They ARE essential !

As part of my presentations at Savage Cabin over the summer, I talked about a man whose research and devotion to the preservation of a specific mammal has always held a special place in my heart. The man was Dr. Adolph Murie and the mammal is the severely misunderstood wolf. He first spent time at Mt. McKinley National Park ( now named Denali ) with his older brother Olaus, who was studying the caribou. This inspired him to become a wildlife biologist himself and he too came to work for the National Park Service. He was sent to Mt. McKinley in 1939 to study the wolf and the impact it might have on prey species, in particular the Dall sheep. The opinion was they have a negative impact on the prey populations. His studies there, and later in Yellowstone, proved the fallacy of this mindset. These conclusions have been further corroborated by other biologists since then, such as the studies conducted by Dr. David Mech at Isle Royale National Park, Denali, and Yellowstone. Isle Royale itself is a perfect example of the natural coexistence between a predator and its prey.

Out of the 1000s of people I presented to over the summer, I only two individuals approach me afterwards to disagree and voice their own convictions. These were based on incorrect information and negative propaganda concerning the wolf. I have always been the type of person to research and verify “facts” I have heard, even if these facts are in line with my own beliefs. This has been true whether it is nature or history related. It prompts me to dig deeper and read more on my own, from the viewpoint of all sides, and weight the validity of the source materials.

The views these two individuals expressed to me, however, we were so far-fetched and obviously based on negative hype they had heard. For example, one of them told me the wolf was an indiscriminate killer and was decimating the herds in Yellowstone. He told me the wolf packs would tear into a herd of elk, kill them all, and leave the carcasses. This is so far beyond any truth I have ever read from biological studies of wolf behavior. He went on to tell me if the wolf was not eradicated, the herds would be pushed to extinction. I calmly and politely pointed out to him if the wolf was decimating the herds, would not the prey species have become extinct long before Europeans arrived in America ? He walked away in a huff.

The other person expressed pretty much the same sentiment but elaborated further by mentioning the danger from wolves to cattle and the negative effect wolves were having in competition with hunters. With regard to the first, I have not enough room here to address that issue. However, I do know there are many non-lethal methods to deter wolves from going after cattle. Do a Google search and you will find information on methods being successfully used in Europe to this end. With hunting, this also could not be further from the truth. I have nothing against hunting – let me repeat, I have nothing against hunting – unless it is done for the sole purpose of a trophy. If it is to fill your freezer with meat for your dinner table, that is fine. 

By the same token, while humans are considered to be the best hunters on earth, this is a misconception. When predators hunt, they watch and test the prey animal. They attempt to get it to run, and in by doing so, they gauge the health of the animal. A healthy prey animal can outrun and/or fight off even a pack of wolves. Why ? Predators conserve their energy. If it is deemed to cost too much physically for the animal to be caught or brought down, the chase is abandoned for the chance to find easier prey. It is the sick, old, and very young which fall victim to predators. On the other hand, humans will take down the largest, healthiest animal they can find. In retrospect, we weaken the herds by our method and predators strengthen the health of the herds by theirs. 

They ARE essential !

If you disagree with me, that is your opinion and you are entitled to it. However, I urge you to do research and read as much as you can from all viewpoints before forming a concrete belief in yourself one way or another.

Cabin Thief

The chinking used on the outer walls of Savage Cabin is a material locally referred to as oakum. Basically it is hemp rope, a nautical rope also used for sealing boats and plumbing joints. It was brought up from Anchorage by rail or dogsled, unraveled, and the individual strands pushed into the cracks between logs using a wooden tool similar to a large chisel. In addition, sphagnum moss was also used.

There are strips of oakum noticeably newer than others. It has to be repaired from time to time because birds and red squirrels love taking it for nesting material, especially the latter. There are grey squirrels here in the southeast, but I have never seen one of them so persistent and vocal as the red squirrels in Denali.

One of the wildlife techs told me they are very territorial and live in home ranges with family members. If a squirrel they do not know wanders in, there is a possibility it could be accepted, but more often than not, it is chased out and sometimes killed. One morning at the cabin, I witnessed the full brunt of their attitude and chatter.

If there was time between tours, I passed it by walking around, splitting wood, cutting kindling, or reading. This particular morning, I was sitting in a chair inside the cabin enjoying the heat from the wood stove when I heard a noise on the porch. Not knowing exactly what it might be, I peered cautiously out the door.

As part of the display outside the cabin, I always placed a large wad of the oakum on a table so when guests asked what was used to fill the cracks, I could not only tell them but actually show and allow them to feel the material. When I looked out the door, this oakum was completely off the table and on its way off the porch, trailing behind a red squirrel.

I grabbed the strand of oakum and halted its slide off the porch, but he did not let go. Spinning around to face me, his vocal chatter spewed out around his cheeks stuffed with a big piece of the strand. His legs leaned backwards, fully prepared for a tug-of-war he was destined to lose.

Gently pulling on the oakum, I told the little guy he was not going to have it. His chatter continued and he refused to let go. With a firm yank, I pulled it out of his mouth. Upon losing his prize, the squirrel stood up on hind legs and let loose this long, loud chatter. Basically, he was cussing me up one wall and down another. He thought he had his whole nest in one shot.

Looking rather silly, seeing as how it was a squirrel I was talking to, I pointed at him and firmly told him he was not going to have it, after which he scampered off to the nearest spruce tree.

Replacing the oakum on the table, I stepped inside to stoke the wood stove and returned to the doorway. It had been only a matter of a couple minutes, but there he was on the table, mouth open to grab it again. His head shot in my direction, gave a quick chatter and ran up the corner joints of the cabin, where he perched to watch me.

A few minutes later, a tour group walked up, increasing the odds apparently to his dissatisfaction. He disappeared into the fireweed around the spruce trees.

Red squirrels were very common in the area around the cabin, but I know which one the “thief” was. In his ramblings, he stopped, rose up on his hind legs and just stared, sometimes accompanied with chatter. With his little sailor mouth, I can imagine the names I was being called.