FALL 2015

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 Contents CREW
CO US T E AU S O CIE T Y

3 Letter to Readers
Wed love to hear from you! Jellyfish: Not Jelly, Nor Fish
Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Founder
Francine Cousteau, President and

Learn exciting new facts about the 4 Editorial Director

jellyfish! E DITO RI A L T E A M
Cleo Aukland and Emily Waugh, Editors
Emily Waugh, Creative Director
Emily Waugh, Illustration

Dear Readers, Cousteau Kids is published quarterly by the

6 Bioluminescence: Whales Can Sing

What do you get when you cross grape jelly with a goldfish? Cousteau Society, Inc.

Glowing Underwater Learn about the oceans 8 Probably a very stinky sandwich. Jellyfish arent actually
part grape jelly and part goldfish, but theyre still really
All inquiries should be sent to:
The Cousteau Society
Read about what makes some greatest performers! Greeley Square Station
fish light up!
interesting creatures. In this jam-packed special issue, 4 East 27th Street
were going to teach you all about jellyfish. By the time P.O. Box 20321
New York, NY 10001-9994
youre done reading, youll be a jellyfish expert! 212-532-2588
Kids Guide to Jellyfish
12 Declining Biodiversity Become a jellyfish expert 10 Were also going to talk about something called
bioluminescence (bYO-lum-in-ESS-ents), which
If youd like to order Cousteau Kids for your
child or for a classroom, you can call
Learn about biodiversity is kind of like glowing in the dark, our planets 212-532-2588 for more information, e-mail
and what you can do to help us at cousteau@cousteausociety.org, or visit us
decrease in biodiversity (bYO-dy-ver-sity), and how online at www.cousteau.org.
preserve it
Cousteau Kids Challenge the Cousteau Society is here to help by tackling ocean
Test your detective skills with our
14 climate change. Well give you some tips on whats going P E R M I S S I O N T O R E P R I N T M U S T B E O B TA I N E D F RO M
T H E R E P R I N T D E PA R T M E N T O F T H E CO U S T E A U
word search! on to protect ecosystems, and what you can do to help! S O C I E T Y S E D I T O R I A L O F F I C E I N PA R I S.
Cousteau at Sea
15 Read about the Cousteau We hope you learn a lot of cool stuff in this issue and that it
2015 T H E C O U S T E A U S O C I E T Y, I N C .
P R I N T E D O N R E C Y C L E D PA P E R

Societys important mission inspires you to spread the message about saving the earth! Dont
Sea Queries
Vampire squids, narwhals, megamouth 16 forget, we love to hear from our readers! Write a letter to tell us
sharks and the Dumbo octopus! what you think about any of the fun stuff you read in this issue!
e-Files
18
F O R E S T O F G R

Best fishes,

The Cousteau Society

Calling all Cousteau Kids! Learn
C E K C A B P M U H

about the Florida Manatee! O J E E T A N A M S

U D D R D U M B O I

S I W A L I S E B F

T U H L Y A K R O Y

The Maritimes
19
E Q A L A F R Z S L

Jellyfish IQ An ancient mystery shipwreck

20
A S L O R E X O B L

Test your jellyfish knowledge! and fish helping doctors! U M E T S Y S O C E

X T N A R W H A L J

Puzzle Answers:

2
2 * FALL 2015 FALL 2015 * 3
 Fish
Jelly
e l l y
No t J , Nor
Fish
T
here are a lot of misconceptions
(that means misunderstandings)
about jellyfish. Raise your hand if you
think all jellyfish sting just to hurt people!
In reality, jellyfish dont sting people on
purpose, and only certain species of them
are harmful to people. A lot of people
think all jellyfish are bad, but thats because
they dont know a lot about them.
Jellyfish are very flexible, easygoing
creatures. They live in every kind of marine
environment, and are found in all oceans.
Theyre all over the world, even in some
freshwater habitats! Theyre also very
relaxed, and since theyre not very strong
swimmers, they sort of bounce up and
down to a pulse, like a heartbeat. They float
along in currents, which sometimes causes a
pileup of tons of jellyfish in one place!
4 * FALL 2015
JELLYFISH FACTS
DID YOU that jellyfish have existed for 650 million years?
KNOW?
Thats even before the dinosaurs!
650 million years ago:
First Jellyfish
230 million years ago:
First Dinosaurs
200,000 years ago:
First Humans
QUICK STATS
Lifespan: depending on the species
of jellyfish, they can live anywhere
from several hours to thirty years!
Diet: depending on the species/size,
they eat fish eggs, plankton, crabs,
and sometimes small fish.
Size: most jellies range from less
than half an inch wide to about 16
inches wide.
Weight: most weigh very little but a
DID YOU KNOW?
few can get to be 450 pounds!
that jellyfish have a two-way
that jellyfish have no Location: all of the oceans and
central nervous system? digestive system?
some freshwater environments.
They have no brain and That means they eat and
no blood! They also dont excrete (eliminate) food
Jellyfish are a big part of the oceans ecosystem,
have bones or a heart. through the same place.
(the chain of life), because they are food for a
number of species; including tuna, shark, swordfish,
DID YOU
and sea turtles, and they also provide a habitat for
many young fishes. Small fish can use the jellyfishs
KNOW?
stinging tentacles as protection from predators, and
sometimes small crabs will hitchhike on top of the
jellyfish to get a free ride.
KNOW?
DID YOU
that the largest species of jellyfish
that even though its part of their name, jellyfish arent is the Lions Mane jellyfish?
actually fish? Jellyfish are invertebrates which means
they have no backbone. They can be almost 6 feet wide
with tentacles over 49 feet long!
Theyre actually 98% water!
Jellyfish Populations
are on the Rise
This is great for the jellyfish, but too many
jellies can be bad for ecosystems and
industries. Jellyfish outcompete some fish
for food and will eat fish eggs, which is
hurting certain fish populations. Too many
jellyfish in one place has also clogged
factory pipes and shut down beaches.
Decrease
Stayed the same
Increase
FALL 2015 * 5
 BIOLUMINESCENCE
NATURES LIGHT SHOW
Bioluminescence (bYO-lum-in-ESS-ents)
is light produced by a chemical reaction
within a living thing. Imagine if a goldfish
had a tiny lightbulb inside of it so it
glowed all the time bioluminescent
creatures create this light themselves.
The strength of the light varies greatly
depending on the kind of animal and its
environment, but most bioluminescent
6 * FALL 2015
marine animals give off a blue-green light
(like a lava lamp!) since these colors are
easiest to see in the deep, dark ocean.
Bioluminescence seems pretty magical,
but in fact, its really practical, or useful.
Its used to hunt prey, defend against
dangerous predators, and find mates.
Some animals give off light continuously
(which means all the time), and some give
off light for less than a second or a very
short time, like a firefly.
Maybe
youve heard
about the anglerfish,
which is probably the
most famous predator
that uses bioluminescence.
It looks like it has a
lightbulb attached to
its head!
USES OF BIOLUMINESCENCE
Defense
Some creatures light up to confuse predators. For example, many deep
sea jellyfish will start to glow when they are touched. This startles
predatory fish, so that the fish gets confused, and the jellyfish can get
away! Imagine if your dinner suddenly started glowing!
Hunting
Some predators use their light to attract prey. Others use it like a
flashlight to see food in the dark. that many marine
animals cant see red
Mating and Communication light? Thats because its
Fireflies light up to attract mates and will flash light not present at the bottom
in specific patterns to say which species they are. of the ocean, and thats
In many species the light helps animals recognize
each other and determine males from females. why some animals are
red, so they cant
be seen!
FIREFLY
ETERNAL LIGHT MUSHROOM
LIGHT IN THE OCEAN
DAYLIGHT ZONE: there is enough
light for plants to grow. 90% of all
marine animals live here
TWILIGHT ZONE: there is very
little light and no plants. There are
a lot less animals, but most
bioluminescent animals live here
COMB JELLY
FIREFLY SQUID
MIDNIGHT ZONE: there is no
light and it is very cold. 90% of the
ocean is the midnight zone, but
little is known about it due to the
difficulty in exploring at these
depths
ANGLER FISH
FALL 2015 * 7
 Threats to whales
Marine mammals, like whales and dolphins, rely upon their Being hit by a boat can seriously injure a whale.
sense of hearing more than land mammals. Underwater, its Noise pollution from human activity makes it
harder for them to communicate with each other
more difficult to communicate, see things, hear things, and and navigate on their long migrations.

Sing!
smell things. Have you ever tried talking to someone Getting caught in fishing gear can cause
injuries, and may hinder feeding and movement.
underwater? Theres hardly any sound, and they usually
cant hear you!

Whales can
Scientists think that humpback whales
make noises with their larynx (similar to the
voice box in land mammals).

sometimes the same kind of whale speaks

another language! Humpback whale song quick facts
Male and female humpback whales make
Though many marine mammals make noises sounds, but only the males make organized
only two kinds of whales, the humpback whale songs with melodies and themes.
and some blue whales, are known to produce
what we call a song. Some scientists say that The songs can last up to 20 minutes, and can
Whales are really good at talking to each these songs are the most complex in the entire be heard by other creatures from more than
other under water, and they call to each other animal kingdom! 20 miles away!
to socialize and find mates. They echolocate, The male sometimes repeats the
which means that they call and make sounds Since marine animals use their hearing to same song many times over
and listen to the echoes that bounce off communicate and find food, scientists are hours.
objects, like coral or other animals, so the worried about the increased noise level of the
ocean. People are making more and more noise Song patterns change
animals get a sense of what is around them. and grow over time,
in the ocean with boats, sonar, and marine
Each kind of whale has its own special kind of seismic surveys, which measure the movements so that new songs
sounds, and groups of whales of the same of the ocean. If the whales cant hear over the are created
species often make sounds that are different from other technological sounds in the ocean, its every few
other groups. Theyre basically like languages, and harder for them to mate and find food. years, just
like music
today!

8 * FALL 2015 FALL 2015 * 9


KIDS GUIDE TO JELLYFISH
Youve already learned the basics about jellyfish, now dive a
SA
little deeper and become a jellyfish expert! EDU
LIFECYCLE DUL
T M
EG
A G
Eggs and sperm are released into the

S
AN
water by adult jellyfish.

D
A planula develops. In this short stage

SP
4 5

ER
it is free swimming.

M
The planula attaches itself to a solid ADULT MEDUSA EGGS AND
surface and becomes a polyp. SPERM

RE MEDUSA
New polyps bud from the trunk

PLANULA
and a polyp colony forms, linked
together by feeding tubes. PLANULA

6 Polyps bud off as immature

ATU
3 8
medusa jellyfish. IMMATURE MEDUSA

M
The jellyfish grows into the adult

IM
2
POLYP
medusa form that were all used to.

P
O
Stomach: where food is
LY
1
P
brought to be digested POLYP COLONY
POLYP COLONY
Mouth: takes in food and
2
eliminates waste

Gastrodermis: the lining of the

3 STINGS
stomach

Mesoglea: the middle layer,

4 Nematocyst on the

7
provides support and structure tentacles contain a
thread with a barb
5 Epidermis: the outermost layer,
protects from the environment
Radial Canal: allows water to When something
6 move through the jellyfish touches the tentacle the
stinger is activated
Oral Arms: helps bring food to
7
ANATOMY the mouth

9 8 Gonads: used for reproduction The barb pierces the

skin and releases venom
Tentacles: possess nematocysts
9
(stinging cells) that stun prey
before ingestion
10 * FALL 2015 FALL 2015 * 11
 DECLINING BIODIVERSIT
Biodiversity (bYO-d
living things in a gi
all other living orga
y-VER-sity) is a te
ven place. This includ
nisms. Its measure
Y
rm used to talk ab
out all the differen
es plants, animals,
d by counting the
t kinds of
fungi (like mushroo
number of species
ms) an d
in one area.

Biodiversity hotspots are parts of the world with theyre being over fished, like tuna, or cut down,
Rainforests and coral
a high number of endemic species, which like trees for paper. Ecosystems can also reefs are the
are species that live only in that place. be harmed by introducing non-native ecosystems with the
Biodiversity is essential to a healthy
Australias
species, because they have no most biodiversity on
ecosystem. Greater biodiversity natural predators in that area
our planet
means that there are more Great Barrier and can quickly take over the

WHAT YOU CAN DO

different kinds of living things ecosystem.
in one place. This means there Reef Marine biodiversity has gone
is greater stability and balance has no-fishing zones, down a lot with the start of
and the pollution is
in the ecosystem. Stability industrialization (factories,
is important because the cars, exhaust, pollution) over Visit a national park or nature reserve with your family and talk
ecosystem is better prepared for limited to help fish a hundred years ago, because to a ranger to find out if theres anything YOU can do to help
populations
environmental change or disasters, chemicals can destroy marine endangered species!
like floods or droughts. habitats and cause climate
Unfortunately, ecosystems are getting thrive change. Overfishing (too much
Only plant plants that are native to your area, like plants that
already grow there and are familiar with the surroundings. This
less and less stable because of declining, fishing) and new invasive (unwelcome, prevents the spread of non-native species, and also gives
or decreasing biodiversity. That means there strange) species are also a threat to marine homes and habitats for native birds and animals.
are fewer species living in certain places because biodiversity.
Never release a pet into the wild it could turn into an
invasive species and harm the ecosystem.
If you have an outdoor cat, make sure it isnt hunting too
many small animals! Attach a bell to its collar to scare off

HOW PEOPLE ARE HELPING

prey, and dont let your cat out at night!
When fishing, throw back small fish, and make sure you
clean up after yourself!
Even though humans have caused some trouble in the past, people are definitely trying to help fix things
Start a compost pile it saves space in landfills and
today. In the United States, the Endangered Species Act protects around 2,000 species that are in danger
can help plants grow!
of becoming extinct (or gone forever!). Around the world, thousands of conservation sites have been set up
to protect and save ecosystems. There are hundreds of national parks in the United States meant to protect Encourage friends and family to carpool, take public
our beautiful planet and save the animals! Marine Protected Areas (MPAS) have been set up to help preserve transportation, bike, or walk!
ocean ecosystems. Always turn off the lights when you leave a room,
and turn off your computer at night!
And of course, save water, and reduce, reuse, recycle!
12 * FALL 2015 FALL 2015 * 13
 g e 3
e e pa rs
S nswe
for a

S E A
Wordsearch AT
T
In this issue we learned a whole lot about jellysh, but thats not all we accomplished. he Cousteau Society is sending a team to Djibouti
See if you can nd all 10 animals, habitats, and terms we talked about in this edition!
(Ja-BOO-tee), which is located in Africa, to
participate in the Lower Awash-Lake Abbe Land
and Gulf of Tadjoura Seascape Project. The project is
DUMBO NARWHAL CORAL REEF JELLYFISH COUSTEAU focusing on improving and understanding the biodiversity
WHALE HUMPBACK MANATEE ECOSYSTEM FOREST
(do you know this word? If not, learn all about on page
J L A H W R A N T X
12) in some land and seascapes in Djibouti. Theyre also
E C O S Y S T E M U creating plans of how to take care of the seascape and sea
animals, developing and supporting sustainable (a fancy
L B O X E R O L S A word for eco-friendly or earth-friendly)
nature-based ways to improve life, and The Cousteau Society is very dedicated to saving and
L S Z R F A L A Q E
helping take care of protected areas and preserving the ocean climate. Its really important to
respect and take care of the ocean and the creatures
Y O R K A Y L H U T key ecosystems. that live there. Here are some things you can do to
help:
F B E S I L A W I S o Make sustainable seafood choices: some kinds
of fish are in danger of going extinct because so many
I O B M U D R D D U people want to eat them, so make sure when your
parents buy food or when you go out to eat to get fish
that is healthful and plentiful.
S M A N A T E E J O
o Use fewer plastic products: plastics often end
up in the ocean and can be harmful to ocean creatures.
H U M P B A C K E C Instead of buying a plastic water bottle, try using a
reusable water bottle.
R G F O T S E R O F

14 * FALL 2015 FALL 2015 * 15

 Are narwhals mythical like unicorns?
Narwhals are very real, though they may be responsible for
starting the legend of unicorns! Their tusk is a long tooth
that comes out of their mouth and looks like a very long
spiral. Scientists actually arent completely sure what its for,
Does the vampire squid suck but it might be for males to determine whos in charge. The
body of a narwhal is round and blunt, with lots of blubber to
blood? keep them warm in their cold arctic homes.
Nope! The vampire squid is named for the
webbing between their tentacles. This makes
their bottom half look kind of like a parachute,
which they can pull over themselves as a cloak.
Their tentacles are a little strange and most
of them actually dont have suckers at all.
Interestingly, vampire squid have the largest
eyes compared to its body theyre 1 inch, and
the vampire squid grows up to 12 inches. Thatd
be like if your eyes were the size of baseballs!

Do megamouth sharks
really have a mega mouth,
or are they just called that?
They absolutely do! Their mouths can grow
up to 4 feet, 3 inches wide! Thats as tall as
an average 8 year old. Theyre very big, but
Are Dumbo octopus
theyre very gentle. They are also capable of enormous like elephants?
bioluminescence! Megamouth sharks have
Nope! Theyre actually very small. The reason
lips that glow in the dark to attract their tiny
theyre named after Dumbo is because they
prey. They also werent discovered until 1976,
have ear-like fins that stick out of their heads
and there have been very few sightings,
that look kind of like elephant ears. There are
which means there are probably many kinds
lots of small octopus that are considered Dumbo
of ocean creatures we still havent seen!
octopus, and all of them float around with short
tentacles that swirl out like an umbrella.

16 * FALL 2015 FALL 2015 * 17

 he F
T
lorida Ma
T he Florida Manatee is Floridas state
marine mammal, and its actually the
aquatic relative of the elephant! Theyre
a similar kind of grayish-brown color and they
have thick, wrinkled skin. They use their front
flippers to help them steer, or sometimes crawl,
through shallow water. They also use their flat
tails, which are very powerful, to swim very fast in
the water.
Manatees are herbivores (which means they
only eat plants) and eat mostly sea grasses and
freshwater plants. They live in warm waters of
shallow rivers, coastal waters, and bays. They
really like the warm Florida water during the
winter, but swim all along the coast.
18 * FALL 2015
at e The Titanic of the Ancient World
e
n I
n the 1900s, an ancient ship was found and
excavated by diving teams, including a team
led by Jacques-Yves Cousteau himself in 1976!
They have found statues, bowls, jewelry, and
other items left on the seafloor off the coast of
Greece near a tiny island called Antikythera (ant-
ICK-ith-ERA). The wreck is known as the Titanic of
the ancient world because it is a very important
discovery, and teaches us things about Earths
Theyre very gentle and slow moving, and roll around and
rest often. They also spend from 6-8 hours feeding every
day! They talk to each other by squealing
history. For example, one of the relics found on
the ship was a revolutionary bronze machine that
models the sun, moon, and planets moving in the
under water when theyre scared, sky. The device was surprising and mysterious; it
Send us
stressed, or excited and happy! p
icture o a was extremely modern for that time
fw period, because it
When baby manatees are born, they youd d hat
weigh about 60-70 pounds and are day if y o all was very complex,
around 2-4 feet long. ou wer more complex than
a mana e
tee! anything else found
Some manatees are losing their natural from that era. Spooky!
habitats and food because of pollution,
which puts nasty chemicals into the water,
and climate change, which changes the currents of the
water. Thats why we need to treat the ocean with respect
and save the manatees!
Deep Sea Imaging
D
id you know that bioluminescent
e-files: manatees (remember that word? Flip back to page 6
if you need a reminder!) creatures that live
QUICK FACTS:
Enda on the bottom of the ocean can possibly give
us some clues for creating the next generation
nger of medical imaging? Medical imaging is a
lives: 50-60 years in the wild ed process that lets us map brain activity and other
body processes. Some scientists think that
eats: freshwater plants and sea grasses
bioluminescent creatures from the bottom of the
grows: up to 13 feet ocean could help with that technology! Isnt it
weighs: 1,500-1,800 pounds amazing how different things from all over the
location: coastal waters of Florida world can help new technology to make our
why its on this list: manatees can get caught in fishing world better? Think of ways you can help make
nets and are sometimes hurt by boats the world a better place!
how its doing: threatened by extinction
FALL 2015 * 19
 Nonprofit
Organization
U.S. Postage

CUS TODI A NS OF T HE SE A Paid

Cousteau
Society
4 EAST 27TH STREET P.O. BOX 20321 NEW YORK, NY 10001

Test your jellyfi sh IQ

1. Jellyfish are fish. True or False
2. Jellyfish dont have a brain. True or False
3. Dinosaurs were around before jellyfish.
True or False
4. Jellyfish stings are meant to paralyze their
animal prey. True or False
5. Some jellyfish light up. True or False
5. True,
ANSWERS: 1. False, 2. True, 3. False, 4. True,

20 * FALL 2015
visit us online: cousteau.org