Puget Sound Sharks

Sharks, though often feared, are critical to our local marine habitats, and may be found among the many other fishes that inhabit Puget Sound waters. So you may wonder:

What kinds of sharks live in Puget Sound?

The Puget Sound is home to 11 species of sharks. Of these 11, three that are seen regularly are the Spiny Dogfish, the Sixgill Shark and the Brown Cat Shark. To learn more about all 11 species of sharks, a general overview of them can be found on the Burke’s “Key to the Fishes of Puget Sound” website.

Of the resident sharks, the Basking Shark can grow up to 40 or perhaps even 45 feet in length, but rarely over 32 feet long and is the largest of them all.

Basking Shark, image courtesy of Chris Gotschalk/Wiki Commons

Fortunately for those brave enough to conquer the freezing waters of the Sound, these 11 species of sharks are generally docile. Many of them live in deeper waters, making their human sightings rare. Sharks often get a bad reputation but only a few species have been known to attack humans, and when they have, it is often a case of mistaken identity.

As important members of the marine food chain, sharks are vital to the Puget Sound’s ecosystem. For example, Spiny Dogfish help keep local fish populations healthy by preying on the weakest. By eating fish that are caught sustainably, we can help ensure the future of Puget Sound sharks and our local fishing economy. Purchasing fish that are well managed and caught in environmentally friendly ways helps keep their numbers strong for animals and people alike.

The Burke Museum partners with the Seattle PI's Big Blog to answer commonly asked questions about the natural and cultural history of our region. This post originally appeared on the Big Blog on June 26.

Got a question for next time? Send it here!

A Hummingbird Home

I was walking around the Burke’s exhibit galleries today (a great perk of working at the museum) and came across something that stopped me in my tracks: a teeny-tiny little bird’s nest.

This little hummingbird nest is quite a marvel of nature. Typically, female hummingbirds build the nest and raise their young on their own. There are usually two eggs laid in a hummingbird clutch—that’s a lot of family to fit in a nest that’s roughly the size of a chicken egg!

These creatures get even more interesting when you find out how these little nests are held together—spider webbing! Many species of hummingbirds collect spider webbing and use this to help “glue” the plant materials of the nest into a cohesive home. An added bonus to the spider webbing is that it holds lichen and moss to the outside of the nest—a perfect camouflage that blends nicely into trees and bushes where these nests are built.

Seeing this nest reminded me that it was time to clean out and restock my hummingbird feeder. If you give hummingbirds a backyard habitat with a feeder and hummingbird plants, you may end up with a nest like this! You can also see this exact nest in the “Explore Biodiversity” area in the Burke Museum’s Life and Times of Washington State exhibit.

Posted by: Andrea Barber, Communications

Natural History Riddles

It’s Friday and I thought it’d be a great day for a “Fun Feature” blog.  So get ready to test your Washington State natural history knowledge with another round of…

How to play: Read the three riddles below and see if you can guess which Washington State person, place, or living thing we are referring to in the riddle. Post your guesses in the comments and check back on Monday to see the answers!

Update: Scroll down to see the answers.
 

Riddle #1:
I am named for my chubby look and loose skin
I never bite, but can “strike” with my blunt tail
Unlike many of my other slithery relatives, I prefer to go out at night.

Who am I?

Riddle #2:
Glaciers carved and feed this natural beauty
The deepest fresh water in the state
“The way through” the Northern Cascades

Where am I?

Riddle #3:
I feast on moose to mice with my family members
A true leader of the pack

Who am I?


Answers Below:

Answer #1:  Rubber Boa

Photo courtesy of Brad Moon

Answer #2:  Lake Chelan

Image: Public Domain/Bareck

Answer #3:  Gray Wolf
 

Lonnie, Male Gray Wolf. Photo courtesy of Julie Lawrence Studios/Wolf Haven International

Since we're on the subject of wolves, the Burke Museum's newest exhibit, Wolves and Wild Lands in the 21st Century, is open through Sept. 5.  Come to the museum before August 7 and see The Owl and the Woodpecker exhibit too!

What are some Washington Plants that have Medicinal Uses?

For thousands of years, indigenous Washington peoples have been using plants in a variety of ways. From building houses to clothing to food, native plants are still being utilized by many who live in our state. Some of these species have been used to treat common ailments, but how helpful any of these species are for treating common ailments is unknown.

What are some Washington State plants that have medicinal uses?

 These are just a few examples of native plants that are used medicinally. Please consult your physician before starting any medical treatments and to find the best resources on taking medicinal plants.

Parsley Fern, Cryptogramma acrostichoides

Image © Rod Gilbert, 2006

The roots from this plant have been used to treat colds. Found in rocky habitats, they commonly grow on cliff faces and talus lopes. If you’d like to plant them yourself, they do best in rock gardens.

Broadleaf Stonecrop, Sedum spathulifolium

These plants also do well in rockeries and are found along coastal cliffs and ledges. Broadleaf stonecrops have been used by local Native Americans as a styptic poultice. In other words, when the plant is ground into a paste, it may help control bleeding.

Licorice fern, Polypodium glycyrrhiza

Image copyrighted Clayton J. Antieau



Licorice ferns have been used for sore throats and are found in moist ground and on tree trunks. These thrive in gardens with moist banks and logs.

Native plants are good for your land and provide habitat and food for local wildlife. Help protect local wild habitats by not buying or collecting any wild-dug plants.

Want to learn more about traditional uses for local plants? Spend a nice day outside at the Burke’s Erna Gunther Ethnobotanical Garden, located at the entrance to the Burke Museum on the UW campus.

How do you use native Washington plants?  Post your comments below!


The Burke Museum partners with the Seattle PI's Big Blog to answer commonly asked questions about the natural and cultural history of our region. This post originally appeared on the Big Blog on June 12.

Got a question for next time? Send it here!



One Day. Give Big and Get More.

On June 23, The Seattle Foundation is hosting GiveBIG, a community-wide day of online giving to local non-profits. 

Give to the Burke Museum on June 23 and your gift will get bigger! The more money we raise for the Burke, the more money the Burke receives from The Seattle Foundation’s matching stretch donations from GiveBIG sponsors. Essentially, your donation works twice as hard on June 23!

It’s easy. Look for GiveBIG email reminders and reminders in our social media feeds. In the meantime, show your support by "Liking" us on Facebook!

Just the facts: GiveBIG is ONE DAY only (Thursday, June 23)

• Donate to the Burke from 7am to midnight
• Donate to the Burke through The Seattle Foundation website. This is the only way it counts toward the GiveBig campaign. 
• The Seattle Foundation is raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to give to local-area nonprofits on this day. The more money we raise on this day, the more money we receive from The Seattle Foundation GiveBig stretch pool!

Five Reasons to Give BIG to the Burke Museum:

1. As the Washington State museum we safeguard over 14 million of YOUR objects
2. Thousands of kids visit the museum each year, enriching student understanding of the environment, evolution, human ecology, and culture through dynamic programs.
3. We make super-amazing, original exhibits that tackle really important issues like climate change and historical representation of Native peoples.
4. We answer thousands of questions a year like “How do I know if this is a spider” or “Can I eat this mushroom?”
5. We inspire people to value the connection with all life!

Questions about GiveBIG? Please contact our Annual Giving Manager JeeYoung Dobbs at jdobbs@uw.edu.

Thank you for your generous support of the Burke!

The Story of the Stabbing Cat

Ben Witte had always said he wanted to find a “stabbing cat.” Though trained as a classical pianist, Ben was an avid amateur fossil hound and his holy grail was the skull of a saber-toothed cat. In the summer of 1963, he was looking forward to another trip to the rich fossil beds in the Badlands of South Dakota with his wife, Bev and a small party of friends. In those days, Bev was an artist, experienced in both commercial and fine art.

When the group arrived, Ben and a friend went off to search. At that time, you didn’t need a permit to search for (or cart off) fossils. Ben and his friend split up to examine either side of a rocky ridge. Nosing along, he noticed something protruding from the ridge that looked suspiciously like the two long canine teeth of a small cat.

“There they were,” recalls Bev, “just sticking out of the rock… the teeth of his stabbing cat.” Ben had been in such a hurry to get to the search that he didn’t even have a backpack with him. He and Bev returned with enough sacks to carry off “every bit of rock that looked like it might hold a bone.” It took over an hour and a half to gather it all, but when they did, they had enough to one of the most complete specimens of Hoplophoneus ever found at that time.

Hoplophoneus fossil

 

It took several years for Ben's discovery to be displayed at the Burke. Bev didn’t begin to volunteer at the museum until 1964 so before she was hired as a preparator in 1968, Hoplophoneus waited at home. The large concretionary hunks of stone in which the fossil was embedded had to be removed by sandblaster and small bits needed removal with a vibrating tool. When the fossils were cast, Bev made molds of the skull and pelvis and Camille Evans and Steve Nelson helped with the rest of the bones. For assembly, the team relied on books describing cat anatomy, as well as in-house training provided by the museum. A placement challenge was a strange long, thin piece that turned out to be a piece of the clavicle. Later, they heard from well-known paleontologist Robert Bakker that the arms should have been placed elbows slightly out, given the arboreal nature of the animal. “We always meant to reposition those arms,” said Bev, “but never got around to it.”

But the biggest obstacle was Ben’s attachment to the skull. Even though he and Bev had already generously donated two brontothere mandibles they had collected, he was loath to part with this iconic piece of his fabulous find, his “stabbing cat.” Now his “stabbing cat” is on display for all to enjoy.

About Bev Witte: Married to Ben Witte, Bev worked for the Burke as a preparator from 1968 till her retirement in 1998. She said she got the job because she had already learned how to use the preparation as a volunteer. After retirement she volunteered two days a week at the Burke for many years, only recently cutting back to one.

Bev Witte with fossils at the Burke Museum

Submitted by: Peg Boettcher, Communications

We thank Bev Witte for her time, patience, and wonderful story.

The secrets of musuems revealed!

Ever wonder about this history of taxidermy or what goes on behind the scenes at a museum?  This summer why not explore the world of museums and pick up one of these fun, informative, and thought-provoking books.  What are some of your favorite museum reads?

“Still Life: Adventures in Taxidermy” by Melissa Milgrom (2010)
From early explorer-collected skins stuffed with sawdust and random bones, through the spectacular museum dioramas of the 1930s and the minimalist displays of today, journalist Milgrom takes us deep inside the workrooms – and into the minds, hearts, and motivation – of some of the world’s most under-appreciated artisans: taxidermists.

 “Dry Storeroom No. 1: The Secret Life of theNatural History Museum” by Richard A. Fortey (2008)
The amazing Natural History Museum in London is the creation of painstaking research, unique people and extraordinary times.  Author Fortey describes the passions and persistence that lead to this mind-bogglingly complex edifice. 

“Rogue’s Gallery: The Secret History of the Moguls and the Money That Made the Metropolitan Museum” by Michael Gross (2009)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art boasts a gorgeous collection of fabulous works.  In this unauthorized look at the museum’s entire 130-plus years in existence, author Gross describes the motley crew that came together to put that collection together; including not only America’s wealthiest of the Gilded Age, but forgers, looters, artists and crooks. 

“The Museum Book: A Guide to Strange and Wonderful Collections” by Jan Mark (2007)
Children will be intrigued – and adults entertained – by this nicely illustrated answer to the question, “What is a museum?” Colorful and quirky samples of the world’s museums abound, amply displaying the varied history of collections.

Posted by Peg Boettcher