In spite of what man has done to the Everglades, nature has found a way to survive. Water is the Everglades’ blood. With water comes life, creating an ongoing cycle of life: birds and reptiles mating, nesting, hatching, nurturing babies, surviving. Babies are the most innocent and interesting creatures to watch. Wading birds care for their eggs and babies assiduously as do mother alligators. Sea turtles lay their eggs, return to the sea and never see their offspring. Humans are said to be special because we have an opposable thumb. Birds have no hands, much less thumbs. Can you imagine building a nest with your feet and bill? Making it secure so your babies don’t fall out? Turning the eggs with your bill? They do all that, and they do it well. They also have to catch enough fish to feed their ravenous babies who grow quickly. Alligators are caring, patient mothers. From the moment she builds a circular mound for her nest out of vegetation, layers it with eggs and vegetation, and waits for the sun to bake the eggs, she never ventures out of eyesight of the nest. When they’re ready, she removes the top of the nest. Then she takes each egg in her mouth and cracks it so the babies can get out. If there’s a drought she will have to carry each egg to water so they can hydrate before she can open the shells. She is their guardian angel for more than a year.