This brown leaf-life structure turned out to be more than an ordinary leaf. This unusual find startled me but once I jostled it with a leaf, it reached out towards the leaf with it’s narrow mouth. Though not frequently seen on the Santa Fe River, leeches favor habitats like shallow, vegetated areas on the edges of slow-moving rivers, streams and ponds.
Leeches are related to worms in that they both have segmented bodies that can lengthen and contract. They’re carnivorous, can be parasitic or predatory, most do not draw blood. Only a few will latch on to one’s skin. This particular leech does appear to the blood sucking type favored by healers for their anti-coagulant properties. If you have encountered leeches in the Santa Fe or know more about them, please mention it in the comments below. You might like to watch the short video I took demonstrating how I removed it from the bottom of my kayak.
One more reason for ‘feet-up and float.’
Paddle on,
OSFR President Joanne Tremblay
joanne.tremblay@oursantaferiver.org
“Giving Our River A Voice”
