Apologies that I am late with this post...but I'm home now, so transmission from now on should be normal (if I am ever normal!).
This is just a random post while I get myself organised to life again...
Yesterday Mr E and I were walking down to the beach when he spied a Water Dragon sitting on the edge of the path looking rather worse for wear. I took some pics (yes, it will be available on Wednesday!) and then he moved a piece of grass away because I wondered if the poor thing was alive. It didn't move, but then there was a ripple through its body and an egg dropped into the small hole in the sand it was lying over.
Some people came along with kids, men I think and their kids, and were ogling the water dragon. The young boy went to touch it when the father noticed another egg being laid. Suddenly he acted, "No, don't touch it, it's laying eggs." So we all stood and watched a little longer before moving on.
I think lizards are like turtles and go into a kind of torpor (drug induced relaxed state in order to expel humungous eggs from its body!) during egg laying, which is why I thought the lizard may have been dead.
And this had me thinking...the lizard was completely vulnerable at this stage, and the man stopped his son touching it because of this vulnerability. They way he said it, I imagine if the lizard was not in this predicament, the son may have been encouraged to touch it.
So, do we as humans have respect for vulnerability? Or do we have respect for procreation?
In Australia, we've had a lot of alcohol-fuelled violence on our streets, and the victims are often young men of smallish stature and not heavily tattooed (as my general observation, no data exists for this), which makes me believe vulnerability isn't respected. But I digress.
Anyway, when we were almost on the beach, the young boy touched my arm and said, "Did you see the lizard?" I admitted it was Mr E. Then he said, "Thank you, it was cool to see."
And my faith in humanity was restored by this young boy's thanks.
Happy New Year Phallic Friends!
Like Germaine Greer, I never liked the Crocodile Hunter or Steve Irwin because I didn't believe he treated animals respectfully. How lucky you were to witness a lizard birth, my phallic friend!
ReplyDeleteYes, I felt very lucky and privledged to be there.
DeleteI was always in two minds about the Croc Hunter. I understand the lack of respect comment, but he brought knowledge to people who would never have been interested in animals without him.
Cate xo