Coyote, moose and corpses.

It was another beautiful day here, so Carolyn and I spent the last 3 hours of it walking the property. It was the first time I got the 'insider' look at some places - the shop, some buildings being torn down, some all around great gossip, etc.  After 5 times or more around the property, it was the first good look I got of the moose, well two of them. 

It was along this walk discussing the stone sheep to our left (well, 'hybrids' actually), the mule deer and bison to our right, when out popped something that simply should not be on site. My first Yukon coyote.  The fences along the perimeter of the Preserve have very small squares at the bottom to prevent coyotes from getting through, with larger squares higher up for better visitor viewing.  Problem is, with 'all the snow,' the coyotes can walk right up to the bigger squares and essentially push them open. This guy slid through the fence and was running along the road when I saw him. While most of the animals are pretty big now, this is very bad practice for when the babies start to come in Spring! Ironic that just this morning we were talking about whether I should get my gun license or not.....

That relatively cool experience was followed by something that solidified for me (in case there was any doubt) that I work in an office very different from what I am used to!  As part of our tour, we went into the building that is shop, vet's office/emergency apartment (like, say, when two executive directors are sleeping onsite), and a room being used as a necropsy room. Without going into too much detail, I was surprised twice - once by a deceased ground squirrel and once by a combo of Raven and red squirrel. Ack!!  It is, of course, best scientific practice to do appropriate testing and recording, and Dollar Store plastic tubs work as well as anything to hold things temporarily (in this weather), but, wow!! Surprise!

I'm not sure that anything tomorrow could beat that, but there is a pancake lunch with environment officers and a shopping trip to Staples. Yeah, probably not.

Jesse

A Case of the Crazies

Mike called this a case of the crazies, but I am sure my 'new best friend' was just trying to impress! This was taken on my second day at the Preserve. Along with the caribou (Bou) and the muskox (Jesse) that I have highlighted, it is the only other acclimatized animal on site - and LOVES having an audience!!

What you don't here is me actually ASKING him to impress me. It is after the request that he actually starts playing. Enjoy!!

Number 2

Okay, there's more than just pooping to these videos but it's a pretty crazy coincidence that all the animals had to go as soon as the recording started.  These were taken during our first visit to the Preserve in July 2008.

Another Day

It hardly seems possible that my first week is more than half over. But it is, and tonight in the quiet, quiet of the office, I can't help but to feel a bit lonely. 

It has been a bit of a crazy week, and has careened back and forth from a totally different pace of life (very, very relaxed) to one that I am used to (rushed, lunchless, desk bound).  The work, however, is fantastically interesting, and I am very much looking forward to getting to where I can dive in, do things my way, and get stuff done (more stuff, other stuff, not what is being done very ably now). I am lucky, yet again, to have fantastic staff and I am really looking forward to getting to know them, and their jobs, better. 

I tested making a snowman today (with a lot of snow, why not?). Impossible! Whitehorse really is a near-desert climate and the snow will, in no way, stick together. So I ate it. Haven't done that since childhood, but it all seems so pure here!

While Spring is likely pretty far away - there is just too much snow, it is supposed to warm up for the weekend (yay!), and the days are definitely getting more and more lovely (and long). The pink off the mountains in the morning and evening cannot be beat, so I think that will be today's photo. That and the elk that still very much hates me, but has at least stopped running away when I go for my (near daily) walk-by.

A Crazy First Day

A first day unlike any other. 

With my mind back in Ottawa, I got up very early this morning to be sure I was ready to start the day. Of course, starting the day here means ensuring my bedding is out of my office and my clothes are not strewn anywhere obvious!  I read somewhere that work occurred between 8 and 5, so by 7:30, 7:45-ish I was at my desk eating breakfast. You, know, just in case. 

Soon, it was 8, then it was 9, 9:30, 9:45....I was surely in the right place, but very much alone. It took until about 10 for me to have any company - all of which was legitimate, but nevertheless surprising!

The rest of the morning was relatively relaxed - stories, conversation, questions, catching up - and then, in the blink of an eye, the rest of the afternoon was dedicated to rewriting a $2.5 million proposal to the federal government. Surprise!  Good thing I'd done a bit of homework in advance. I can cruise for 2 years if this gets funded, so cross your fingers everyone!!

Feeling like I was back in Ottawa with all these crazy, last minute expectations, the former Executive Director and I decided to have a working dinner. I had, in the quiet hours of the morning, written some 5 pages of questions.  So off we headed to the gate.....

I perhaps should have mentioned that it snowed all day here today. Not a lot, granted, but constantly. The snow (which is rare and is never salted) is sitting on top of some spectacular ice in places from their giant January melt. As Carolyn and I got to the gate there was a Forrester 'parked' by the keypad and an escort (or something) 'parked' against a snow bank.  About an hour earlier, our program manager had left and, in driving to the key pad slid sideways into it.  She went for help and Danny, the former owner, got his car stuck in a hole on his way into the Preserve!  He went back home for a pick-up (uninsured for added excitement), which arrived moments after we did.  We pulled/pushed/drove his car out of the hole (and I might add into the back of the pick-up) relatively easily, but not so much with the new Forrester.  The craziest series of attempts involving chains, shovels and a jack, led to the pick-up nearly going into a snow bank and eventually the SUV being pulled sideways once before sliding back into the keypad in a whole new place, and then twice for a successful exit. Poor Clare!

After all the excitement, we did manage a bit more.  The Preserve was selected today by the BC government to take ownership of a new male mountain goat.  It will be picked up next week and, assuming everything is good post-quarantine, will lead part of our current population in creating a second pasture (and hopefully some babies)!

Oh, and we did still have a working dinner.  

Best. Day. Ever

What an amazing, amazing day!!  I think I have just taken the best job ever.  So my day started out wicked good when Mike and I were able to chat with video for a really long time!! Yay!!  I took him for a tour of my new digs, I chatted with - and got resoundingly shunned by - Maui, and we each learned the ins and outs of video conferencing (keep your nose pointed down!).  It was great. 

But THEN, I went for a walk around the Preserve. It was another beautiful, sunny day, so why not right?  I mean, as interesting as the strategic plan was....

So the vet, Maria, was onsite with some guests. It turns out that a few of the animals, based on their personal circumstances are more friendly towards humans and I totally pet an muskox!!!  And a caribou!!!! And a thin horned sheep, who also put on a bit of a show for me.

 I also met Danny, the original owner.  He built this place with his own hands, and sold it to the territorial government, I discovered, over the more lucrative monastery from Japan, so that kids can enjoy it. Nobody may run this place like he would like :-), but I really hope to get him on my side. 

Enjoy the photos!! I will upload the video as soon as I figure out how :-)