This Week at Liberty

Recently I was re-introduced to a beaky little fellow, the painted turtle. Okay, it wasn’t the first time I have seen one…in fact, these little species of turtle represented one of the first pets I ever owned. I am somewhat indebted to them as they taught me a lot about what to do and not do with an exotic pet found at the pet shop. Of course, I begged and pled until one was purchased for me…and unfortunately, sacrificed unknowingly, to ignorant and insufficient care. I have some bad karma in the animal world which I am trying desperately to work off. My painted turtles died before their time. It was undoubtedly my fault.

This was brought home to me when a clip about the most northern painted turtle was sent to me by someone who knows of my fascination with animal adaptations to withstand the torrents of weather’s demands. In the clip from a BBC program there is an introduction to the painted turtle, the most widespread turtle found around our world, all very different in their needs to adapt to the harshness of the climate they live in.

Frozen in Time
During the cold winters of the northern part of the continent soon after they hatch in the late summer, in preparation for the frozen winters, they dig into the mud at the bottom of the local pond and begin hibernating for months. Then in spring when the snow melts, it frees them from the suspended animation that they have existed in. Okay, that might not impress you, but I am holding back some important information. As they do this, their systems slow down to the point where their hearts stop beating; clearly the lungs aren’t pumping. Their cheeky little beaky faces are stilled, eyes closed, legs suspended as if they died on the scene…with no signs of life…little frozen turtle popsicles…with barely a brain wave functioning…barely… but there.

When the ice and snow begin to melt, a miracle happens. A leg stirs, an eye blinks slowly open, the head pokes out of the carapace and the signs of life stir. The little painted turtle hatched shortly before, who went into icy slumber until the first of spring appears, now pulls itself up, emerges from the once frozen pond and lumbers back into the real world sooner than other species, to feast on the bounties provided by the forest. How do they do it? Students of biomimicry should look closely at this adaptation. I am fascinated.

A Desert Adaptation
In our own hostile desert environments, the hot, dry summers provide similar challenges for the spadefoot toad (which is really a frog). Spadefoots have developed their own form of adaptation that demands that they dig their ways in to an underground sanctuary to await the pitter patter of monsoon rains signaling to them that it is time to get on with the business of mating and spawning new spadefoots…and the time is limited to the length of the period that water stays in the pool. The life cycle from tad pole to spadefoot frog is shortened to a few days in order to successfully continue the species. An amazing adaptation to the harsh conditions, and short-lived wetness after a rare desert storm.

A Call to Care and to Adapt Ourselves
In both of these cases it is easy to see how hard survival could be; how important that the natural world continue its normal patterns, and continue to provide the things necessary to these fragile threads of existence.

It is dependent on us to do whatever we can to ensure that these adaptations continue to work for these species. And coincidentally, for all of the other species that depend on them to fulfill the role they play in our connected world.

We might start thinking about what adaptations we need to work toward to ensure our own existence…not sure what that is…but it is a thought! Are we clever enough to know when to shut down and wait for things to change in our favor or are we not?

My apologies to all of the little creatures sent to me over the years to satisfy my awe of nature…so many did not get the opportunity to realize their purpose. But they did provide inspiration. And now, I am trying to make amends and to un-tarnish my karma. My complete awe of the natural world has inspired me to pass on as much as I can to anyone who will hold still long enough to listen. Thanks for reading/listening to the end!