Sea•thos Foundation

Nice is located on the south east coast of France on the Mediterranean Sea (known as a sea because it is enclosed by bodies of land). Nearby locations include Italy, Corsica, and Africa (click on map to enlarge). Nice is believed to be one of the earliest human settlements in Europe, as supported by archaeological evidence of very early use of fire.

The Greeks arrived around 350 BC and named it Nikaia, after Nike the Greek goddess of victory. There after, Nice was inhabited by many different nations.  For years it was Italian territory and finally became a part of France in 1860.

Nice began to attract many upper class visitors from England in the late 18th century. Today, Nice is a perfect beach town complete with a great beach, warm Mediterranean weather, and restaurants and shops on every corner.

Nice is called Nice la Belle meaning Nice the beautiful. The region is bursting with color: modern and historical buildings are painted in pastels and the sea has turquoise and dark blue hues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flags from many nations wave near the beach. Nice has always welcomed visitors from around the world. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
7 Buddhas stand downtown. They light up in different colors every night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The metro runs through the downtown area and gives Nice a very futuristic look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Do you LOVE our Weekly Cuteness?! Now is your chance to submit your own weekly cuteness and win a free iPhone case!

All you have to do is:
Look for a cute ocean-themed picture. It can be one of your own or something you find on the internet.

Ideas: a cute sea creature, cuddly marine mammals (like our otter friend pictured to the right), polar bears, kids dressed in cute sea costumes etc.

Please Send your picture along with your name to Team@Seathos.org
-Limit one picture per person 
-SHARE this blog with your friends to raise awareness about the contest
-Contest ends Friday, June 8th (World Oceans Day!)

 Winner will receive a new iPhone case specially crafted for Seathos by designer Heather Brown. Check it out!

Inspired by her love of the ocean, Heather Brown has designed three beautiful iPhone cases, each benefiting a different foundation.  The cases are made out of 100% post-consumer recycled plastic and packaged in recycled materials! To purchase an iPhone case, visit TruProtection.com. 15% of the purchase of each case will go to its associated foundation!  Click here to learn more about Heather and her beautiful art work.

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Leopard Seal

In the frigid waters of Antarctica, there are few predators higher on the food chain than the Leopard Seal. Named for their spotted coat, these marine mammals resemble their jungle cat namesake not only in appearance but also in ferociousness.

Scientific Name: Hydrurga leptonyx.

Home: Leopard Seals primarily reside in Antarctica and sub-Artic waters. Though less common, Leopard Seals have also been spotted off the coasts of southern Australia, Tasmania, South Africa and New Zealand.

Physical Characteristics: Leopard Seals can weigh up to 900-1,300 lbs and grow to 12 feet in length. Females are typically slightly larger than their male counterparts.

Perhaps their most defining physical attribute, aside from their black-spotted coat, is the seal’s sharp teeth. The teeth, highlighted by the longer front teeth are sure to evoke fear in their prey and anyone else unlucky enough to find themselves in the water with one of these beasts.

Food: Leopard Seals tend to be the hunters, rather than the hunted. Orcas are the seals only know predator.

The seals primarily feed on penguins, but also have been know to eat smaller seals, fish, squid and shellfish. They hunt penguins by waiting beneath an ice shelf for an unsuspecting penguin to dive in, then use their quickness and agility to chase the penguin down.

Conservation Status: Unlike Fur Seals, Leopard Seals have not been commercially hunted for their coats. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has deemed these predators on the low-end of their ‘Conservation Status’ scale: least concern.

Fun Fact: Take a moment to watch this amazing video of an encounter National Geographic photographer Paul Nicklen had with a Leopard Seal. Normally known for their aggressive instincts, Nicklen’s subject showed a more nurturing side, confusing Nicklen for a less-adept predator and attempting to help feed him penguins.

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Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Also known as the Northern Bluefin Tuna, the Giant Bluefin Tuna, or better yet, “tunny”, the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna grows to enormous sizes, has incredible physical features, and is a highly-prized over-fished species. The Bluefin Tuna is endangered and needs your help to survive! Stay posted for our upcoming Earth Day campaign for information on how you can help prevent overfishing!

Scientific Name: Thunnus thynnus

Home: A warm blooded fish, the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna enjoys the cold waters of Newfoundland and Iceland, as well as the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean Sea. 

It is an avid migratory fish and has been tracked swimming from North America to Europe numerous times throughout the year. The Atlantic Bluefin Tuna has become extinct in the Black Sea.

Physical Characteristics: The Atlantic Bluefin Tuna is highly evolved and resembles a robotic fish. It has a torpedo-shaped body and crescent-shaped tail enabling it to shoot through waters at speeds up to 43 miles per hour.

The Bluefin Tuna retracts its dorsal and pectoral fins into slots to reduce drag; The finlets on their tails are believed to reduce water turbulence! They are beautifully colored- shimmery blue on top and grey on bottom, which camouflages it from all sides. The Atlantic Bluefin Tuna is enormous and can surpass the average size of 6.5 feet in length and 550 lbs!

Food: The Bluefin Tuna reaches its large size by constantly eating! Their diet includes smaller fish and invertebrates such as crustaceans, squid, eels, sardines, herrings, and mackerel. They filter-feed on small organisms such as zooplankton and also enjoy eating kelp.

Conservation Status: Despite their unique physical features, incredible speed and strength, the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna is endangered. It has been a prized food fish since the time of the Ancient Greeks and Phoenicians. 

In the 1970′s, demand for Bluefin tuna soared world-wide, particularly in Japan where tuna is very popular in the raw fish market. High demand accompanied with unsustainable fishing practices has led to the dramatic decline in Bluefin Tuna populations.

In October of 2009, The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) stated that Atlantic Bluefin Tuna populations have declined by 72% in the Eastern Atlantic and 82% in the Western Atlantic over the past 40 years. In 2010, European officials increased pressure to ban international commercial fishing of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna. Despite these efforts, illegal fishing in Europe has caused the Bluefin Tuna to reach near extinction in European waters.

Fun Facts:
The Atlantic Bluefin Tuna is warm blooded, which is a rare trait for fish to have! They have the ability to thermoregulate, adjusting their body temperatures to warm or cold waters.

The largest tuna ever recorded was an Atlantic Bluefin Tuna caught in the waters of Nova Scotia that weighed 1,496 lbs!!!

The female Bluefin Tuna can lay up to 30 million eggs!!

In January 2012, a 593 lb Bluefin Tuna sold in the Japanese fish market for $736,000- a world record!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Known as Turtle island, Fiji is a beautiful island country located in the Southern Pacific Ocean. Among its 330 islands, around 100 are permanently inhabited while the rest remain in natural harmony.  Its largest and most visited islands are Venua Levu and Viti Levu.

Fiji has had its share of diverse inhabitants starting with a migration from Indonesia three and a half thousand years ago! Europeans first came in contact with the islands in the 17th century.

Cannibalism, which was once wide spread on the islands, was put to an end due to missionary influence and the acceptance of Christianity.

Today Fiji encompasses a mixture of Polynesian, European, Indian, and Chinese cultures. The official language of the country is English but local dialects and Hindi are also wide spread.

Due to its abundant resources of forest, mineral, and fish, Fiji has the most developed economy out of all the pacific island nations.  Fiji receives many visitors every year who come to enjoy the island’s crystal-blue lagoons, clear waters, and lush green forests. “Sea” for yourself….

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Water is everywhere. Literally, everywhere. It’s above us, in the clouds. It’s underneath us, in the ground, in the soil, in man-made waterways. It’s all around us in rivers, streams and lakes, and in our oceans. Despite being surrounded by it every day, water is something we consistently take for granted. This apathy has led to a worldwide water crisis, the key components being food security, water scarcity and water pollution.

Water Scarcity

With water playing such a big role in our everyday lives – we drink it, we bathe in it, we use it to produce food – it’s difficult to fully imagine how much of a luxury it is in many parts of the world.

It’s never just as simple as turning on a faucet.

“As population grows and development needs call for increased allocations of water for cities, agriculture and industries,” explains Dr. Jacques Diouf, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, “the pressure on water resources intensifies, leading to tensions, conflicts among users, and excessive strain on the environment.”

These factors, along with climate change and the increased resulting droughts, put enormous strain on developing countries in particular.

Take Africa, for example. Every year, 40 billion hours are spent walking to and from the nearest water source. Most of this burden is placed on women, who walk dozens of miles carrying up to 40 gallon jugs just to provide water for their family. Many don’t have a choice, the only safe drinking water is miles away, and they need water to survive. This appalling water scarcity is largely due to the lack of clean water projects across the globe. All in all, 884 million people lack access to safe, clean drinking water – that’s approximately one in eight people worldwide!

Thankfully, there are several dedicated organizations such as water.org and charity:water who are devoted to bringing safe, clean drinking water to developing nations. They do this through building wells, latrines, and educating communities on proper sanitation practices. The goal is to make access to clean water not a gift or a luxury, but a right and a necessity for people everywhere.

Check out Seathos’ World Water Day Campaign Page for more information, tweets and videos.

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