Or whatever you call it in your province - happy, happy.
I began my day with a news story that put me in a cheery state of mind. Sea otters are back in large numbers along the BC coast. Not the numbers they reached before we began hunting them, almost to extinction, for the Asian market but big enough that they're on track to re-establishing themselves.
And, just in time too. Sea otters don't eat fish. They eat clams where they're plentiful but they eat massive quantities of sea urchins. Right now that shopping basket is full. We're facing a plague of sea urchins that threaten the seabed ecosystem as they chow down on one of their favourite foods, kelp.
When sea urchins get too numerous you lose your kelp forests and those kelp forests anchor an entire marine ecosystem. California had a nightmarish loss of kelp until they put otters on a protected list. The urchin population was controlled, the kelp returned and the natural order was restored. Haida Gwaii has been devastated just as California was.
A good many of today's sea otters were brought in from Alaska to bays along Vancouver Island. Nice water, scads of food, what's not to like?
The only complaints have come from coastal First Nations in the north. When hunters eradicated the sea otter from their waters it produced a bounty of clams on which the locals feasted. All manner of clams, abalone, etc. Now that the otters are back they're taking most of those mollusks. Hopefully something can be worked out.
It's a magnificent sight to go down to a dock, gaze into the emerald water and watch a forest of kelp swaying in the currents. You know that, just beneath the surface and right to the bottom there's all sorts of life that can't flourish without the kelp.
11 comments:
I just love that picture, Mound. Read the same story this morning - nice to have some good news for a change, isn't it!
Yes, Lulymay, it is a welcome good news story. I have been aware of the urchin infestation along the coast. Now there's hope the urchin population can be restrained, the natural balance restored.
It was about three years ago that I got a call from a neighbour about a creature spotted on my driveway that ducked between my car and the garage door. I was startled to see an adult sea otter. My friend and I walked it back to the beach. It didn't run but kept ahead of us until it slipped down the cliff path and into the sea.
A few days later it was back on my driveway. My friend and I once again herded it back to the water. We never did figure out what brought it to my place, a block from the water. It seemed perfectly healthy and well fed but, after round two, we never saw it again.
A lovely story for a change. I am so tired of every thing happening at this time. It brought a smile. Anyong
The kelp beds tend to be close to shore, Anyong, so it's often possible to see a raft of otters bagging some rays.
O, to be in BC.
Best place on earth.
To weeks ago on Quadra I saw two humpback whales off Rebecca Spit.
A week ago a rare sighting of a Golden Eagle, not 25ft away, near the Nanaimo Duke Point ferry terminal.
Where else are you likely to experience such pleasures?
TB
Such experiences are why so many are fierce in their defence of our coastal waters, TB.
About 10 years ago I was walking a then-very young beagle puppy on the tide flats of Rathtrevor beach. I spotted a small group of people at a considerable distance, out by the water's edge, making a bit of noise so I thought I'd check them out.
As I neared I saw those people, then a couple of cranes and, between them, what looked from behind like a massive sitting dog. As I drew closer it wasn't a dog at all but a golden eagle and, with that, I picked up the pup and carried it under my arm.
When I got to the water's edge I was amazed to see two grey whales, mother and calf, each rolling in the sand flats. They were in quite shallow water.
At home I got straight on to the computer and found the explanation. As grey whales migrate they seek out shallow flats where they can churn the surface and gather mollusks, crabs, etc. in their baleen. Having safely run the gauntlet of the transient Orca that try to pick the calves off as they travel the California, Oregon and Washington coastal waters they were probably famished.
These waters teach us many wonderful things when we're attentive.
I was amazed at the size of the Golden Eagle.
Much bigger than a Bald Eagle.
Years ago my dog and I met up with a Snow Owl on the same trail I saw the Golden Eagle.
He was way out of his usual territory and fatigued.,
My dog took after it seeing an easy mark.
A sudden yelp later and my dog returned uninjured but with a lowered ego!
Such are the wonders of BC.
TB
Ah, balone.
This on your turf Mound.
https://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/more-sightings-of-rare-white-ravens-in-qualicum-area-1.24180615
TB
Balone, PLG. I couldn't be sure that was a misspelling so I looked it up. Apparently it can be a term for a feeling of mild euphoria from consuming THC (quite legally of course). There is something I have learned that will, with any luck, disappear from my memory banks in short order. And a joyous balone to you too.
I looked up the white raven story, TB. Curious. That also led me to a story about the current state of shellfish toxicity. I thought, by now, that we all knew not to harvest shellfish in months that had no "r" in their name - i.e. May, June, July, August. The beaches, from the south end of the island to the far north, are posted but those warnings are not being well observed.
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