Let's Sea

We’ve got one shell of an episode for you! Listen in as we discuss the different species of sea turtles, how they reproduce, and the major threats to their survival. Stay tuned next week when we’re joined by our herpetologist friend to dive deeper!

BIG TAKEAWAY: Sea turtles have survived for > 100,000 years due to their incredible adaptations, but our world is changing too fast for them to adapt to the numerous threats they now face. Protecting them requires a multi-pronged approach; from being mindful of our plastic use, to preventing light pollution, we all have a part to play.

Resources:

💡Researcher Spotlight: Sea Turtle Biologist, Jen Reilly @sea_through_my_hands

🔎Deeper Dive Read: ‘Voyage of the Turtle’ by Carl Safina @csafina

🌊Conservation in Action: Sea Turtle Conservancy @conserveturtles

🤙Episode Shoutouts: Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, FL @loggerheadmarinelifecenter

Art by Fox and Fish Printing @foxandfishprinting

Music by Garrett Gordon and Steve Colwell of High and Dry @highanddryrock

Listen in as we take our first flight into our friends the seabirds! We discuss the equatorial grudge match of penguins vs. puffins; these birds may look similar, but their differences may surprise you. We welcome Evan Hennerberry to give more insight on these tuxedoed pals.

BIG TAKEAWAY: Despite living on opposite sides of the world, these birds face many of the same threats. Areas of the world who use very little fossil fuels, like the poles, can be some of the most vulnerable to climate change effects. When we decrease our dependence on fossil fuels, we help keep these incredible animals around for future generations!

**Stay tuned at the end for some corrections!

Resources:

💡Researcher Spotlight: Antarctic Scientist and PhD student Madison Farrant @Polar_Madi

🔎Deeper Dive Read: ‘Project Puffin: The Improbable Quest to Bring a Beloved Seabird Back to Egg Rock’ by Stephen W. Kress & Derrick Z. Jackson

🌊Conservation in Action: Twofer! For penguins, check out @GlobalPenguinSociety + For puffins, check out @seabirdinstitute

🤙Episode Shoutouts: Check out our friend Evan’s work at @SuburbanNaturalist

Art by Fox and Fish Printing @FoxandFishPrinting

Music by Garrett Gordon and Steve Colwell of High and Dry @HighandDryRock

Listen to the second half of Kait & Ash’s discussion on coral with special guest Liz Trueblood! We discuss coral protections, climate change, and climate- & coral-friendly options!

BIG TAKEAWAY: There are many actions we can all take to protect these crucial ocean ecosystems, from simply changing the types of sun protection we use, to modifying boating practices, to reducing our carbon emissions. Corals can only support life if they are supported.

Art by Fox and Fish Printing @foxandfishprinting

Music by Garrett Gordon and Steve Colwell of High and Dry @highanddryrock

Listen in as Kait explains different types of reefs, what exactly coral is, and how it grows and survives. We discuss what these ecosystems mean to the ocean, where they can be found, and how large they can get. Special guest Liz Trueblood will be on Part 2, coming 9/11/24!

BIG TAKEAWAY: There are multiple types of reefs, some even man-made. More than one quarter of all marine life lives in a coral reef at some point in their lives! Reefs are integral not only to the lives of sea creatures, but also to the coastal regions around them.

Resources:

💡Researcher Spotlight: Palau-based research foundation @coralreefresearchfoundation

🔎Deeper Dive Read: ‘Science Comics: Coral Reefs; Cities of the Ocean’ by Maris Wicks @MarisWicks

🌊Conservation in Action: @coralrestorationfoundation

🤙Episode Shoutouts: @FloridaKeysNMS @LizTrue

Art by Fox and Fish Printing @foxandfishprinting

Music by Garrett Gordon and Steve Colwell of High and Dry @highanddryrock

Listen in as we discuss the dynamics between different Orca pods, their matriarchal structure, and hypothesize about why they are attacking boats. Ash realizes how much she identifies with the predators from “the kingdom of the dead” and Kait nerds out over peduncles. Also, we welcome our first pod guest, Katie Russell!

BIG TAKEAWAY: Orcas are the most widely distributed predators in the world, second only to humans; they rule the water, we rule the land. However, being a predator doesn’t mean you can eat anything and everything. We are tipping the balance when we don’t responsibly manage the resources we share. Thinking salmon or tuna for dinner? Consider changing to a sustainable local protein, or better yet explore some vegetarian options!

Resources:

💡Researcher Spotlight: @conservationcanines - check out one of their star pups helping orcas, @eba_the_whale_dog

🔎Deeper Dive Read: “Orca: Shared Waters, Shared Home” by Lynda V. Mapes

🌊Conservation in Action:

Hatfield Marine Science Center (@hmsc_academicprograms)

🤙Episode Shoutouts: Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition (@OregonShoresCC)

Art by Fox and Fish Printing @foxandfishprinting

Music by Garrett Gordon and Steve Colwell of High & Dry @highanddryrock

Ever thought about plankton? Likely not, but you should! From multi-thousand pound fish, to single-celled organisms, you’ll learn what plankton is and why they’re the unsung heroes of our ocean. Also featured: Kait geeking out.

BIG TAKEAWAY: While most species are microscopic, plankton is essential to life on Earth. Pharmaceutical industries and climate change are threatening their way of life, and ours in turn. By being mindful of where our supplements and food come from, and shopping locally when possible, we can protect these keystone creatures.

Resources:

💡Researcher Spotlight: Scientist and Educator @elizabethbeston of ‘The Plankton Project’

🔎Deeper Dive Read: “Tiny Titans: The Big Story of Plankton” by Mary Cerullo

🌊Conservation in Action: Submersible Pilot & Scientist, Shaylyn Potter @save.our.plankton

🤙Episode Shoutouts: The Billfish Foundation @thebillfishfoundation & sustainable krill oil company @nordicnaturals (not a sponsor)

Find us on Instagram: @LetsSeaPod

Listen in as Kait and Ash discuss the flower children of the sea, the gardeners of the ocean, those big-boned beauties sunning in the tropics. Are manatees related to mermaids, cows, or something else entirely?

BIG TAKEAWAY: Manatees are slow-moving gentle giants, which can make them susceptible to harassment. Even with pure intentions, touching, feeding, or otherwise interacting with these animals can cause them major harm. Appreciate them from a afar, call help for an animal in distress, and PLEASE: Boat slowly where they live!

Resources:

-Researcher Spotlight: Marine Conservationist Jamal Galves @therealmanateeman

-Deeper Dive Read: A read for the early explorers in your family; ‘I’m a Manatee’ by John Lithgow

-Conservation in Action: Rescue and rehabilitation center Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Florida

-Episode Shoutouts: Miami Waterkeepers + Center for Biological Diversity

Art by Fox and Fish Printing

Music by Garrett Gordon and Steve Colwell of High and Dry

Listen in as we discuss why sharks are just misunderstood and far less scary than a lot of #sharkweek may have us believe. Comment with what shark facts you learned in the episode, and what else you’d like to learn about these sensitive sweeties!

**Big Takeaway: The best thing we can do to help our cartilaginous friends is tell others about what you learn; these incredible and important fish need our help, not our fear.

**Resources:

*Researcher Spotlight: Minorities in Shark Science @miss_elasmo

*Deeper Dive Read: “Why Sharks Matter: A Deep Dive with the World's Most Misunderstood Predator” by @WhySharksMatter

*Conservation in Action: @ProjectHiu works to re-employ former shark fin fisherman as tour guides in Lombok, Indonesia

*Episode Shoutouts: Ocearch Global Shark Tracker @Ocearch

**Art by Fox and Fish Printing

**Music by Garrett Gordon & Steve Colwell of High & Dry

Let’s Sea is an informative podcast which will provide you with a whimsically educational deep dive into the wonders of our ocean as well as actions we can all take to protect our blue planet from its formidable foes.

In the giant school Science Fair of life, consider this episode of Let’s Sea as the ‘abstract’ of our podcast - we’re giving you a glimpse into what we’ll be talking about in the main episodes, but want to use this time to explain to you why you may want to spend your free time listening to us.

Art by Fox & Fish Printing

Music by Garrett Gordon & Steve Colwell of High & Dry