What started as a semester abroad turned into a tradition 🧡 Eric Walsh (sfs_tanzania, Fall '14) has been carrying a Tanzanian flag with him to every reunion since graduation. Each signature added is a step closer to his dream: returning to Moyo Hill, where he watched his last sunrise with his cohort, and bringing the flag full circle. From shared sunrises in the Serengeti to storytelling through wildlife media, Eric’s journey is a powerful reminder that the SFS experience doesn’t end when the semester does! Read the full blog post: http://fieldstudies.org/blog/reuniting-with-tanzania-eric-walshs-reunion-flag-keeps-the-spirit-alive/ (fb)

🐟 Fish use tools too? New research says yes, and in more species than we thought! A newly published study in Coral Reefs co-authored by Dr. O’Brien of the School for Field Studies Turks and Caicos reveals tool use in wrasse fish, who crack open hard-shelled prey using rocks and coral "anvils." This is the first documented evidence of this behavior in several Halichoeres species, and the first video evidence for two of them. All were observed in the western Atlantic, including right here at our Center for Marine Resources Studies in South Caicos. The study highlights how wrasses show remarkable flexibility in their tool use, switching between different types of tools and prey, and using both sides of their bodies, a contrast to many other tool-using animals. This research expands our understanding of fish intelligence and challenges assumptions that tool use is limited to primates and birds. 📄 Read the paper: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00338-025-02633-w 🎥 Watch the behavior in action: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEGR7FN3Lr-54JaQ3gURVCkGsvQ_mXwkH (Photos by Sergio Floeter and C.E. O’Brien) (fb)