Category: Environment

Source: Greenpeace New Zealand – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Strange things lurk in the icy depths of the Antarctic Ocean

Cute penguins might get all the press, whales certainly give the wows, and big-eyed seals bring the feels – but there’s a lot more to the Antarctic Ocean if you’re prepared to dive a little deeper.

Some very strange things lurk in the icy depths of the Antarctic. Extreme conditions produce extreme animals, and these are worthy of starring roles in science fiction movies, their own X File, and perhaps a few nightmares too.

Whilst we at Greenpeace obviously believe that all critters, however creepy, are worthy of their own special place on the planet, we wanted to give you a quick peek at some of the beasties from the deep that you probably have never heard of. All of them play their own essential roles in the Antarctic Ocean, although many of them lurk in less savoury or glamorous parts of the web of life.

Without further ado, let’s meet the weird and wonderful things that go bump in the depths:

Giant sea spider

Sea spiders can be found around the world, and are normally quite insignificant in size. But in the icy Antarctic they take things to extremes – and grow to a startling size. It’s part of a recurring phenomenon where animals that live in deeper and colder waters tend to grow slower and grow much, much bigger. At a dinner-plate 25cm across these sinister spindly hunters stalk the seafloor on impossibly long thin legs. As well as having a freakish nose-like proboscis, they have such tiny bodies that some of their internal organs have to be stored in their legs.

©NOAA Photo library

Giant Antarctic isopod

Looking like a giant woodlouse or pill bug with an armour upgrade, giant isopods are a feature of deep sea floors the world over, and can grow to as much as 45cm in length. Thankfully the Antarctic giant isopods are a bit smaller, probably only about the size of your fist, but what they lack in length they make up for in crusty, monstrous, post-apocalyptic good looks. Despite looking like massive insects, they are actually crustaceans, like crabs, shrimp and krill. They’re able to roll up into a protective ball when they feel threatened, and, just when you thought it might be safe to get into the water, they can swim – which they often do upside down in full-on ‘Alien’ movie face-hugger horror.

 

 ©Doug Allen/naturepl.com

Sea pig

Sea pigs are distant cousins of starfish and sea urchins, and they look like someone filled a pair of pink rubber gloves with snot. They have a face only a mother sea pig could find, never mind love. These gelatinous grazers trundle across the sea floor, snuffling through the mud to find delicious decaying scraps to eat. Those appendages are filled with fluid, and can be either legs or antenna, depending which is most useful.

©OceanNetworksCanada 

Antarctic feather star

A feather star is basically a specially adapted cousin of the starfish which looks like a cross between an animated palm tree and a feather duster. Their body design is quite simple – a glorified mouth surrounded by feathery arms. Most of the time they stay rooted to the seafloor, catching passing morsels of food falling from above – but when they need to move they swim in a mesmerising, ethereal way that has to be one of the most amazing forms of locomotion in the natural world.

   

Basket star

Another relative of the humble starfish is the lusciously-tendrilled Chilean basket star. Intricate, otherworldly and alien, this is an animal that has evolved coiled, many-fingered branches along each of its five arms. They like to perch on top of a rock or handy sponge to spread their interwoven basket of waiting arms armed with tiny hooks as wide as they can to catch passing and falling food. The branch-like appendages then curl around the tasty morsels and transfer them to the basket star’s mouth, which it is sitting on (which is handy, because it’s also its bottom!).

 Icefish

Semi-transparent bodies and oversized heads give the Antarctic icefish a ghostly appearance. It’s able to extend its jaws to catch food, and despite having no red blood cells is one of the only fish able to withstand freezing Antarctic waters by having an inbuilt ‘antifreeze’ in its transparent blood.

 

 ©UweKillsCC BY3.0

Crabeater seal

On the face of it, these blubbery furballs might not seem the weirdest thing swimming in the Antarctic ocean – but wait until they give you a grin. With a mouth full of specially adapted teeth more fitting for a comic book villain, they are able to catch and filter out mouthfuls of tiny Antarctic krill as their staple diet.

 

 

 

Bristle worm

Okay, you might need some moral support for this one. Antarctic bristle worms are like demonic tinsel. Undulating bodies flanked by glittering gold hairs in no way make up for a monstrous bulbous head full of fearsome jaws. Luckily these shimmering horrors only grow to about 20cm long and they’re not likely to turn up on any Christmas tree near you. Unless you’re on the *really naughty* list.

 

©Siobhan Leachman 

 

Hoff Crab

Confusingly, the Hoff ‘crab’ is a type of lobster, and relatively new to science. This pale ghostly crustacean is found hanging around deep sea superheated volcanic vents, which are some of the most extreme environments on the planet – so they’re pretty badass. These pasty fellas are named after 80’s heartthrob David Hasselhoff, because they, like him, have an exceptionally hairy chest. However the Hoff crab’s chest hair is covered in bacteria, which it picks out and eats. Yum!

 

 ©David Shale/ naturepl.com

 

Colossal Squid

The biggest invertebrate on the planet possibly lurks in the depths of the Antarctic ocean.  They have the biggest eyes in the animal kingdom, roughly the size of a dinner plate (or a giant sea spider with its legs stretched out!) – all the better for seeing in the inky depths. Despite its enormous size, with a body of at least 2.5 metres before you add tentacles, we know surprisingly little about these deep sea dwellers. They have eight arms and two tentacles which are extra long and have rotating hooks with which to ensnare their prey. Colossal squid are tough fighters, and engage in deep sea battles with ravenous sperm whales which have never been witnessed, but we know about from the beaks of squid in sperm whale stomachs, and the sucker scars left on their body.

 

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Source: Greenpeace New Zealand – Press Release/Statement:

Headline: Four female environmental activists inspiring us in 2018

New Zealand has a strong tradition of female activism. From Kate Sheppard and her campaign that won New Zealand women the right to vote in 1893, to women at the forefront of social and environmental movements today, Aotearoa is brimming with inspirational women taking action to create change.

In the environmental movement, there are dozens of women fighting for a better future. Here are profiles of just four of those women–we hope you find them as inspiring as we do.

Rosemary Penwarden became an activist as a grandma

Dunedin local Rosemary became an activist in her 50s, after witnessing the birth of her first grandchild, and being galvanised to create a better future for his generation.

Rosemary (right) taking action to Save Our Rivers in 2017

“The same year [as he was born] I heard Jeanette Fitzsimons, ex Green Party co-leader, speak about plans to fight a massive new coal mine in Southland. At the end of her talk she said ‘This is what I’ll be doing for the rest of my life.’ Her words hit me in my guts. I knew then it was going to be my future too.”

Rosemary says taking direct action, as she has done for numerous causes including against Big Irrigation last year, reminds her that she’s not fighting to change the world alone.

“It feels like taking control back. Learning how to organise, what works, what doesn’t, how to plan and work with others, knowing our action is a small part of the biggest and most important movement ever – it’s empowering and humbling and makes me feel alive and strong.”

As for people power, Rosemary feels strongly that direct action is the best way to use it.

“Direct action is people calling the shots. Rather than trying to work within a structure stacked against us, direct action is a way to rattle that structure, undermine the pillars that hold it up, open up a new way for positive change.”

Rosemary works with several groups including Oil Free Otago, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, and 350 Dunedin. In addition, she’s part of the Valley Community Workspace, Seniors Climate Action, Save Our Water Otago Southland, a community garden group, and other projects.

“I am in awe of the fearless young women I work with in the climate movement. Having spent years without the confidence to step forward, I am learning to be brave from them. Reticence is a luxury we can’t really afford now. This is how we take back our power.”

Gina Mitchell became an activist when the fight came to her backyard

Gina was compelled to take action after Watercare announced their plans to destroy native bush in her community, making way for a new water treatment plant.

A long time environmental supporter, the fight coming to her backyard took Gina from behind the scenes to the front lines..

“I’ve always loved nature and care deeply about environmental issues. I grew up with a Greenpeace whale poster on my wall and was always a supporter from the sidelines,” she says.

Gina Mitchell taking action on the Mermair Searcher in January

“But in May last year, I read that a protected forest in my area was proposed to be destroyed to build a new water treatment plant. I just had to do something. I realised that because of a historic designation the laws designed to protect the environment were effectively being overwritten. It’s such an injustice. I joined the Facebook group who were already fighting it.

“From then on it snowballed. I helped organise a protest of more than 300 people at short notice which received national media attention. It made me understand the ability I have to effect change by working with others and taking action.”

And it didn’t stop there. Gina was so moved by taking part she began to get involved in other environmental campaigns too.

“In January I went a step further and was part of the action on the Mermaid Searcher, an oil exploration ship Amazon Warrior’s supply ship.”

“Taking action makes me feel empowered. It reminds me that as an individual I can make a difference. It’s so easy to read the news and feel helpless, but taking action helps me to feel that we can make positive changes in this world. Taking action enables me to walk the talk.”

Gina is on the committee of the Titirangi Protection Group, who are fighting to stop Watercare building a new water treatment plant in the Waitakeres. The group are currently fundraising for a High Court appeal against the company due to be heard on 2 May 2018.

Sarah Thomson is a law student who took the NZ Govt to court over climate change

In June 2017, 26-year old Hamilton law student, Sarah Thomson, spent five days in court challenging the Government over climate change targets she called “unambitious and irrational”. The case was the first of its kind in New Zealand.

Thomson decided to launch the lawsuit after being inspired by global climate change litigation, including the 900 Dutch citizens who filed a case against the Dutch government, and a US case where 21 kids are taking on the Federal government and fossil fuel companies.

“I’m young and I’m terrified of a time when I might have to look my kids in the eye and explain to them how we let this happen.”

Sarah Thomson took the Govt. to court over climate change

“A lot of people want to see change”, Thomson says. And she was right–the community was on her side. Sarah’s ‘givealittle’ page raised over $10,000 to help with the high court filing fee and other legal costs relating to the court action.

Sarah said “it is the young people who will pay the true cost of today’s inaction. Our government has a duty to its people, to ensure a safe place for us and our children to live. But, if they are not fulfilling that duty, it is up to us to demand action.”

This first time, one of a kind powerful act of courage shows how one brave individual stepping up to take action can still have an impact.

Bunny McDiarmid has been an activist for over three decades

Bunny started off her activism career during the nuclear free movement in the 80s. Just 28 years old when she joined the Rainbow Warrior as a deckhand, Bunny was part of the crew when the ship was bombed in Auckland Harbour in 1985, killing her colleague photographer Fernando Pereira. Since then, she’s taken action on pretty much every environmental issue there is, from Antarctica and forestry to fisheries, oceans and deep sea oil.

But if there’s one issue she thinks everyone needs to get up and take action on, it’s the existential threat of climate change, saying that it should get “everyone out of their silos and trenches” to figure it out together.

Bunny says the feeling of belonging to something bigger than the self is key when it comes to being a successful activist, and that activism is a vital component to a healthy world.

Bunny on board the Rainbow Warrior in the 80s

“[Activism] helps keep our society healthy. Our right to express ourselves, to stand up, to say yes or no. Our right to protest. Our right to act.”

After the Rainbow Warrior bombing, Bunny spent months in the Marshall Islands protesting and working to advocate for the Rongelap community, who were relocated from their homes due to radioactive contamination from nuclear testing. She helped to establish the Greenpeace Pacific campaign in 1987 and a Greenpeace regional office in Fiji in 1994, and went on to serve as the Executive Director of Greenpeace New Zealand from 2006-2015. She now works as one of two female Executive Directors of Greenpeace International.

Bunny has worked tirelessly for the environment and vulnerable communities the world over. In her own words: “When we matter is when we make a difference”.

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