Last week, we were watching a show on the abnormal, but fascinating, migratory pattern of a great white shark on the National Geographic Wild channel. Nicole (name after Nicole Kidman!) veered from the typical feeding grounds of Africa, and traveled thousands of miles to arrive in Australia. The scientists following her were not clear of what was driving her thousands of miles away, but were in awe that she not only made it to Australia unscathed, but also made it back to Africa 6 months later.
Apparently scientists track whales and sharks frequently, occasionally finding these odd migratory patterns. BBC just published another story of a humpback whale who traveled a quarter of the earth. "Some exploration helps them to remain adaptable," explained Dr. Stevick. "If animals always returned to exactly the same place to breed, if anything happened to change that environment, they might not be able to adapt, so very occasional exploration could be beneficial for them."
And that is amazing to me. That creation is clearly created for survival. Migratory patterns is only one example of these untaught, ingrained patterns. Another is whale dung. NPR's recent article "Whales Help Fertilize Ocean With Floating Dung" highlights the impact that one species has on another in perpetuating the circle of life. Algae needs nitrogen. Fish eat algae. Fish poop, filled with nitrogen, sinks to the bottom of the ocean. Whales eat at the bottom of the ocean, and poop at the surface. Whale dung, filled with nitrogen, floats and fertilizes the algae, and the circle of life continues.
It is reassuring, or good news if you will, to know that nature has a propensity for life. These natural cycles create balance, but also have the capacity to evolve to adjust to a changing environment. But may we never forget that our footprint makes an impact on this whole earth. Tread lightly.
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