Coasal Creature Feature
June’s creature feature was the Atlantic butter fish. Adults feed on jellyfish, squids, crustaceans, and worms. Juveniles hide from predators by swimming near jellyfish. Many fish, including silver hake, bluefish, swordfish, and long-finned squid, eat butter fish. They are also commercially-fished, but landings have declined to record lows in 2005. Judge Sal Mon congratulates Keith Vaughn of Clementon, NJ, for correctly identifying the butter fish!
August’s creature feature is the smallest known marine turtle. Adults weigh an average of 100 pounds and have a shell length of 24-28 inches. These turtles live throughout the Gulf of Mexico and along the entire US East Coast. They are the only turtle to nest during the day and one of the few species where a large number nest about the same time in the same beach region. Most of the nesting worldwide occurs in Tamaulipas, Mexico. For a chance to win a COA T-shirt, submit your guess to Judge Monk Seal using the form below, or by mail or fax (18 Hartshorne Dr., Suite 2, Highlands, NJ 07732; 732-872-8041). Only one entry per person please.
(Coastal Creature Feature appears every other month in the Clean Ocean Advocate.)
PLEASE NOTE: Please only complete and send the following online form ONCE. After clicking "Here's my guess," a new window will appear saying "Thank you for your input!" Your form has been submitted and received; please do not click "Here's my guess" or fill out the form again. The page will reload/refresh.
