Christina - 18 February

This week involved meeting some new people, exploring new places, a little bit of forensic science, and some interesting recipes. I spent the beginning of the week creating a brochure about eider ducks, which will be used to inform people about some of the threats these birds are facing, and some of the conservation initiatives that are in place to help ensure survival of this species.

For something a little bit different, I was able to read through and provide feedback on the rough draft of the Management Plan for the Blanc-Sablon National Historic Site. As it turns out, I am currently living right next to a site rich in artifacts and evidence of 9000 years of human habitation and use. The document was incredibly interesting to read, as it details the various groups that have used this land. The authors (one of whom is Trish) explain the significance of the area from a historical and archaeological standpoint, and describe the importance of the unique physical environment and resources found here over numerous centuries to the people who chose to live here. I enjoyed the opportunity to learn about the landscape in a different context.

Myriam, a representative of the YMCA, was here on Thursday to conduct a site visit – while I am working for QLF, I am actually sponsored by the YMCA Eco-Internship program. Trish and I explained the work that QLF does, what I’ve been working on in particular, and gave Myriam a tour of the QLF office and residence. She was quite excited about our work, and even came to St. Paul’s River with us in the afternoon for our second visit to examine the wolf.

When we arrived in St. Paul’s River, Garland was in the process of skinning the wolf. It was great to be able to watch him work – skinning is something I have never seen before. The wolf was hanging from the ceiling, face pointed at the floor, and Garland worked his fingers between the flesh and the pelt, separating the two with a knife. I was surprised by how easily the skin peeled off – it almost looked like Garland was simply pulling a sweater over the wolf’s head. The wolf looked quite small and even whippet-like once the fur had been removed – it was amazing to see the musculature and the bones underneath the pelt, and we quickly realized that the wolf had almost no body fat. Throughout the various layers of the wolf we kept coming across porcupine quills. Trish removed the wolf’s stomach from his body, and next week I will be analyzing the stomach contents. I brought the wolf head home, and have spent the last couple days boiling the head in order to remove the flesh. We are hoping to keep the skull as an educational tool. I am also in the process of trying to learn more about the wolf population on the Lower North Shore. I was able to explore a bit more of the coast this week as well. Trish took me to Labrador – we went in search of gas for the camp stove, which we were planning on using to boil the wolf’s head. It was great to get out and see some new sights.

I was also fortunate this week to be able to attend a workshop about oral histories. Reenie Marx, an authority on oral histories, was giving workshops and lectures in the communities along the coast, and Lourdes-de-Blanc Sablon was one of her stops. Reenie provided some insight into the importance of gathering oral histories, how to do this effectively, and what uses the information might have in the long run.