Creature Feature: Earth, Sea, and Sky
Earth Day, celebrated annually on April 22nd, acknowledges and honors the efforts of individuals and organizations worldwide in safeguarding the environment. Since its inception in 1970, communities globally have continued to mark this occasion by engaging in acts of stewardship, promoting innovative environmental ideas, and sharing delightful nature documentaries with the public. As part of my commitment to recognize this significant event, I aimed to present a Creature Feature aligned with the spirit of Earth Day.
However, this objective posed a challenge: how does one select a creature that symbolizes the essence of Earth Day? After extensive brainstorming, I concluded that not one, but three creatures embody this theme, collectively representing the diverse facets of our planet. Join me as we explore these three remarkable creatures and discover the unique roles they play across the globe.
The Earth's Guardian - Tardigrades
I am excited to showcase one of my favorite animals in this month's Creature Feature! Tardigrades, often referred to as "water bears" or "moss piglets," are microscopic animals characterized by their eight legs and segmented bodies. Despite their minuscule size, tardigrades are ubiquitous, inhabiting every continent on Earth. Whether high up in the Himalayas, deep in the jungles of the Amazon, or even on your home's roof, tardigrades persist. Their diet primarily consists of microscopic plant material and bacteria. Hence, I've dubbed them the Earth's Guardians due to their pervasive presence and adaptability across various environments.
Enhanced photo of a tardigrade on moss. Source: Eye of Science/Science Photo Library.
Collectively, these creatures inhabit diverse environments and possess remarkable abilities that enable them to withstand significant changes in conditions such as temperature, pressure, radiation, and more. Highlighting their extraordinary resilience, an experiment conducted in 2007 tested the viability of tardigrades exposed to the vacuum of space. Despite enduring space conditions and exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun, some tardigrades continued to survive, showcasing their incredible adaptive mechanisms.
The Creature of the Sea - Orca (Orcinus orca)
This marine mammal epitomizes the Creature of the Sea, found in all five of the world’s oceans. Despite the moniker "killer whale," orcas are more closely related to dolphins than whales. As apex predators of the oceans, they prey on a variety of creatures, including invertebrates, fish, birds, and mammals. Orcas employ echolocation, akin to the techniques used by dolphins and bats, to navigate and locate prey underwater. Adults typically measure around 20 feet in length, with males slightly larger than females. Orcas are highly social animals, forming pods consisting of multiple members. These pods, characterized by longevity (with individuals capable of living 60 years or more), often comprise multiple generations, forming intricate family structures.
Visual diagram of an Orca. Source: NOAA Fisheries.
The Creature of the Sky - Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)
Our final representative of the sky is the arctic tern, renowned for its remarkable migrations. These birds breed in the Arctic regions and spend the other half of the year near Antarctica, making them some of the most prodigious migratory creatures on Earth. Depending on their breeding grounds, an arctic tern may traverse at least 25,000 miles in a round trip. During these migrations, they feed on small fish and insects found near the water's surface. Breeding typically commences at around three or four years of age, and arctic terns may live for thirty years or more. Their egg clutches when nesting usually consist of one to three eggs, which incubate for approximately three weeks. Once hatched, chicks may appear in either brown or gray plumage, with siblings from the same clutch occasionally exhibiting different colors.
Arctic tern in flight. Source: Alix d'Entremont/ Macaulay Library ML 249987771.