Category Archives: beach

Facts about Dugongs

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Dugong

Fast Facts

Type: Mammal

Diet: Herbivore

Average life span in the wild: 70 years

Size: 8 to 10 ft (2.4 to 3 m)

Weight: 510 to 1,100 lbs (231 to 499 kg)

Group name: HerdProtection

Status:Threatened

Size: relative to a 6-ft (2-m)

These enormous vegetarians can be found in warm coastal waters from East Africa to Australia, including the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and Pacific.Dugongs are related to manatees and are similar in appearance and behavior— though the dugong’s tail is fluked like a whale’s. Both are related to the elephant, although the giant land animal is not at all similar in appearance or behavior.

Dugongs graze on underwater grasses day and night, rooting for them with their bristled, sensitive snouts and chomping them with their rough lips.These mammals can stay underwater for six minutes before surfacing. They sometimes breathe by “standing” on their tail with their heads above water.

Dugongs spend much of their time alone or in pairs, though they are sometimes seen gathered in large herds of a hundred animals.Female dugongs have one calf after a yearlong pregnancy, and the mother helps her young reach the surface and take its first breath. A young dugong remains close to its mother for about 18 months, sometimes catching a ride on her broad back.These languid animals make an easy target for coastal hunters, and they were long sought for their meat, oil, skin, bones, and teeth. Dugongs are now legally protected throughout their range, but their populations are still in a tenuous state.Some believe that dugongs were the inspiration for ancient seafaring tales of mermaids and sirens.

Introduction to Dolphins

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Introduction to Dolphins

Top Dolphin Facts:

1. Dolphins are mammals; they nurse their young from mammary glands.

2. Dolphins can swim up to 260 m. below the surface of the ocean.

3. Dolphins are very intelligent and they seem to be well loved by humans. This aquatic mammal has been able to fascinate us in a variety of ways. They are curious, form strong bonds within their pod, and they have been known to help humans in a variety of circumstances including rescues and with fishing.

4.There are 36 different species of dolphins that have been recognized. 32 of them are marine dolphins which are those that we are the most aware of and 4 of them are river dolphins. It can be very interesting to look at each of these species uniquely versus dolphins as a whole.They are very entertaining due to the leaps that they make out of the water. Some of them leap up to 30 feet in the air as they do so.

5. They have to come to the surface to for water at different intervals to get air. This can be from 20 seconds to 30 minutes between when they get air.

6. The body of the dolphin is grayish blue and the skin is very sensitive to human touch and to other elements that could be in the water.

7. Even though dolphins have 100 teeth, they don’t use them for eating. They do use them to get the fish though and then they swallow them. They can consume up to 30 pounds fish per day. They usually work as a team in their pod to get the school of fish surrounded and balled up. From there, they can plow through the middle and eat plenty as they do so.They take turns doing this so that all that participated get to dine on the fish. This is just one of the many different types of feeding strategies that they may take part in. They do what is necessary to get the food for the pod members. It can include jumps, zig zag patterns, circles, and a combination of efforts to get the job done.

8. Most of the species of dolphins live in saltwater but there are some that are able to do well in the freshwater locations. They are mainly found in the freshwater of the Amazon River. They are easily seen by humans as they tend to stick to the swallow locations of the water.It is amazing the difference in size of the various species of dolphins. The larger ones can weigh about 11 tons and be close to 30 feet long. The smaller ones are about 90 pounds and 4 feet long. Between those two spectrums you will find all weights and lengths. The species as well as their location play a huge role in their overall size.The body of a dolphin is designed to help them move through the water quickly and without exerting huge amounts of energy. They rely on their pectoral fins and the fluke (tail) to help them navigate through the water.Through extensive research, echolocation has been identified as a key element of dolphin life. It allows them to communicate in the water by identifying sound waves. It is a complex ability that stems from the melon that is located in the head of a dolphin. All dolphin species have a blowhole.

9. Dolphins have very good vision, and they are able to see what is around them both in the water and when they are above the surface of it. They have excellent hearing too, with the ability to hear about 10 times better than humans. The sense of smell isn’t well developed for them though. The sense of touch is very sensitive for dolphins and they use it for bonding within their pods. They rely on a combination of their senses to avoid danger, to find food, and to socialize.

“Dolphins have been interacting with humans foras long as we have known of their existence”.

Even though we have plenty of information about dolphins today, there are plenty of questions that remain about their past. There are theories of evolution and even some fossil remains that have surfaced to give clues. It is believed that millions of years ago the dolphins were much smaller than they are today. Many experts also believe that echolocation is a result of the evolution process. Only time and advances in technology though will help us to get definite answers about the evolution of dolphins.The future is at risk for the various species of dolphins though due to habitat destruction, problems finding food, pollutants in the water, and even injuries or death due to getting tangled up in fishing nets or hitting boats in the water. There are conservation efforts in place out there to help protect them so that they can have a very good future. The average lifespan for a dolphin in the wild is 17 years. However, some have been documented to live to the age of 50!

New Padi divemaster on Gili Air!

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A few months ago Marcel arrived in the diveshop. He wanted the become a Padi Divemaster.

In these months he is around he learned a lot about guiding, assisting and the dive theory. Oceans 5 learned a lot about underwater photography. Because one of Marcels passions is taking pictures underwater.

Marcel is an excellent spotter, he knows where all the strange little creatures live, it is always a pleasure to dive with him and look afterwards what kind of pictures he took. He is not only a excellent photographer, a great diver but also a very nice guy! With now 300 dives under his belt he is an experienced diver, who shows you the most beautiful things underwater.

Oceans 5 dive resort will miss him. In a few days he will continues his travels to Thailand. Hopefully we see him one day back when he wants to become a Padi Instructor.

Marcel, Congratulation to become a Padi Divemaster, Let the party starts!

Beach and Reef Clean Up at Gili Air

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The results of yesterdays beach and reef clean ups. FIFTEEN BAGS of RUBBISH!

Is it needed to clean the beach and harbor of Gili Air. Yes!
Is there more rubbish in the harbor? Yes!

Oceans 5 dive resort organizes every week beach and reef clean ups in the harbor of Gili Air. Specially during the rain season when all the rubbish from other islands comes to our beautiful paradise.

Yesterday a team of 6 persons were for 1 hour in the water and a team of 5 people were cleaning the beach. Every day a lot of plastic comes to the beaches of Gili Air. If we dont do anything, this plastic will sink to the bottom of the ocean and destroys our beautiful reefs. It is better to take some action! It doesnt take that much time.

Even the result of yesterdays clean up was 15 bags, still there is a lot of rubbish!

If you like to help us, come and visit us. Its free and everyone can join!

Release of the Hawksbill Sea Turtle at Gili Air

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It was time for their release. After being at Oceans 5 for 8 months these Hawksbill sea turtles were ready to return to their home, The Ocean.

The people who were taking care of them, Nun, Uding and Bahry, helped to get the turtles to the beach. There they were released! Some of them were shy and didnt know what to do with their freedom, other enjoyed the first minute and run into the ocean as it was not new for them.

A new adventure has started for them, they have to swimm and catch their own food. Hopefully we see them in the future underwater! Enjoy your stay turtles, see you soon.

Facts about Coral Bleaching

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What is coral bleaching?

A coral colony is made up of numerous individual coral polyps. Corals use their tentacles to feed on zooplankton, but depend primarily on microscopic, algae known as zooxanthellae located inside their tissues to provide them with food. Corals are very dependent on this symbiotic relationship, receiving up to 90% of their energy from the zooxanthellae. Healthy corals usually appear tan, brown or green from the presence of the algae within their tissues. Some types of corals have additional pigments so may appear more blue or purple.

Coral bleaching is a stress response that occurs when the coral-algae symbiotic relationship breaks down. The term “bleaching’ describes the loss of color that results when zooxanthellae are expelled from the coral polyps or when chlorophyll within the algae are degraded. When the zooxanthellae leave the coral, the white of the coral skeleton is then clearly visible through the transparent coral tissue, making the coral appear bright white or ‘bleached’. Some corals, such as our lobe coral, have additional pigments in their tissue, so when they ‘bleach’ they may turn a pastel shade of yellow, blue or pink rather than bright white.

What causes coral bleaching?

Coral bleaching can be caused by a wide range of environmental stressors such as pollution, oil spills, increased sedimentation, changes in salinity, low oxygen, or disease. However, the primary cause of mass coral bleaching is increased sea temperatures. Corals are very sensitive animals so water temperatures need only increase 1-2 degrees Celsius above normal levels for bleaching to occur. The corals are still alive after bleaching but begin to starve. Most corals struggle to survive without their zooxanthellae. If the stressful conditions return to normal rather quickly, the corals can regain or regrow their zooxanthellae and survive. If the stressors are prolonged, the corals are more susceptible to disease, predation, and death because they are without an important energy source.
Not all corals are equally susceptible to bleaching. Fast-growing branching and plate corals are often the first to bleach and are more likely to die from bleaching. Slower growing massive corals usually take longer to bleach and tend to be able to survive for longer in the bleached state.

Past, Present… Future?

Localized coral bleaching has been recorded for over 100 years but only in the last 20 years have we seen mass coral bleaching events. Mass bleaching has now affected every reef region in the world. A particularly severe worldwide bleaching event occurred in 1998, effectively destroying 16 percent of the world’s reefs.

When coral bleaching causes extensive death of corals, recovery is very slow and dependent on new, young corals (called recruits) settling and growing on the reef. Regrowth of reefs that have been severely damaged by bleaching may take decades. Recovery is especially difficult for reefs in locations suffering from other stresses such as pollution, overfishing or other chronic pressures. The last coral bleaching event was in 2010 around the Gili Islands. A lot of corals specially in the shallow parts of Hans Reef, Halik and around Villa Ombak were highly affected.

Coral bleaching is predicted to occur much more frequently due to higher sea temperatures associated with global climate change. Human populations continue to grow placing more and more stress on the coral reefs. The time to protect our reefs is NOW before these valuable resources are lost forever.

Oceans 5 in the Xmas mood

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X-mas on the Gili Islands? Sun, sea, beach, diving, moslim country?

Oceans 5 dive resort brings X-mas a little bit back. Oceans 5 has a X-mas tree and some X-mas decorations in the shop. Even outside in the bar, 50 bar, you will find some X-mas feeling.

Oceans 5 invited Wham and Mariah Carey to come and give a concert. They are still thinking about it….

Oceans 5 dive resort is during X-mas time open from 7.00 in the morning till 7.00 in the evening.

Happy X-mas…..

Facts about the Parrotfish

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When you are diving around the Gili Island you will spot them on every dive site. Some people loves them other one say this one of the most ugly fish in the sea. We are talking about the Parrotfish.

This herbivorous fish uses its strong beak-like mouthparts to scrape algae and other plant matter from the surface of the coral. This maintains the health of the reef by keeping algae in check, which could otherwise overwhelm the delicate reef ecosystem.

An unusual feature of parrotfishes is that they are able to change sex, with females becoming fully functional males. In a population, parrotfish start off as either females or males (known as primary males). Females may at some point in their life become male (secondary males). Populations that have these two types of males are called ‘diandrous’, meaning ‘two-males’. A terminal phase male defends a territory and a harem of females. If the male should die, the most dominant female will become the dominant male, her ovaries becoming functional male testes.

The parrotfish occurs in the western Atlantic, from Florida, Bermuda and the Bahamas to Argentina and the Gili Islands Indonesia.

Associated with coral reefs at depths of 3 to 25 metres. At night, parrotfish retreat into crevices. Juveniles tend to occur in mangroves adjacent to the reef. The mangroves act as important nursery areas and provide food-rich and predator free safe-havens for the growing young.

Facts about Frogfish

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Frogfish is an angler fish, which belongs to the family of Antennariidae. There are around 44 members in the frogfish family. These species vary at a huge level on the basis of their size. The Bandfin Frogfish can grow up to a size of only 5 cm, whereas the Giant Frogfish can grow up to a size of 40 cm. As their size varies, their coloration, markings and body patterns also varies. As far as the shape of the body is considered, it is almost similar. Frogfish are the underwater dwellers and very little is known about this species. They have unique characteristics that they can adapt themselves very well in their natural surroundings. Their camouflaged behavior makes them very difficult to be detected and so much is not known about them. They vary in coloration and markings in such a way that it is very difficult to identify the species correctly.

Where can you find them?

These frogfish have a filament attached to their heads and they use this filament to catch their prey. They remain stationary for most of time and wait for the right fish to come. When the fish gets attracted towards the lure on their long filament, the frogfish sucks the prey to their mouth. In this way, they catch their prey. This is the reason that they do not need to move for their prey. They move only when they sense danger or when they need to mate. These fish are found in the tropical waters of Asia. They are common in the areas where conditions are quite favorable to them. Most probably, they like to live in the coastal areas where they can find plenty of algae.

What do they eat?

These fish can feed on any fish they can catch. They can swallow fish, which are even double of their size. These fishes can do this because they have extremely flexible bones.

How do they breed?

The female of these species lay eggs in the water and the male comes from behind to fertilize them. The abdomen of the female starts swelling as the egg absorbs water and this happens from 8 hours to several days before the laying of eggs. The male starts to approach the female two days before the spawning. The time of spawning is not known by the scientists clearly, that whether it depends on the phase of the moon or any signal is released by the female. The eggs of these species are around (0.5 to 1) mm. When the egg hatches, the hatchlings are of about (0.8 to 1.6) mm in length.

What are their threats?

These fish has a characteristic of camouflage and this protects them from their enemy or predators. The predators find hard to discover them until the frogfish moves. Moreover, these fish suck water and puff their body in such a manner that the predators find it difficult to swallow them. These fishes are not over fished but the greatest threat to them is their habitat destruction and pollution.

Cuttlefish facts

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Sometimes unexperienced divers come in the dive shop after a beautiful dive around the Gili Islands with the question if we know what they have seen. The description is mosty: it looks like a Squid, Octopus, or maybe it is a Cuttlefish. Well what is a Cuttlefish?

What is a cuttlefish?

Cuttlefish (Sepia species) are members of a group of advanced molluscs known as cephalopods, which also includes squid and octopuses. Everyone has at some stage collected cuttlebones washed onto the beach. These are the skeletons of the cuttlefish. The cuttlebone acts as a buoyancy mechanism for the animal, enabling the cuttlefish to remain on the bottom or swim freely at any depth. The density of the cuttlebone can be changed by pumping liquid in and out of chambers within it, thereby altering the volume of the gas-filled space. Next time you pick up a cuttlebone from the beach look for teeth marks. Teeth punctures in regular rows are made by dolphins or sea lions, which are one of their main predators.

What do they look like?

Cuttlefish have eight arms and two suckered tentacles with which to capture food. The tentacles are usually retracted when not being used. The body of the common cuttlefish is about 36 centimetres long. It can quickly change colour to camouflage into its surroundings, but usually has a zebra-like pattern. The giant cuttlefish (Sepia apama) can reach 80 centimetres long.

Where do they live?

Cuttlefish live in temperate and tropical seas around the world, especially in shallow water areas and around reefs.

What they eat and how?

They feed mostly at night, on fish and crustaceans.

Threats?

In many other countries around the world, and sometimes also in Australia, they are fished and eaten.

Behaviour?

Below the cuttlebone is a muscular mantle which forms a cavity that is open at the front. When the mantle muscle contracts, this forces a jet of water through the funnel, strong enough to propel the animals through the water. Cuttlefish can also swim more slowly by moving the fins along the sides of their body. The water jet is also used to eject a cloud of ink if the cuttlefish is attacked, allowing it to escape. The original “India Ink” used in fountain pens before the biro was invented was ink from cuttlefish collected in the Indian Ocean.

Breeding and caring for young?

Cuttlefish attach clusters of eggs to underwater surfaces.

Conservation status?

Most species of cuttlefish are common. They have not been well studied, however. In many other countries around the world, and sometimes also in Australia, they are fished and eaten.

How you can protect cuttlefish?

For scuba divers, these intelligent animals are a joy to behold underwater. If you do not make any threatening movements towards them, they do not usually retreat, but will often change colour to match their surroundings while you watch them. Some individuals reach large sizes so they are often one of the highlights of a dive. Leave them where you find them for others to enjoy.