2018 FALL Newsletter

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Stop Squirreling Around- That’s Winter I Smell! Do you feel winter coming? I do. My garden, like summer itself, has faded and while I was sad to see it end, autumn, like it does every year, eases me gently from one season in to the next. As the fireweed blazes crimson and the first snows dust the mountains, suddenly, I am eager to prepare for the coming changes. Tasks I’ve put off all summer long for “later” become the priority. I am eager to split and stack firewood, which is my signal that “later” is here. In addition, I am tidying summer fun away, organizing the shed, pulling out the mittens, parkas and blankets. With gladness in my heart, autumn helps me accept and adjust to the rhythms of the seasonal cycle. Have you noticed that the animals are doing the same thing we are? They are preparing for as comfortable and survivable a winter as they can. As I split firewood, I do so to the accompaniment of a Red Squirrel throwing spruce cones down from the very top heights of the tree – I have learned not to stand directly under any tree with cones for the gathering, THOCK! Here at the Preserve, the aspen leaves dance on the wind, their colours reminding me of the palette of the Northern Lights, which have returned along with our night skies. Visiting us, you are less likely than I am to get thocked by a spruce cone hurled by a harvesting Red Squirrel; we are instead seeing the Arctic Ground Squirrels prepare for hibernation. The Arctic Ground Squirrel is a busy little animal – have you seen them on one of your visits here? They choose to make their home on the Preserve, enjoying a plentiful food supply and a lessened risk of predation. The summer is spent putting on a layer of fat by eating as much as they can of the seeds, leaves, flowers, and berries of a variety of low-growing plants. Their home is a burrow and in the summer the Arctic Ground Squirrel makes a nest in the den, which is dug approximately one metre below ground. The materials used to make that nest will depend on what is available – lichens, dried grasses, or animal hair. On the Preserve, this availability changes based on which habitat the nest is in. The squirrels may gather the hair of elk, caribou, bison or the quiviut of musk ox, to name a few options. Have you stopped in our Reception Cabin and touched the samples we have of these different hairs? The next time you are on the Preserve, have a feel and think about how soft they each are, or are not; how would you want your nest to be lined? Now that the squirrel is well fed, fattened up and has a nice warm home, how does it enter hibernation? Have you ever stood waiting for the bus or scraped the snow off your windshield in the winter? When the wind is icy, do you scrunch your entire body up? Do you try to become smaller to conserve your energy resources? The ground squirrel version of this 4 Left: A young ground squirrel, keeping a keen eye out, munches away on grasses and seeds. Right: Julie Kerr has been an intergral part of the team as a contract position through the summer. We are all very excited to welcome her in a permanant position in Visitor Services! Volume 13, Issue 2
is to roll itself into a ball by crouching, tucking its head down between its legs, and tossing its tail over its head. Unlike you or I, the ground squirrel is a true hibernator, and it then allows its body temperature to fall to near zero degrees Celsius. During the long northern winter, the squirrel will periodically warm up to near its normal temperature, then recool itself within 24 hours. Arctic Ground Squirrels can even survive when their nest drops below freezing. When my cabin drops below freezing, I am more doubtful for my personal survival. Winter for the ground squirrel involves hibernation, which can be as long as eight to ten months every year. The adults lead hibernation; first the females head to their dens as early as late July and by the middle of September all the adult females are likely to be hibernating. They are followed by juvenile females and lastly by the males – who stay above ground the longest but should be hibernating by late October. As I say goodbye to the Arctic Ground Squirrels for the season, I am happy that I can still have coffee with my winter compatriot, the Red Squirrel, since the tree squirrels do not hibernate, instead remaining active year round and eating from the piles of spruce cones they cached….in my firewood pile as a matter of fact….. I am in no rush to end the beautiful sights, sounds and smells of this season, but winter is coming and I am ready. Come take a peek at the dynamic changes our animals are undergoing here at the Wildlife Preserve and experience the majesty of autumn – see you soon. Julie is a Registered Veterinary Technologist who has worked in clinic, in Whitehorse, for the last six years honing her skills and knowledge on domestic animals. Her passion is for the wild and it’s with great pleasure that she is now working to support wild animals from within the Preserve. She was raised in Saskatchewan and has a wandering soul but if she has learned anything in the last six years, it is that the Yukon is the home of her heart. Julie is happiest when sharing stories of wild encounters with the curious of all ages. She has an immense respect for creatures of all kind, including but not limited to - wasps, porcupines, foxes and ladybug larva. Stay tuned - that list changes frequently. Julie brings her background in tourism and customer service as the Visitor Services Coordinator, to aid the smooth running of front of house operations – this helps everyone focus on the reason we’re all there – the wild animals under our care. When to Visit Fall Hours OPEN DAILY to October 8 th ! 9:30am to 6:00pm - holiday’s included Guided Bus Tours at 10am, 12noon, 2pm, & 4pm. October 9 th to December Open Friday - Sunday 10:30am - 4:00pm Guided Bus Tours at 12noon, & 2pm. Walk, run, bike anytime while open. Enjoy a safe, relaxed environment for the whole family! Curious about the latest news? Visit facebook.com/yukonwildlife or call 456-7300. We’re Social - join us on Instragram! Tag us #YukonWildlife Fall <strong>2018</strong> 5
Page 1 and 2: Quarterly Publication of the Yukon
Page 3: From the Board Like many Yukoners,
Page 7 and 8: Experiential Learning Even though w

2018 FALL Newsletter

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