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A Rob that cried wolf
23 Aug 2011
Wolves on Thor Island
The Gray Wolf is an animal that epitomizes the wilderness. Over the past 4 days stuck on Thor various splinter groups have been off exploring the island. With little of the island left to explore the 'wolf hunter', aka Rob offered to take Mark B and I on a guided tour to try and find the elusive wolves once more - we had all seen hundreds of tracks but other than Rob none of us had seen any wildlife here.
Just as we were giving up and had turned around our tour guide spotted a family of wolves playing on the nearby hillside. There they were before our very eyes, a couple of young cubs with an adult.
It's moments like these that turn ordinary days in to extraordinary experiences - hearts pumping and smiles beaming. Yet again we were reminded just how lucky we are to be out here."
Whilst we were all thrilled to see some wolves, this animal stirs contrasting reactions among humans, from persecution to protection. Traditionally, people of the North have not held such polarized views of the wolf. It was a respected animal being associated with shamans. Further these Arctic aboriginal people once believed wolves to be totemic - an ancient ancestor.
" The wolf originally was the most widely distributed land mammal other than the human, living everywhere from about 10o N latitude to the North Pole area. Thus it is well adapted to the extreme conditions! ” Dave Mech
It wasn’t until the medieval period in Europe that man’s view of the wolf changed. Our agriculture encroached into the wilderness and we systemically replaced wolves prey with our domesticated animals. This led to human wolf conflict, with the last English wolf being killed in the early 16 century. This European persecution of wolf spread, as settlers moved across North America, with their eradication of wolves representing an effort to tame the wilderness.
When wolves hunt they are known for waiting and observing, being calculating in their decisions. Maybe some of the wolf’s strategic patience can rub off on us!
Check out Dave Mech's work on the Arctic Gray Wolves
Day Eighteen: Wildlife update
15 Aug 2011
The Crew standing alongside their beloved 'Old Pulteney'
Having finally said goodbye to the 'lunar esk' landscape of Devon Island and made the dash across the channel to Table Island last night we awoke this morning to a blanket of thick fog once again. There's also been a noticeable drop in temperature and with strong northerlies blowing, with our Ice Breaker/Finisterre thermal layers have come out. Even our weather beaten leader has resorted to layering up. Much like so many of the bays we've docked into, this place has its own unique charm. Where others have been stunning in their bleakness this place is actually 'rich' in fauna, at least comparatively so...and there's the obligatory scattering of skulls, bones and even the first hint of Muskox.
With conditions so unfavourable we had little option other than to remain on standby - and as yesterday proved a day in the Arctic is a long time where conditions can change rapidly. Unfortunately the fog never lifted and the boat never moved. So it was a mixture of Whist in the card room (aka Dave and MD's tent) and the occasional bracing trek up the surrounding hills to try and get a glimpse of the channel that lies ahead for our advance on Cornwall Island. Here's hoping tomorrow brings brighter skies allowing the 'dot' to make another burst northwards.
This is a good opportunity to give you an update on the science programme that we're carrying out as part of the expedition. David Mans is i/c of this area and he comments as follows:
"The main study taking place is the water sampling with 8 areas having been assessed so far. The study looks at how the temperature and freshness of the water changes with water depth down to c.100m below mean sea level. So far the samples have been taken in all the major coastal water areas the expedition has passed through, including 4 samples in the Wellington Channel and 2 in the Queens Channel. The lowest recorded temperature so far has been minus 1.43 degrees Celsius. Fresh water at the surface would freeze at zero degrees however the saltiness and depth of the water mean such a low temperature can occur without freezing."
We have been extremely lucky with the amount of wildlife sightings, which have included polar bears, numerous walrus, seals and Beluga whales. All this is evidence of the incredible bio-productivity at this time of year. The water is alive with plankton and shrimp that have multiplied rapidly due to the 24-hour sunlight. Now the thick blanket of ice has been removed for the summer these organisms can flourish for a brief few months before the ice returns. These organisms are supporting the fascinating larger mammals all the way up the food chain. Being able to witness such incredible wildlife untouched by Man in its natural environment is a truly awesome experience."
We'll have another update from David soon but for now it's goodbye from the OPRTTP crew on Table Island in the Canadian Arctic.