May 14th marks a day of celebrating love and gratitude for mothers around the world. Mother’s Day allows us to reminisce on the inspirational role of mothers in our families and communities. The power of motherhood even transcends species and its beauty can be observed in animals of every ecosystem.    

In nature, motherhood takes on many forms. From crocodiles to penguins, eagles to kangaroos, creatures adapt to their ecosystems and expertly craft their parenting skills. Many species of birds have perfected their mothering skills by building cozy and safe nests where they lay their eggs and keep them warm for hatching. They feed and teach their babies about the ecosystems around them until they are able to take on the world on their own. Orangutans have strong maternal bonds with their offspring and nurse them for up to six years! Along the way they teach them important lessons and survival skills. Elephants take on a slightly different approach to parenting, with all the females of the herd playing the role of mother and raising the calves with love from the entire community. 

In the deep sea we continue to see mothers' selfless contributions. Humpback whales protect and nurture their young for nearly a year before letting them off to explore the ocean on their own. Sea turtles lay their eggs on the safety of sandy shores, returning to protect them and help their babies find their way into the ocean when they hatch. Octopuses have one of the most intense forms of motherly sacrifice as they stop eating in order to protect their children and ultimately give their life for their offsprings' survival. 

Motherhood, even in nature, is a powerful symbol of the deep bonds between mothers and their offspring. Whether in the animal kingdom or in human society the gift of mothers can be appreciated everywhere!

In honor of the May 12th holiday “Fintastic Friday–Giving Sharks a Voice,” a shark spotlight species is incredibly fitting for this month’s newsletter. The Longfin Mako shark, known scientifically as Isurus paucus, is a migratory shark species that tends to inhabit warm and tropical waters near the equator. Although overshadowed by its much larger cousin, the infamous Great White, the Longfin Mako has a variety of unique adaptations. One of these unique adaptations is the long pectoral fins for which the subspecies is named. It is also the main differentiation between Longfin and Shortfin Mako sharks. Longfin Mako’s are also distinguishable by their large, black eyes and narrow bodies. The Shortfin Mako is classified as the fastest shark species on the planet, but due to the Longfin Mako’s unique physiology, it is assumed to be a much slower swimmer than its counterpart. This suggests that Longfin’s can inhabit deeper, mesopelagic waters and might utilize their well-developed eyes in the darker waters to their advantage whilst stalking their prey. There is a knowledge deficit regarding Longfin Mako sharks, primarily resulting from their deeper pelagic range and overall rarity. While they are scarcely subjected to overfishing like other fish and shark species, Longfin Mako’s are common bycatch on longlines. There have also been studies that find severely impacted physiological functions such as heart swelling, muscle deterioration, and damaged kidneys in Longfin Mako’s all as a result of longline circle hooks. A transition to more sustainable fishing techniques which reduce bycatch might be a way to improve the status of Longfin Mako sharks from their current “endangered and declining” listing. This may also allow scientists to better access Longfin Mako individuals for further research.