Recent News
BAMZ Releases Ten Rehabilitated LongtailsWednesday, September 11, 2013
Since July, the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo [BAMZ] has had 15 longtails brought in for rehabilitation, thanks to calls from the public, including three adults and 12 chicks. To date, 10 have already been released, and one will be released soon
Reef Watch set to become an annual event
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Over 100 people participated in the first ever Reef Watch hosted by the Bermuda Zoological Society that raised more than $21,000 for reef conservation awareness
Recently Held “Reef Watch” Hailed A Success
Friday, September 06, 2013
On Saturday [Aug 31], 21 boats made their way to over 40 reef sites around the island to take survey of the state of the coral, color and quantity of specific types of fish.
Reef Watch was fun and useful… …and volunteers are wanted all year round
Friday, September 06, 2013
Who knew that armed with just mask, snorkel, clipboard and a hula-hoop you can become a citizen scientist?
Reef Watch raise more than $15k
Wednesday, September 04, 2013
The inaugural Reef Watch citizen science research and awareness drive on Saturday has so far so far raised some $15k.
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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.