BartonSpringsSalamander_Value_Dries_Laurie_MooresburgTN_26October2023_Reel4178.mp3

Laurie Dries [00:00:00] For the folks who are still asking themselves, or me, "Well, what's the point? I mean, what's the value of this? Come on. These salamanders .. there are salamanders everywhere. Who cares if there's a bunch of different species, you know? I mean, it's fine. Why do you care?"

Laurie Dries [00:00:21] I think it's worthwhile to consider that this particular species, that its value to humans is still expanding and we still don't even really know.

Laurie Dries [00:00:32] Like it's more than the value of the wonder of their existence: it's great. And that their soul, or their utility as a creature, as a canary in the coal mine, as a creature that can tell you there's something toxic in the water...

Laurie Dries [00:00:47] But that there are still things about their biology that could be so helpful to humans that we haven't even fully explored yet.

Laurie Dries [00:00:56] They have antibiotic properties in the mucus on their skin. It doesn't disappear in water. Like, imagine that, that you could just put something on that's an antibiotic and you can get in the water and it doesn't wash off. That could be useful.

Laurie Dries [00:01:15] Their toes and their tails regenerate, bones and all. Now if we can figure out how that happens, there are some people without fingers that would be really happy to regenerate them.

Laurie Dries [00:01:28] There's just value that's undiscovered.

Laurie Dries [00:01:32] And I would hope that people would be willing to consider that.