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Bermuda Beasts

Is the Chicken Liver Sponge A Plant or An Animal?
Bermuda Beasts

Is the Chicken Liver Sponge A Plant or An Animal?

Is it a plant? Is it an animal? Scientists believe that sponges are a very primitive animal, one of the first groups to branch off the evolutionary tree after the common ancestor of all animals. They are multi-cellular organisms that rely on water flow through their stationary bodies in order to feed and remove wastes – we think this makes chicken liver sponge (Chondrilla nucula) beast enough to be included in our Bermuda Beasts series!   1. So named for…

September 25, 2023

Written by: Fae Sapsford

What is the Significance of the Diamondback Terrapin’s Pattern on Their Shells?
Bermuda Beasts

What is the Significance of the Diamondback Terrapin’s Pattern on Their Shells?

Sometimes known as a mangrove terrapin, you’ll find these little friendly creatures in land-locked brackish water ponds in Hamilton Parish. They are classified as a level 2 protected species and declared to be Vulnerable under the Protected Species Act. Find…

September 11, 2023

How Do Sea Cucumbers Help Corals Grow?
Bermuda Beasts

How Do Sea Cucumbers Help Corals Grow?

Sometimes referred to as a sea pudding, these marine animals have more to them than meets the eye: here are 7 facts about them you probably don't already know.  1. Sea cucumbers are crucial to the marine food web. They…

September 4, 2023

How Long Does It Take for the Spiny Lobster to Reform Its Exoskeleton?
Bermuda Beasts

How Long Does It Take for the Spiny Lobster to Reform Its Exoskeleton?

The first of September marks the start of lobster season in Bermuda, when it is legal to possess, hunt (so long as one has a permit) and consume the sweet meat of the spiny lobster. Between September 1st and March…

August 28, 2023

Bermuda Beasts

Do Coney Fish Spawn Every Day?

During offshore dives, fish enthusiasts may spot the grumpy deportment of the coney eyeing them from a hollow in the reef. The coney (Cephalopholis fulva) is an expressive fish with a large golden eye, and markings that can change colour…

August 21, 2023

Photography by: Ron Lucas

Written by: Fae Sapsford

Bermuda Beasts

How Does the Kiskadee Pose A Threat To Our Environment?

Where can you spot them? Almost anywhere in Bermuda. The kiskadee population is huge, and the birds occupy every habitat from the coast, to woodland, to urban areas. Two hundred kiskadees were introduced to Bermuda in 1957 to control lizard…

August 14, 2023