True "Navis" On Our Planet

Some of you may have watched this documentary and for me, today was my first time watching this episode. From this YouTube link, this is the 16th episode of the entire documentary, The Human Planet. 

Watch how a Daddy risks his life catching fishes for his family by walking on a tight cable above the raging river only wearing a pair of flip flop. The tight rope is the only access to the other side so he could get the migatory fishes to feed his family. And some of us complains about fishy smelly fish on the plate.

Watch how a Daddy takes his children to school by walking for six days traversing on ice, snow and the danger of avalanches. And some of us including myself, complained about going to school everyday.

Watch sustainable hunting for river turtles by these brave women bringing food on the table.

Above all, this image below is the top of my favorites, the Living Root Bridges of Meghalaya, my dream world and my real "Pandora Planet" .

 

Image shared from a Facebook page Lets speak India

I am amazed with this group of human endeavors for their daily survival and living in harmony with nature and its environment. They have demonstrated treating Mother Nature with utmost respect.

Watch on, click this YouTube - The Human Planet Part 16

... Read full post ...

Porpita Tortilla!

Hahahaha! Just a little humor will not hurt, right? 

The weird marine creature I encountered yesterday afternoon were Porpita Porpita (it sounds like Spanish to me) and the common name for this Cnidaria phylum is Blue Button Jellies. Although it has the 'jellies' word and they are related to jellyfish but they are not a jellyfish at all. However, they do have nematocysts that can cause irritation to skin when touched and their sting is not powerful.

Porpita porpita

According to the links I have read, the habitat and distribution of porpita porpita are in the warm waters of Pacific, Atlantic ocean, Gulf of Mexico, southern part of United States and even in New Zealand. These hydroids live in pelagic waters and they are blown onto shores.

At least I am having some excitement for this weekend for able to discover something new...awesome! I owe my blog readers a huge thank you for their answers to my weird marine creatures. 

Who are they?

JK of SiputKuning.com, Erica Oliver Heibel via Facebook page, Ria of Wildshores of Singapore, and Patrick Low via Facebook. Thank you all for your time!

Links related to Porpita porpita:

1. Wikipedia on porpita porpita
2. About.com.Marine Life

3. Sea Jellies of Mississippi Sound pdf

... Read full post ...

My Weirdest Marine Creature

It was this afternoon when we spotted a small bluish object on a sandy beach. To me, it looked like some fibrous material a.k.a rubbish that was washed up by the high tide. Someone said to me that it isn't a piece of rubbish. And yes indeed. When I picked it up, the center of this object felt spongy. It felt like something which was alive much earlier. And when I looked around the beach, there were more of it were scattered all over the beach located on the North West of Langkawi. 

The bluish colour were running out of the object. Like a blue dye coming out when touches the water. Do you notice that on the above picture?

Click below to see close up pictures...

 The object above the center is the other side of this weird creature

 

The weird marine creature next to a set of sand balls made by sand crabs

A close up. This piece is almost the size of RM0.50 coin

Just when all of them were blue and out-of-the blue, I spotted a Yellow one! There was only one yellow we seen on that beach

What are they? They are not sea urchins, for sure. A few guesses came into my mind. Are they some sort of sand dollars or heart urchins? Or possibly they are some sort of echinoderms. Have anyone seen this species? Or could help to identify, please put your comments below. Thank you!

... Read full post ...