Issue 05 April-May/2006

creaturesall
creaturesall
sharing the planet with our fellow creatures
EVERY TIME A PIECE OF NATURE DISAPPEARS, A PART OF US GOES WITH IT.
Nature is a big part of what it means to be Canadian.And a big part of what makes this country such a great place to live.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada, a national non-profit organization, is working to ensure that our natural heritage
continues to thrive. Since 1962, we’ve helped protect more than 1,400 natural areas. You can help protect hundreds more.
Join the Protectors Club at www.natureconservancy.ca or call 1-877-262-1253
1-800-465-0029.
 Issue 05 April-May/2006

Articles and Inquiries

Bob Fielder
publisher@creaturesall.ca
Editorial
Linda Fielder
editor@creaturesall.ca
Display Ad Inquiries
In This Issue
sales@creaturesall.ca
www.creaturesall.ca
Qimmiq – bloodlines more Canadian than most of us
Graphic Design can claim 8
Bob Fielder
publisher@creaturesall.ca
The Game – a small squeak escapes her lips 10
Saddled with Miracles – to see him on top of that horse,
is to see him on top of the world 16
Printing
grafikom Life Has its Pups and Hounds – a cloud of
Mailing address:
creaturesall
liverspots and floppy ears 25
P.O. Box 126,
Langdon, AB T0J 1X0 Once Upon a Rhyme – I once mistook
403-512-9544 take-out for scat 29
creaturesall is published 6 times per year (February,
April, June, August, October and December) by
1160613 ALBERTA LTD. and distributed freely in
Alberta the first week of the publication month.
Columns
Advertisers and contributors assume responsibility
and liability for the accuracy of their claims and Wagging Tales – stories from a veterinarian’s clinic 11
statements. The opinions and views expressed in
articles do not necessarily reflect those of the
Publisher or advertisers. creaturesall reserves the
Creature Feature – the Calgary Zoo 13
right to refuse any advertising. All submissions will
receive a reply if email address is provided. Taking Down the Fences – A.I.W.C. 15
Writers & Cover Artists may make submissions
by email to: publisher@creaturesall.ca
Copyright 2005 by 1160613 ALBERTA LTD. Novel Suggestions – readers contribute book reviews 18
Cover Artist
Peter Prest Spaces and Species – the Nature Conservancy of Canada 21
Peter Prest is a Calgary
watercolourist. His work
encompasses animal and The Wild File – Canadian Parks and Wilderness 23
human figures and
portraits, landscapes,
urbanscapes and florals.
The Gardening Bug – the Calgary Horticultural Society 27
His paintings have a rich
colour, energy and The Final Word – dancing storks 30
vitality which is proving
to be of interest to a
wide audience.
A published poet and playwright, Peter has been
active in the Alberta art scene for a number of
Departments
years. He is currently a member of the Rose Hip
Gallery Artists Collective, and shows regularly Publisher’s Note 5
with this exciting Virtual Gallery.
www.peterprestart.com
www.rosehipgallery.com
Letters 7
peter.prest@shaw.ca
242-7086 In Passing 19
page3
 Wendy Palmer
Artist
Specializing in Acrylic Wildlife paintings
To view new works and
prints of Wendy’s: A featured artist at Zoo Gala 2005

The Rose Hip Gallery Art Show

(Check website for Art Show date and location)
www.rosehipgallery.com

Avenida Art Gallery

www.avenidagalleries.com

Calgary locations:

Avenida Place
213, 12445 Lake Fraser Drive S.E.
(403) 278-3074
Marketmall
3625 Shaganappi Tr. N.W.
(403) 286-9557

page4

Don’t you just love it when nice
things happen to nice people? Our
creaturesall resident veterinarian,
Dr. Julie Schell, has been named
“A.V.M.A. Young Veterinarian of the
Year!” It was especially gratifying
considering this year marks the
Alta. Veterinary Medical Assoc’s and
the province of Alberta's 100 year
anniversary! They even sent Julie
to a vet conference in Chicago,
where there was an awards banquet
featuring Ian Tyson! Ironic she should
have to go all the way to Chicago
to see Ian Tyson perform when he
lives just a few miles south of
Julie’s Bow Bottom Vet Clinic.
Congratulations Julie!
Speaking of congratulations, for-
give me while I pat myself on the
back for having the good fortune to
announce that creaturesall has
added one more featured columnist
to our pages. This issue welcomes
the Nature Conservancy of Canada
and their Spaces and Species column.
We all hope ours will be a long and
enduring relationship. To learn
more about the role this vital agency
plays in the preservation of our
species and the spaces in which they
live, see their ad on the inside front
cover of this issue and read their
column on page 21. Welcome
aboard!
Sitting at my desk, I can look out
my window and see about 30 ft.
short of forever. Working studiously
the other day, as is my want, my
attention was captured by a quick
blur darting past my window.
Initially mistaking the dark appari-
tion for a single prop Cessna about to
crash land in our yard, I was startled
to see a bald eagle alight atop one of
our larger poplars.
Advertiser and Story Submission Deadline
for Next Issue – May 5th/06
PUBLISHER’S
NOTE
FERRET RESCUE &
EDUCATION SOCIETY
We don’t see many eagles, bald
or otherwise, out our way so I FERRET RESCUE &
deemed the event significant enough
EDUCATION SOCIETY
to draw me away from my work in Adopt, Foster,
order to investigate. Surrender or
Become a Member
The weather has been quite cool
of late and I readily admit to being Call 567-FRES (3737)
miffed at the audacity of the weather riching lives o f f e r re ts"
gods to have seen fit to send abun- "en
www.ferrets.ca
dant amounts of snow to cover our
home and fields this March. Our
balmy January and February has left
my tolerance for the white stuff at an
unusually low level.
Imagine my surprise then, to see
this particular eagle holding a large fat
gopher in his talons as he sought pur-
chase on the uppermost branches. I
raced to find the camera in order to
capture the moment, but in my short
absence saw he had taken off, gopher
and all, for the far reaches of the
south pasture. There he alighted on a
fence post and spent the next hour or
so alternately consuming the rodent
and defending it from magpies.
It seems to me that early March
is far too soon to have gophers run-
ning about, but I am daily witness to
some four to eight of them scamper-
ing over the foot or so of snow
covering the ground. Friends tell me
this is common and that gophers exit
their holes at approximately the same
time every year, snow or no snow. I
guess I just haven’t been paying
attention for the last 30 years.
What was unique in all of this was
having the eagle as a guest at all; if
only for the few minutes he saw fit to
remain and dine on what we as kids
sang out in loud refrain as, “Great
green gobs of greasy, grimy gopher...”
encouraging you to read, then write
Bob & Linda Fielder
page5
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Karen Christensen

403.650.7925
Protecting Their Future and Ours
Certified for Acupressure, Energy Work,
Massage and TTouch
Member of IAAMB, TTeam Guild Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation
946-2361 • www.aiwc.ca
The touch of love for your animal friend Wildlife & Habitat Conservation through Rehabilitation, Education & Research

page6

paw prints and pen scratches
I wanted to let you know that I
first discovered your beautiful
magazine last Fall when you had a
Tiger picture on the front. As I was
leaving Safeway, I passed the stand
of realestate literature, etc. and
your magazine caught my eye. I had
to pick up a copy. Wow, what a well
written, informative and
inspirational magazine you have.
Nicole Ruuska
I thank you for taking the time
to respond to my email. You have a
wonderful magazine there. All the
best to you in the future!
Sincerely,
Carol Burnside
I just wanted to let you know
that I picked up Issue 04 of
creaturesall. I now look forward to
reading this issue from cover to
cover, as I usually do. I think that it
is a wonderful magazine, I wish you
every success with your venture!
Carol Stokes
Thank you so very much for
returning my phone call. I would
like to tell you that the first time
(November 2005) that I was fortu-
nate enough to receive a copy of
creaturesall was from my husband
while I was in the Calgary Hospital.
Again I must tell you that your
magazine warmed my heart over
and over. And for as long as I can
get your magazine I will follow and
read each and every issue. Thank
you again. Please find my attached
mailing address for the 1st 2 issues.
Ellen Young
I finally found a copy of your
latest issue of creaturesall. I was
humbled by the beautiful articles,
artwork, and photographs that filled
the pages.
Warmest regards,
Lynn Lederhos
h?
LETTERS
H u
Just got the February-March
2006 issue of creaturesall from the
''free rack'' at the Shaganappi
Library.
It just gets better and better!
Please keep up the great work.
Sincerely,
Thérèse Caron
I wanted to send this along to
you. It documents a conversation I
had with my daughter regarding a
cabin we are purchasing. It was
another part of what appealed to
me about your Issue 3 - as that
contained the article about the
porcupine at the zoo, including a bit
about their quills.
My young daughter and I were
chatting about the woods around
the lake where we'll be spending AHSCA is the provincial
time soon and she prudently organization representing
wanted to know if there were any the interests of parents in
bears there. education issues.
And I said no, there are almost
never any bears there anymore. A non-profit association,
Plenty of deer, the occasional parents are members
moose, lots of squirrels and through their school
probably a fair share of porcupines.
councils.
“Porcupines!” she said. “I don't
like porcupines.” Presenting a unified voice
“Why not?” I asked. “You of parents, AHSCA brings
mostly never see them, and they the parent perspective to
mostly just leave you alone, if you
government and partners
your say...
leave them alone.”
e
in education.
v
ha HSCA today!
“But they shoot their quills at
A
you!” she said. “I don't want to be
oin
close enough for one to shoot its
j
quills at me.”
“No, no,” I said. “Porcupines
don't shoot their quills. That's a
myth.”
“Well are there any Myths in
those woods? I don't want to get hit
by any of their quills, either!”
Gordon Otto
780-454-9867 or
Letters to the editor should be emailed 1-800-661-3470
to editor@creaturesall.ca. with “Letter www.ahsca.ab.ca
to the Editor” as the subject line. parents@ahsca.ab.ca
page7
 Qimmiq, Inuit, Canadian Eskimo
Dog. All refer to one breed, a
majestic northern dog, indigenous
to Canada, with an ancient history
of service and companionship to the
Inuit people. A working dog, intelligent, gen-
tle, and fun loving: a loyal sled dog strong
enough to pull a grown man. On the verge of
extinction in the 1960’s, the Qimmiq’s numbers
y name, Pukajaak, means “sugar-like snow” in
M Inuktitut –the language of my people. I am ten
years old and have learned about my heritage
from my grandfather. I am drawn into the stories of how
the Inuit dog, or “Qimmiq,” became an official symbol of
Nunavut, the most northern territory of Canada. This
proud breed, perfectly adapted to life in a polar
environment, led my people on a journey of hope and
survival. Come, slip on your parka, and see for yourself.
In the year 1964, the time had come to move camp
once again. The polar bears, seals, and caribou
were migrating northward. I helped my
father, mother, and three younger sib-
lings load our tents, tools, and
remaining supplies onto a “qamu-
tik,” or sled. The dog team,
hitched and ready to work,
pulled this heavy load long into
the night. We had to reach our
camp farther north,
’ve found the perfect dog for us,” my husband
I announced. Thinking that the next words that
would spring from his lips would be Lab,
Wheaton or even Schnauzer; breeds that I have
always loved, it took a second for my ear to
register the word that followed, “Qimmiq”
Before I could respond that I had never heard
of this breed, he launched into an enthusiastic description
of a majestic northern dog, indigenous to Canada, a sled
dog with incredible strength and endurance… he added at
the end of his campaign speech, “this dog lives outside all
year round.” That conversation, four and half years ago,
resulted in our bringing home an 8 week old purebred
female Canadian Eskimo Dog puppy which we named Atii,
(Inuit for Let’s Go). Our commitment to choosing Atii and
raising her came with an added responsibility of breeding
her. Once again we did our research, and through artifi-
cial insemination, Atii gave birth to her first litter, and so
a new journey with our gentle sled dog began.
are making a slow journey back. The
challenges are significant and preserving the
integrity and unique qualities of this breed is a
passionate journey shared by dedicated owners
and breeders. The vision is simple: that this
remarkable breed with blood lines more
Canadian than most of us can claim, will once
more be filling the Canadian north with the
ancient song that only the Qimmiq can sing.
near Igloolik, before the summer season when the ice
would become too thin for safe travel. The dogs would
sense danger and stop to warn us.
When it came to hunting, we had a partnership with
our qimmiqs. They used their keen sense of smell to track
down seals’ breathing holes in the ice and polar bears a
mile or two away. Their howling barks alerted us. We sent
out one or two dogs to keep a polar bear from getting
away. They would bite the bear on the back of the leg
repeatedly, making the bear fall back,
until we arrived.
Dogs hear and respond best to
masters who speak calmly and
Puppy Love
Closing the gate quickly
behind me, my soft hello is
greeted by the sudden mass
movement of four sturdy pup-
pies as they wriggle towards me
as fast as their oversized paws and awkward baby steps
will allow them. Now close to me, the little black and
white girl, abruptly sits, lifts her chin and begins a thin
strident howl. She is immediately joined by her sister and
brothers in a joyful clamorous chorus. It’s the call of the
wild, and these delightful little howlers have the
distinction of being Canada’s indigenous northern dog, the
Canadian Eskimo Dog. Native to the Arctic, the Inuit
called their beloved dog “Qimmiq.”
Distinct in appearance from the more well known
Northern dogs, the Siberian Husky and the Alaskan
Malamute, this majestic breed shares a 1000 to 2000 year
history of being interdependent within the Thule culture
unleash them regularly. I used my dog team everyday,
even in the coldest blizzard and darkest night. Their sense
of hearing and smell allowed them to steer away from a
cliff up ahead or find the way back to camp.
Together, we bravely withstood temperatures well
below -40 degrees. Yet, their lives were snuffed out
instantly while still hitched to the qamutik. Under
orders to “modernize” the Inuit way of life, many
Qimmiqs were killed. Their toughest fight for survival
had only begun.
I sadly watched the use of snowmobiles increase in
the Canadian Arctic. But snowmobiles were no match for
a dog team when darkness and weather conditions made
visibility impossible. My people often say, “Quick trip out,
long walk home,” when referring to the snowmobile which
can break down or run out of fuel.
I also witnessed the devastation of viral diseases, car-
ried by wolves and foxes, among this remarkably healthy
QIMMIQ
breed. Epidemics of distemper, infectious hepatitis, and
rabies have wiped out ninety percent of dogs in a camp.
Like many other Inuit families, I was forced to move into
a nearby established community and never returned to
my camp.
My thoughts drifted back into the cozy room where I
sat with Grandfather.
of the Inuit. Qimmiq was an integral part of nomadic Inuit
life; each full grown dog able to pull 45 to 80 kg, and cover
distances 15 to 70 miles a day. In addition to their
legendary strength, CEDs were amazing hunters; their
keen sense of smell able to locate seal breathing holes,
their ferocity and intelligence able to challenge even the
largest of Arctic game, the bay musk ox and the polar bear.
It is estimated that prior to the arrival of explorers in
the first half of the nineteenth century, there may have
been as many as a hundred thousand of these dogs. The
historical changes in the North however, were no less
painful and devastating for these dogs than for the Inuit.
Technology, specifically the replacement of traditional
sleds by snowmobiles, and diseases introduced by non
native dogs, contributed greatly to the rapid decline of the
Canadian Eskimo Dogs and by the 1960’s the dogs were
on the verge of extinction with less than 200 CEDs left.
In the early 1970’s with the assistance of the
Canadian Government and the Canadian Kennel Club,
two men, Bill Carpenter and John McGrath began the
Canadian Eskimo Dog Research Foundation to save the
CED. In 1999, soon after Nunavut received territorial
status, the Inuit people chose Qimmiq as the animal
He was staring out the window at my dog team. Today, on
Baffin Island, I see much interest in protecting purebred
Inuit dogs - those having a thick double coat, medium size
upright ears and a bushy tail curled over the back. My
Inuit dogs, with their natural pulling instinct, began their
working lives by eight months of age. At six years old, I
began practicing how to use a dog team. I used half-grown
dogs with a smaller qamutik around my community or on
fishing trips nearby. I am careful not to overwork them.
They are part of my family.
An intelligent dog that motivates the team and
responds to the commands of his master is a prized
animal indeed. The Inuit dog is a symbol of enduring
friendship and loyalty for both canines and humans alike.
My ancient ancestors believed that dogs carried messages
from spirits. The following quote, by an unknown author,
is perhaps such a message:
“He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your
dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours,
faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it
to him to be worthy of such devotion.” ca
by Lynn Lederhos
symbol of their territory. The CED has also been
commemorated and honored on a Canadian stamp in
1988 and a fifty cent piece in 1997.
Preserving the purebred CED however, has been an
ongoing challenge with many setbacks due to decreased
biodiversity in a small gene pool that is geographically
spread out over thousands of miles. Today there are just
over 300 registered purebred CEDs in Canada, but
through cooperation of dedicated breeders across the
country, these numbers are gradually increasing. Indeed
the two beautiful little girls in my litter represent an
important link in the breeding of future CEDs.
A gentle, even temperament and maintaining the
unique intellectual and physical qualities of the breed are
the present focus of breeding. While classified as a work-
ing dog best suited to adults, these puppies have a proud
heritage of five generations of dogs that have proved them-
selves to be both a working dog and gentle companion.
Looking down at these delightful little fur balls, pouncing
playfully on one another, it’s easy to forget all the hours
that have gone into caring for this litter. I am filled with
puppy love. ca
by Cindy Homer
 He watches closely,
The
Not making a sound.
A young girl waiting,
Wishing not to be found.
He inches ever closer,
Gameby Michelle O’Connor
He hopes not to be seen.
He wants to make it a surprise,
Of this he’s very keen.
A small squeak escapes her lips,
The smell of her, As he begins to lick her face.
Fills his nose, A big eared, little puppy,
Of a sweetness of youth, With fur as soft as lace.
That simply just goes.
The girl leans back laughing,
His heart starts to pump, Hugging and squeezing him,
He’s ready to make his claim. Rolling around, and playing,
He bends his legs to pounce, Until both of their eyes become dim.
And win this thrilling game.
And there they slept,
Together curled up,
Her mind filled with dreams,
Of her wonderful small pup.

Out of the shadows he leaps, Their love for each other,

She did not even know, Each cuddle they lend,
Until he was right beside her, Creates a connection,
A distance shorter than a toe. a puppy and his best friend.

. the very best

in care for you
and your pets.

Debra Howe is an Animal Health Technologist with

several years experience in clinical pet care. She is a graduate
of both the Animal Health Technology and Fish & Wildlife Programs.

Phone: (403)569-9474 • Cellular: (403)807-3702 • Fax: (403)204-7593

Email: owner@dhpetcare.com www.dhpetcare.com
Once Christopher ruled the roost.
GRAPHIC DESIGN
But he’s seen his rule reduced , • LOGO DESIGN
• COPYWRITING
• BROCHURES
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• NEWSLETTERS
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(403) 245-4386 • www.mandaleaf.com

page10

We l l . . .
“ she was
walking
just fine yes-
terday Doc, and then today she
slipped and is not putting weight on
her hind leg!” This is an all too
familiar phrase I hear at my hospital.
When I first met Calli, the Cocker
Spaniel, I noticed that she had grace,
dignity and poise. She did not want
me to know that she was in pain and
that she could not walk on her hind
right leg. She tensed when I was
examining her muscles; so hard that
it prevented me from being able to
feel for the abnormal shifting motion
in her knee that is so characteristic of
dogs with cruciate ligament tears.
“Grrrrrrrrrr!” she growled,
warning me that she was very uncom-
fortable. I immediately gave Calli pain
control and anti-inflammatory
medications and took x-rays to help
determine why she was so painful.
The anterior cruciate ligament
(otherwise known as an ACL) is a rel-
atively delicate ligament in the dog’s
knee joint that keeps the knee stable.
Any sudden twist or pressure placed
on the knee can cause the ligament to
tear. Obese dogs are much more
prone to ligament tears, which is why
it is so important to keep your pet’s
weight ideal.
I knew that surgery had to be
done to repair Calli’s knee. The good
news was that there was no evidence
of a broken bone or bone cancer
requiring additional treatment.
However, surgery is expensive,
requiring substantive education and
skill, anaesthesia, special equipment,
epidurals amongst other methods of
pain control, hospitalization, monitor-
ing, post-surgical examinations and
sometimes even antibiotics.
Veterinarians run private clinics
and hospitals with no funding from
governments. Running a high quality
stories from a veterinarian’s clinic
veterinary hospital requires large
overhead expenses including staff
wages, rent, expensive equipment,
medications, loan repayments and
seminars so as to remain up to date
with advances in medical care.
There are no government subsidy
programs as there are in human
medicine. If the pet is not enrolled in
a health insurance plan, owners are
faced with paying for the entire
procedure. Veterinarians know that
often joint injuries happen at a time
when owners have many other
financial commitments.
Tears welled up in my client’s
eyes as she explained her heart to
heart discussions with her family and
friends, who had pooled their vari-
ous resources to find the funds
necessary to save Calli.
Calli’s owner could not bear the
awful thought of having to euthanize
her based only on the fact she could
not afford treatment. One of her
friends, a fellow dog-lover, was deeply
touched when learning how Calli’s
pain and suffering could be remedied
with surgery. She contributed a
generous financial gift to cover some
of the procedures. We are all very
thankful to this compassionate
individual and will always remember
her kindness.
page11
WAGGING TALES
by Dr. Julie Schell BSc(Hons), DVM
I am always thankful and a little
bit humbled by the sacrifices loving
pet owners make for their pets. Our
pets give so much and ask for so little
in return. Many owners deeply
respect their pet’s quality of life and
budget for them in a very responsible,
compassionate way. Some even leave
bequests in their wills so that their
pets are able to continue to live happy
and healthy lives once they
themselves have passed on.
A few weeks after surgery, tail-
wagging Calli was walking on both
hind legs again and healing well. She
was not the painful, grumpy dog she
was when I first met her. She had no
more pain and her owner said she
was like a puppy again.
“Seeing Calli happy again is more
rewarding than any holiday ever
could have been!”
exclaimed her owner. It is
such an honor to know
that I was able to help
restore Calli’s quality of
life and happiness.
It is vital to fully
understand the financial
commitments necessary
for pet ownership. Pets
can live well over 15 years
and owners must analyze
the costs involved before
purchasing a lifelong
companion. Fortunately,
pet health insurance companies can
be extremely beneficial. For a small
monthly premium, the insurance
company can help cover many
veterinary costs. This allows owners
to focus on their pet and not the
financial aspects associated with
health issues when making diagnostic
and treatment decisions. Please
contact your veterinarian for more
information on health care costs and
pet health insurance. Enroll your pet
in a pet insurance program as soon as
possible. ca
 Kestrel Ridge Farm Ltd
An ideal location for your next
corporate, family or equestrian
event. Camping, picnic, BBQ, and
inside meeting facilities available
by the hour or day. Boarding,
Lessons and Clinics available –
a World Class equestrian
and event facility haul ins welcome.

a stones throw from Calgary on the Elbow River in beautiful Springbank.

For more information please contact:

Leslie Jalkotzy, General Manager 403-242-9110 lesliej@KestrelRidgeFarm.com

page12
 CREATURE FEATURE
are they tame
by Kathleen Hewitt

question that comes up often to show their teeth, stand on their We were watching the keeper,

A at the Calgary Zoo is, are the

lions tame? Or, can you make
the lions come closer to us so we can
hind legs so the keeper can look at
the
area
belly
and
Roland Schrattenecker, ask the lions
to present their teeth, bellies and
rumps and all the lions were behaving
take better pictures? Or, do the present impeccably. After they had gone
keepers ever go in with the through their paces and
lions? The answer to all these received their treats,
questions is a very everyone was standing
definite NO. The around admiring the
lions at the Calgary lions and asking
Zoo are not Roland a myriad of
pussy cats, questions. I was
they are wild standing and
African lions. listening to
You wouldn’t Roland’s
want to get an s we r s ,
close to a n d
them unless
you wanted
to become
dinner. Even
the zookeepers
respect the animals
for what they are and
keep an appropriate distance. t h e i r
The four sibling lions, one male rump end
and three females, were born at the for injec- admir-
Aalboug Zoo in Denmark on tions so the ing the
December 8, 1995 and came to the keeper can give sharply
Calgary Zoo April 23, 1997. At that them medica- defined
time Okonko, the male, hadn’t yet tion and their muscula-
grown a mane but during his years at annual vaccina- ture and
the Calgary Zoo has become a very tions. size of the
handsome male lion, complete with a This they lions in
very dark mane. His sisters Abena, will do readily general
Tisha and Mbira are strong female on command and the very
lionesses and the pride enjoy their for the keepers impressive size of
home here at the Calgary Zoo. for a small morsel their paws, in partic-
During the winter months they can be of meat or a chicken ular, when Okonko
seen playing in the snow and lounging head. did what male lions
on their heated rocks. Of course, the will do. He turned
Part of the daily routine for the lions will do other around without anyone
lions is that the animal keepers check things that the keepers noticing and marked his
them to make sure that they have no would rather they did not territory by spraying! I found
wounds or health issues. They have do, especially when they myself drenched from head to
conditioned the lions through positive have a ‘behind the scenes’ foot in lion pee. Oh joy of joys!
reinforcement to target training. presentation with the lions. This Roland made the remark, “He
Target training is not unlike training happened to me on one of only does that on people he likes” so
your puppy to walk, heal or sit when my visits to the lions behind I guess Okonko thought I was a
told to. The commands with lions are the scenes. pretty cool cat! ca

page13
 YOUR
PICTURE
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A TOTAL EQUINE EXPERIENCE

Camps • Birthdays • Bareback • Group Functions
Adventures • Trail Rides • Lessons • Tipi Sleeps

Just east of Bragg Creek on Hwy 8 403-686-0120 eaglefeatherriding.ab.ca

page14

This winter, AIWC has been caring for two feisty
females who have captured our hearts despite their
cantankerous natures. Their allure is undiminished as
they growl, charge, hiss, and threaten us. While
romantic notions of an animal actually showing
he was found along the banks of
S the Bow on a wintry morning in
November, desperately strug-
gling to free herself from wire wound
tightly around her neck and torso.
Having lost her ability to fight, her res-
cue was surprisingly simple. Arriving
nable to fly, she was found
U wandering the roadside in late
December and was assumed to
have a broken wing. Her exam
revealed no fractures but also next to
no muscle, as she was starving to the
TAKING DOWN THE FENCES
gratitude occasionally dance through our heads, we
know these displays of disaffection are the best we
could hope for. Both females have made miraculous
strides from when they were too weak to demand the
respect they deserve.
at AIWC, she was hypothermic and
unresponsive. Her mouth, neck, chest
and front leg were severely bruised
and swollen. At first, she could barely
keep herself awake or upright and
needed to be fed water from a syringe
and hand-fed produce and twigs.
Despite much tender loving care,
her condition deteriorated. We feared
she may have suffered brain damage
from lack of oxygen or a severe post
traumatic stress disorder, myopathy.
She developed pneumonia and on her
worst day had a seizure. Disturbing
signs of pain and frustration led us to
question what was best for her.
She was certainly enduring the
loss of her tight-knit family including
mate, their kits and yearlings. Minute
improvements like waking up momen-
point that her body was metabolizing
its own muscle to stay alive. She was
dehydrated, limp, anemic, cold and
barely able to stand. During moments
of alertness, she gazed up at us defi-
antly, yet was too weak to struggle.
Her feathers were crawling with so
many lice that her white face
appeared freckled, except those freck-
les were moving.
Fortunately we had received news
from the Wildlife Rehabilitation
Society of Edmonton alerting us to a
bacterial Clostridium infection they
had seen in five Snowies, who all pre-
sented much the same, and who had
all died. She was immediately tested
and treated for the infection, and
rehydration and emaciation protocols
page15
feisty females
by Robyn Roper
tarily to eat a sliver of carrot on her
own gave us glimmers of hope. Finally,
one day, we heard grunts of disap-
proval as we repositioned her body
into a more comfortable position. We
were delighted when her grunts
became clearly directed growls.
Gradually, her balance and coordina-
tion improved enabling her to become
fiercely defensive.
She now has her own room that
she guards with dignity and pride. If
you wish to enter to do some cleaning,
the price of her tolerance is to roll her
an apple. Otherwise she will stomp,
charge, growl and lunge at you! This is
normal beaver behaviour from a girl
we feared might never regain her fac-
ulties! If all continues to go well, she
will be released in the spring!
were initiated. We worried that
despite her initial improvements due
to supportive care she might still
crash. Yet she tolerated her treatment
amazingly well and was soon standing
and eating on her own.
With renewed energy, she threat-
ened us with displays of beak-clacking
while fluffing up her wings and feath-
ers to look as big and mean as possi-
ble. Soon she was flying and eating
over 12 mice per day. Today she is
vibrant, aggressively opposing all who
approach and cleverly devising new
challenges for us daily. From her initial
1090 grams, she has gained over 1500
grams and is now strong and ready to
go, just in time join the other Snowies
migrating north. ca
saddled with

A friend of mine has a dream. He dreams

of a horse and a rider walking as one,
together in movement and mind. Alone,
that person is hindered by a physical or
mental disability. On a horse there is
healing of body, mind and
spirit. This man and his dream
gave birth to The Humblehorse
Therapeutic Riding Association.
by Gwyn Moreau
am a volunteer who is deeply involved in helping this After a few painful minutes of easing Fraser into the

I dream come true. I have seen wonderful, emotionally

moving things happen. I am amazed as we get passed
the handicap and find the special gifts inside each person.
Whether they are 4 or 69, their inner self shines through
with the connection of the horse and the rider.
I work with the children and have seen miracles
happen. A boy named Fraser is a wonderful example. He is
a regular nine year old boy who loves to joke, tease, talk
about tow trucks, and who has Cerebral Palsy. Fraser can't
sleep the night before coming to ride; he wakes up way too
early in the morning, asking his parents to get him up and
ready to come! Fraser is wheeled into the arena in his elec-
tric wheel chair, his muscles so tight that his hands are
twisted and he can not straighten his legs. But after a warm
up session he asks, “When am I going to ride?” His horse has
also been warmed up and is right by his side patiently wait-
ing. She is a small mare that Fraser has nicknamed Cheeky,
short for Chiquita. They are a match made in heaven!
saddle, he's off! It takes 2 people, one with the horse and
one to support the rider. Our sessions are 1 hour in length
and are extremely taxing on everyone. But, through it all,
Fraser is gaining his center, slowly able to almost sit up by
himself, and always trying to scare the 'road apples' out of
Cheeky! All we hear is “Boo-gedy, boo-gedy, boo-giddy. Did
I scare any out of her?”
At the end of each session, Fraser is tired, but hungry,
truly hungry! That from a child who is fed by a stomach
tube!
Parker is another one of our kids. He is also 9 years old
and he also has Cerebral Palsy. When Parker is carried in,
he is extremely spastic. His arms are curled, legs tight
together, and he has trouble with speech. But, that doesn't
stop him from telling his volunteer all about his week!
Once you get Parker near his horse, his entire being
lights up, starting with his eyes! The sparkle of excitement
is hard to miss! As his volunteer works with Parker astride

page16
his horse, you can see the muscles start to relax. When his
session ends, he actually walks out of the arena with
assistance! The relaxation lasts into the following week,
along with his concentration. Parker is such a special child,
as they all are! All our children create wonderful,
contagious, emotional reactions in everyone that comes in
contact with them!
There are also adults that benefit from working with
the horses. My own aunt was one of those with whom a
horse created magic. She suffered a massive stroke and
lost the use of her entire left side. Aunt Phil could no longer
walk and was sentenced to life in a wheel chair. They tried
all sorts of therapy, but nothing helped. When my uncle
heard of therapeutic riding, they decided to give it a try.
Her other choice was to do nothing and remain in that
chair! It wasn't a hard choice as Aunt Phil had been raised
around horses, so she was eager to try.
The therapy was difficult to begin with. Aunt Phil had
not only lost the use of her left side, but also her balance.
Through persistence, a careful horse and some
encouragement, she was soon using a walker to get around.
From there, progression was rapid and soon Aunt Phil only
needed a cane for support! She was so thankful that she
actually bought that same horse and donated it back to the
farm with the promise to look after it as long as it was used
for therapy treatments. Needless to say, that horse was
very spoiled for the rest of its life! You see, miracles can
happen with adults also! This is also why I have become so
involved in volunteering and The Humblehorse!
Then, there is our Stanley! What can I say about him?
Stanley is 12 years old, handsome, has a winning smile and
contagious laughter! He has been diagnosed with global
delay. Autism, lack of speech and low concentration are all
symptoms of this problem. But, to see him on top of that
horse, is to see him on top of the world! His laughter brings
you to tears! Then something happens! You hear him
speak! Go! Fast! Whoa! That from a child that is not sup-
posed to talk! That is the miracle of the companionship of
the horse and the dedication of the volunteers!
page17
We have some wonderful and gentle horses. Chiquita
is one of many horses that are used for social therapy, not
just for riding. I have seen them lower their heads to be
spoken to by a child in a chair. I heard one boy speak into
a willing ear about being bullied. He told her not to worry,
that he would be her special friend forever! Who else can
a child talk to but a trusted friend? The horses sense that
they are carrying precious cargo and almost seem to tiptoe
at times.
The horses are being trained by Clarence Skuter and
his daughter Becky. This is the man that has seen his
wonderful dream begin to take shape. It takes special
people to train these special horses. He has dedicated his
life to improving the lives of others. Through him, the
volunteers are also being trained! We start out slow, but
when we get going, watch out! There's no holding us back!
We will help to give wings to these horses and to the ideas
coming from this man.
Many studies have been done on hippotherapy or
equine assisted therapy. The movement of the horse
stimulates the same muscle groups as walking does. That is
just part of the reason that this type of therapy can improve
the lives of those who participate. In every person we are
finding that there are special gifts that only these horses
can single out. The laughter we hear and the smiles we see
are only a part of it. The rest is the fact that through hum-
ble horses, we can change people's lives. Clarence's dream
is to be able to provide this treatment to everyone, not just
those that can pay. Through sponsorship, you gain the
knowledge that you have helped someone to possibly gain
their independence.
The Humblehorse Therapeutic Riding Association is a
non-profit society that promotes the idea that everyone is
equal in the eyes of the horse. Our motto is, Helping hands,
Loving hearts. And, so continues the dream! ca
www.humblehorse.com
email: info@humblehorse.com.
403-934-3838

The Animal-Lovers' Book of Beastly
Murder
by Patricia Highsmith
Penzler Books
229 pp., ISBN 0-8131-2350-X
Hard cover.
reviewed by J.T. Tonya
Atmosphere and suspense clasp hands as we are
walked through this grisly compilation of revenge, karma
and old fashioned pay back. A petty thief lives (or perhaps
doesn't) to regret his employ of a small capuchin monkey
as his accomplice in crime; a camel exacts revenge on his
cruel driver. Highsmith gives vent to creatures which, in
conventional fiction, have had no recourse against the cru-
elty and heartlessness of so many humans of questionable
character. Irony is front and centre in these tails of blood-
thirsty vengeance.
A truffle hunting pig, a city bred, sophisticated dog
with worn down teeth both find their own ways of evening
the score with their less than compassionate human coun-
terparts. A goat who offers rides in an amusement park
and chickens raised in a breeding factory, a ferret and a cat
all invite us as silent witnesses to their tales of comeup-
pance. These sometimes oversimplified, always graphic
narratives make us want to turn away while, at the same
time, beg for more.
A Twist in the Tail: Animal Stories From
Around the World
by Mary Hoffman
illustrated by Jan Omerod
Henry Holt
69pp., ISBN 0805059466
Hard cover.
reviewed by Jeannette Holmes
This over-sized book makes use of a large font, open
line spacing and bright, bold illustrations to win the hearts
of both readers and those being read to. Although a few of
the 10 tales seem new to the reader, most are welcome
retellings of conventional mischief maker stories familiar to
us all. Garnered from across the globe, offerings skip from
The Magpie and the Milk from Turkey, to The Fox and the
Boastful Brave from Iroquois folk lore. Australia contributes
The Animal Who Couldn't Make Up Its Mind, an obvious
reference to the platypus and its odd appearance.
page18
NOVEL SUGGESTIONS
readers contribute their book reviews
send your review to editor@creaturesall.ca
Familiar or fresh, this potpourri of folklore, fiction and
fact is a surefire guarantee to delight. A wisp of nostalgia
drifts up from the pages as we are led along paths that recall
stories from our seemingly lost past. Bright and engaging
illustrations are a credit to the look and an assist to the
reader as we take in these tales with both our eyes and our
ears. An added feature are source notes, providing the ori-
gin of each of these delightful tales.
On God and Dogs: a Christian
theology on compassion for animals
by Stephen H.Webb
Oxford University Press
222 pp., ISBN 019511650X
Hard cover.
reviewed by Andrea Goldman
Stephen Webb describes “On God and Dogs” as a part
of the body of work of a new generation of theologians who
are concerned with improving relations between humans
and animals. Once you have absorbed what Webb has to say
about man and his relationship to other creatures with
whom we share our planet, no doubt you will agree that he,
himself, is a leader amongst that group.
This wonderfully written book deals with issues rele-
vant to all animals, although the author places emphasis on
dogs, using what he has learned as a dog owner as his foun-
dation. He is calling upon us to reconsider the concepts of
the owner-pet relationship, all in a more spiritual context.
In an entertainingly thought provoking way, Stephen
Webb brings a spiritual insight into our responsibility to all
animals, viewed through the lens of our relationships with
pets--especially dogs. He defends the intermingling of the
human and animal worlds, while encouraging us to imagine
a world where we view animals, all animals, as a gift from
God. This argument, that the creatures around us are a gift
from God, should provoke us to reassess the concept of
man’s dominion over beast.
Webb extends this affirmation to all creatures as being
worthy of our protection and reaffirms that all creatures
have value in the eyes of God; that they are much more than
a convenient source of food, clothing and labour. This book
will appeal to a broad audience of thoughtful Christians and
animal lovers, using logic and common sense to reassert the
concept of God having consciously crafted both man and
beast, not in the imagery of master—slave, but into a shared
environment of mutual respect and caring. ca

Benny
Our adorable Benny passed away
last summer and things haven’t been
the same since. There is not a day goes
by that I don’t think about him at least
once. I find myself surprised as I write
this that he isn’t curled up on the
window bench, catching a few long
hours in his favourite sunbeam.
It seems like he was never far out of
sight. He was the definition of an indoor cat; venturing out
only to visit the vet periodically and in his imagination
as he stalked the birds at the feeder outside our big living
room window.
The window seat is empty now and the sunbeam
seems just a little sad without that orange tabby cat soak-
ing up the warm rays.
Passed Away on: 05/23/05
Trouble
Trouble the cat was the very best cat
we ever had. She was only a few weeks old
when someone dumped her off at our
farm and she lived with us for the next 14
years. There never was a better ‘mouser’
and she made sure that none entered her
marked territory with impunity.
She was also a good friend. Trouble
listened without judgement as I shared
my beefs and bouquets with her. She loved it when company
dropped by, and my friends and family soon learned that if
you loved me, you best love Trouble, because she inevitably
made straight for their laps and expected a good massage
before she would reward them with her purrs.
Fourteen years is a long time to share your home and
heart. Now that Trouble is gone, both seem empty.
Passed Away on: 09/21/05
Chester
Chester was a sweet, sweet, cat. He
was put to sleep peacefully on January
1st, 2006, at 15 years of age. We were
so fortunate to have such a caring vet
who would come to our home on New
Year’s Day. Chess was the beloved cat
of Tristan, Sarah, Constance and
Bradley.
Chester never complained when we
would wash his face and paws, as if he had no ability to do
it himself. He loved to be touched and cuddled and kissed.
page19
IN PASSING
celebrating the lives of animal friends
We never really deserved you. You were so faithful
and caring. Lots of people think that cats are self-
absorbed, but not Chester. Chester was the smartest, most
cuddlesome best friend. To this day I look for you and
listen for your gentle mew whenever I open a piece of Kraft
Cheese slices. Some people say that 15 years is a long
happy life for a cat. It seems now like it was only 15 days.
I wish we'd had 150 more years together.
I hope you are in a happy place now. Your last days
were hard days and we only wished peace for you. Till we
are reunited again, Good bye Chester old friend.
Passed Away on: 01/01/06
Rubic
Our Dearest Rubic, Boxy, multicoloured mutt. Six, all
too short years ago we looked into your eyes and knew you
were the pick of the litter. You pranced across the floor
and soon we were both, my sister and I, spell bound. You
exhausted children, demolished plants, terrified doorbell
ringers, and made veterinarians rethink their calling; in
short you were a juvenile delinquent.
However, we persisted and the pay off was astounding!
Each day began by you greeting us with your tail wagging
and your food dish in your mouth. It never mattered what
mood we may have woken up in nor how bad our breath
smelled; there you were... faithful as ever.
Rubic you were my cherished friend. Each day held new
adventures, we were always amazed at how patiently you
waited for us to learn what it was you wanted to teach us.
Thank you for being kind enough to allow us, ever so
naively, to actually believe we were in control. Rubic this
house is a tomb without you. We wept when we learned of
your diagnosis; you were cheated on your allotment of days,
dear friend.
You tried to stay with us. The last few weeks of your
life we slept beside you, in sleeping bags, on the floor.
During those last fading hours you again gave us nothing
but pure love. We cuddled you, petted you and laughed
with you. We know you left us for a far better place.
The spring is now back in your step, you can eat what
ever you want and we know we will see you again. Rubic
you were a remarkable soul who graced our lives and
for that honour we can never adequately express our
thanks. The silence is deafening. You will forever be in
our hearts.
Passed Away on: 11/06/05
Send your tributes to editor@creaturesall.ca All material is
subject to editing. Include ‘Passed Away on: date’. and a 300
dpi photo should you choose to include one.
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Calgary, Alberta, Canada

hanks to our donors’ support,
T the Nature Conservancy of
Canada (NCC) is able to
conserve and steward some of the
province’s private lands and waters so
species such as trumpeter swans can
live and prosper for years to come.
We currently have two properties
in Alberta where trumpeter swans
nest annually. Their preferred habitat
is near marshes, lakes and rivers with
dense vegetation. One property is
adjacent to Waterton Lakes National
Park and has a lake on it, and the
second property is near the BC border
in the Grande Prairie Country and is
along the scenic Beavertail Creek.
Don and Karol Dabbs were out at
Boundary Creek, Alberta in the spring
of 2001 and were fortunate to observe
a breeding pair of trumpeter swans.
The swans appeared to be a happy
young couple, presumably newlyweds!
That May long weekend the Dabbs
were able to discretely take photo-
graphs and video the mating rituals of
the swans. Upon Don and Karol’s visit
to Boundary
Creek in summer
2004, they were
surprised to see
a beautiful pair of
swans with five
cygnets. They
wondered if it was
the same pair
– the newlyweds –
that they had seen
back in 2001.
SPACES and SPECIES
It is interesting that trumpeter
swans mate for life. They nest annual-
ly, late in April through June laying
four to six eggs. The growth of cygnets
is fairly rapid, and by 13 to 15 weeks,
most cygnets have had their first
flight. An adult trumpeter swan may
eat up to 9 kilograms of food per day.
This massive food requirement is one
reason why the density of swans is
limited to one family per lake.
When they returned to Boundary
Creek in summer, 2005, Don and
Karol were again greeted by a family
of trumpeter swans – mom and dad
with five cygnets “under wing”. It was
quite a sight! Don and Karol always
view the birds from afar because the
swans like their privacy and can’t be
startled. In selecting a home they
look for areas with low human
disturbance.
It is likely that the young family
spent the winter in the United States
in the tri-state area where the borders
of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming
meet, as this is where most of
Alberta’s trumpeter swans winter.
It is quite rare to find a family of
trumpeter swans survive as an intact
unit, primarily due to predation,
disease and parasites. Don and Karol
are wondering what they’ll find when
they return to
Boundary
Creek this
summer.
Trumpeter
swans generally
build their
nests on bul-
page21
a family photograph
by Diane Shack
rush covered islands or beaver dams
and feed on roots and grasses found in
the shallow waters, though they also
graze on land. These statuesque birds,
who stand between 60 to 72 inches tall
as adults, have a distinguishing
bugling, lower pitched voice, hence...
“trumpeter” swans.
In 2004 we were fortunate in that
NCC’s Coyote Lake property had
trumpeter swans pay us a visit. The
birds were young juveniles that were
reintroduced into Elk Island National
Park, east of Edmonton, but they
spent part of the summer of 2004 on
Coyote Lake. We were happy to have
them as our guests and would
welcome them back anytime!
Your belief in our conservation
and stewardship efforts helps us
maintain the land and waters needed
by species such as the trumpeter
swans and helps
ensure the
perpetuity
of these
precious birds
in Alberta. ca
Photo courtesy:
Karol Dabbs at
Boundary
Creek, AB in
July of 2005
g p m a r t i n . c o m■ ( 4 0 3 ) 2 8 6 - 7 4 7 6 ■ 1- 8 7 7 - 2 8 6 - 7
4 7 0

page22

he majestic Whooping Crane, The migratory route between
T named for its whooping cries, is
an important part of Alberta’s
landscape. The stately bird lives here
Texas and Wood Buffalo National Park
is more than 3750km. Surprisingly,
the migration only takes 2 to 3 weeks
for several months of the year, yet for Whooping Cranes to complete.
most people never see this bird in its They average speeds of just under
natural habitat. That is because 50km/h. The departure date of the
Whooping Cranes summer in Wood birds in early April varies by within 1
Buffalo National Park, in sparsely week every year, with sunlight
populated NW Alberta. hours/day triggering their migration.
Whooping Cranes arrive in NW Whooping Cranes arrive at Wood
Alberta after an arduous journey from Buffalo National Park in late April,
their wintering home in Aransas early May, just as spring is blooming.
National Wildlife Refuge in southern This is the perfect time for them to
Texas. The Refuge consists of marshy scout and select their nesting area,
landscapes and tidal flats, the ideal with ideal grounds amongst the
home for Whooping Cranes, where bulrushes and cattails. This timing lets
they feast on many southern chicks hatch in early summer, and
delicacies such spend the summer learning to fly and
as crayfish, build strength before returning to
frogs Texas. Generally, Whooping Cranes
and will lay two eggs, but normally only
one hatchling will survive the
migration back to Texas.
Whooping Cranes mate for
life. Elaborate mating rituals
take place, and often
include whooping
cries, wing
flapping
crabs; particularly and
Blue Crabs, which leaping, as
are high in protein they seduce their
and fat content, partner. Partnerships may
allowing the Cranes disintegrate if reproduction does not
to build fat reserves occur, as the survival instinct to
before making the reproduce takes over.
long migration. Whooping Cranes are on
When Blue Crab Canada’s Endangered Species list. In
season is low, the the 1940’s, the Whooping Crane
Whooping population fell to an all time low of 16
Crane egg/chick in the wild. Since then, numbers have
production risen, however factors such as habitat
is quite often destruction, weather conditions and
lower in the human infrastructure still present
following obstacles. Wetland habitats, often
summer. drained and filled for development, cell
page23
THE WILD FILE
the whooping crane
by Lindsay Schultz
phone towers and power lines, and the
occasional hunting encounter all threat-
en the Whooping Crane population.
Several fostering and reintroduc-
tion programs have been implemented
over the past 25 years in hopes of
increasing their wild population.
Reintroduction of a flock between
Wisconsin and Florida is a successful
example of this. The Wisconsin
population was guided to its wintering
habitat by an ultralight aircraft,
leaving the route programmed into
the Whooping Cranes. The first
season saw 5 Whooping Cranes
survive, and in the years since, that
number has increased. A non-migratory
flock was also introduced into the wild
in Florida, with successful results.
In addition to reintroduction
programs, fostering of eggs is another
method used to increase numbers.
When the Whooping Cranes lay two
eggs, one is removed from the nest and
taken to an “artificial” nest, allowing
the second egg a better chance to
survive. These Whooping Cranes are
then introduced to one of the other
flocks.
Threats to these beautiful birds
are constant. With just 217 in the wild,
the three populations allow for little
genetic variation, such that inbreeding
can leave them more susceptible to
disease. The threat of “Bird Flu” is a
present concern as it could easily
wipe-out the small populations. Natural
disaster and bad weather can also
influence the population number.
With the implementation of
recovery plans, the outlook for the
Whooping Crane looks encouraging,
with policies in both Canada and US
aiding in their protection. With all of
these groups working together,
we hope to see the populations
of Whooping Cranes become
self-sustaining and, hopefully growing
in numbers. ca
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page24
 n late' 97 two city boys, my buddy Will and I, decided to
I get back to the country. Along for the ride was Cindy,
German shorthaired pointer, and it wasn't long before a
male was presented to her and she whelps seven. Seven
little grommets down in a cribbed-in, hi-tech wooden wolf’s
den. In a massive kennel of slab boards and chain-link.
Down on the farm these were outside dogs.
Once the little critters started poking their heads out of
the den, trouble soon followed. If it wasn’t jumping, spring-
board-like, up and over, they'd just
climb, monkey and muscle their way
out. Then, like true horizon runners,
they’d be ripping up the prairie, racing
across the earth, a cloud of liverspots
and floppy ears. Many’s the time I
searched, chased, yelled, and ran,
often with the unfulfilled goal of lead-
ing them back to the farm. Sometimes
the neighbours would call, “You miss-
ing any little dogs?”
“Uh, yeah, we'll be right over.”
When I got wise to their
climbing abilities and fortified the
upper reaches of their pen, they took
turns excavating ways out under-
neath. Which was too bad for the
chickens residing in the adjacent yard.
Bird-dogs, indeed.
The time came when they were weaned and new homes
were found for three boys and two of the girls, leaving two
short-haired pointer sisters living with Mom in a lavish
spread on the vast Canadian prairie. The two sisters, Dutchy
and Mischa. And Mom. Getting long walks, chasing rabbits
and being indulged in by the humans they lived with.
Sometimes I'd forget to shut their gate after I'd been in
for a visit and the terrible two would take themselves out on
walks. Mama usually stayed home. The two sisters, out and
about, showing up a couple days later, looking guilty,
covered in burrs, thinner, sometimes stinking of skunk or
with a few porcupine quills in their snouts. Come back one
time all shot up. Trespassing on a not-so-nice neighbour’s
property and feeling the sting of his shotgun.
Another time, another escape, the ugly neighbour
probably, and Mischa shows up with a nice gash on her
lower back, the result of hightailing it under barbed wire.
They've learned, though. Call it maturing. Got that
roaming spirit under control. Although they'll always have a
bit of the pup in them.
Summer 2005. Cindy’s tenth and the girls’ seventh.
Suddenly, over the course of a month, Dutchy became
severely emaciated and developed a hacking cough. Made
sure she had extra food, rich in fats and meat and soon the
weight was back on her. But the cough persisted and now
her eyes revealed what could only be pain. Then someone
says Heartworm. We resigned ourselves to her fate.
page25
The next few weeks, unseasonably warm after a
somewhat lackluster summer, Dutchy went on final walks
with her mother and sister, running and sniffing and
marking territory. Letting the coyotes know just who
actually ran these grounds. Just as she’d done countless
times before. Then she started having trouble keeping up.
Have to take a break and sit down, head up, panting. Taking
in the scenery, drinking it, breathing it in. I think she knew
her time here was drawing to a close.
by Jeff Dubrick
I had noticed a little blood coming out of her nose
during this time, but when the day came when it was
coloring her water dish a lurid pink when drinking, we knew
it was time to assist her into Transition. No scene. No
tearful goodbyes to her kin. The deed was done.
The sun had only been up for a bit, and the wind was
out of the west, warm. Canadas were honking and
splashing down, congregating in large numbers on the two
flight path sloughs this acreage is situated on. She flies with
the geese now, I thought. Dutchy was born, lived,
played, gave love and died on the same patch of dirt she'd
always known.
The feeling I got, aside from the extreme pathos
generated by the passing of a loved one, was, of all things,
gratitude. She died peacefully, so quietly, and she thanked
me for loving her. The final act her body did was a wag of
her tail. That day, while I was assembling her funeral pyre,
a bald eagle flew by, on his way south. I like to think he
carried Ducheline's soul away.
I'll see her again when I die, and in the young that
Mischa and Cindy shall have this spring. It’s been decided
to bring in a male for the two and have twice the fun of
raising a brood of crazy little mischief-makers. Perhaps
Dutchy shall live again, and her name be spoken once more
around here.
Dutchy, bird-dog who don't point birds, Queen of
the Prairie ! ca
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page26

ilarious, curious, polite, loud,
H messy, maternal, acrobatic,
pretty – all adjectives used to
describe the various birds that live in
Calgary alongside us and, many of
which, visit our gardens regularly.
Local birds in your garden can be
a regular source of entertainment all
year round and they also do more
than their fair share of eating bugs.
Interesting and useful, what more can
we ask when so little is asked of us in
return. Like us, birds need a regular
source of food, water and shelter so if
you want to see them on a regular
basis, you should provide at least
some of these things.
Putting out water for the birds
will practically guarantee that they
come. Natural water sources in
Calgary are limited so if you put
water out it will save them a trip to
the Bow or the Reservoir and they
will happily stay in your neighbour-
hood. Please make sure that the
water is changed regularly so as not
to spread any diseases or pests that a
feathered friend may bring. Also try
to make sure water is always
available. If it isn’t, they will have to
go in search of it and stay close to a
reliable source of water.
It takes a dedicated soul to
reliably provide water in the winter
and thank goodness there are
dedicated souls. In the winter you
have to make sure the water doesn’t
freeze and this requires a heater.
There is a lot of lively debate about
heaters concerning reliability, feet
frozen on the sides of birdbaths and
other gruesome tales, so pick your
level of altruism for birds and stick
with it.
Providing food for birds is
definitely an interactive sport
because food is a sure ways to lure
them to your garden and keep them
around. At some point I’m sure
everyone has fed the birds, so we
THE GARDENING BUG
wingin’ it
by Judi Schofield
know that they eat practically fruits and bugs in your
anything that looks like a grain. By
putting out ground feeding stations or
raised feeders that provide sunflower
garden. Try not to spray
or use chemicals, as this
will only hurt them.
seeds, peanuts, millet, nygur, corn, Calgary has a wide
nuts, suet or even slices of bread, we range of birds that live
can guarantee a regular procession of here year round,
birds though our gardens. If you have including woodpeckers,
a problem with squirrels eating every- blue jays, crows,
thing, try one of the squirrel-
proof feeders or watch
them as a source of
entertainment too. Try
to provide the food
near trees and
shrubs so the birds
can make a quick
getaway if threatened
with attack by cats or
bigger birds.
Watching a nest full of
baby birds is definitely a
highlight that should not be
missed. Keep in mind that
birds will not nest in your
garden unless they feel safe, so
plant lots of trees and shrubs and
keep the cats away. Try putting out
a nesting ledge for robins and
sparrows or a birdhouse with a hole
opening 1-1/8 inches diameter for the magpies,
chickadees, nuthatches, wrens and chickadees, nuthatches,
swallows. Don’t stop there… provide finches and siskins.
pieces of string, cotton batting, hair, There are even intrepid
dried grass and dryer fluff for the Calgary fans like
birds to collect as nesting material. Bohemian waxwings,
The easiest way to provide food redpolls and grosbeak
and shelter for the birds is to have a that only visit over the
nice garden with a variety of trees, winter. These are in
shrubs and flowers. This provides addition to our regular
everything they need without any summer visitors, such as
more work from you. If you’re robins, wrens, bluebirds,
planning to add some new plants to swallows, sparrows,
your garden, get something with grackles, hummingbirds
some nice succulent berries, juicy and sapsuckers.
nectar or thick growth habit so the So go on out into
birds can make use of it as well. your yard, sprinkle some
While birds do eat out of feeders, the seeds and see if you can
source of the majority of their lure yourself some new
nutrition will still come from the company. ca
page27
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page28
 Once Upon
a
Rhyme
by
I once rode a desert camel
I once had a camel ride me
I once poked fun at a grizzly
I once got chased up a tree
I once got hugged by a boa
I once packed an elephant’s trunk
I once got stomped by a rhino
I once smelled as bad as a skunk
I once leaped logs with a leopard
I once butted heads with a goat
I once shaved a bearded lizard
I once was called stout by a stoat
I once gave two hoots for an owl
I once shared some fruit with a fly
I once paid rent to a house cat
I once cooked and served a cow pie
I once dressed up like a penguin
I once felt a scorpion sting
I once mud wrestled a tadpole
I once tasted a dodo wing
I once out ran a young cheetah
I once had more lives than a cat
I once laughed at a hyena
I once mistook take-out for scat
©
Trebor Redleif
I once dug deep with a gopher
I once dove deeper with a whale
I once tried kissing a sheepdog
I once confused his head with his tail
I once surfed the web with a spider
I once worked as hard as a dog
I once played ball with a dingbat
I once smelled as a bad as a hog
I once tried wrestlin’ with ‘gators
I once fell asleep on a yak
I once met a shell shocked tortoise
I once called a ducktor a quack
I once thought auks came from Britain
I once thought that cod came from crows
I once saw a homely pigeon
I once saw two slugs come to blows
I once got goosed by a gosling
I once was mislabeled a shrew
I once was happy just knowing
I once did so much more than you
but once I'd thought hard about it
that once life had treated me nice
though once I'd done so many things
just once I should do something twice
page29

e count ourselves blessed to have been chosen
W to work with Wycliffe Bible Translators and the
Baka Pygmies of the southeast rainforests of
Cameroon. Although the Baka still hold strongly to their
oral traditions while showing little interest for literacy, we
are using those same oral traditions to give them a basic
knowledge of God’s Word. We have spent a total of eight
years in the African rainforest; a time which has
occasioned us to hear many interesting stories.
Living amongst the Baka in the rainforests of
Cameroon, provides us with innumerable encounters with
God’s amazing creatures. The Baka, being one of the few
remaining hunter-gatherer societies in the world, have a
very close relationship with the fauna of the rainforest.
They have an amazing knowledge of the behavior of every
animal and insect—far more detailed than anything written
in books.
They also interact with the
creatures of the forest in unique
ways. I remember the time when
we were building our house in
the rainforest when, suddenly,
the air was filled with what
sounded like the sharp cries of an
angry bird.
Hearing the commotion, my
Baka friend reacted immediately
by saying, “There’s a snake in
that tree over there!”
“How could you know; the
tree is too far away to see
anything,” I replied.
“That bird is announcing it,”
he said. Sure enough, when we
arrived at the tree, high up in the
branches was a viper.
The Bakas’ relationship with
the animals is reflected in their
belief system and is the
underlying theme of the vast
majority of their traditional
stories. In studying these stories over the past decade, I’ve
come to have a new appreciation for the wildlife of the
African rainforest as seen through the eyes of the
indigenous Baka, who know each animal so well. These
stories are usually a mixture of fact and fiction and it is not
always clear which is which.
When I was studying some Baka stories, I came across
the fascinating account of the ‘njumbu’, which are very
large white storks that migrate from Europe to spend the
page30
THE FINAL WORD
dancing storks
by Yves and Christine Léonard
long dry season in Central Africa. According to Baka
tradition, these storks have the very important function of
holding back the rains. In December, at the end of the
rainy season, Komba (God) sends these storks to make
a rain barrier in the sky. They fly up to the rain source
and extend their wings in such a way as to block the
passage of water.
In March, when one sees a flock of these storks flying
overhead, one knows that the storks have left their post
and that the rains will begin again. But something I found
equally remarkable is that the story describes how these
storks can also dance! When they are flying over a village,
so the story goes, and they hear people singing to the
beat of the drum, they will stop and ‘dance’ in the sky
along with them.
While attempting to determine the validity of this
story, I was convinced the part about
the rain barrier to be fiction, but I
didn’t know what to make of the
dancing storks. Imagine my surprise
and delight, when one afternoon at the
end of the dry season, I heard the Baka
in the village calling out, “Njumbu!
Njumbu!” followed by enthusiastic
drumming accompanied by singing.
We all rushed out the door to view
a flock of about 25 storks making a
double turn in mid-migratory flight and
flying back over the group of singers. As
the group of Baka continued drumming,
dancing and singing, the storks began
soaring in small concentric circles,
weaving in and out of each other. They
were dancing! They continued in this
fashion for approximately fifteen
minutes, until, at some unseen signal,
they reformed their ranks and set off
again on their journey.
Although the Baka experience this
year after year, it still remains an
exciting ritual, providing them with a
supernatural rendezvous with nature and Komba (God),
their creator. I can’t tell you what a thrill it was to witness
this amazing communion between wildlife and humans! It
elevated my already great respect for the Baka, who have
such a special relationship with all that the rainforest
offers. It also gave me a new appreciation for what their
traditional stories can offer!* ca
*Drawings by the Baka child, Ngongome
 come out and play

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