In times of uncertainty, it’s easy to feel overcome by fear, anxiety and doubt.

The idea of people and policies destroying protections for wildlife and wild places amid a climate crisis is Friends of Animals’ worst nightmare.

One way we’re coping is to look to the animal world—there are so many species who embody the spirit of resilience who can inspire us and be our lifeline. Nature’s fighters remind us that it’s not a time to give up, but to fight harder. Rest assured, we will.

A great example of adaptability is the West African lungfish. They have survived unchanged for so long (nearly 400 million years) that they are sometimes nicknamed “living fossils.”

Like all fish, lungfish have organs known as gills to extract oxygen from water. But lungfish can also extract oxygen from the air using “lungs,” which are modified swim bladders.

This helps them survive droughts—when they bury in mud, they cover themselves with a mucous cocoon and slow their metabolism in a hibernation-like state called estivation. When there’s enough rain to form a pool again, they emerge—up to six years later.

I know what you’re thinking, wouldn’t it be nice to hibernate for the next four years!

Unfortunately, that’s not an option for animal advocates. But overcoming many complex threats is.

Just like ospreys have done. By the mid-1960s, the number of ospreys breeding along the Atlantic coast between New York City and Boston had fallen by 90 percent because of damage to eggs caused by the pesticide DDT and habitat loss. Most other populations in the United States and Canada had declined by half to two-thirds. Since then, they have made a dramatic comeback.

What’s also fascinating, while they often mate for life, they migrate alone. At the end of each nesting season, the family bond breaks as each member of the osprey family departs one by one over a period of weeks. The mother is first to leave, then the chicks set off one at a time and father leaves last. The birds will have no association with each other until the adults hopefully reunite at the nest to breed again the following year.

That gives us hope. And so does the perseverance of salmon, who start their lives in freshwater, migrate to the ocean where they grow, then return home to their natal, or birth, streams to spawn and die.

The journey back to their natal streams is incredibly challenging, not only because of the changes they undergo but also because of the challenges they face returning upstream.

Salmon travel an average of 150 miles from the sea to reach their spawning grounds, and each trip is riddled with physical hurdles that the fish must traverse. Powerful currents make simple progression a test of strength, while geographic features such as waterfalls require feats of athleticism as fish throw themselves skyward, defying gravity in their resolute pursuit of parental duty. Then come the water temperatures, which can fluctuate violently between seasons and geographical locations, adding an additional environmental obstacle to the fish’s journey.

But when they successfully run that gauntlet, the adults lay and fertilize eggs that will hatch into a new generation of salmon.

Another example of true survivors—big horn sheep.

Their hardiness is undeniable as they have adapted to extremes in a variety of environments. They can deftly navigate steep and rugged terrain to avoid predators because of their powerful muscles and unique respiratory system that supports strenuous activity at high altitudes. Bighorns can stand on ledges two inches wide and jump across six-meter gaps between cliffs.

They also have a complex four-part stomach that enables them to eat large portions rapidly before retreating to cliffs or ledges where they can thoroughly rechew and digest their food, safe from predators. The sheep also absorb moisture during this digestive process, enabling them to go for long periods without water.

The last animal that comes to mind may surprise you—the squirrel. It’s easy to take for granted their remarkable talents for survival, communication and adaptation because they are a common sight in our backyards and communities.

There are almost 300 species of squirrels that can glide through the air, outwit rattlesnakes and survive the coldest temperatures of any mammal.

Squirrels are renowned for their speed and agility, allowing them to climb trees nimbly and rapidly jump from branch to branch to evade predators. Further aiding this ability is the squirrels’ sharp claws that help them grip onto tree trunks and branches with remarkable ease, enabling them greater maneuverability.

Squirrels have an intricate language of tail flicks, foot stomps and chirping. These signals help them warn of danger, defend territories and attract mates.

Squirrels are very resourceful. They can collect and store food and build nests to survive prolonged cold weather or food shortages. They can also hibernate, allowing them to sleep through periods of extreme cold and conserve energy.

Perhaps their most intriguing behavior known is food caching, where they bury food items in different locations for future consumption. By spreading out their food supply, squirrels ensure they have enough to sustain themselves when resources are limited. The fox squirrel can remember the location of 9,000 nuts!

But it’s not just tenacity that drives them onward and upward. They fit playtime in too. For example, young squirrels often “play fight” to develop coordination, strength and to simply have fun.

This is an important takeaway—make time to de-stress.

I think the best way to recharge is by reconnecting with nature, whether it’s a walk in the woods or a local nature preserve. Wildlife watching helps me to be present and find calmness in mind, body and spirit.

Don’t forget to watch the squirrels in your backyard a little more closely.

Because they are not just scurrying about aimlessly. They’re fighting to stay alive, and we must, too.

They are outthinking their adversaries and thriving in diverse and challenging environments, overcoming obstacles and bouncing back from setbacks.

And that’s what we need to do to ensure our commitment to protecting wildlife and critical habitat never falters.

Editor-in-Chief; Media/Government Relations Manager Nicole Rivard started working at Friends of Animals in 2013. She brings 28 years of journalism experience to FoA’s Action Line and to the front lines— protesting and documenting atrocities against animals.