Migrations

[maulkin]

For me, one of the most poignant themes of the Liveship Traders was the migrating serpents' discovery that their destination had been tragically altered and their long years at sea had been for naught. This reminded me of the many real-life animal animal migrations that are stymied by man-made alterations of the landscape. I came across another example this weekend; a migration of toads on the outskirts of my town that was forced to cross a road. Although many of the toads made it across, some had clearly been hit by careless motorists and were dead or dying. Here are a few of my pictures of these beautiful animals.
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[Nuytsia]

Ooh great pics! I love frogs (we don't really tend to call any of them toads in Aussie)
I have on occasion witnessed a similar thing here where hundreds of frogs cross roads, usually during or after heavy rain. Sometimes there are so many you can't avoid them no matter what you do when driving through - it's awful !!!!!
I was amazed how touching the sea serpents were in Liveship Traders. It takes a lot of skill as an author to make the reader care so much about the plight of giant venomous man eating sea serpents!

[wiliamjoan]

Nice pictures maulkin,I have also seen many frogs crossing the road and hitted by the cars.We are also included in this as unknowingly all does this.We can't do anything.Liveship Traders is a world with intelligent, man-eating sea serpents, pirate kings, ship captains, and the very rare vessels called liveships, which are alive, thinking beings who absorb the thoughts and feelings of those who live aboard them.Great book.

[maulkin]

One reason that I was so upset about the toads is that they were crossing a small, private road. Only a few people live up there and no-one could possibly be driving fast (if they intended to survive) so I think that it would be perfectly possible to stop for toads. On busy public roads, the British charity Froglife puts up warning signs and organises "toad patrols" to collect the toads in buckets and transport them across the road to safety (a bit like the humans helping the serpents through shallow water in Dragon Keeper). I have contacted Froglife about my situation but they say that they cannot erect warning signs on private roads. I have asked for some information to be sent to the residents who use the road, hopefully this will encourage them to drive more carefully.

You probably think that we Brits are crazy, staying up at night to help frogs cross roads. I think that we have so little interesting wildlife that we are keen to preserve anything we have!

[Farseer]

You probably think that we Brits are crazy, staying up at night to help frogs cross roads. I think that we have so little interesting wildlife that we are keen to preserve anything we have!

Up here in North Queensland, and other regions of Australia's north, toads of the not-so-good-for-the-native-animals variety (cane toads) are rapidly increasing in population, distribution and damage. Opinions on them differ vastly from person to person and swing in varying degree from protected preservation to destruction at all cost.

As with your serpent analogy, we all perceive and prioritise things differently, particularly life (of either the plant, human or animal variety!), and I think "good on you" for caring enough. I'm admittedly not a huge fan of the cane toad due to the consequences of its introduced presence to our native animals and nor am I what would be called here in Australia 'a greenie' BUT I have been known to pull up on either a main highway or private bush road to set a turtle or echidna onto a safer path!

Imagine where the serpents and dragons would have been without human intervention...the very toads you are fighting to protect could very well be the last of their species! Maybe it is your destiny to ensure their continuation ...you are Maulkin, after all!

ps Needless of popular or unpopular opinion, the cane toad is, and will remain, the much-loved mascot of our state football (Rugby League) team!

[Albertosaurus Rex]

I can't see the pictures.