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CROCODOPOLIS world of crocodilians TM SCIENCE · CULTURE · INDUSTRY · NEWS · COMMUNICATION · CONSERVATION
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FEATURES profiles
February 8, 2007
Ralf Sommerlad,
Der Krokodilfachmann (continued)
THE
MYSTERY. Why
is he so passionately interested in crocodilians? He
paused his movement at the question, and darted his eyes upward and to
the side, as if petitioning his brain’s left hemisphere for an
expected logical response. Usually he can compose an answer quickly, but
this time, turning face-front in one crisp movement, his eyes went blank
in obvious resignation. “I
don’t know.” Long
pause. “I
don’t have a good answer. I was always fascinated by them.
Crocodilians survived for 200 million years, which is absolutely
amazing. And if an animal is able to survive such a long time – all
these changes in the world, catastrophic stuff and what else – they
are very, very special. Much more special than any other animal in the
world.” There
was a look of disappointment on him, as if he felt there should be a
better answer coming from a man who admits to an addiction to
crocodilian interest, who has great difficulty passing a day without
some form of contact with them, whose concern for the animals’
conservation strikes at his emotions. For a man who has spent the bulk
of his life studying crocodylia, such a loss for a deeper explanation
might seem startling. There is obviously something far deeper in this
interest, this Mystery of his, this governing belief, that it could
motivate the man’s energy so intensely and for so long - not only
Sommerlad’s, but also that of many a crocodilian specialist. His
equivocation is innocent. Perhaps he is at a loss for an explanation to
match his passion, because his logical, scientific mind, though fueled by The
Mystery, is not made for such expression. The Faiths of the world have for millennia inspired passion and provoked awe by means of a great spiritual enigma. For the devout worshipper in a formal religion, to unlock the mysteries of the Divine would diminish His grace, killing high poetry by trying to explaining it. Perhaps if The Mystery of this scientist’s motivation were revealed, its power for his own form of spirit would vanish. Sommerlad has seemed to resign from further exploration of it, projecting his scientific inquisitiveness outward for concrete results, instead, his best expression of the depth of his passion. The Mystery is far better left unexplained.
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