Mother Crayfish's Maternal Love Shines Even Amid Torrential Floods

Clinging to a Branch, Fighting the Torrent
A Mother Crayfish Protects Her Eight Babies

A mother crayfish struggling in the swollen valley stream

A mother crayfish saved the lives of her eight babies by holding them close to her chest and abdomen and clinging to a slender branch, even as the valley stream turned into a torrent due to heavy rainfall.

In early July, torrential rains caused the water level in the valley at the Hwangtotgil Trail in Gyejoksan, located within Jangdong Forest Park in Daedeok-gu, Daejeon, to swell to ten times its usual volume, creating a rapid current.

The branch on which the mother crayfish depended for her life

Unable to escape in time, the crayfish fought desperately against the rough waters, using her entire body to shield her newborn babies, who could have lost their lives if swept away by the current.

Fortunately, Monk Siyeon, who had come to the area to dip her feet in the stream, witnessed the scene and moved the crayfish to a safe crevice between rocks, allowing these precious lives to continue.

A mother crayfish brooding eight baby crayfish

Monk Siyeon said, "I was deeply moved by the mother crayfish's maternal love as she tried to save her babies," and added, "All life born on Earth, whether human, animal, or even the smallest creatures, is precious."

Monk Siyeon

She continued, "We must truly recognize the value of each and every life. The spirit of altruism?acting for the benefit of others?is the same in both Jesus and Buddha," emphasizing, "Let us love our neighbors and live by sharing with others."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.