Page 68 - Magnificence Everywhere

THE MIGRATION OF SPINY LOBSTERS
Have you ever wondered how creatures that migrate every year to regions
which lie thousands of kilometers away can manage such a thing? A host of ques-

tions immediately come to mind: How can they so precisely compute the distance
they have to travel and store just enough food to last the long journey? Why don't
they get confused what route to take? How do they know that the weather condi-
tions at their destination will be better? How can they find their way even when
they have never been there before? Such questions, and many others, inevitably hit
upon an obvious fact.
It is plainly impossible for migratory animals to attain information about places

they have never visited by means of their own consciousness and will, to do com-
putations and to move collectively in accordance with these computations. This sit-
uation reveals that whatever they do is "inspired," and that these creatures are
conducted by a superior being. These migrating animals find their way, understand
how to conserve energy and glean all other necessary information due solely to in-
spiration from Allah.
As an example of migratory animals, we may cite the spiny lobster. Let's see
how these creatures achieve the impossible. Spiny lobsters live among the coral
reefs of tropical and temperate waters. When autumn comes, they leave the caverns

of coral reef and gather in large groups under the sea. They form a column, ranging
in number from several to over a hundred, with each animal lining up behind the
other, with his antennae touching the tail of the animal ahead. There are important
reasons behind lobsters moving together in this manner. First of all, travelling in
lines reduces the drag effect of the water, enabling them to consume less energy and
move faster. It also gives them protection as they venture across the open plains of
sand, where there are no hiding places. When the lobsters are attacked by a preda-

tor, they break the line and form circles, pincers outwards, to protect themselves. 19
Magnificence Everywhere back to the sea by the currents, finally setting on the bottom. The cycle repeats itself
Adults lay their eggs on the coral reefs off the coast. The larvae, are then carried

as the young ones grow and reach maturity and begin to migrate back towards the
spawning grounds.

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