Explanation:

Question 10

Bonus Question: Which of the shark teeth below has the best teeth for cutting?

1 & 3

1 & 4

2 & 3

2 & 4

Question 10 Explanation:

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Shark Pup

Growing Shark

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shark in a former life Shark in a former life

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wayneooverton · 6 years

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Scuba Diving in Chuuk Lagoon

Many regular wreck divers think Chuuk Lagoon offers the best wreck diving in the world. Other divers know the name but don’t know what makes the area so special. Why is it so revered, and what should you expect if you visit? Here’s an overview of what makes scuba diving in Chuuk Lagoon so special.

Lying 1,500 miles (2,400 km) northeast of Indonesia and 1,000 miles south of Japan, Chuuk (or Truk Lagoon as it was formerly known) is a cluster of small islands making up one of four of the Federated States of Micronesia. The lagoon sits inside a 47-square mile (122 km) atoll. Most of the 50,000 inhabitants live on the main Islands of Weno, Dublon, Eten, Fefan and Uman.

Brief history of Chuuk Lagoon

After World War I, Japan received a mandate over the islands of Micronesia, which allowed them to exploit the area for economic gain. As they began to militarize on an industrial scale during the build-up to World War II, they realized that Truk’s geography would make a naval invasion extremely difficult. Thusly, they turned it into a vital strategic outpost for naval operations in the Pacific. The Japanese built infrastructure and fortifications on many of the Islands, including roads, trenches, bunkers, caves, five airfields, a seaplane base, a submarine-repair base, a radar station, and mortar emplacements and coastal defense guns. By the time the war started, The Allies regarded Truk as the “Gibraltar” of the Pacific. Around 28,000 Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), and almost 17,000 Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) personnel were stationed there. The lagoon served as an anchorage for the entire IJN combined fleet.

Operation Hailstone

In order to attack mainland Japan, the United States first had to capture numerous islands, including the Marshall Islands, Saipan, Iwo Jima, Kwajalein, Majuro and Truk. For Truk, they devised Operation Hailstone, which would consist of an airborne attack comprised of five fleet carriers, four light carriers, seven battleships, 10 submarines, as well as numerous heavy and light cruisers, destroyers and battleships. Five hundred aircraft operating from the carriers were to conduct the attack, with the intention of catching the Japanese forces by surprise. In this way, the Americans hoped to quickly neutralize any aerial threats and sink as many Japanese ships as possible.

On February 6, 1944, two reconnaissance planes flew over Chuuk Lagoon to photograph potential targets. Although there was cloud over much of the atoll, they managed to photograph many ships of the combined IJN fleet. The Japanese took this as a warning of an imminent attack and withdrew four carriers, numerous cruisers and destroyers, and the pride of the fleet — the battleship Musashi.

The attack

Before dawn on February 17, 1944, a taskforce took position 94 miles east-northeast of Dublon. At dawn, the first wave of U.S. fighters and fighter-bombers reached Truk. The Japanese had their guard down, but responded quickly, trying to get as many aircraft in the air as possible. But it was too late — U.S. aircraft bombed and strafed runways, giving parked and taxiing aircraft little chance. The planes that got airborne were quickly overwhelmed as the U.S. had achieved air superiority quickly. This allowed them to concentrate their airpower on the merchant ships anchored in three main locations: the 4th fleet two days, U.S. aircraft sank over 220,000 tons of shipping. The official Operation Hailstone report lists 42 combat, auxiliary, and merchant vessels as being sunk, with a further 28 damaged to varying degrees. The Americans also destroyed over 350 aircraft.

Aftermath and first dives

Following the first attack and subsequent attacks in April and June 1944, the Allies moved on with their advance toward Japan. Truk was left a toxic graveyard of sunken ships, leaking huge quantities of oil and gasoline into the lagoon. The Japanese on the islands, along with the local population, were also left without any hope of reinforcement. Rarely reported is that over 10,000 Chuukese starved to death in the months following the attacks, along with similar numbers of Japanese personnel as the oil slicks killed all marine life.

When the war ended, the world largely forgot about Chuuk Lagoon and the devastation that occurred there until, in 1969, members of Jacques Cousteau’s team visited to find and document the wrecks. They found 30 ships and filmed the documentary “Lagoon of Lost Ships.” They, unfortunately, also took tons of artifacts from the wrecks, which are presumed to be sitting in a warehouse in Paris to this day. But their film did shine a spotlight on Truk, bringing it to the wider diving community’s attention.

A Chuukese man named Kimiuo Aisek really made it possible for divers to visit Chuuk Lagoon. As a laborer for the Japanese during the war, he witnessed the attacks and began diving the wrecks in the 1970s. He purchased the Continental Hotel and renamed it the Blue Lagoon Dive Resort, turning it into the first dive shop in Chuuk. It’s still there today, run by his son, as well as numerous other operators, both land-based and liveaboard.

Scuba diving in Chuuk Lagoon today

The lagoon holds over 60 vessels — ships, merchant and military, various types of aircraft, and a submarine. Most of these are diveable, sitting on the seabed at depths ranging from 49 to 213 feet (15 m to 65 m). Lying in the lagoon for the last 73 years, the wrecks are in varying states of decay due to damaging storms and typhoons and the onslaught of rusting. Divers have also caused degradation with bubbles, bad buoyancy, bad finning and grasping hands. Bridges and funnels have also been destroyed by two of the liveaboards anchoring on the wrecks in stormy weather. Generally speaking, the deeper wrecks have degraded the least, but some of the shallower wrecks are also in remarkable condition.

Because Chuuk lies within an atoll, it is protected from strong ocean currents and there’s usually no current at all on the wrecks. The water temperature is a consistent 84 to 86 F (29 to 30 C) year-round, and the visibility ranges from 33 to 160 feet (10 to 50 m) on the deeper wrecks. Depth notwithstanding, it’s the easiest diving you’ll ever do — a big, warm bathtub.

Diving the wrecks

There are far too many wrecks to cover exhaustively here, but on each you will find evidence of damage from fires, torpedoes, mines or bombs. They contain a mountain of artifacts, including cars, trucks, bulldozers, tractors, steamrollers, tanks, ammunition, torpedoes, shells, mines, beer and sake bottles, shoes, boots, china, uniforms, tools, rifles, lanterns, compressed-air cylinders, machine guns, bicycles, medicine bottles, bags of cement, wheelbarrows — the list is endless. Many of the engine rooms are still accessible and in good condition, and here you can see cylinders, engines, generators, compressors, gauges, valves, tools and much more.

In the past, there were human remains on the wrecks, but Japanese divers removed as many as they could find and gave them a Shinto burial in the 1980s. There are still some bones present however.

There’s also an abundance of marine life on and around the wrecks, including coral growth, anemones and schooling tropical fish. Blacktip reef sharks are common, as are dolphins and eagle rays. Not so common — but still possible —are manta rays, tiger, hammerhead, bull and oceanic whitetip sharks, although they tend to stay on the atoll shelf.

Getting there

Chuuk is a long way from anywhere. Most visitors will require three flights or more to get here, and the easiest route is via Guam. From there a United Airlines flight runs to Chuuk every two days. Those coming from Australia can fly Air Niugini via Port Moresby and Pohnpei. Local hotels are very basic, as are goods available in shops. Internet access is neither fast nor reliable — expect to be largely cut off while you’re here.

Diving in such a remote location also brings its own set of challenges. Bring all your own dive gear and make sure everything is in working order before you arrive. Bring spare parts, especially regulator O-rings, mask straps, and zip ties. Tools such as pliers and Allen wrench sets are also a good idea. Local dive operators will do their best to keep you diving, but don’t rely on them to have everything you may need.

What to expect

If you are technical diving, bring your own full rigging kits, including hose clips, bolt-snaps for sidemount, and hose retainers. Also bring your own stage regulators, labeling tape and even marker pens. Rebreather divers should bring spare O-ring kits and virkon disinfectant and specify in advance whether they want to use aluminum or steel tanks. Dive shops will supply sofnolime and trimix if requested. Shops tend to use oxygen generators, so any 100-percent O2 fills will be between 87 and 93 percent.

Many of the wrecks lie in recreationally accessible depths, but you will need advanced certification to dive here. A nitrox cert is also wise since you’ll be doing multiple days with multiple dives. Having your deep specialty is even better but be aware that on those wrecks the top of the deck is typically at 130 feet (40 m), which means a short bottom time and not much to see on the ascent.

Regarding wreck penetrations, many of the accessible bridges are more like swim-throughs. If you venture into the engine rooms, however, you are often well beyond the light zone in a maze of corridors. Some wrecks are on their side or upside-down. They can be very confusing and there’s a lot of silt you might disturb. Wreck and advanced wreck training is a must for any conscientious diver. Also note that there is live ordnance on many of the wrecks, so keep your distance and dial in your buoyancy.

Learn your history

Every wreck has a story, both before and during WWII, as well as on the days of the attack, so learning a bit of history before a visit will enhance your experience immeasurably. With so many wrecks to dive, it’s good to arm yourself with a little knowledge of what you’re diving on. A seven-day trip will hardly scratch the surface and without a little knowledge, every wreck will just be another “Maru” (merchant ship).

Finally, remember that Chuuk was the site of a devastating attack in which thousands of Japanese soldiers died. The dive sites are war graves and you should treat them with respect. As with any other dive site, don’t touch anything. These wrecks have rich histories explaining how they ended up here and diving them is an awe-inspiring experience. Anyone with even a passing interest in wreck diving should not miss scuba diving in Chuuk Lagoon.

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mrbobgove · 6 years

Text

Scuba Diving in Chuuk Lagoon

Brief history of Chuuk Lagoon

Operation Hailstone

The attack

Aftermath and first dives

Scuba diving in Chuuk Lagoon today

Diving the wrecks

In the past, there were human remains on the wrecks, but Japanese divers removed as many as they could find and gave them a Shinto burial in the 1980s. There are still some bones present however.

Getting there

What to expect

Learn your history

The post Scuba Diving in Chuuk Lagoon appeared first on Scuba Diver Life.

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