project 1

Dear Generation of 2099,

    Have you ever grown an attachment to one of Earth’s various creatures? Whether it be taking care of a domestic animal such as a cat or dog, or a butterfly landing on your shoulder, I hope you’ve been able to make this connection. The news of climate change brings me anxiety as the changes it would bring to this world would be catastrophic for these animals. Watching how wildlife grows and adapts is an extremely vital part of life for humankind. It can teach us all kinds of things - how society can change with one little discovery, how we can recover from a detrimental change in our environment, or how our body chemistry works. There’s many philosophical and scientific benefits from being able to observe how different kinds of animals behave in their habitats, and I trust the generations to come have kept this knowledge. With saying that, as of recent I’ve kept two bearded dragons - a species that can grow up to 4,000 times its size from birth - and observing their growth has reminded me of these principles.
    With domestication of animals comes many hurdles. One would say that animals would be better off in the wild - but if you provide a good habitat, good nutrition, and are knowledgeable about the species - then it can be a very pleasant experience. With that being said, commercialized breeding can be either a good thing, or, in most cases, a very hazardous thing for these animals. With bearded dragons in particular, many of them are housed in small enclosures at pet stores, with 5 or 6 in each. It makes me worried for the future of the species - I hope that by your time things have changed for the better. One example of this had blown up in my face - in November of this year, I got a young bearded dragon from a nearby Petsmart. Without my knowledge, he had a case of what’s called atadenovirus. The young bearded dragon, who’s name was Dudley, most likely contracted it from one of the others in his enclosure at the pet store. Atadenovirus is an extremely scary disease - young bearded dragons with this condition are not expected to live past 3 months. They spend their short lifespan losing weight, extremely lethargic, and without appetites. This is caused by a weakened immune system - which makes the bearded dragon much more susceptible to parasites. As of right now, there’s no cure for atadenovirus - hopefully by the time you’re reading this a cure has been found - and the poor bearded dragon will most likely end up passing away. This was the case with Dudley. He passed at the end of December, so I only got to be with him for a very short time. It made me realize how dangerous domestication of animals can be when done improperly, and in most cases it seems to be done improperly and lazily when it is done for profit. I’m hoping by 2099 worthwhile regulations have been made to protect these wonderful animals, and that big pet stores have cleaned up their act.
                   

Dudley relaxing on a stick, under his heat lamp. He’s doing what’s called “gaping” in which they release excess heat through their mouths, pretty much the equivalent of sweating. They do this when they’re kept at the right temperatures.

    To contrast the previous paragraph, watching the growth of an animal, especially seeing it transition from a tiny baby into a large adult - is a very interesting and beautiful process. A few weeks after Dudley passed, I decided I’d get another bearded dragon. The one I got was tiny, she couldn’t have been more than a month old. When I brought her home and put her in her tank, Kyuss (I named her after one of my favorite bands) immediately devoured the lettuce I put in there with enthusiasm. She seemed to be a bit skittish, but that’s expected. I would be skittish too if my environment changed drastically like that. About a week later she was a bit bigger. Then a week after that, even bigger. She had started shedding, which means their bodies are growing healthily and properly. She ended up getting her shed skin all over the tank to the point I had to use a vacuum cleaner to get it all out. It’s all been a very exciting experience - an experience I wish I could have experienced with Dudley - and I think it’s taught me a lot about humility and responsibility in ways I don’t think I would’ve learned otherwise. I urge you to raise an animal if you have the resources for it - it’s a very, very pleasant experience watching them grow.
 

     Kyuss when I first brought her home:                                          2 weeks after: 

    In my view, if more people took the time to raise and appreciate the growth process of animals, we would be able to live in better harmony with wildlife. Viewing these animals as more than just cosmetic objects is a very essential step that society needs to take, and I hope by your time that step has been taken. Animals shouldn’t have to suffer because of things like incompetence in commercialized breeding. Some things may be out of our control, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have to take the time and care for animals that depend on us. Experiencing this bond, and taking the time to strengthen this bond, may help you discover things about yourself. Taking care of animals can be a very introspective experience and I hope that experience is still available for you in the year 2099.
                               
 

Sincerely,
Liam Flynn