THE SHOEBILL STORK

CRITTER CORNER

By Preston Brunk

The Shoebill Stork is what one might call the creature that appears in their nightmares. A specimen that resembles something from prehistoric times. This avian species native to the wetland areas of eastern tropical Africa standing roughly five feet tall and weighing in at 11 to 12 pounds make for some excellent and quite interesting hunters. The Shoebill gets its name simply from the distinct shoe shaped bill. Their bill serves a great role in the success of their hunting adventures. Standing motionless for hours, the stork will wait for its prey to lose focus and then will lunge onto its prey. With the prey in its mouth, it then barely opens its bill waiting for its prey to try to escape which is usually head first. When the prey sticks its head out, the stork will then close its bill, cutting its prey in half. It is quite impressive considering their prey ranges significantly from small amphibians and birds to larger fish and small crocodiles- they are not picky. 

When greeting an individual, the stork makes a chattering noise with its beak sounding like something that shouldn’t come from an animal.(1) Not a terrifying noise, rather a sound like an old tree creaking from the wind. Other cool body features of the Shoebill are it's incredibly large wings which reach as much as 5-7 feet! This bird is also 3-5 feet tall.(2) So, potentially, this bird can have a wingspan two times larger than its body! Could it be considered more like an Ostrich or Emu that cannot fly? Well, they are capable of flying but prefer to walk from destination to destination, chomping many different species along the way. 

Due to many environmental factors and their reproduction success rate, their population is considered vulnerable and soon to be endangered.(3) These creatures lay only 2 (sometimes 3) eggs per breeding season. They nest on floating bogs or aquatic vegetation and tend to nest far away from each other, roughly three kilometers away.(3) Unfortunately, the shoebill stork is also hunted and traded as an exotic pet and happens to live in areas with little to no wildlife protection agencies. 

The Shoebill Stork is undoubtedly one of the most interesting bird species out there. As many species, coexistence is always questioned and there are difficulties. With the lack of wildlife management and protection agencies like Game Wardens or similar law enforcement, the degradation of wetlands due to human expansion, and oil extraction the stork needs help. Unfortunately these species are extremely localized to wetlands in Africa so not everyone will be able to do their part in helping out, but from afar people can help by not supporting live wild bird trading, zoos that have these birds, human expansion into wetlands, and also by supporting the Zambia’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) who hire fishermen to examine the Shoebills nests.(4) 

Works Cited

1. Shoebill Stork Clapping & Feeding. YouTube. YouTube, 2007. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh3CFN-anq4. 

2. Tracyn. “Shoebill Stork: The Dallas World Aquarium.” The Dallas World Aquarium | #DWAZOO, December 10, 2014. https://dwazoo.com/animal/shoebill-stork/. 

3. SHOEBILLBIRD.ORG. Accessed April 1, 2021. https://shoebillbird.org/shoebill-facts/. 

4. Evans, Sara. “From Canoes, Fishermen Guard Africa's Famous Shoebills Against Poachers.” Audubon, November 8, 2018. https://www.audubon.org/news/from-canoes-fishermen-guard-africas-famous-shoebills-against-poachers. 

Other Sources

• Lund, Nicholas. “The Shoebill: Or, the Most Terrifying Bird in the World.” Audubon, November 7, 2019. https://www.audubon.org/news/the-shoebill-or-most-terrifying-bird-world. 

GET IN THE ZONE: GROW YOUR GARDEN

AGGIE ANNIE

For example, I live in a Zone 9 territory. In April, some good crops to plant in Zone 9 are leafy greens, beans, beets, corn, cucumbers, melons, mustard, okra, peppers, squash, tomatoes, and watermelon.(1) However April in Zone 4 calls for some crops mentioned above like okra, peppers, and tomatoes to be started off inside in a controlled climate; but outside gardening can start for crops such as broccoli, peas, rhubarb, cilantro, and turnips.(2) Comparing those two zones again, while peas aren’t planted until April in Zone 4, they can be planted in January in Zone 9. Zones also affect what flowers to plant and when.

Click here to be directed to find your Growing Zone for regions outside of the United States.

Works Cited:

1. “Zone 9 Vegetable Planting Guide.” Mary's Heirloom Seeds. Accessed March 30, 2021. https://www.marysheirloomseeds.com/blogs/news/zone-9-vegetable-planting-guide.

2. “Zone 4 Vegetable Planting Guide.” Mary's Heirloom Seeds. Accessed March 30, 2021. https://www.marysheirloomseeds.com/blogs/news/zone-4-vegetable-planting-guide.

3. Magarey, Roger D., Borchert, Daniel M., & Schlegel, Jay W.. (2008). Global plant hardiness zones for phytosanitary risk analysis. Scientia Agricola, 65(spe), 54-59. https://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0103-90162008000700009

BEES:

CRITTER CORNER

THE MAGNIFICENT GIFT FROM MOTHER NATURE

By Abrar Hasanat

Bees - these fascinating creatures living all around the world are best known for their role in pollination and producing honey. Everyone--be it from the urban cities or rural towns --has seen them at least a few times in their lives. Even though these little buggers get ignored most of the time, truth to be told - we can’t really live without them. From food security to sustainable farming to keeping the environment safe and biodiversity protected to even helping roboticists - bees are needed everywhere.(1)  So without delay, let’s get into it!

First, let’s take a look at the variations and species of bees. In the world, there are over 20,000 different species of bees and they come in various different groups; the most well-known being the Apidae which includes honeybees and bumblebees. Bees in this group have a ‘hivemind’ as they work as a group - and usually the image most people concoct when they think about bees. However, this only accounts for 2 in every hundred bees across the world. The rest are solitary bees who don’t live in a hive or have a queen, but often live underground and move nomadically when their home no longer suits. These bees have evolved over time to adapt quickly and easily to their changing surroundings and are equally as important as the Apidae in pollination.(2) 

So what makes these insects more majestic and, in a way, smarter than others? Perhaps the most fascinating thing about honeybees, in particular, is their cooperative way of life, which biologists call eusociality. Most individuals in a colony do not reproduce, instead, they work as devoted servants to one breeding female. The queen can hardly relax and enjoy the trappings of power, however. Instead, she spends her whole life making eggs, up to 1500 in a day – more than her body weight! Fertilized eggs develop into females, who generally become non-breeding workers. The queen can also lay unfertilized eggs, which develop into male bees, called drones. Their job is to find a queen from another colony and mate with her. When the queen stops producing eggs, the workers select a new queen. Moreover, every bee in a hive has a job to do. Be it as a scout or a worker or a soldier or even the queen herself, they all have their own jobs. So basically, the bees have formed a society even though they’re only insects.(1) 

Now if you remember, I said that we can’t really live without bees, right? Surely it’s not because of their beauty or majesticness. So what is it? It’s because bees are DIRECTLY interlinked with one-third of the food production of the world!(3)  That means every third spoonful of food depends on bees. The greatest contribution of bees and other pollinators is the pollination of nearly three-quarters of the plants that produce 90% of the world’s food.(3)  Of the 1,400 crop plants grown around the world, i.e., those that produce all of our food and plant-based industrial products, almost 80% require pollination from bees.(4)  Moreover, they themselves produce several food products like honey, royal jelly, pollen, etc. These products are used in healthcare and other sectors (beeswax, propolis, honey bee venom). Bees also have a significant impact on the economy of the world. Every season, pollination from honey bees, native bees, and flies delivers billions of dollars (U.S.) in economic value. Between $235 and $577 billion (U.S.) worth of annual global food production relies on their contribution.(5) 

Bees are known for their elaborate hives, but they also help build homes for millions of other insects and animals. Their role as pollinators is vital for the preservation of ecological balance and biodiversity in nature. Their presence is necessary to support tropical forests, savannah woodlands, and temperate deciduous forests. Many tree species, like willows and poplars, couldn’t grow without pollinators like bees.(6) Flourishing flora is not only necessary for habitat but also for nutrition for animal species. Who knew bees did so many things right?

But, there’s a piece of bad news regarding bees (you always knew there was a ‘but’ coming, didn’t you?). The global bee population is currently decreasing at an alarming rate.(7)  The American Fish and Wildlife Service have observed a severe decline in some threatened wild bee populations. In 2016, seven species of Hawaiian yellow-faced bees were placed on the endangered species list. In 2017 the rusty patch bumblebee was designated as an endangered species. This was the first bumblebee species to receive this classification. Classification as an endangered species provides some protection under the Endangered Species Act. In addition, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists 16 species of bees as vulnerable, 18 as endangered, and 9 as critically endangered globally.(8)

You might ask, what would happen if bees actually go extinct? Well, as the most important of all pollinators, if all of the world's bees died off there would be major rippling effects throughout ecosystems. Many species of plants would go extinct due to a lack of pollination. This would alter the composition of habitats and affect the food webs they are part of, likely triggering additional extinctions or population declines of dependent organisms. The production of food will reduce drastically and the global food crisis will only increase as a result. It would also cause a massive hit on the economy, making thousands of people unemployed.(9)  So even these tiny beings can have a massive impact if they cease to exist.

Now, there is not one specific reason as to why bees are going extinct, rather a collection of causes working against them. One of the reasons for the decline of the bee population is Colony Collapse Disorder which is the phenomenon that occurs when the majority of worker bees in a colony disappear and leave behind a queen, plenty of food, and a few nurse bees to care for the remaining immature bees and the queen. As a result, the colony disappears due to the lack of male bees.(2) Some causes of Colony Collapse Disorder are pesticides, disease and climate change.(10) Another cause is cell phones. Bees are highly attracted to electromagnetic radiation. When a cell phone is used it projects electromagnetic waves and it damages bees’ ability to return to their colony. It is as if their navigation system is destroyed and they cannot recall where their home is. As a result, an unnecessary Colony Collapse Disorder takes place.(11) 

Another major reason for the bees’ extinction is habitat loss. Humans have a major role in this cause. For example, humans’ need to expand their city or extend a community of houses requires construction and natural resources. The building of parking structures, shopping malls, neighborhoods, and any form of urbanization occupies space. What does this mean? This means that many trees will be cut down to allow space for the construction sites. Honeybees need large trees and with deforestation, there are not many trees where bees can make their home.(11) 

Even though there’s no exact way to solve the crisis right now, we can always help the cause with different things like plant things that bees like, provide bee habitats, eliminate garden pesticides, try not to destroy their current habitats, support the local beekeepers, etc.

Bees are a wonderful gift from Mother Nature herself. We might not like bees, we might not be able to comprehend the amount of importance they actually have, we might even be annoyed by them. But no matter what we think - bees are more important than they’re getting credit for! And if no steps are taken quickly, we will surely face some grave consequences. It’s interesting to think how big of an impact these miniature beings can have! And surely it’s now up to us to safeguard the already endangered species.

Works Cited

1. “Bees.” New Scientist. Accessed April 1, 2021. https://www.newscientist.com/definition/bees/. 

2. The Scottish Bee Company. “Are Bees Endangered?” The Scottish Bee Company. Accessed April 1, 2021. https://www.scottishbeecompany.co.uk/blogs/news/are-bees-endangered#:~:text=Which%20bees%20are%20endangered%3F,why%20their%20numbers%20are%20declining. 

3. “The Importance of Bees.” Celebrate World Bee Day. Accessed April 1, 2021. https://www.worldbeeday.org/en/about/the-importance-of-bees.html#:~:text=The%20greatest%20contribution%20of%20bees,of%20food%20depends%20on%20pollination.&text=%E2%80%9DEnding%20hunger%20is%20everyone's%20responsibility.%E2%80%9D. 

4. “Why Is Pollination Important?” U.S. FOREST SERVICE. United States Department of Agriculture. Accessed April 1, 2021. https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/importance.shtml#:~:text=It%20is%20an%20essential%20ecological,80%25%20require%20pollination%20by%20animals. 

5. “Bayer BrandVoice: The Value Of Pollinators To The Ecosystem And Our Economy.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, October 14, 2019. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bayer/2019/10/14/the-value-of-pollinators-to-the-ecosystem-and-our-economy/?sh=5e5d17437a1d. 

6. “5 Ways Bees Are Important to the Environment.” Canada's leading Lawn and Garden Manufacturer. Accessed April 1, 2021. http://www.pthomeandgarden.com/5-ways-bees-are-important-to-the-environment/#:~:text=As%20pollinators%2C%20bees%20play%20a. 

7. “Why Are Bees in Danger?” Soil Association. Accessed April 1, 2021. https://www.soilassociation.org/organic-living/bee-organic/why-are-bees-in-danger/. 

8. “Are Bees Endangered? - Earthpedia.” Earth.com, September 29, 2020. https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/are-bees-endangered/. 

9. “What Would Happen If All the Bees Died?” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. Accessed April 1, 2021. https://www.britannica.com/story/what-would-happen-if-all-the-bees-died. 

10. Santhosh Kumar S. (2018). Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) in Honey BeesCaused by EMF Radiation. Bioinformation, 14(9), 421–424. https://doi.org/10.6026/97320630014521

11. What To do. Accessed April 1, 2021. https://depts.washington.edu/triolive/quest/2007/TTQ07077/whattodo.html. 

Other Sources

• “It's Official - Cell Phones Are Killing Bees.” Inhabitat Green Design Innovation Architecture Green Building. Accessed April 1, 2021. https://inhabitat.com/its-official-cell-phones-are-killing-bees/#:~:text=Scientists%20may%20have%20found%20the,have%20yielded%20the%20same%20results. 

• Kumar, N. R., Sangwan, S., & Badotra, P. (2011). Exposure to cell phone radiations produces biochemical changes in worker honey bees. Toxicology international, 18(1), 70–72. https://doi.org/10.4103/0971-6580.75869