Page 49 - Devotion Among Animals Revealing the Work of God

Selfless Devotion of Creatures Within the Family

the safety of their eggs and young. Next, they'd need to locate the most
suitable place for their nests, since no creature builds its nest just any-
where.
Building materials used in the nest's construction are carefully se-
lected from those available in the environment. For example, water
birds build nests from plant matter that will float, in case of unexpected
flooding. Birds living among reeds, on the other hand, make their nests
wide and deep, to prevent their eggs from falling out when the reeds
bend in the wind. Birds inhabiting deserts build their nests atop of
o
o
shrubs and cacti, where the temperature is 10 C (50 F) lower than on
o
o
ground level, where the oven-like 45 C (113 F) heat would kill the
young birds in a very short time.
Choosing the right location for a nest requires knowledge as well
as intelligence. An animal cannot foresee the risks of flooding, or the
danger that high temperatures pose
for young birds—much less how to
prevent their adverse effects. We are
faced, then, with a paradox: On the
one hand, animals of little intelli-
gence and no knowledge and, on the
other, behavior that is conscious, in-
telligent and knowledgeable. God is
the owner of consciousness, intelli-
gence, and knowledge; and ex-
presses these qualities in His perfect
creations.
The healthy survival of their
offspring is vitally important for all

Penduline tits build bottle-shaped nests,
putting in a lot of effort and using a vari-
ety of materials to build the nest, which
hangs from a branch.

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