A Field Guide to Mermaids by Emily B. Martin

Author:Emily B. Martin [Martin, Emily B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

FREEZING WETLAND MERMAIDS

Prairie Potholes, SD

Mermaids in rivers or lakes have options for survival when winter freezes hit, but what do mermaids in wetlands do? Some, perhaps, can migrate or shelter in deep water, but some only have access to shallow pools and wet meadows. In the Prairie Pothole Region of the Dakotas, for example, there are thousands of glacier-carved ponds, but they’re often surrounded by wide grasslands. What do mermaids do when these freeze over?

Something amazing, it turns out. Mermaids in these freezing wetlands have adapted with the incredible ability to freeze solid but not die. When winter comes, much like their estivating cousins in floodplain forests, they settle down under some nice mud and let their bodies freeze. Their heartbeats and breathing slow and then stop, and ice forms in their blood and around their internal organs. While this would kill most animals, their bodies produce high amounts of sugar that acts as a kind of “antifreeze” for their cells, keeping them alive. As spring arrives, they thaw and head back out into their favorite pools, good as new.

CREATURE FEATURE

Wood Frogs—These incredible frogs are masters of cold environments and are the only frog found above the Arctic Circle. When frozen, they appear like rock-solid, frog-shaped statues. In the coldest parts of their range, they can survive temperatures as low as -50 degrees Fahrenheit and can freeze for up to eight months!

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