EnviroKids January 2019 Issue

Our Cape Fur Seals weigh up to 350kg and can travel as far as 80km a day on land, although they are some of the fastest and most graceful swimmers too. They are skilled climbers with thick skin that allows them to keep warm in cold water, and avoid cuts from the rocks they love to sit on. Their favourite spots on our coastline are Algoa Bay in Port Elizabeth and Cape Frio (Namibia).

Under the Sea

The African Penguin, found on South Africa’s west coast, used to be known as the Jackass Penguin because of its donkey-like call. These black and white flightless fellows are extremely fast swimmers that can reach speeds of 24km/h under water. Betty’s Bay and Boulder’s Beach in the Cape Town area are where hundreds of these adorable birds can be spotted. Sadly, overfishing, habi- tat destruction, coastal development and a number of other human influences continue to threaten them.

South Africa's coastline stretches over 3000 kilometres, and is rugged with rocky shores, thanks to our large waves and the strong winds we receive. We experience two ocean currents – the Benguela (on the west coast of our country), and the Agulhas (on the east coast). The Agulhas is a warm current, and has a greater diversity of species than the Benguela. Our marine life is abundant, but a few animals have become staples for tourism in our country. These include: the African Penguin, the Cape Fur Seal, Dolphins, Southern Right Whales, and the Great White Shark. An estuary is where a river or body of water meets the sea. South Africa has over 300 estuaries, most of which are found in the Eastern Cape and in KwaZulu-Natal. Here, heavy rainfall in summer makes the estuaries flow freely – encouraging a diverse range of flora and fauna species to grow.

Over 11 000 species of marine animals and plants thrive on our coast line. Of this number, fish make up about 2200 species (15% of the total number of fish species worldwide).

Dolphins are highly intelligent and social mammals. They live in large pods, and work together when hunt- ing for food. They are carnivores, and their diet in- cludes fish, squid and crabs. Did you know Dolphins eat about 15kg of fish a day? Dolphins love having a good time with each other, and they are very playful and lov- ing toward their offspring, which they carry for up to 17 months. Considered as smart as apes, their large brains are surprisingly similar to humans. They are however, directly related to Whales, and Killer Whales are actually a type of Dolphin! Dolphins have fantastic eye sight both in and out of water, and their sense of touch is also incredible, but did you know that Dolphins have no sense of smell? Unlike humans, these mammals cannot breathe through their mouth. Instead, they use their blow holes to breathe, and need to come to the surface for oxygen. Despite their intelligence and agility, Dolphins still have enemies – humans. Pollution, fish- ing activity and hunting have all played a part in endangering the lifestyle and habitat of this creature. Have you heard of a Narwhal? A Narwhal is known as the “unicorn of the sea” and can be found in cold Arctic waters. They look like Whales, except male Narwhals have a long spiral ivory tusk protruding from their upper lip, that can grow up to 2.6m long. These strange and beautiful creatures are related to Bottlenose Dolphins, Belugas, Harbor Porpoises and Orcas.

Jellyfish can be found in every ocean on the planet and come in all sizes, shapes and colours. Did you know that some Jellyfish can even produce their own light? We call these bioluminescent. Besides being regarded as some of our planets strangest and most fascinating creatures, jellies have no heart, brains, bones and eyes, making their existence a real mystery. They use their tentacles to sting and catch prey, or as a means of protection. The deadliest species is the Box Jellyfish. The Box Jellyfish's venom contains toxins that attack the heart, nervous system, and skin cells. Luckily, they live in Australian waters!

Great What! These super-sized Sharks are the largest predatory fish in our oceans. They grow to lengths of between 4.5m and 6.4m. These majestic fish have around 300 teeth, making them one of the biggest phobias on the planet. Al- though many people fear Sharks, it is estimated that only around 6 people get bitten (not necessarily killed) by Sharks each year.

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