TheSky
I’mnotalwayslookingdownintothewater,though.TheskiesaboveNewfoundlandarespeckledwithmanytypesofseabirds.They,too,arelookingforcapelin.Seabirdsformmassivecoloniesofthousandsofbirds.Here,parentbirdsraisetheirchicksonlanduntiltheycanallflytogetherto
the ocean.
Thebest-knownbirdsontheislandareAtlanticpuffins.It’shardnottonoticetheirbrightorange-redbillsandfeet.Butyou’dbesurprisedwhattheydowiththem!PuffinsusethemtodigundergroundburrowsinthegrassyareasofGullIslandinWitlessBay.There,puffinparentsraiseasinglechick,protectedfrom predators.
Thesepotato-shapedbirdsarestrongflyersandexcellentswimmers,andtheyliketocombinetheirskillsintooneassaultonthesea.Theytaketotheskyandthencatapultthemselvesdownward,straightintothewater.Theybreakthesurfaceofthewaterwithbeaksfullof fish.
PuffinsareafamiliarsightonGull island.
Northerngannetsarestrongflyersthatnestonthesidesof cliffs.
Newfoundlandhasanotherwingedvisitorcalledthenortherngannet.Theyaremuchbiggerthanpuffinsandlooknothinglikeapotato.Theyareslenderandshapedlikeanairplane.Becauseofthedesignoftheirbody,theycanstayairbornejustbyholdingtheirwingsoutandglidingwiththewind.Theyarehardtomissbecausethespecialmarkingsaroundtheirblueeyesmakethemlookliketheyarewearing makeup.
I’vetraveledtoaplacecalledCapeSt.Mary’stoseethesefancybirds.Youhavetotravelon longdirtroadsandhikedownalong,steeptrailtowardtheocean.Attheendofthetrail,there’sacliffwitha
91-meter(300-foot)drop.Justontheotherside,outofjumpingreach,therearethousandsofgannetsnestingintheopen.Exposedtotheharshelements,thesebirdssomehowmanagetostayputwithoutfallingintotheroaringocean.It’s spectacular!
Ourmoose“mascots”oftenmunchonnative plants.
TheLand
Itoldyouaboutmyencounterwiththecaribouatthelighthouse.Newfoundlandalsohasitsshareofmoose.Theyaresomethingofamascothere.Buttheydidn’tcomefromhere.Peopleintroducedahandfuloftheseanimalstotheislandmorethanahundredyears ago.
Moosequicklyadaptedtothisenvironment.Thousandsofthemliveintheforestsandwetlands,grazingongrassesandotherplants.I’vespottedthemonGros Mornemountain,thesecond-tallestmountaininNewfoundland.Theiroutsizedappetiteisactuallybecomingaproblem.Themoosearemunchingonallthenativeplantsandchangingtheplant ecosystem.It’ssomethingweneedtopayattention to.
TheFullPicture
Youmightbewondering:Whyisitimportantforamarinebiologisttopayattentiontolandandskycreatures?Newfoundlandhastaughtmeabouttheconnectionsthatexistbetweensea,sky,andland.I’velearnedthatallofthelivingthingsinanecosystemrelyoneachother.Forthebirdsintheskytoprosper,theyneedthefishintheocean.Forlandanimalstoprosper,theyneedplantsandotheranimalsto eat.
Asascientist,it’simportantformeto observeallaspectsofanecosystem.Tome,Newfoundlandisaspecialplace.Howiswhereyoulivespecialtoyou?Ihopethatyougooutinyourpartoftheworldandfullyexperienceit.Takealookatthewildlifearoundyou.Seeifyoucanfindtheconnectionsbetweentheplantsandanimals.Bythinkingcriticallyaboutourworld,wecanstarttoseehoweverythingfits together.
Newfoundland’ssea,sky, andlandare filledwith life!