This unique creature is a Male King Eider..I love his strong colors and big eyes. According to WikipediA the King Eiders are large sea ducks who migrate to the arctic tundra to breed in June and July. Adult King Eiders have superior diving skills.
They are a source of fresh meat and are hunted in great numbers in May. They are the most abundant of Arctic Water Fowl. Their productivity is severely curtailed by adverse weather.
On another web site called "King Eiders Arctic Royalty by Paul Dye" it was noted that "King Eiders do not initiate nesting if something about their enclosure or companions do not meet with their approval."
Our Loving Creator has given us many magnificent creatures...yet we humans have misunderstood that gift. The creatures are not here "for us" in the sense of "use as we will"! They were given as a gift of love and as a unique contributor to the Web of Life in which we share life. The balance of life in all of creation is dependent upon each being sharing their gifts for the good of the Whole Family.
We humans are still struggling with finding "balance" in our own lives..for without it we suffer from illness, fatigue, depression, stress and more. Giving without replenishing hurts us all. We need to come to a sense of what is enough for us...
As we have said before, many of the creatures in our family give their lives on a daily basis to feed us...that is their ultimate gift to us.
We abuse that gift when we take from them far more than we need! This can also be said with regard to soil and water. All life is dependent upon balance with time to replenish!
When we honor the need for balance in the lives of all of our family members. We will be richer for it.
