R E S O U R C E S F O R T E A C H E R S A N D S T U D E N T S VOL. 3 >> ISSUE 06 >> FEBRUARY 2011

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WHEN FISH DIE, SPECIAL KINDS OF DETECTIVES INVESTIGATE.Hmmm ... did the fish die naturally? Or was pollution the killer? Somerainwater goes straight into lakes, rivers and streams, but a lot of it fallsin yards and roads first. We call that “runoff.” Runoff carries icky stufflike oil and fertilizer into lakes and rivers. That icky stuff is a type of pol-lution called “nonpoint source pollution.” Another type of pollution —“source pollution” — happens when people put things into the water onpurpose. Examples of source pollution are throwing bottles, tires, candywrappers right into the water or dumping paint or used motor oil intowater. Yiker dikers! For a fish, life in the water can seem dangerous.

>>WHAT’S TO BLAME?

POLLUTION KILLS!For fish, the water may hold many dangers.

T E X A S P A R K S & W I L D L I F E � 43

What Killed Freddy the Fish?What Killed Freddy the Fish?What Killed Freddy the Fish?

T E X A S P A R K S & W I L D L I F E � 45

Dirty Facts AboutPollution• All pollution is caused by humans.• Nonpoint source pollution: Pollu-tion that cannot be traced to just oneperson or place. It comes from manydifferent sources.• Source pollution: Pollution thatcan be traced to one person or place.You can “point” your finger at it.

LET’S FIND OUT WHAT THESE DETECTIVESTHINK KILLED FREDDY THE FISH:

Want to know how Freddy the Fish died? Visit:www.tpwmagazine.com/ktw/freddyfish

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A PLASTIC BAG?DANGER: Many fish dieeach year because theyswallow plastic bags andsuffocate. Suffocatemeans they can’t breathe. TYPE OF POLLUTION:Source.

MOTOR OIL?DANGER: Motor oil in thewater coats fishes’ gills,causing them to suffocatesince fish need gills tobreathe. TYPE OF POLLUTION: Canbe both nonpoint sourceand source.

DOG POOP!DANGER: The bacteria in dog poopcan make fish sick when runoff carriesit from the land into the water.TYPE OF POLLUTION: Nonpoint source.

HERBICIDES?DANGER: We spray “herbi-cides,” or weed killers, onplants when we don’t wantthem to grow. When runoffbrings lots of herbicides intothe water, it can kill the plantsand animals. TYPE OF POLLUTION:Nonpoint source.

FERTILIZER?DANGER: Fertilizer helps our lawns andflowers grow. When runoff washes intothe water, plants grow there too fast,clogging waterways. When the plantsdie, the decomposition uses up the oxy-gen that fish need for breathing. TYPE OF POLLUTION: Nonpoint source.

PESTICIDES?DANGER: Chemicals usedto kill insects are called“pesticides.” Too manypesticides in the watercan kill other crittersbesides bugs – like fish!TYPE OF POLLUTION:Nonpoint source.

A HARMFULALGAL BLOOM?DANGER: When microscopicplants called algae grow likecrazy, we say there’s a“harmful algal bloom.”These sometimes containtoxins, and the dying algaedeplete oxygen in the water.TYPE OF POLLUTION: Whilethe blooms kill plenty of fish,it’s not actually pollution.

ILLEGAL DUMPINGOR DISCHARGES?DANGER: “Illegal” means“against the law,” and when aperson or a business dumpssomething like chemicals, carbatteries or tires into thewater, that’s breaking the law.Dumping chemicals is danger-ous, because it makes fish andpeople really sick! TYPE OF POLLUTION: Source.

SGT. JOE BOSTICK, GAME WARDEN, CRIMINALINVESTIGATOR, ENVIRONMENTAL

CRIMES UNIT, TPWD

Possible cause of death: Polluted watercaused by illegal discharges.Clues in the water: Is the water a funnycolor or murky? Does it have a sheen(shine) on it? Is it foamy? Does it smellstrange? Is it too hot or cold?

Clues on Freddy: Is he a funny color? Doeshe show signs that he is coated with a chemi-

cal? Does he have strange foam on or in him?Does he smell strange (not like an ordinary dead fish)?

NAME OF DECEASED

CASE NO.

PLACE OF DEATH

CAUSE OF DEATH

ATTACH

TO FI

N NATURAL CAUSES?

Freddy the fishMaybe pollution didn’t kill Freddy since,

like humans, fish sometimes just get

sick and die naturally.

DETECTIVES DISCOVERED THE LIFELESS BODY OF FREDDY THE BASS. DURING HISLIFE, FREDDY FACED MANY DANGERS. COULD ONE OF THEM BE HIS KILLER?

GREG CONLEY, POLLUTION BIOLOGIST, TPWD KILLS ANDSPILLS TEAM

Possible cause of death: Harmful algalbloom caused by fertilizer.Clues: An algal bloom was created whensome people fertilized their lawns andrunoff brought those chemicals into a near-by stream. The algal bloom used up the oxy-gen Freddy needed, causing him to suffo-cate. Freddy is red at the base of his fins,and his gills are discolored. Freddy was seengasping for air at the surface just before hedied.

GREG SOUTHARD,AQUATIC ANIMAL HEALTH INSPECTOR, TPWD

Possible cause of death:Freddy swallowed a plasticbag and suffocated.Clues: When Freddy is takento a fish health lab by a TPWD Kills and Spills Team biologist,he’s dissected (cut open). Examination of his stomach con-tents reveals a plastic bag.

Another possible cause of death: Freddy died naturally.Clues: If Freddy was near the end of his natural lifetime andthere are no water quality problems or pathogens (disease-causing organisms), then he probably died naturally.

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What Killed Freddy the Fish?What Killed Freddy the Fish?What Killed Freddy the Fish?

T E X A S P A R K S & W I L D L I F E � 45

Dirty Facts AboutPollution• All pollution is caused by humans.• Nonpoint source pollution: Pollu-tion that cannot be traced to just oneperson or place. It comes from manydifferent sources.• Source pollution: Pollution thatcan be traced to one person or place.You can “point” your finger at it.

LET’S FIND OUT WHAT THESE DETECTIVESTHINK KILLED FREDDY THE FISH:

Want to know how Freddy the Fish died? Visit:www.tpwmagazine.com/ktw/freddyfish

44 � F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 1

A PLASTIC BAG?DANGER: Many fish dieeach year because theyswallow plastic bags andsuffocate. Suffocatemeans they can’t breathe. TYPE OF POLLUTION:Source.

MOTOR OIL?DANGER: Motor oil in thewater coats fishes’ gills,causing them to suffocatesince fish need gills tobreathe. TYPE OF POLLUTION: Canbe both nonpoint sourceand source.

DOG POOP!DANGER: The bacteria in dog poopcan make fish sick when runoff carriesit from the land into the water.TYPE OF POLLUTION: Nonpoint source.

HERBICIDES?DANGER: We spray “herbi-cides,” or weed killers, onplants when we don’t wantthem to grow. When runoffbrings lots of herbicides intothe water, it can kill the plantsand animals. TYPE OF POLLUTION:Nonpoint source.

FERTILIZER?DANGER: Fertilizer helps our lawns andflowers grow. When runoff washes intothe water, plants grow there too fast,clogging waterways. When the plantsdie, the decomposition uses up the oxy-gen that fish need for breathing. TYPE OF POLLUTION: Nonpoint source.

PESTICIDES?DANGER: Chemicals usedto kill insects are called“pesticides.” Too manypesticides in the watercan kill other crittersbesides bugs – like fish!TYPE OF POLLUTION:Nonpoint source.

A HARMFULALGAL BLOOM?DANGER: When microscopicplants called algae grow likecrazy, we say there’s a“harmful algal bloom.”These sometimes containtoxins, and the dying algaedeplete oxygen in the water.TYPE OF POLLUTION: Whilethe blooms kill plenty of fish,it’s not actually pollution.

ILLEGAL DUMPINGOR DISCHARGES?DANGER: “Illegal” means“against the law,” and when aperson or a business dumpssomething like chemicals, carbatteries or tires into thewater, that’s breaking the law.Dumping chemicals is danger-ous, because it makes fish andpeople really sick! TYPE OF POLLUTION: Source.

SGT. JOE BOSTICK, GAME WARDEN, CRIMINALINVESTIGATOR, ENVIRONMENTAL

CRIMES UNIT, TPWD

Possible cause of death: Polluted watercaused by illegal discharges.Clues in the water: Is the water a funnycolor or murky? Does it have a sheen(shine) on it? Is it foamy? Does it smellstrange? Is it too hot or cold?

Clues on Freddy: Is he a funny color? Doeshe show signs that he is coated with a chemi-

cal? Does he have strange foam on or in him?Does he smell strange (not like an ordinary dead fish)?

NAME OF DECEASED

CASE NO.

PLACE OF DEATH

CAUSE OF DEATH

ATTACH

TO FI

N NATURAL CAUSES?

Freddy the fishMaybe pollution didn’t kill Freddy since,

like humans, fish sometimes just get

sick and die naturally.

DETECTIVES DISCOVERED THE LIFELESS BODY OF FREDDY THE BASS. DURING HISLIFE, FREDDY FACED MANY DANGERS. COULD ONE OF THEM BE HIS KILLER?

GREG CONLEY, POLLUTION BIOLOGIST, TPWD KILLS ANDSPILLS TEAM

Possible cause of death: Harmful algalbloom caused by fertilizer.Clues: An algal bloom was created whensome people fertilized their lawns andrunoff brought those chemicals into a near-by stream. The algal bloom used up the oxy-gen Freddy needed, causing him to suffo-cate. Freddy is red at the base of his fins,and his gills are discolored. Freddy was seengasping for air at the surface just before hedied.

GREG SOUTHARD,AQUATIC ANIMAL HEALTH INSPECTOR, TPWD

Possible cause of death:Freddy swallowed a plasticbag and suffocated.Clues: When Freddy is takento a fish health lab by a TPWD Kills and Spills Team biologist,he’s dissected (cut open). Examination of his stomach con-tents reveals a plastic bag.

Another possible cause of death: Freddy died naturally.Clues: If Freddy was near the end of his natural lifetime andthere are no water quality problems or pathogens (disease-causing organisms), then he probably died naturally.

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For fish, plastic can be a real pain.Become a Plastic Prospector andhelp them out!

• Pick up every single plastic bag you find on theloose. (Recycle them!)

• Grab plastic bottles before they can float down-stream. (Recycle them, too!)

• When you buy sodas, cut up the six-pack holders sothat no loops remain.

• Animals can get caught in even thetiniest loops of six-pack soda hold-ers and plastic bag handles andcan’t get themselves loose. Plastic doesn’t decompose –that means rot – like othertrash does. It definitely does-n’t belong in the water, that’sfor sure! As a PlasticProspector, you can help keep itout and help fish out at thesame time.

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>>KEEPING IT WILD

>>WILD MATH

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1.) Recycle a bottle of dish soap after you use the last of its con-tents. For best results, select a brightly colored, curvy bottle in

blue, red or yellow. Wash the bottle out thoroughly using water and the small end ofa bottle brush. Remove the label from the bottle and use a citrus-based cleaner anda clean cloth to remove any remaining adhesive. Wash the outside of the bottle witha sponge in soapy water.

2.) Cut out a large triangular section from the bottom of the recycled bottle with a craftblade. Set aside the cut-out section. The triangular opening in the bottle will become thefish's mouth.

3.) Cut off the top of the bottle just beyond the slight curve at the top with a pair of scis-sors. The remaining curve will serve as the fish's tail.

4.) Use a craft blade to cut one small slit in the bottom part of the fish's body on one side.Create another, identical slit in the opposite side.

5.) Cut off a triangular plastic piece from each side of the segment from the bottom ofthe bottle. These will be the fish's fins. Cut two tiny notches at the top of the longest pointof each triangle.

6.) Insert the notched ends of the fish's fins into the slots in each side. Hot glue a largewiggle eye on both sides of the fish about two inches above each fin. Display the fish bybalancing it on its fins and tail.

HOW TO MAKE FISH OUT OF ARECYCLED PLASTIC BOTTLE

Spike’s Activity PageSpike’s Activity Page

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Spike’s Activity PageSpike’s Activity Page

NEXT MONTH: Cowboys and Vaqueros

TEACHER RESOURCEVisit www.tpwmagazine.com to downloada printable PDF, access lesson plans, findadditional resources or order copies.

>>WILD ART

WHEN A BUNCH OF FISH TURN UPDEAD AT THE SAME TIME, NATUREDETECTIVES CALL IT A “FISHKILL.”A TPWD Kills and Spills Team inves-tigator needs to know how manytotal fish died in a “fish kill.”

THINGS YOU'LL NEED• RECYCLED DISH SOAP BOTTLE• SCISSORS• CRAFT BLADE• HOT GLUE• WIGGLE EYES

The investigator is studyinga portion of the Trinity River that’s100 feet long. She has divided the 100-footportion into 10 equal sections. Half of the sections have no dead fish.The other half of the sections have seven dead fish in each of them. How many fish does the whole “fish kill” contain altogether?