Non-human Island Pregnancies (Not a theory)
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By ArielleHanso
- Non-human Island Pregnancies (Not a theory)
- Created: Apr 12, 2008
- Last updated: Aug 14, 2008
- After episode: 4.8: Meet Kevin Johnson
- Status: Current
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I’ve recently been rewatching Season 1; in particular, the episode “Outlaws” caught my attention. As Sawyer is searching for the boar that keeps harassing him, he comes across a piglet and proceeds to taunt the boar, etc. You’ve more than likely seen the episode; I know I’ve seen it at least five times.
However, most recently, I came to a realization: boars can reproduce on the island. It got me thinking that if boars can, why exactly can’t humans? There could be dozens of reasons; I’ve read some theories on why island pregnancies fail, but never in light of why other animals’ pregnancies don’t.
This, as you can tell, isn’t at all a theory. It’s more of an observation. I apologize if it has been brought up before or already explained. Any thoughts?
Key episodes
| # | Title | Aired | Central character | Theories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.16 | Outlaws | 2-16-2005 | Jack, Kate, Sawyer | 67 |
I have no clue- but interesting observation! :-)
yeah whats up with that?
That then throws the ‘last chicken’ theory out of the window … except maybe the boars are native to the island? And maybe only any introduced species may have a problem with reproduction. Maybe.
Well, as of yet, there are two things we know: 1. According to Juliet, the problem begins at conception. In the second trimester, the mother’s immune system turns on the fetus. 2. If the mother concieved before coming to the island, she and her baby have a normal chance of survival, as seen with Danielle/Alex and Claire/Aaron. However, both these mothers were in their third trimester, so it leaves some debate as to exactly what happens in the second trimester.
Juliet also said that sperm count is extremely high, which seems like procreation would be more likely. This last bit of information doesn’t seem to add up.
The only thing I can possibly think of is that if you’re born on the island, then you can reproduce. I have absolutely no foundation for this, but it would explain the boars’ capability (if they are all offspring of one or more pregnant boars transported to the island). The only way to prove this would be for Alex to have a successful pregnancy and birth, but I don’t see that happening with Karl being… you know.
This is a very good point. +1
Good point well spotted
yeh good observation
+1 thats a really good point. i have no idea what the answer is, but i like your explantion for it - that if you are born on the island then you can give birth. the only problem with that is why is ben so scared of alex getting pregnant?
maybe the thing with the baby boars happened before darlton had decided that there was gonna be problem with pregnancy. so basically, i don’t think we are gonna get an answer to this question. just another mistake.
Thanks, belle13. The only explanation I can come up with for Ben is that he doesn’t know any births on the island can be successful. As far as we’ve seen, Alex and Aaron are the only two who have been born on the island. And I guess, also, knowing when the problem started—whether it’s always been that way or if the “incedent” had something to do with it, etc.—would be important.
But I do suppose it could be just an error in the storyline, which would be a shame; there could be something interesting there.
Good observation.
Arielle, the point that animals can reproduce sort of, for me, ties in with what else on the Island the animals are exempt from. For example, would any animal ever be susceptible to ‘the sickness’? Do the healing qualities on the Island also effect animals? (Does a boar with a broken back get to walk again!?)
Naturally, if the answer to this is no, then the question is: Why not? I could speculate on a couple of possibilities (animals modified by Dharma, or human consciousness and attunement to the Island being key) but speculation is all it would be.
As always, excellent points, AC.
I recall Locke telling Charlie that “choice was the only thing that separates you [Charlie] from him [the boar],” or something of that nature. I think this was in “The Moth.” Now, I understand he was talking about the ability to follow more than instinct, but obviously it’s not the only difference between them.
I have always have had my own little thoery that the only people/things that can endure a pregnancy on the Island are ones that were meant to. follow me?
rock437, I’m not quite sure exactly what you mean by “meant to.” I’d love to hear more about your idea, though.
I think as stated before it’s a glich in the story line. Because according to the story, “everyone” was killed in the purge except those wearing a gas mask. I doubt polar bears and boars were wearing thier gas mask. Therefore pregnant boars or polar bears must be saved as well.
Excellent observation! As AC pointed out it seems that the the animals on the island should experience some of the other issues the humans experience. My guess is that they do not. I’m basing this on the fact that Sawyer shot that polar bear with what appeared to be a 9 mm Beretta pistol. In the “real world” I could believe that gun could kill a bear if he was shot 6-10 times. On the island with the enhanced strength and healing properties of the island I would think this gun wouldn’t be able to kill a 1,000 pound charging polar bear. This leads me to think that the animals on the island aren’t effected in the same way that humans are.
As far as the reason for the pregnancy problem, what if the issue isn’t with the Mother, but instead it’s caused by a change in the sperm? Perhaps the increase in count isn’t the only way sperm is effected by the island properties. Maybe the increase in strength, health etc. alters the DNA in the sperm in a way that the embryo is perceived as a foreign body as it develops. This might explain why Juliet is having so much trouble finding a cure - she’s focused on the Mother instead of the Father as the cause of the problem.
Jukin, that’s an interesting perspective about the father being the cause of the pregnancy problems. I hadn’t considered that; nicely done.
As you and AC have pointed out, while the animals of the island should experience similar effects, they seem not to. The big question is “Why?” The DHARMA Initiative included zoological studies in their research; perhaps they knew of this anomoly and were studying it. I know genetic modification was one of their goals with the polar bears specifically, but who’s to say it’s the only thing they studied.
I’ve looked up the average life span of a polar bear; according to Wikipedia, it is approximately 25 years. Assuming the bears were freed or otherwise escaped during the Purge (in 1987?), these bears would be no younger than 17 years. I’m assuming they were at least a few years old at the time of being freed, and this would place them around the approximated life expectancy. However, according to Lostpedia, the bears escaped the Hydra and swam to the main island, where they lived and reproduced; if this is the case, perhaps the polar bears we’ve seen thus far are the offspring of the originals. If so, this further adds to the assumption that humans and animals are differently affected by the island. Unfortunately, it doesn’t help to answer “Why?”
I’ll have to do some higher quality research as soon as exams for this week are through.