Recent News
Teaser screenings of ‘Ocean Vet’ seriesThursday, September 03, 2015
Excerpts from seven episodes of Ocean Vet starring the late Neil Burnie will be screened over the next two months at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute.
‘Wild animal’ was actually a large cat
Monday, August 31, 2015
A “wild animal” that caused the Cooper’s Island Nature Reserve to be closed off on Friday evening was revealed to be a “rather large feral cat”, according to the Parks Department.
Police & BAMZ Attend Report Of “Wild Animal”
Friday, August 28, 2015
The police are on scene at the Cooper’s Island area in St David’s this evening [Aug 28] after what we understand to be a situation involving someone reporting the sighting of a dangerous animal.
Hopes of sea turtle breeding ground
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
A bounty of almost 90 hatched green sea turtle eggs has been discovered at the site of what is believed to be the first on-Island hatchlings for 100 years.
Turtle nest found on St George’s beach
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Green turtle hatchlings discovered on an East End beach have been labelled Bermuda’s “natural history event of the century”.
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Latest News
All the latest updates and news from the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum, and Zoo, one of Bermuda's leading visitor attractions!
By Owain Johnston-Barnes
Published Aug 9, 2013 at 8:00 am
A bird in the hand: Principal curator for the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo, Dr Ian Walker
examines a Longtail that was found stranded on Horseshoe Beach last week. Dr. Walker (center)
is pictured with curator of BAMZ Patrick Talbot and Kamille Minors, a summer student who has
worked with BAMZ for many years and is studying to become a veterinary technician.
The Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo (BAMZ) is calling for the public to look out for stranded Longtail chicks as the birds prepare for their first flights.
A spokeswoman said that during August and September Longtail chicks are sometimes found seemingly abandoned, either on land or floating in water, but often the “abandonment” is a normal part of their development.
“Nevertheless, the BAMZ would still encourage the public to bring in a bird they believe is abandoned so that technical staff can assess the animal,” the spokeswoman added.
Over the summer months, Longtail chicks go through a eight-to-ten-week fledging process, losing their down feathers and growing flight feathers.
During this process, Longtail parents feed the chicks until they are ‘supersized’. While an adult Longtail typically weighs between 350g and 400g, the fledglings can weigh as much as 600g.
“When the chicks are ready to leave the nest they stop eating, which is a signal to the parents to stop feeding,” she said.
“Hatching and fledging in a hole in a cliff restricts the young bird’s ability to exercise its wings and take practice flights as woodland birds or those that nest in the open might do. Therefore, a Longtail chick’s first flight presents an almost ‘do or die’ scenario for the chick.
“It is at this point the public sometimes bring in chicks because they think they have been abandoned. However, the chick is actually slowly losing weight and building up courage to fly. This process can take over a week, hence the seeming abandonment.
“During the summer boating season more people get out on the water and come across Longtails they believe are in trouble. So far this year [BAMZ] have received six Longtails — three adults and three chicks.”
Anyone who finds a Longtail (adult or chick) injured or compromised in some way is asked to contact BAMZ at 293-2727.