11:01 by Rudy : I'm pasting below a news article from the Maui News here in Hawaii. Just like the Galapagos Islands residents, we must be careful NOT to interact with the wild seals.

WEST MAUI – The state Department of Land and Natural Resources advises beach goers and ocean users that a Hawaiian monk seal known as “RO42” is currently in the West Maui area.

This seal has become accustomed to people and is unnaturally seeking human interaction, reported DLNR in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service.

“We are asking for cooperation and support from the people of Maui. It is important to avoid interacting with this seal and all Hawaiian monk seals as much as possible,” said Laura H. Thielen, DLNR chair.

“We need to give her a chance to revert back to wild seal behaviors. Maui’s coastal community can help this endangered animal and protect their own safety by staying away from this seal so that she is not given positive reinforcement.”

Named after her NOAA flipper ID tag number, “RO42” was fed by spear fishermen as a juvenile seal off the Big Island, and as a result has lost many of her wild tendencies.

DLNR and NOAA are concerned that the seal may be losing her chances of surviving in the wild.

“RO42” has been observed swimming closely next to ocean swimmers, surfers and divers. She has also been observed approaching people on shore.

“RO42” is fitted with a satellite tracking tag on her back, which makes her relatively easy to identify.

Hawaiian monk seals are protected by federal and state laws. There are less than 1,100 seals alive today.

NOAA and DLNR are working with a network of trained volunteers to track “RO42.”

Network participants will do their best to respond to areas where “RO42” is reported, and will rope off space for her when she is resting on the beach.

Network participants will also try to conduct outreach and education to beach and ocean users.

To protect public safety and help this and other seals maintain their wild tendencies, DLNR and NOAA ask the public to observe the following guidelines: 1) Do not play with, pet, swim with, feed, make eye contact with or otherwise engage with Hawaiian monk seals; 2) Maintain a distance of at least 150 feet from Hawaiian monk seals; 3) If you are in the ocean and encounter the seal, get out of the water as quickly and safely as possible; 4) If the seal approaches on land, ignore it and quickly move back to distance of at least 150 feet; 5) Report all seal sightings to the NOAA Marine Mammal Hotline

05:20 by mrs r: When we visited the National Park in Santa Cruz, we participated in planting endemic trees to replace the invasive blackberry plants that have spread over the island. I would never have thought blackberries could be such a problem It is very important to maintain native plants especially because that is what the giant tortoises eat.

Locals are very concerned about mosquitos invading the islands. Mosquitos carry a type of bird flu that could endanger the rare birds. Albatross, boobies, flightless cormorants have no resistance to diseases carried by mosquitos. The penquin is especially vernable.

Note to students Can you identify an invasive species of plant in our region that is periodically cut or burned by naturalists. This plant has a feathery top and is very tall.

20:46 by Rudy: Thank you for writing back so soon. Yes the ferral pigs have been quite a problem over the years and the state has tried to eradicate them through aggressive pig hunting using the local hunters and fencing. The invasive miconia noxious weed is destroying much of the native tropical forested areas, the coqui tree frog has gotten hold in several locations now on all of the major islands. An occasional brown tree snake will appear which often is transported aboard ships carring cargo. The University of Hawaii at Manoa and Hilo have been doing quite a bit of research into the erratication of a new variety of gall wasp that has recently been introduced to the islands. Of course with the warm tropical weather we have to be vigilant against any new species that will endanger the natural habitation. Education of the children and public awareness seems to be the helpful.

Wishing you well, and safe travels. Aloha, Rudy

20:11 by mrs r: We flew back to Quito, Ecuador this evening. Whew, what a shock to the system. It is about 50 degrees here and very rainy. They are planning a huge festival with a bull fight. Bull fights are illegal in the USA because it is cruel to animals. I will be traveling about 2 hours tomorrow to visit a small village in the Andes. No bull fight for me...

Can you figure out why it would be so chilly when I am on the equator...

20:09 by mrs r: We visited the Santa Cruz recycling center today. You might think recycling is old news at home but it is BIG news here. The director is from Germany and sponsored by the European Union and the WWF. No, not the wrestling but the World Wildlife Foundation. He has been here three years and is proud to have the most advanced recyling center in all of South America. Santa Cruz has a population of 20,000 and no sewerage system or trash recyling until now. Part of the problem is the port is so small that boats can not deliver heavy equipment. For example, there is no forklift on the island. This means all cargo is unloaded by hand. The recyling plant director is patiently working out how to take delivery of an organic composter. He is one of those quiet heros that you do not hear about in the news. He has to persuade but not force local people to recycle. It is a tough job because people do not like being told to do by outsiders. How do you think he could persuade people to recyle more

18:51 by Mrs R: Thank you for your mahalo!

We have had extensive discussions about why the Hawaiian Islands are so different from the Galapagos Islands. The G.I. are located at a unique intersection of ocean currents. The Humboldt Current brings cold water and penquins from Antarctica while currents from California bring the fur seals and sealions. More currents caused upwelling from great depths. The GI do not have your beautiful corals. They do have similiar problems with invasive species of wild pig and goat. We have discussed whether it would be possible to eradicate feral pigs on your islands. What do your students think?

20:11 by Rudy: Aloha Mrs. Rydzewski,

I have been following you travel adventure to the Galapagos Islands. The pictures have been wonderful and great descriptions. We have cooresponded in the past especially regarding the Hawaiian Hawksbill turtle and the Hawaiian Monk seal in addition our Humpback Whales that visit the Hawaiian Islands. My students and I here at Lahainaluna High School wish you much success on embarking on this once in a lifetime experience. My mahalo also goes out to the Toyota International Teaching Program for being such as generous sponsor. Have a safe journey back home and best regards to your students. With warmest aloha from Lahaina, Maui Rudy Reed

14:27 by Mrs R: The constellations are amazing due to much less light ¨pollution¨¨ from cities. Of course, we were south of the equator for part of the trip.

Controlling the number of tourists is a major issue for the authorities. The local people depend upon tourism and want more tourists to visit. More tourism will lead to more people living here permanently. That leads to more trash and water pollution. Santa Cruz is the major population center and yet does not have a sewer system. Even local people do not drink the water.

We visited the recycling plant today. The director is from Germany. He was sent by the European Union and part of his salary is paid by the World Wildlife Federation. He is working hard to teach people to recycle. It is very hard because the locals resent more laws. Everyone knows everyone on a small island. This means the local politicians find it hard to make change. It was very hard to start up a recycling center since the island does not even have a forklift or heavy trucks to move equipment. The Toyota company is helpping pay for a organic composter but delivery is so difficult because there is no place for the ship to off load the equipment. The director is very patient and will not allow obstacles to stop him.

07:57 by JHM: What great background knowledge you are acquiring to share with future students.... walking in the same footsteps of historical figures.. the non-reaction of the animals is very interesting... Are there many tourists that visit?

05:11 by Ignatz: Since there is less light pollution, what is the night sky like?

21:04 by mrs r: It is Tuesday and we went to the Darwin Research Center. Remember, Charles Darwin is the naturalist who wrote The Origin of The Species and develop theories about natural selection and adaptation. This is a place where scientists continue research and try to save endangered subspecies of tortoises.

Then we went upcountry to the National Park where wild tortoises roam freely. They graze on vegetation. Tortoises are not knwon to swim in the ocean. It is amazing just how big they can be. We assisted in planting endemic trees. The park is working on eliminating invasive plants.

The Darwin Center presented information about the eradication of goats. They killed over 50,000 goats. It seems cruel but it is for a good purpose. Goats overgraze which threatens local species.

20:59 by mrs r: It is common for the elctricity to go out because the infrastructure is not advanced. Ecuador switched over to the UAA currency recently. They use a coin for the one dollar. We taught in school on Thanksgiving. Our trip coordinators treated us to a turkey dinner on Thanksgiving. It was funny to be sitting outside with the cool ocean breezes carrying the sounds of the sealions.

15:41 by : Hwo come it is commen for the electricity to go out?Have you made any friends?Do they have the same kind of money?If not please bring some money.What did you do for Thanksgiving?

21:07 by Mrs r: Our presentations in the santa Cruz school went from 2:00-6:00pm. The electricity went out during the last presentation. Not unusual in this area! We continued as if nothing happened. It is the custom in this region to celebrate the end of a meeting with music and dancing. The local students performed. The video sound track is terrific but photos were a problem.

21:04 by Mrs r: The animals completly ignore humans<<<<! This is a United Nations World Heritage site which means absolutely anyone going to the island must have a pass and must be accompanied by a trained park ranger. They are very strict!

The Charles Darwin Foundation works closely with the government and schools to develop programs in the schools. The people here are very very interested in their schools. Environmental conservation is stressed in their studies. they have a specific workbook on the subject.

To JHM: We´ve been accomplishing amazing things with our kids when compared to other places in the USA and abroad.

To MM: The cruise ship is small on purpose. There were passengers from England, Sweden, and Australia. Our group of 30 Americans and 10 Galapagos teachers dominated the ship. I´m afraid we were somewhat noisey!

(more photos have been added)

12:52 by TomD: Hi, what a wonderful experience.

How does the local animal life respond to humans? Any aggression on their part? ie Sea Lions

11:44 by Ignatz: Are there any mentoring programs between local environmental groups and local schools/students? To what degree are students involved in perservation?

11:40 by JHM: I am just catching up on all your activities.... wow! What an awesome experience.... I didn't realize that there are so many active volcanic sites in the area.... It is great that you can present some of the environmental projects our studetns have been involved with... Drag Island anyone?

10:34 by MM: Please tell us what the ship has been like. How many passengers? Are they only teachers affiliated with the Toyota program or are you encountering any "eco-tourists"?

We are also anxiously awaiting to hear about your accomodations at the Hotel Red Booby!

We are curious about the other teacher presentations. Any ideas for new eco-projects when you return to SP,NJ?

05:36 by mrs R: It´s <Monday morning and we´re on our way to school. For the past 3 days we have been meeting with the Galapagos teachers in small groups to create a presentation for the local school board. The objective is to encourage students to become involved in environmental projects. I will be presenting the work our students have done in the past.

17:49 by mrs R: Our visit to the newest islands, especially Ferandina, has been beyond anything imagined. The marine iguanas are huge and completely oblivious of our presence. I saw a complete skeleton of a pilot whale. The bones were bleached white and in perfect position.

We saw a pair of flightless cormorants doing their complicated mating dance. We were told it is a rare sight. These cormorants are unique in the world since they can not fly.

We rode a zodiac boat to a cave along the wall of a volcano to snorkel among penquins, turtles, rays and fish that numbered more than I could possibly name. The blue footed boobies were everywhere. I even saw a huge porcupine puffer with big blue eyes.

We are now cruising to Santa Cruz and just crossed the equator at sunset.

17:43 by <mrs R: The names of these islands were changed to honor Christopher Columbus even though he did not visit here. The Spanish influence continues to be strong. Talented students from the Galapagos study and work in Spain. Spain supports many projects here.

Sadly, pups die of starvation if the mother does not return. Pups play together but, if one feels threatened, it will run to mom. I witnessed a bull sealion discipline a pup that was playing too rough.

13:27 by MM: Have you come across any remants of Spanish Gallions? Just guessing(Espanola, Ferndinand sp? and Isabella islands) Are there any Spanish influences or evidence of contamination from these early explorers?

13:21 by MM: I have heard that some mammals, like the humback whales, adopt the young if the mother dies. Do Sealions attempt to adopt baby sealions? It sounds like from your comments that this does not happen.

06:18 by Mrs R: It is early in the morning as we approach Fernandina and Isabella islands. They are the newest islands and located over the hot spot. There was an eruption last year and a much bigger eruption in 2005. The huge tortoises climb to the top of the volcanos and inside the caldera to find fresh water that has collected and food. In 1999 there was a dangerous eruption. The park service sent helicopters in to airlift these 500 lb rare giants. Some of the tortoises actually had white scorch marks on their shells. The park service took action because only 10% of the tortoise population has survived hunting by early mariners.

What is a mariner and why did they take tortoises?

12:28 by mrs r:

This morning we hiked Espanola, the oldest island. There were many albatross chicks waiting for their moms to return. There were countless red marine iguanas and sealion pups. The pups are curious and looking for a playmate. I saw one chasing an iguana´s tail. We had to be very careful not to step on an iguana tail while hiking. Some of the iguanas were more than 3 feet long and the tails sometimes lay across the rocky path. It is sad to report that I saw two dead sealion pups. If the mother does not return from fishing (shark attack), then the pup dies from starvation.

Our group was escorted by a park ranger. We used a zodiac raft and had a wet landing on a rocky beach. There were huge hawks circling as well as frigate birds. (Remember the birds with the huge red neck). The island does not have a source of fresh water. The little finches and larger mockingbirds would come very close if they saw us drinking from water bottles. The ranger warned us not to spill any water. We must NOT interfer in any way!

Do you think the park rangers should save the starving sealion pups? Do you have a question for the park rangers?

06:12 by <mrs r: While on the deserted pink beach, I noticed several bones that were bleached white by the sand. There was a vertebre about 2 inches long and hundreds of crab parts. There was also the body of a sealion about 20 feet further down the beach. What do you think the group of bones and crab parts indicates?

17:08 by mrs R: After attending a lecture on water problems in the Galapagos and around the world, we boarded a cruise ship. We stopped at the deserted end of San Cristabol. There is a beautiful pink sand beach where we went snorkeling. We sighted several big sea turtles, parrot fish and grouper. The park ranger told me the white tipped sharks are docile. They can reach a length of 10 feet. They also have a small toothless shark similiar to our sand shark. Have you ever seen a sand shark along our beaches?

16:38 by Mrs R: Happy Thanksgiving! Today was just

another normal school day in the Galapagos. No turkeys here! I am impressed with the way they start school with singing in the assembly

 hall. The students have uniforms.  The classroom windows are huge to allow the cool
 breezes in the room.  The bars are on the windows for 

night time when the school closes. Parents are able to

 walk on school grounds and look into the windows!  The kids are not distracted since the wall under the windows is high enough that you do not see people walking around if you are seated at your desk.  Little finches fly in and out freely.
     I was successful in convincing the teacher to move 

desks out of rows and into groups of 4. She told me about their outdoor ´¨hands on¨¨ projects. The 6th graders were

 very friendly and kind.  They have written letters for you! 
 I was even asked to participate in a science experiment.  (check the flicker link for a photo)
     Happy Thanksgiving

ps. School is from 8 to 12. No need to stay for lunch or recess here. This allowed us time for snorkling. We shared the beach with the sleeping sealions and saw many big turtles swimming. There is very little coral here since the water is cool.

12:20 by MM: Tell us about the food there. Do they have wonderful butterball turkeys? Stuffing? Cranberry Sauce? yummmm...... I would assume that there is a lot of fish being served. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. We are all thinking of you. :)

18:35 by mrs r: Water conservation is a very serious issue here. They actually turn the water supply off at night. People have learned not to flush the toilet too often. ¨¨If it´s yellow let it mellow but if it´s brown flush it down¨¨ is the motto. Toilet paper is another issue. You are not allowed to flush it. It goes into a special trash can.

18:16 by mrs r: We have had a VERY busy day. First we met the Galapagos School Board. Their big goal is to help the students learn English. They said that English is the universal language and will help the students succeed by getting jobs in tourism.

They are very upset about the illegal immigration into the Galapagos. The government has actually deported people. One girl was going to be deported just before graduation. The School Board took legal action to keep her in school until she could graduate.

We traveled ´¨up country¨¨ to visit a farm. The family was growing coffee. Look in the flickr link on photo gallery to see the young boy getting water from bamboo.

Tomorrow is time in class. I will be delivering your letters and showing photos of your work in conserving Diamondback Terrapins.

Yesterday was very memorable because the sealions are giving birth to their pups. The mothers keep the pups in a small tidal pool or other safe spot while they leave to fish. The little pups spend the time playing with each other. Their play helps them to learn to swim. A note to MM - yes, the sealions smell VERY fishy!

HAPPY THANSKGIVING

18:07 by mrs r: Please do NOT USE REAL NAMES IN THIS BLOG.

15:05 by : Mrs.R-How are the students there? Are they from different countries? How are is the wildlife there? Happy Thanksgiving!

09:50 by MM: I heard a rumor that "sea lions really smell". Any truth to the rumor???

07:07 by Patnic: What an adventure. good thing you didn't have room for candy. can't wait to see pictures.

20:26 by Mrs R: Quito, Ecuador is 9200 ft above sealevel. I definitely felt light headed when I first arrived. We were advised to drink lots of water to help get oxygen in our blood. Do you thin chewing gum would help? I felt better after a night´s sleep but one of of our group felt sick to his stomach and almost fainted.

We arrived in San Cristabel Island(Galapagos) around noon today. There is a strong breeze from the cool water <about 65 degrees) The animals ówn this island. This means we must not touch them. They are not afraid of people. The sealions are everywhere. Inside of boats, on house steps,etc.

Our plane held about 50 people. It was sprayed on the outside just before we left and sprayed inside just before we landed in order to kill off any microscopic organisms.

The sun is very strong at noon to 3:00 and we must drink lots of water to avoid dehydration. btw, since we are on the equater, it is daylight from 6am to 6pm. We are on Central Time USA.

Please forgive typo erros since the keyboard is different here.

btw, DO NOT put your real name on this blog. Í am using an internet cafe paid per minute and can not use the time to edit names.

Note to JenL- There is a huge problem with trash. The ocean currents carry it from places thousands of miles away. A relatively new addition is a flock of pink flamingos that arrived approx 25 years ago. The more than 600 mile flight must have been aided by wind currents.

18:26 by JenL: Hi Mrs. R can't wait to hear all about the islands! I wonder about how the environment/animals has changed over the last 50 years? Has it felt any effects from global warming? Are the students their concerned with "green living"? Have fun!

12:54 by LL: Sounds like you are having an amazing time! Can't wait to hear about the Galapagos, and the wildlife that you see there.

Please tell me how the altitude affected you, if at all. My students are learning about the affects of altitude sickness due to change in elevation resulting from less air pressure. Also, do they see any effects of global warming in that region of the world?PS How are the students there? Happy Thanksgiving, any turkeys on the island???ha ha LL

12:28 by awesome jen s: hey how is it there? is it really hot?

11:08 by MM: Tell us about your plane ride. Was it a little propeller plane or jet?

07:30 by : I'm writing to you from the Quito airport while we wait for the plane to Galapagos. Our baggage was checked for agriculture products. No fresh food, seeds,etc that might become "invasive" One of our group was challenged because she had tootsie pops for the Galapagos students.

20:44 by Mrs R: It's 10:32pm (same time as home) and I'm in Quito, Ecuador!!! It's raining and cool enough to

need a jacket and long pants even though we are on the Equador. We are 9200 ft above sea level. We have been advised to drink

 alot of water to help avoid elevation sickness.   Can you tell the group which mountain range I will see here?  
    The people are very friendly.  I chatted with 2 people from Ecuador (while on the plane) who were returning from shopping
 and a Broadway show in New York City.  They do it every year!  Ecuador uses the dollar monetary system and at the same value
 as ours.  However, they said NYC prices were cheaper than here.

    We're off to the Galapagos at 7:00am tomorrow.  They are very strict about the weight of the bags.  We are NOT allowed to
 bring food.

sorry....no photos ....of course, it's dark here now.

m

20:40 by Mrs R: "Em..." is CORRECT! The Everglades are an important source of fresh water for southern Florida. Walking in the River of Grass is actually cleaner than our brackish marshes.

(Remember - NO REAL NAMES for Internet safety)

17:50 by Em: Greetings Mrs.Rydzewski

Are you having fun on you trip so far? The question you asked on Nov.24 2008, How do the everglades differ from the jersey wetlands,I could not find the answer on the computer so I asked my Dad.Is that okay? Anyway the answer is the everglades are more fresh water and the wetlands have more salt water also new Jersey and Florida have coastlines and that way they are the same.Have a happy Thanksgiving (and a great trip too!:)

11:21 by : We are now on our way to Quito, Ecuator. Be sure to visit the photo gallery and flickr link to see the photos of the everglades. How do the Everglades differ from the Jersey wetlands?

21:32 by Mrs R: Today we "slogged" in the Sea of Grass. The Florida Everglades are threatened by unusual "exotic" (invasive) species. Park rangers are especially concerned about the Burmese Phythons. They have been sighted fighting the alligators. The phythans were formerly pets that were released. Rangers are also concerned about walking catfish. These strange fish actually walk on land from one water body to another. Fire ants are a big problem too.

On to Quito, Ecuador tomorrow.

12:14 by EH: What is the big mural on the wall about?

07:31 by Pinkwink: have fun and good luck

07:29 by MagentaJaguar: I think it will be really cool to hear all about the way the Galapagos and how their schools are. I cant wait! Good luck and have fun while you're there.

07:57 by : Jordan Road School is so fortunate to have you represent us in this important environmental work. Good luck and have a great time. Come back to us safely.

07:31 by mont: Good luck and have fun

10:43 by Mrs R: Nov. 23 (Sunday)

We will be taking a walking tour of the Florida Everglades. Our advisor has explained that the Everglades environment is similar to parts of the Galapagos Islands. We’ve been advised to wear long pants to protect us from thorned plants and to wear light weight sneaks that can get wet. The guides will be providing mosquito jackets!!! Have you ever walked on the Jersey marsh? Click the assignment link to share your experience.

  Hmmm….do you think our Jersey bugs have prepared me for this ad+venture?!?  ;-)