December Creature Feature

SCUBA Diver

Description: Divers have long limbs each ending with five digits, a round skull, a short nose, good binocular vision and are often covered in a wet suit. They are related to other marine mammals such as dolphins, whales, seals and sea lions.
Where they are Found: World-wide from shallow waters to 190 feet deep (for scientific research). Average divers range from 30-80 feet.
Diet: Their wide diet varies with each individual. Most are omnivores and many do not eat seafood.
Status in the ocean: Can be found year round but sightings increase on Saturdays and Sundays.
Reproduction: Nearly impossible in a full wetsuit.
WOW!!! SCUBA is an abbreviation for Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.

December Newsletter

Green Ways to Celebrate the Holidays

The winter season is a time for holiday decorations, hot cocoa, caroling and of course, endless presents! This, of course, means non-stop shopping and empty wallets. Have you ever thought about how much waste is produced during the holidays? The wrapping paper, the amount of energy it costs to transport gifts, the gas and CO2 emissions released when you have to drive all over town to find that perfect present that is packaged in excess paper. Is there any way to celebrate the holidays while simultaneously caring for the earth? A few ideas that you can do to participate in an earth friendly holiday include:

· Instead of giving presents, donate to a charity in honor of someone. (You can even donate to the Roundhouse!)
· Carpool to the store with friends and family.
· Order your presents on www.greenraising.com- the proceeds go to a charity of your choice (like the Roundhouse).
· Make sure to bring your own reusable bag when you shop.
· Purchase antiques, tickets to a show or game to lessen environmental impacts.
· Gift wrap presents in old newspaper and magazines or catalogs.
· Put up LED holiday lights on and in your home.
· Re-gift- it’s good for the environment and no one will know!
· Give the gift of doing instead of giving presents. Offer to wash someone’s car, clean the house, babysit, or walk their dog!

Winter Craft Weekend
Come join the Roundhouse for a festive weekend filled with Holiday and Ocean fun! Bring the whole family on Saturday, December 19th and Sunday, December 20th from 10am-sunset to this wonderful event sponsored by Chevron. While here, you can participate in holiday games, listen to holiday stories, create festive bookmarks, color holiday cards and learn more about the ocean. We hope you and your friends will get into the holiday spirit and celebrate the winter season with us!

Fine Art Photography

Purchase some beautiful fine art photography for your office or home...
and at the same time donate something to the Roundhouse Aquarium...

Go to: http://www.roundhouseaquarium.org/fine%20art%20photography.html

to see the current images available for your donation to the Roundhouse Aquarium...

Thanks from the staff and board of directors of the Roundhouse Aquarium...

Creature Feature - Wolf Eel

Wolf eel

Description: Wolf eels have a strong , powerful jaw used for crushing. Although they aren’t the cutest of animals, they look much meaner than they are. They are excellent hiders and their tails can extend to 8 feet! These slender fish are gray with dark spots along their backs. They can be found in shallow waters to as deep as 700 feet.
Defense: The wolf eel has strong jaws to crush urchins and is often found hiding in caves and crevices to stay away from predators.
Where they are Found: Wolf eels are found from northern Baja California to Kodiak Island, Alaska and west to Russia and south to the Sea of Japan.
Diet: Wolf eels eat a wide range of food including, crabs, sand dollars, sea urchins, snails, mussels, clams and fish.
WOW!!! Wolf eels are not eels at all. They are one of five species in the wolf-fish family!!

November Newsletter

An Ocean of Thanks
Have you thanked the ocean today? Maybe it’s time that you did. Did you know that the ocean provides over 80% of the oxygen that we breathe? The ocean also soaks up more than 2 billion tons of the globe's gaseous carbon pollutants, most of which humans put into the atmosphere. It provides food as well as jobs to millions of people every day. The ocean also offers many of the ingredients for today's and tomorrow's medicines. The ocean not only helps us breathe, eat, and stay healthy, it also supports the economy. One recent analysis has shown that if we had to pay for all of the goods and services that the ocean provides, such as regulating atmospheric gases, cycling nutrients, producing food, raw materials, and recreation, the cost would be about US $21,000 billion per year! (http://www.nalis.gov.tt/Agri/Agri_ocean.htm) The ocean is something all creatures should be thankful for everyday. However, human actions are abusing and overusing this fragile ecosystem. We need to realize how important the ocean is and learn how to protect it. Come to the Roundhouse to learn more and see how you can help!
Fall Craft Weekend Success!

Thanks to Chevron, the Roundhouse Aquarium had another successful Fall craft weekend! On October 17th and 18th families and friends came to this fun-filled free event! We celebrated the Fall season by making Halloween bags, reading scary stories, and decorating delicious cookies. This is the fifth year that Chevron has made a generous donation to support the craft weekends at the Roundhouse Aquarium and we appreciate their continued sponsorship. If missed out on this free event, don’t fret! The Roundhouse will celebrate the winter holidays during our winter craft weekend on December 19th and 20th. Come in anytime from 10am-sunset to decorate winter cookies, make holiday and ocean crafts and read fun fish stories!

Creature Feature

Globe Crab

photo from www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals

Description: The globe crab has a white shell with dark pink and red markings on its carapace and legs. It only grows to about 3 inches, which makes it very easy to camouflage by burying itself in the sandy ocean bottom. The globe crab has a bulbous shaped shell, hence the name globe crab.
Defense: The globe crab is excellent at camouflaging in the sand.
Where they are found: Globe crabs are found from central California to Baja California.
Diet: Like most crabs, globe crabs eat organic matter, or detritus, and other invertebrates.
WOW!!! The globe crab spends most of its day hiding in the sand. When it isn't hiding, it scuttles in numerous directions to confuse its predators.

October Newsletter

International Day of Climate Action

On October 24, 2009, people all over the world will meet and demonstrate to pressure their governments to take effective action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Over 72 countries are involved in this movement and you can be a part of this world changing event. The focus of this event is on the number 350, as in parts per million, the level scientists have identified as the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere. We're currently at 389 and rising. The South Bay Climate Action Group is planning to form a human tide line at the back of the beach between Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach. This line will represent the impact of sea level rise from climate change in our areas. If you are interested in attending, please plan to meet at the Manhattan Beach pier at 3pm on October 24th. We hope that you will join us in making this an event that will inspire the world to rise to the challenge of the climate crisis. For more information on the International Day of Climate Action, visit http://www.350.org/. More information about this local event can be found if you log on to: http://sb350.pbworks.com/.

3 Simple Ways to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
1. Keep your car in good condition and drive less often
2. Unplug electronics when not in use
3. Turn off the lights when not in the room
http://www.envirorentals.com
Water Harvest Festival- Free Family Fun!

West Basin Municipal Water District is hosting its 11th annual Water Harvest Festival at the Edward C. Little Water Recycling Facility on Saturday, October 24th from 10am – 2pm. This free event shares information about how to conserve water. This year’s theme is water reliability, focusing on the seven wonders of California’s Water World. You and your family can travel to all seven of the wonders (booths) to learn about where our water comes from and how it travels to your home. There are even raffles and prizes. Bring the whole family and be sure to stop by the Roundhouse booth!