OUR WORLD | NATIONAL AQUARIUM | DONNE TEMPO
Our World, Our Future – Our Choice
By Cyndi "Paxton" JohnsonOur lives are so cluttered these days. We rush between errands and obligations until everything blurs together. The moments are lost to the years. We lose sight of the simple things: a walk in the woods, a singing frog, and the sun sinking below the watery horizon.
It’s time to reconnect with the earth and her magnificent creatures.
I recall a trip – decades ago – when I stood watching a small yellow fish determinedly digging a hole. The fish would bury himself in his project, only the tailfin emerging, then pop up and spit out yet another grain of sand.
This year the sub artic puffins captured our imagination with their comical antics. One Atlantic Puffin was very proud of his catch – two dangling fishes. He stood on a rock, shaking his feathers in a “Look at me – aren’t I WONDERFUL???” manner until he attracted the attention of a Black Guillemot. The puffin dove into the water – these birds actually fly underwater – it’s incredible – with the guillemot in quick pursuit.
The puffin would emerge to preen on a rocky surface, fishes dangling, until he noticed the cat-like approach of the guillemot – then the chase was on again! At one point we noticed that there were now THREE dangling fishes! What a feat! No wonder the puffin walked so proudly and twitched his tail feathers with such elegance! T
He turned, presenting us with a lovely view of his feathered derrière, then pooped on the remaining fish before diving back into the cool water!
The birds were not the only attraction, however. We were fortunate enough to arrive when divers were emerging from the stingray tank – and they were delighted to answer our questions. The aquarium boasts an impressive assortment of volunteer divers – folks who graciously donate some of their time and talents to commune with creatures of the deep.
Dr. Brent Garry, a Volcanologist with the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, has been a regular at the aquarium for the last year. “We hand-feed each sting-ray and our rescued Green Sea Turtle, Calypso!”
The huge turtle also seems to like being hugged!
Jackie Sheppard, another volunteer diver, is a pharmacist with Children’s Hospital. She told us that the aquarium has an active stingray breeding program, and that they look like folded up pancakes when they are born! These gentle creatures seem to have a special bond with their human friends – just look at that smile!
Smiles were abundant at the ever popular dolphin show, as well! Our children gleefully settled into “The Splash Zone” while we ….more mature folks… climbed the steps to safety! The skill and agility of the bottle-nosed dolphins can leave you breathless and I’m always left with the overwhelming desire to swim with these amazing mammals – just once in my
The amphibian exhibits are of particular global importance these days. Apparently, while I’ve been struggling to teach my children their multiplication tables, the frogs of the world have been struggling for survival – and losing.
In addition to their important role in “the circle of life” these frogs offer many, many opportunities for medical and scientific progress. For example, the permeable skin of some amphibians shows a remarkable capacity to completely inhibit HIV infection!
Frog toxins have been used to treat bacterial and viral infections, heart ailments, skin and colon cancer, Alzheimer’s Disease and depression. The fast spreading fungus is not only endangering the frogs’ survival – it threatens our own.
Scientists have been unable to control the spread of the infection that is wiping out entire species of frogs. They believe the only solution is to rescue as many frogs as possible, breed them, then release them back into the wild when the fungus has run its course. This takes time, money – and people willing to help.
But the alternative – losing half of the world’s amphibians – is terrifying.
So….it’s time to jump off our treadmill of errands and make our planet a priority. Visit the aquarium, learn about daily conservation efforts, sponsor an animal, and volunteer your time. Let’s all learn about the miracles that surround us – and what they need to continue. What better gift to give our children than a recovering planet?
It’s our world, our future – and our choice!
Photos by John K. Johnson www.JohnsonPixels.com