Incredible Sea Turtle Journeys

 Research is filling in the blanks on the incredible migrations of sea turtles around the world, making conservation efforts more effective. Read more in my piece for The Revelator. 

Shifting (Beach) Sands

Taking sand from one place to save another - aka beach renourishment - often creates more problems than it is supposed to solve. But there are ways to fix that. Read more in the third installment of my coastal restoration series for The Revelator. 

Texas Beach Guide

 It's beach season! Read my guide to where to go, what to do, and more in Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine. 

Citizen Science Opportunities in Texas

Thousands of people volunteer as citizen scientists, lending their eyes, ears, hands and time to professional scientists conducting all kinds of research around the world. Most citizen science projects require no special skill or knowledge. Some even can be done sitting on your couch with a computer or smartphone. Read about opportunities to contribute in Texas. 

Hatchlings on Heron Island

Australia’s Heron Island, a National Marine Park at the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Protected Zone, is home to an eco-resort, a science station, and nesting sea turtles. Read what it is like to watch a nest hatch in the wild. 

Credit: Holley Gaskill

Saving sea turtles, birds, dolphins from fishing nets

How scientists are working to reduce fisheries bycatch. And tips for how to help when you buy seafood. Read more here. 

Sea turtles hard hit by Texas winter storms

The Arctic air mass that battered Texas starting around Valentine's Day reached the Gulf of Mexico, creating conditions that left thousands of sea turtles cold stunned. As of Wed. Feb. 17, rescue organizations had recovered more than 4,000 of them along the Texas coast. Read more here. 

The Gulf of Mexico

11 things you might not know about this body of water, also known as The American Sea. Some cool facts and some alarming ones. Read it here. 

Saving Endangered Marine Species

Iconic ocean animals are disappearing as Earth faces a sixth major extinction event. Read about how people are working to protect them, and ways you can help in this piece from Scuba Diving. 

Tracking and Tagging Wildlife

Tags, collars, and other tracking methods are essential to wildlife research and conservation efforts. Read more about why, and how scientists take great care with the animals, in this PBS Nature Blog post.

Watching wildlife from space

Scientists are using photographs taken from space and a tracking antenna installed on the International Space Station to learn more about the lives and travels of wild animals such as whales, sea turtles and birds. Read more in my Alert Diver article.

Photo courtesy Kate Mansfield, University of Central Florida

Texas species vulnerable to losing ESA protections

Despite research that shows Americans overwhelmingly support the Endangered Species Act, Congress and the current administration continue to try and weaken it. These Texas species, already affected by climate change, could be especially hard hit by any loss of protection.

Too much of a good thing

Another post for the PBS Nature Blog's summer of love, this one about recent Sargassum blooms. While the floating algae provide habitat and food for a wide variety of marine life in the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean, blooms are taking it a bit too far.

Sea turtle summer of no love

As reptiles, sea turtles lack sex hormones; an embryo becomes male or female depending on the temperature in its nest. Hotter times thanks to climate change threaten to turn the sea turtle future too female. Read more about the problem in this post for the PBS Nature blog.

A tribute to Tony Amos

Oceanographer Anthony Amos patrolled Port Aransas beaches for decades, creating an unparalleled database and rescuing scores of sea turtles, birds and other creatures. He founded the Animal Rehabilitation Keep, now the Amos Rehabilitation Keep. Tony died in September, 2017. Here, his friends and colleagues talk about his work and legacy.

What's on the Beach

Before you visit the beach this summer, read up on some of the natural features and residents and why they're important. Maybe you'll even show that seaweed some love.

Rising sea temps mean fewer male sea turtles

Hotter seas could make reproduction difficult for sea turtles. Nest temperatures determine whether embryos develop into males or females, with higher temps meaning more females. Read why this is a problem in my piece for Texas Climate News.

What do sharks do during a hurricane?

When 2017's powerful hurricanes roared across the ocean, did sharks and other marine life know what was coming? And, if so, what did they do about it? Find out in this piece for Men's Journal online. 

Hurricane Harvey and the chickens

Record-breaking Hurricane Harvey caused widespread destruction along the Texas coast. In addition to the human toll, the storm also affected wildlife, including endangered species. This piece for Texas Climate News explains.

Sea Turtle Nerd Nite

Video from my talk on sea turtles at Nerd Nite Austin is now available. If you don't know what to do with yourself until the next Game of Thrones or Stranger Things episodes, check it out here! Nerd Nite happens every month; learn more here.