Alligators to the Rescue- the Dangers of Extinction

Although I love all my cats as if they're my own children, my favorite animals have always been crocodiles and alligators.  I can lie and point to their resiliency, slyness, toughness, and adaptability as an excuse to like these prehistoric creatures so, but the truth is that I just find crocodiles and alligators adorable.  What an animal encyclopedia described as a "menacing grin," I find irresistibly cute.

My nuclear family, who had to deal with my stuffed crocodiles Alvin and Albert and with my heart melting whenever I saw a crocodile or alligator on television or at a zoo, accepted my peculiar love for crocodiles and alligators. During happier times, my wife once won a five-foot stuffed crocodile at Hershey Park and then refused all offers made there for it, having my stepdaughter's then-boyfriend carry it all around the park (I hope that wasn't why he and she broke up...), just to be able to present it to me (I named him Alfonso).  Even during our most emotional disagreements, my wife still showed a soft spot and encouraged me to realize my oft-articulated dream of going into a swamp in the South or to a water hole in Africa and give a real-life alligator or crocodile a hug.  All husbands should be fortunate to have enjoyed such a wife's love.

Because of my love for these adorable reptiles, any news story involving them may pique my interest.  One day, while on the Internet, I came across a feature on a study involving a potential medical advancement involving alligators.  Scientists in Louisiana had observed that alligators, who typically suffer severe cuts while clashing with each other over mates and territory in bacteria-infested swamps, rarely died of infections.  The scientists believed that peptides, fragments of proteins found in alligator blood, helped defend the alligators from infections.

With this hypothesis, the scientists created an alligator serum from the peptides and exposed both it and a human serum to 23 strains of bacteria.  The human serum destroyed eight strains of bacteria.  The alligator serum destroyed all 23 strains, including MRSA, a strain highly-resistant to drugs.  The alligator serum even killed a good part of the HIV virus.

Based on the study, the researchers believed that pills and creams containing these peptides could eventually be marketed.  The products, the story asserted, "would be a boon to patients that need extra help preventing infections, such as diabetes patients with foot ulcers, burn victims, and people suffering from auto-immune diseases."  So, what's the hold up with this wonder drug?  Some typical bureaucratic FDA roadblocks, perhaps? Well, not exactly.  Actually, the alligator serum created is thus far too toxic for human cells.

So, why did I bore you, dear reader, with a self-indulgent tale of my love for crocodiles that spiraled into an optimistic study, leading only to naught?  Because THAT'S HOW SCIENCE ADVANCES! A scientist makes an observation that, in hindsight, seems obvious and develops a hypothesis from it and, through trial-and-error, hints at a panacea that can improve our lives. Eventually, we will learn how to harness the potency of these alligator peptides for practical use.

And, thank God, we have the crocodiles around to make these elementary observations on, but what about the animals and plants now extinct?  The Dodo, Thylacin, Emperor Rat, Chinese River Dolphin, the English Wolf, the Caspian and Javan Tigers, Stellar's Sea Cow, the Quagga- they're all gone.  Last year, the Japanese River Otter became extinct, a development that, in retrospect, will be far more significant than the trivial news items we fuss over.

In 1998, there were 854 animals and 909 plants on the Endangered Species List.  In 2012, those numbers jumped to 2129 and 1821, respectively.  Isn't it conceivable that the habits of animals on this list, such as the Angel Shark, the Javan Rhino, the Geometric Tortoise, and especially the Hainan Gibbon (part of the primate family), can be observed in such a manner as to lead to a medical breakthrough?  More to the point, isn't it conceivable that at least one of the plants on this list may contain a medicinal property that can lead to a cure for cancer, ALS, and other diseases?  Since extinct animals and plants benefit no one, isn't it in our self-interest to keep these creatures around "just-in-case"? *See answers below

So, get involved!  There are many wonderful charitable organizations to which I belong dedicated to promoting conservation efforts and animal welfare, such as the World Wildlife Fund, the National Wildlife Federation, the Nature Conservancy, the Waterkeeper Alliance, and so forth.  If you don't wish to become a member, that's fine, but take the time to at least visit one of their websites and learn about their work.  You will be better for it.

* Yes, Yes, Yes