5/29 Moon snail, BC old-growth, climate change beaches, raising sea stars, Dabob Bay

Moon snail [WDFW/Kevin Lee]

Moon Snail Euspira lewisii
One of the best-known invertebrates in the sandy intertidal zone is the Moon Snail, both because it is a large (up to 13 cm in diameter) species and because its egg masses are especially notable. Moon Snails are voracious predators on the clams that share their habitat. They find a clam, presumably by chemoreception, and envelope it in their big foot and often drag it more deeply into the sand. The radula has seven rows of teeth, with which they dig a hole (easily recognizable as made by this species because countersunk) into the clam shell. A gland on the proboscis secretes enzymes and even hydrochloric acid to help accomplish this. The snail then rasps and sucks out the clam’s tissues over a period of a day or so. (Puget Sound Museum of Natural History)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Local flower-farming takes root  in a global economy

Did B.C. keep its old-growth forest promises?
With an election approaching this fall, the BC NDP government has released a surprise update touting ‘significant progress’ on protecting old-growth forests. We take a look at the reality on the ground. Shannon Waters reports. (The Narwhal)

Will climate change cause more WA beach closures because of algae or bacteria?
It’s unclear how climate change might affect closures in the region. But generally algae thrives in warmer water and bacteria is commonly washed into waterways, mostly from animal feces. As summers get hotter, access to cold bodies of water will become more important for people who don’t have a place to cool down. Amanda Zhou reports. (Seattle Times)

Guide to raising sunflower starfish ‘nearly finished’
A top researcher for the University of Washington said that he expects to publish a book in coming months detailing how to raise sunflower sea stars that will hopefully show some resilience to the wasting disease that has killed nearly 6 billion of them in recent years. Scott Doggett reports. (PT Leader)

Public comment opens on Dabob Bay
Public comment on a proposed expansion of the Dabob Bay Natural Area opens today as the state Department of Natural Resources looks to add 671 acres to the protected area... A community meeting will be held at the Laurel B. Johnson Community Center in Coyle at 6 p.m. June 17 for members of the public to provide feedback on the proposal. Peter Segall reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  218 AM PDT Wed May 29 2024    
TODAY  W wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft  at 10 seconds. A chance of showers with a slight chance of tstms  this morning.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 9 seconds.

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