Home is Sinking - a Story about Disappearing Saltmarshes

Home is Sinking

A Story about Disappearing Saltmarshes

By Sofie Neudecker

My name is Raffaele and I am a rat living on a saltmarsh in the lagoon of Venice. I love my home, because the plants which are growing here are very peculiar and perfectly adapted to their extraordinary environment. They are so special because they can grow on saltmarshes only and nowhere else.

Unfortunately, the water levels in the lagoon are rising and therefore endangering my beautiful home.

One day, I woke up and almost my entire home was set under water. Only the small heap of sand onto which I have spent the night was left. All the pretty plants have disappeared, I could see nothing but water all around me.

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Suddenly, a large seagull appeared on the sky in front of me. I felt very scared and was afraid that it was planning to eat me. What could I do? I had no place to hide. The giant bird came closer and closer.

“Don’t be afraid, I am not here to eat you. I’m Ernesto and I’m a vegetarian. When I saw you, I felt really sorry. Your entire home has disappeared over night. I really liked staying on this saltmarsh, too. Now I don’t know where to go, either. “

Aa

! ! ! ah

“Why are so many saltmarshes suddenly disappearing?”, I asked the seagull Ernesto.

“Because of climate change, water levels are generally rising.”, he replied. “But tourism which makes many ships arrive in the lagoon, is also havily impacting our sensitive environment.”

“But maybe we will be lucky and find another saltmarsh which has still survived despite all those problems. Come on and climb onto my head. Let’s look for a new home together!”

We were flying around the lagoon in circles and circles for many hours, but we couldn’t find any other saltmarsh. All we could see were large cruise ships with many tourists on them spread across the water surface. Ernesto, who has already been flying around for many hours, started to feel more and more tired.

Suddenly, he flew against something heavy and metallic.

n e P

! ! g!

It was the chimney of a gigantic cruise ship.

! ! ! g n Pe

A lot of seagulls in the air, who have heard the sound, started to fly closer towards us: “Are you ok, Ernesto?”, they asked.

“What has happened to you?” At the same time, I noticed a lot of other rats on the deck of the ship coming closer to us. They also asked about our wellbeing and told us that they have lost their homes, as well.

Now, they were seeking refuge over here.

After a while, Ernesto started to feel better and climbed onto the chimney he has hit before. Then, he started his speech: “Dear animals of the lagoon”, he said. “Human disturbances have caused rising water levels. Cruise ships, which bring in too many tourists and emit too much CO2, have ruined the lagoon and the city of Venice. We should start to make our voices heard, we should start to protest. Let’s make the cruise ships leave again!”

Cra ck

After he spoke, all of us started to make horribly loud sounds.

Most of the tourists and the captains of the ships had to put their hands over their ears. All of the rats started biting them into their toes. At the same time, all of the seagulls started to shit onto their heads. It only took us ten minutes and all of the cruise ships started to change their direction in order to leave the lagoon.

h s a l S

Juhu u!!!

Each seagull took a few rats from the decks of the leaving ships, we were all flying around in the air happily tor the entire night to celebrate our huge success.

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y y a a Y

Jippi e!!!

In the morning, one saltmarsh has already reappeared. We all sat down there to have a break and enjoy the sun.

As time passed by, more and more saltmarshes reappeared and more plants started to grow again.

Our natural habitat was saved again. Together with Ernesto I moved back onto my old saltmarsh which looked even more beautiful and green than it did before. Finally, I felt happy, safe and at home.