Questions from our students

In the midst of our correspondence, our girls came up with some excellent questions for Jungle to Jungle to investigate. Here are some examples along with our responses:

Q: How are you guys doing? Having fun? Can you tell me a little about the Amazon fern? Thank you bye……  ;p

A:

Amazon ferns: Ferns in general are one of the most ancient plants we have here on Earth. They are unique because they do not flower. Instead, they have spores that absolutely need water for pollination because, get this, they swim! Wild.

Since the Amazon is such a wet, muggy place, the ferns just absolutely
adore it here. Again, they some species look the same as in Maui, but they
grow much, much bigger. There are ones that grow on the ground and ones called epiphytes that grow in trees.
When thinking of your comparison, remember that the Amazon is a really
competitive place, especially when it comes to that delicious, life-giving
sunlight.

Have you changed your mind about what big science project you are going to do?

(And by the way, we love the way you think!)

Amanda and Jill

Q: Just wondering have you seen any pink river dolphins yet?

A: Hey Lady! How’s Maui? Gorgeous and lovely I bet! Pink dolphins? Not yet
(rats!) But, on Friday, we headed out to the deepest jungle that we are
going to go, with high hopes of spotting some (and, of course, getting some
good footage for you!)
As far as your comparison of the two kinds of dolphins, think about what
traits make each unique. Clue: Ponder what the each dolphin’s home must
look like to them.

Keep up the good work!

A+J

Q: Hey. I was wondering if u know anything about the wolf spider…. I know their big and green and have large spikes all down it’s back, and it looks like a leaf….. anyway… thanks bye and anything else concerning that spider…….

A: You know what comparison just popped into my head when I read your lovely description of them? A crown-of-thorns starfish. There may be no correlation there, but on the other hand..

Hmm.. We didn’t know anything about wolf spiders before, but
since you asked..
In doing some quick research, we couldn’t find these alleged “green
spiky” ones you speak of.. We just find ½”-2” brown and gray stripey
ones. They are quick, excellent hunters and have keen eyesight. They seem to haunt human houses in places that have a winter.
Seems like they wouldn’t be in the tropics of Hawaii or the Amazon..
But you may have found some different information. We’re always open to
being proven wrong. (Turns out, that’s what science is all about!)

Did you see that photo of the enormous spider we saw in Colombia? We head out to deeper jungle on Friday, so we’re betting on seeing some more of these shocking allies.

J + A

Q: Have you seen any HoneyCreepers yet because I am researching them, and I went to Google and they have them in all colors?

A: We asked our biologist friend Miss Duck your question because she has gotten to study Maui’s endemic birds. And guess what! She created a unique, in-depth paper about these very HoneyCreepers just for us! We are quite impressed! Check it out.

Q: Have you guys seen any Caimens (fresh water alligators) in the Amazon? If you have it would be awesome if you would upload a picture on your website that we could see.  Also if you have any questions free to ask us too.

Ta ,Ta for now your Science Club Friend in Hawaii

A:

!

Heard that you may have already finished your project?! Quite impressive,
young lady! Even if not, the answer is YES! We have seen a giant black
caiman. And other than a split second when I fist saw a shark in the water
off Mala Ramp, it was the only time I have actually been totally scared by
just looking at an animal. He was about 20 feet long, with a head the size
of three huge watermelons, end to end! At first, I thought, “”This is
truly a monster!”” But when I heard what happened to him when this
“animal preserve” captured him.
They caught him in a trap, and when four men couldn’t move him because he
was too heavy, they tied up his arms and legs and went to get help. By the
time they returned, those massive ants had eaten his eyes, and now he’s
blind! I know that’s a gory story, but it’s true.
It made me realize that I had compassion for this creature too. I think
these things are important to learn.
We have some photos of him, and we are going to show you a shocking (yet informative) video about them the next time we see you back in Maui!

Keep up the good work!
A + J