The Wildlife Can Be So Distracting Up Here!
Posted at 7:37 pm October 3, 2007 by Ronit Abramson
Ronit is the San Diego Zoo’s 2007 Arctic Ambassador. She and other teens from around the world are in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, to partipate in Polar Bears International’s Polar Bear Leadership Camp. Read her previous post, Settling into Life on the Tundra
Today’s weather stands in stark contrast to the rain from yesterday. The sun is high in the sky and the horizon is lined with clouds, framing the clear blue sky elegantly. We took advantage of the beautiful weather to take two gorgeous trips out in the tundra buggies.
We left this morning to spend a couple of hours on the tundra. We saw a polar bear as well as several species of birds. We returned to the buggy to listen to a presentation by Michael Goodyear from the Northern Studies Research Center regarding ringed seals, the primary prey of the polar bear. He described the natural habits of the seals and their reliance on the ice for birthing. Their “livelihood” is supporting the polar bear population and the Inuit community, so their presence is crucial in the Arctic biome.
After a delicious lunch of pizza, we headed out once again on the Tundra Buggy. Each time we head out, the facilitators remind us to bring our books and notebooks because we will be having a discussion about ambassador presentations or an activity when there isn’t any wildlife around. Yet all of our trips have had a constant presence of wildlife, each more exciting than the last! Our discussions turn to polar bear tagging and species migration and our activities turn to taking pictures, filming wildlife, and awing at the tundra beauty.
Today we saw a bear lunge after a swimming muskrat in the middle of a tundra lake. The muskrat got away, and the gasps of disappointment were audible from the whole group. We are still hoping to see a polar bear’s predatory skills in action, although this time of year they are mostly languid. It was exciting nonetheless to witness the bear’s agile movements and patience in tracking a possible source of food. The behavior of the muskrat was also intriguing as it nimbly swam out of the polar bear’s reach and stayed downwind of the bear so that it remained undetected. The experience really made me appreciate the adapted survival behaviors of these animals.
Tonight we are all looking forward to an AFAP (as Fancy as Possible) dinner, which is being cooked by the Red-Yellow group. We have witnessed their extensive labors for this feast: namely, their folding of 32 paper napkin swans. We will be meeting in a few minutes for “before dinner” appetizers and entertainment before being cordially invited into the dining car. I can’t wait. Well, I’d better go get dressed for dinner.
From the wild Arctic tundra,
Ronit
Caption: The Applied Animal Ecology Division of the San Diego Zoo and Polar Bears International are working together to collect polar bear vocalizations in order to create a sound library.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Scroll to the end to leave a comment. Pinging is not allowed.
October 4th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
Wow, what an adventure! Thank you so much for sharing all the details with us-it’s ALMOST like being there (sigh). I’ve watched the Polar Bear Cam from up there in years past, but haven’t been able to get there. ” …gasps of disappointment when the muskrat got away…” LOL, some folks would have cheered (muskrats are kind of cute).
I can’t wait to read more, you’re a very good writer. Stay warm!
October 4th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
I’m enjoying reading your very informative blogs! I feel like I can almost see it myself. I am curious to know more about the polar bear diet. Are muskrats a common prey for polar bears or has it become more food source as climate conditions have changed? Would the polar bear have to eat a lot more muskrats to equal a ringed seal? Thanks for the updates. It sounds like lots of fun!
October 5th, 2007 at 8:40 am
Ronit, you are fantastic writer. I agree with the other bloggers, that your writing is so exciting that it feels like we are witnessing the action with you.
Muskrats are the primary food source ” livelihood” for many carnivorous animals and amphibians like alligators. At the Alligator Farm in St Augustine Florida you can witness the alligator feeding of the Nutria (a variety of Muskrat).
If you were disappointed, imagine how the polar bear felt! Not only did they not get their meal, they expended a lot of their precious energy trying to get it to no avail.