Issue 14 Feb-Mar/2008

creaturesall
creaturesall
sharing the planet with our fellow creatures
 Issue 14 February-March/2008

Advertising Information
Gloria Fantin
gloria@creaturesall.com
Graphic Design & Story Inquiries
In This Issue
Bob Fielder Searching for a Meal – fiercely chewing the sticky
publisher@creaturesall.com
Account Information substance, he devoured his tasty reward 8
Linda Fielder
editor@creaturesall.com The Time of Great Cold – there are many places
for the small crunchies to hide 16
Hemi’s Story – my boyfriend just did not know how
Printing
The Prolific Group
to treat another person decently 20
Mailing address:
creaturesall Newman – he was a little smaller than a golf ball
P.O. Box 126,
Langdon, AB T0J 1X0
and sort of the same shape 24
403-512-9544
If It’s All the Same to You – I could not keep them. 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. Advertisers and contrib-
Columns
utors assume responsibility and liability for the accuracy
of their claims and statements. The opinions and views
expressed in articles do not necessarily reflect those of
Wagging Tales – Dr R Weger - Calgary North Vet Hospital 11
the Publisher or advertisers. creaturesall reserves the
right to refuse any advertising. Written submissions Creature Feature – the Calgary Zoo 13
become the property of creaturesall on publication. By
proferring your photographs or written submission you
grant us permission to reproduce it in creaturesall,
Taking Down the Fences – A.I.W.C. 15
other printed media, on our web site or as a component
of an online download. All submissions will receive a Youth Said It – Chestermere Lake Middle School 18
reply if email address is provided.
Writers & Cover Artists may make submissions
by email to: publisher@creaturesall.com
Spaces and Species – the Nature Conservancy of Canada 21
Copyright 2005 by 1160613 ALBERTA LTD.

Wolf Tracks – Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre 23

Cover Artist
Cindy Revell
Cindy Revell is a full
The Gardening Bug – the Calgary Horticultural Society 27
time illustrator and oil
painter. Her oil paintings Obsolete – cari-creatures by Sean Skerry 28
have been exhibited all
over North America and
her illustrations have The Final Word – the great escape 30
been published extensively
in Canada, UK and the US
on book covers, children’s
books, calendars, greeting
cards, wine bottles,
Departments
billboards, packaging and more.
Cindy’s still lifes are painted in a traditional
Publisher’s Note 5
realist manner but have a contemporary look and
are strikingly different from her illustration, with Letters 7
the exception of rich colour, which always plays an
important role in her art. Pattern, colour and
whimsy are the hallmarks of her illustration. In Passing – celebrating the lives of animal friends 26

page3
 Angela PHOTOGRAPHY

Angela Waite Ad out.indd 1 11/2/07 10:58:04 AM

WHERE HAS GLORIA BEEN HIDING?

creaturesall is excited to announce Gloria Fantin has joined us as

advertising sales representative.
A fixture in the Alberta Beef and Ag industry,
Gloria recently set up her own company,
Fantin AgMarketing Inc., founded on her 30+ years of
“Helping Businesses Grow.”

So you see... she hasn’t been hiding.

She’s just been busy... very, very busy.
Learn how Gloria can help you grow your business, starting today.
403-289-3836 or gloria@creaturesall.com.

page4

“Y ou can’t solve a problem by
throwing money at it.” bbbb
It is my perception that this
kind of deep financial wisdom most
often drips from the lips of those who
have plenty of money and blatantly
shows an out of control disregard for
common sense.
You won’t hear farmers talking
such nonsense. Farmers spend a good
part of their lives whaling on their
problems with fistfuls of green.
I’m not a farmer. I don’t have the
land required. I don’t have the
patience required. I don’t have the
brains required. And I certainly don’t
have the money required. But, I am
well on my way to qualifying as a
member in good standing based on
having an inordinate number of
dependent critters about the
property; any of which would find
their lives vastly improved through
being assaulted by fistfuls of that
which does not solve problems.
I publicly acknowledge that my
abundance of dependents is a
predicament of my own making. In
private however, I’m more likely to
try to deflect judgement of my
questionable character by viewing my
life as if gazing in a malfunctioning
mirror, where reality is the reflection,
and myself the manipulated image.
You see, I am not alone. All those
about me have critters... lots of ‘em,
in fact. My son lives in a household of
two cats, a dog, a Bearded Dragon
and a tankful of fish. My daughter
shares her 400 sq. ft. bit o’ urban
paradise with a cat, a hedgehog, a
Bearded Dragon and some sort of
salamander. We’ve just this week
hired Gloria Fantin as our advertising
sales rep. Gloria shares her home
with five parrots and a dog. And I,
Advertiser and Story Submission Deadline
for Next Issue – February 29th/08
PUBLISHER’S
NOTE
encouraging you to read, then write
Bob & Linda Fielder
I ride herd over a pair of senior dogs
—one with cancer, the other with
kidney disease and glaucoma— and an
unholy trinity of adolescent goats.
It is my assertion that it is I who
has himself been lured into this life of
unpaid servitude by an unwisely cho-
sen circle of kids and acquaintances,
not the reverse. I draw to your atten-
tion the distinction between the lured
(me) and the lurid (everyone else).
Not that I’m complaining; I, as all
who know me will assert, don’t know
the meaning of complaining. On the
contrary, for every expense, trauma,
concern and worry, critters bring with
them an equal dollop of laughter, fun,
satisfaction and joy.
Marnie is our Australian/Heeler
Shepherd and has been with us for the
past 12 of her 15 years. She is old
now; somewhat deaf and not a little
tired. Partially as a result of a
diagnosis of lymphoma, she has
dropped quite a bit of weight. This,
aided by the fact she never really has
been an enthusiastic eater, has been
cause for a bit of concern over the
weeks since her diagnosis and
subsequent treatment.
The couple of days immediately
following chemotherapy at the
C.A.R.E. Centre are pretty draining
for her and she simply will not eat. As
new to this as was she, I found myself
at wit’s end trying to devise a way to
convince her to eat in order to gain
both weight and strength. Prior to her
diagnosis, when she refused to eat, I
could simply order her to do so,
vaguely reminiscent of my own father
dictating I would not leave the table
until my porridge had been eaten. It
worked for my dad and it had worked
for me with Marnie in the past. But no
longer. (And yes, I still hate porridge.)
page5
The ensuing weeks have shown
dramatic progress, both in Marnie’s
condition and in her willingness to eat.
After several unsuccessful attempts,
using many convoluted and fated-to-fail
techniques, Marnie now eats like she has
never eaten before. She will even muscle
her one-eyed, glaucoma afflicted house
mate away from her food and gobble it
all down for herself, if not prevented.
And the one technique I’ve learned will
assure she eats her own food in full,
requires me to sit on the floor in front of
her, food dish held at eye level, with me
hand spooning it to her from a wooden
kitchen ladle. I’ll leave it to you to sort
the worry from the trauma from the
laughter from the joy.
The goats have proven a whole other
source of entertainment. These are so-
called ‘fainting goats’ and, when startled,
they simply freeze up and fall over.
This past summer, while we still had
horses boarding with us, I got the idea
from Sarah, the horses owner, that we
might toss one of those great large
exercise balls in with them, allowing
them a bit of entertainment.
Having procured one such ball from
our local recycler, I was setting out
towards the horse pasture in order to
fulfill my mission when my wife
intervened with the suggestion I toss it in
with the goats and gauge their reaction.
Never one to disappoint nor
disobey, I was nonetheless, hesitant.
Nothing I had researched indicated goats
were at all interested in playing with a
ball. However, succumbing to her
insistent, if not taunting enthusiasm, I
gave the ball a great whopping boot in
their general direction.
If ever a moment dictated the close
proximity of a camera, this was it. Dolly,
the smallest of the three, caught a quick
glimpse of the huge rubber orb mid-air
and proceeded to bolt. However, her
uncooperative muscles all locked at that
same moment, causing her momentum
to force her now frozen body to tip
forward, with her nose and front feet
planted on the ground and her hind
quarters distressingly and unmovingly
pointed skyward.
I wouldn’t trade my place on the
planet with anyone. ca
 For information on upcoming exhibitions visit: www.wendypalmer-artist.com

Wendy Palmer artist

Limited Edition Giclée Canvas Art prints available at these Fine Art Galleries:
Avenida Art Gallery, Calgary Prestige Fine Art & Framing, Okotoks
(403) 278-3074/286-9557 (403) 938-2755
www.avenidagalleries.com www.prestigefineartframing.com

When nature speaks...

take a moment to listen.
“Pssst! Check out the brand new
creaturesall web site! It’s way cool”

“Dude, What do you think

I’ve been doin’ all morning?
Did you see that picture of
Uncle Larry?”

www.creaturesall.com
answering nature’s call

page6

paw prints and pen scratches
Here are 5 more people that I
would appreciate sending magazines
too. Cathy D. received your magazine
and had to put it down, she was so
touched by an article that she began
to cry on the C-Train. She told me
that she could hardly wait to get
home to finish the article -- only this
time in the privacy of her bedroom.
The Bryants are continuing to be
blessed by the magazine and tell me
often of the stories.
Gwen Taylor
You have a great vision and I
know you will keep climbing
towards the stars with it. Great
Job for overcoming your major
obstacles, I know you still have
many more to climb over, but you
have conquered the worst. I will
always support you and Creaturesall
Magazine as I believe in your vision
too, the superb quality, creative sto-
ries and informative tidbits of infor-
mation are what make this a first
class magazine.
Wendy Palmer
Our 2 yr.
old Grandson,
Ryan picked
up our copy
of creature-
sall in our liv-
ing room and
sat down to
read it. He
enjoyed
making the
appropriate sounds for each animal
he recognized throughout the issue.
We just got lucky to catch this
picture before he finished. Naturally
he is now getting his own subscrip-
tion. He loves animals, great and
small.
Grandma & Grandpa Looy
LETTERS
take a moment to share your thoughts
Prolific Graphics is proud to Winter Conservation
have been given the opportunity to Education Programs
print creaturesall, and thrilled to be for adults and families at:
associated with such a quality publi- The Ann and Sandy Cross
cation. When asked if we would like Conservation Area
to sponsor 10 subscriptions to bene-
fit the “Salvation Army Child and
Family Services Children's Village”,
Winter topics include:
in Calgary, we gladly agreed. In a
world where we often forget what Sustainable Living
is important it's good to be given Nature Exploration
the opportunity to help, if only and Appreciation
in a small way. Keep up the good
work. Issue-based programs
Mike Stewart
General Manager For details, please visit:
Prolific Graphics
www.crossconservation.org
editor’s note: creaturesall would like
to recognize Helen & Harv Dougan 403-931-2042
and Joan & Doug Young for helping
complete this happy story. Working
together, they jointly sponsored
another 10 subscriptions for the
Children’s Village.
Elaine Rude
MASTER GARDENER
What a wonderful publication.
When there's so much negativity
these days, it's nice to have some-
thing to read that's uplifting and
Paintbrush
positive. Some of the articles are so
touching I cried, but startled my
Garden
hubby when I starting laughing out
loud at your (mis)adventure with
Design
the electric fence!!!
Could you explain how to send and
a check for a subscription? Will the
post office give me a money order Consulting
made payable in Canadian funds?
How would you prefer to have pay-
ment sent? Thanks!!!
Jan
Jackson, New Jersey
403.241.3688
Please find enclosed my cheque
for renewal of my subscription to
your magazine. I really enjoy it and www.Luv2Garden.ca
wish you every success. I use your
new website and look forward to elaine@Luv2Garden.ca
seeing what's new.
Lorraine Farran
page7
 SEARCHING
FOR A
MEAL by Cyril Brass

He cautiously climbed over the rocks, along the fallen logs

searching and inspecting. Aware of my presence close by, but not
afraid, he was focused on only one thing… a meal.

topping every few steps he smelled the fresh tropical raccoon family. However in appearance they are quite dif-

S air. With his twitching nose, he caught scent of

something. He abruptly changed his direction. But
what did he smell that I was not able to detect? And where
ferent than their close relative, possess-
ing a more slender
b o d y
was it coming from? He took a few more steps and more shape,
twitching of his nose.
People started to gather around watching, admiring
and photographing this inquisitive animal. The determined
creature discovered the source of the sweet aroma he so
desired. He tracked his way to a black beach bag that was
resting up against a log in the sand. Quickly the intruder
with nose and paws dove into the opened bag, to seize his
reward.
Before the owner of the bag realized what was happening, dark
the furry bandit retrieved what looked like toffee or some brown
type of sweet candy. Fiercely chewing the sticky substance, fur, a
he devoured his tasty reward. After cleaning his paws, long
licking up every morsel of food, he casually trekked back ring-
into the forest. banded
This was just one of many encounters that I have tail, and an
enjoyed with the Coatimundi in Costa Rica. Most of my elongated
experiences with these wild animals were not like the above snout.
encounter but about seeing them in their natural habitats The Coatis
searching for their natural food sources. However, they are are diurnal creatures (active during the day) spending most
opportunistic creatures and will look for any type of food of their day searching, inspecting, digging for their
whether natural or processed. breakfast, lunch and dinner in order to satisfy their
The Coatimundi are widely dispersed throughout the enormous appetites.
entire country because they are so adaptable to the I have had the pleasure of walking amidst several
environment, from their habitats and food sources to their groups of Coatis while traveling in several regions of Costa
social systems and behaviors. With lush rainforests, open Rica; lush forests near Arenal Volcano, high in the
grasslands and forest-covered mountains blanketing most of cloudforests of Monteverde, humid rainforest of Corcovado
Costa Rica’s terrain, these diverse eco-systems provide National Park, lowland dry rainforests of Carara Biological
sustainable territories for the Coatimundi. This allows Reserve and coastal rainforests of Manuel Antonio National
nature enthusiasts excellent opportunities to see these Park. Coatis can be seen in loosely organized bands or as
energetic creatures, no matter where they are traveling in solitary animals, usually males. The females are the leaders
Costa Rica. of the clan, only accepting males into their group during the
The Coatimundi are also known as the White-nosed mating season.
Coatimundi and commonly called the Coati or Pizote in As their brown fur blends into the dark forest floor,
Spanish. These small furry mammals are members of the you may hear them before you see them, rustling in the

page8
undergrowth or making vocal sounds. easily move about the interconnecting Coatis have become comfortable
These gregarious animals can be quite branches high in the tree canopy. around humans, interacting within each
noisy chattering when in groups as Having double jointed ankles allows others space. So, close encounters with
they travel about the territory. They these animals to descend trees head these inquisitive hungry creatures are a
communicate through a series of first. Now that would be a sight to see. real possibility as you venture through
grunting, chirping and snorting At the end of their busy day foraging the different regions in Costa Rica. And
sounds. for food on the ground they retire up remember please don’t feed wild
Raising their snout and sniffing in a tree for the night, sleeping on a animals, even if they are hungry and in
the aromas passing through the fresh bed of leaves and branches. search of a meal. ca
tropical air, directs the hungry Coatis’ Another reason for the abundant
quest for nourishment. Their nose number of Coatimundi in Costa Rica is Cyril Brass is a Wildlife and Sports
lowers to scan close to the forest floor that they are not considered a pest or Photographer living in Calgary.
honing in on the growing scent. With a threat to local farmers’ agricultural www.cyrilbrass.com
such a keen sense of smell they are crops and livestock. Therefore, there cyril@brassphotography.com
able to sniff out tiny bugs and is no useless hunting of this species. 403-999-1908
invertebrates while checking out every
hole, crack and crevice.
In locating a delicious meal
opportunity, they become extremely
persistent in capturing their prey by
rooting with their mobile nose in the
dirt like a pig or by digging in the
ground or ripping apart rotting logs
with their sharp bear-like claws.
Their sharp incisors allow them to
chew meat like worms, beetles and
sometimes small rodents as well as
plant material like fruits, tubers and
nuts. Being omnivorous animals gives
them the flexibility to eat what foods
are available during the dry and rainy
seasons.
I have seen the Coatis not only on
the ground. These agile climbers can

page9
 vb
Virginia Boulay
fine artist and illustrator

(403) 242-4628
www.vboulayart.com

Comfort and Joy

BOOST A YOUNG READER

Become a volunteer tutor to help a

struggling reader in Grade 1 or 2. Two
hours a week during the school day
and you will make a difference, for the
rest of a child’s life. Training provided.

Phone 777.8254 or visit

www.calgaryreads.com

Enbridge
CR008PA-AFF

Tanya & Brad Zumwalt

page10

Whiskers could feel the cool
rippling water beneath him as he
was gently carried downstream on
the river’s current. Although he was
a cat, and most cats loathed the water, Whiskers was unchar-
acteristically calm and felt soothed by the liquidity that
surrounded him. With his keen feline hearing, he could hear
the roar of a mighty waterfall in the distance, which
contributed to his feeling of inner peace.
Suddenly, the once steady current became rocky and,
looking forwards, he could see the river disappearing over an
edge! A sense of panic enveloped Whiskers as his path
carried him to possible certain doom! Crying out with
newfound fear, Whiskers flew off the river’s edge and
plummeted towards the water below.
Whiskers opened his eyes and his familiar bedroom
surroundings emerged before him. Feeling that particular
discomfort in his bladder, he exclaimed to no one in
particular “I have to go to the bathroom!”
With immediate urgency, he now knew his purpose in
life... to find the litter box! Practically running, which was
almost unheard of by those who knew
Whiskers well, he finally reached his
goal. His friend! His compadre! His
savior in time of need! The litter box!
Leaping insistently into his familiar haunt
he began the business at hand when without
warning a sharp pain unlike anything he
ever knew, hit him in his backside.
“ME-OOWWW” he irritatingly
bellowed. What the devil was going on
back there? Inspecting the litter box with
keen cat eyesight there was no obvious evidence of
any wrongdoing. Perhaps it was the litter box! It
was the only explanation. After many years of serv-
ice the ungrateful litter tray had rebelled! Realizing
his greater intelligence over a sand pile, Whiskers decided
that he would finish his business at a safer location.
Bounding out of the litter box he spied a possible
secondary site, the flowery rug that lay in front of the
fireplace. That would be his new urinary residence. Walking
over to the rug, Whiskers began to resume his urgent
undertaking. Again shooting pain invaded his back end and
brought his mission to a halt. Ye cats! The rug was in on it
as well! Treachery existed at every turn!
A scream broke the silence, “No Whiskers! Not there!”
Looking up, he could see his female human companion
standing over him with an obvious look of horror. Time sped
up and current events became a blur consisting of a trip to
the veterinarian, a poke in the belly, and then being whisked
page11
WAGGING TALES
stories from a veterinarian’s clinic
by Dr. Richard Weger, B.Sc., DVM
back home. What came next however, he would forever
remember and became the most treasonous act of them all.
Feeling worn out after his doctor visit, Whiskers made
his way to the food dish to fill his tummy, hoping that it would
somehow erase any recollection of the day’s activities. Biting
into his favorite canned food, a strange sensation
overwhelmed his taste buds. What was that odd bitter flavor
in his mouth? Rolling the food around he knew something
was amiss. Letting the food carefully fall from his mouth, he
closely inspected the contents. It was then he spied the
culinary invader, a weird round object had been slipped into
his feline cuisine! It could have only been one culprit! The
litter box of course (with his accomplice the rug!).
Suddenly he felt himself lifted up and quickly wrapped
into a towel. There in front of him was his female companion
and in her hand was the round object that he so cunningly
ejected from his mouth. So she was in on it too! It was then
that he felt a finger forcibly installing the horrible tasting
object down his throat! After a series of gagging motions,
Whiskers was gently freed from his owner’s grasp. Feeling
emotionally and physically exhausted he jumped up on the
bed and fell fast asleep.
Morning came and Whiskers felt the familiar
rumbling in his bladder and he cautiously crept to the
litter box. After some trepidation, he decided to give his
old friend another chance. Happily he found that he
completed his urinary transaction without
complications or discomfort. He must have
dreamt the entire affair. Having come to
terms with his affirmation that the entire
episode must have been a hallucination, he
emerged from the litter box victorious.
Abruptly he was
raised
into the
air and
before
he could utter a sound, he was forced to ingest another
helping of the tart tasting substance. Shaking his head with
utter disgust, he thought to himself that, some days it does
not pay to get out of bed! ca
Dr. Richard Weger is a graduate of the Western College of
Veterinary Medicine. He has committed the majority of his
continuing education to the development of his skills in the
field of exotic veterinary medicine. He is currently owned by
his Senegal parrot, Tiko and his cat, Mendel.
Exotic Veterinary Care and Referral Service
Calgary North Veterinary Hospital (403)277-0135
 GRAPHIC DESIGN
(NOT NECESSARILY
USING LEAVES)

COMMISSIONED
ARTWORK

PRINTS, CARDS
& CALENDARS

FEBRUARY MandaLeaf
D E S I G N

(403) 245-4386 • w w w. m a n d a l e a f . c o m

page12

n June 11 of this year, in a
O heated nest box in a small
building attached to the Red
Panda enclosure, a tiny baby was
born. For the next three months,
everyone moved around the building
as quietly as they could and spoke in
whispers. That is because that
offspring was one small miracle in the
hope of bringing a species back from
the brink of extinction. It was the
offspring of Malikha, our Red Panda,
one of the many Species Survival Plan
(SSP) animals that are born and
raised at the Calgary Zoo every year.
Malikha, being a very good moth-
er as always, stayed with her new
daughter most of the time while she
was in the nest box, feeding, cleaning
and nurturing the little Red Panda –
now named Kayha. The male, Kachin,
did not see his offspring until she was
introduced to the outside world for
the first time in late September. In
fact, the male did nothing to help
raise the young panda.
When Kayha was finally ready to
explore outside the nest box, she was
almost as big as her parents.
However, it was easy to tell which one
was the juvenile as she precariously
balanced on branches, wobbled her
way up logs, got stuck up in trees, and
took long minutes figuring out the eas-
iest way down. Red Pandas don’t
move backwards down a tree as many
other animals do, they come down
head first, and poor baby Kayha was
often overwhelmed as she looked
down to the ground and tried to
follow her mother. Red Pandas learn
very quickly though, given that they
are full grown by the time they are
one year old and are capable of having
their own offspring at approximately
eighteen months of age.
A native of south-eastern Asia
along the Himalayan Mountains’
foothills, and often sharing their space
with Giant Pandas, the Red Panda
CREATURE FEATURE
normally leads a solitary life. Looking
nothing like the Giant Panda – the
familiar large, black and white animal
that is so well-known – the Red Panda
is small, only about the size of a large
domestic cat. It has a long, red, bushy
tail with rust coloured rings around it.
The upper body of most Red Pandas is
a deep rusty red colour with the lower
body shading to black. Its black legs
end with white socks and the white
fur goes underneath the paw pads to
serve as insulation against the cold
snow and ice. The Red Panda’s face is
light coloured with white markings
similar to those of a racoon, along
with dark rust markings under the
eyes that look like tears.
Much like the Snow Leopard, the
Red Panda uses its tail for balance and
also wraps it around itself for warmth
when it sleeps. Their beautiful fluffy
tail is one of the things that has led to
their endangerment. In many places,
their tails are used for dusters while
the rest of their pelt is used to make
hats. Red Panda skin is also still worn
by the bridegroom in traditional
weddings. It is also deemed to be
good luck to either wear a hat or
carry the skin from a Red Panda.
These uses, and the continuous
clearing of the forests, have signifi-
cantly reduced their numbers. To
page13
back from the brink
by Kathleen Hewitt
date, no reliable numbers exist for the
total population. It is known that the
Red Panda is threatened, especially due
to the fragmentation of their natural
habitats, deforestation, and poaching.
The Red Panda’s diet consists of
bamboo, mushrooms, berries, roots,
acorns, lichen, grasses and even small
birds, eggs and rodents. They sleep
on and off during the day and are
active and hunt during the early hours
of the morning and evening, and
throughout the night.
These fascinating animals are
relatively sociable. However, if
threatened they will stand on their
hind legs making themselves look
larger and will use their razor sharp
front claws to defend themselves. The
Red Pandas at the zoo are quite famil-
iar with people though, especially so
with their keepers who will often go
into the enclosure and hand feed
them with tasty treats and fruit. ca
creaturesall would like to say a public
and very special thank you to Kathleen
Hewitt in appreciation for all of the
wonderfully written and well
researched stories she has contributed
over the life of the magazine. Sadly, this
will be Kathleen’s final contribution to
our pages. Her presence, as well as the
zoo’s support, will surely be missed.
 memories made timeless
We welcome you to visit
the studio on our farm
near Cremona. Just a
short, beautiful drive
Upcoming 2008 Exhibitions:
north of Calgary.
Calgary Stampede
Spruce Meadows Masters

Diane M. Anderson
www.dianeandersontymarc.com
tymarc@xplornet.com
403-637-2274 403-803-8039

Heaven Can Wait

Animal Rescue Foundation

(403) 601-2520
www.heavencanwait.ca

page14

ur days are filled with
O thousands of deliberate
actions, each one fueled by
intentions that are either cruel or
kind. At AIWC, human actions and
intentions towards wildlife are
apparent with every animal admitted
through the doors.
Sadly, wildlife often suffer harsh-
ly at the hands of humans who
choose to participate in deliberate
acts of cruelty. AIWC has provided
sanctuary for many such victims,
including: a Franklin’s Gull with its
wings nearly severed after being
pummeled by school children throw-
ing rocks; two handsome hares
from Calgary —one used as
target practice by a
would-be “sport”
archer, the
o t h e r
trapped
and impaled
with lapel pins; a
pair of Canada Geese
denied the freedom of flight
by the slice of a blade over their
wing feathers; and, a majestic Bald
Eagle poisoned by an improperly
disposed livestock carcass. While
we can all close our eyes to the
violence and insist that humans will
be humans, refusing to stop the
aggression is itself an act of
deliberate cruelty.
TAKING DOWN THE FENCES
by
Let us now consider the beauty
that can be cultivated by deliberate
acts of kindness. When a victim of
cruelty is noticed, it is a member of
the public who first acts compassion-
ately by calling AIWC to rescue the
animal. They prevent further acts of
cruelty by phoning the police or Fish
and Wildlife to report the crime. (Yes,
harassment of wildlife violates four
federal and provincial laws). Once the
wildlife is admitted to AIWC, staff and
volunteers act with kindness, treating
the injured animal with state of the
art techniques and knowledge
amassed through a decade
and a half of intense
experience.
Although
it is a last
resort,
some animals,
whose bodies are
battered beyond restora-
tion, need to be offered peace
from the world through euthanasia.
The fortunate creatures who were
rescued in time, however, are beacons
of hope and testaments to both the spir-
it of survival and the power of deliber-
ate, kind action. For example, the
Calgary hares and the Bald Eagle were
all successfully rehabilitated and joyfully
released into safer territory. The
page15
deliberate acts
Janna Mariano-Groza, B.Sc. (Zool), M.E.Des. (c)
temporarily-crippled geese, also saved
by timely action and expert knowledge,
are presently over-wintering at the
wildlife centre while their wing feathers
regrow. The restoration of health and
life is certainly a happy ending for the
individual animals, but it is far from the
end of the larger story.
If wildlife rehabilitation and conser-
vation only dealt with animals, human
cruelty against wildlife would never
cease. AIWC members share
the knowledge acquired
while working with
injured and
orphaned
wildlife
with oth-
ers. Beyond
the statistics and
stories is the truth:
that deliberate acts of
kindness are not reserved solely
for wildlife rehabilitators, but are
the right of all human beings. With
the simple act of making a phone
call, we can all just as easily look
after each other, animals and humans
alike, one deliberate act of kindness
at a time. ca
Alta. Institute for Wildlife Conservation:
http://www.aiwc.ca; (403)946-2361

I
t is the time of great cold, again. Winter. The third one
I am to know. There is not much in the form of prey
this time of year, but I manage to find the odd mouse
in my travels. I am the little black cat, and even in this frigid
season, the dark is my time. I wait, I stalk, I listen. The
tasty warm-meals are so noisy.
There are many places for the small crunchies to hide,
and I know them all. Marmalade, the Greatest Hunter,
showed us all these locations -- the fence lines, the barns,
hay bales and the sheds with cat access doors. Nine
winters, she told me, before she Went Away, she had
patrolled this farm. She saw the cow-herd increase,
chickens and other animals come and
go. She watched the berry-bushes
grow from seedlings into shrubs,
bringing in the tasty small-birds
and it was she who showed us
how to patiently wait by
the holes of the
the
time of great cold
dirt-whistlers, culling them and their young once they
poked their heads aboveground from their winter sleep.
As far as my first memories go, I remember the teat,
the milk, brothers and sisters, our nest under the noisy
human stairs and the smell of fabric softener -- whatever
that is. We played, my siblings and I, explored and learned
to walk in a House. Then most of them were gone, taken
away by strangers. For some time I thought I would spend
my days with my mom and sister, under the stairs, and
playing with the small-humans, but it was not to be.
One night my sister and I were taken Outside into The
Car. We were scared and the noise was like no other. The
young human tried to calm us down but we could tell she
was just as frightened. There was loud voices from the
front seat, and she was crying when, after rumbling to a
stop, we were tossed out onto the gravel road next to this
farm. We immediately sought shelter under a building, a
place where a very stinky striped animal had once been.
We caught our first warm-meals.
Within a few days, we had met the residents. At first
they were mean, protecting their farm against strangers,
but they gradually got used to us. They invited us several
times to The Cabin, where they all lived, yet we chose to
avoid the farmers, the tall strangers. We had been
abandoned by our humans, and my sister and I were now
Wild. Only the five residents knew of us; the humans never
saw us at all.
Then one day the snow came early and with it biting
cold winds and drifts. My sister, pure white and one with
the snow, went out hunting and never came back. The cold
was now unbearable without her by my side. I was now
alone, and hungry.
Red Jaguar, one of the tortoise-shell twins invited me,
yet again, to the warmth of his house and the bowls of
Crumbs set out for him and his family. I could not refuse,
and after eating my fill, actually crawled up onto the
human's sleeping platform, so soft and warm like the nest I
so recently knew.
When the human arrived later that night, I remained
perfectly still in the dimly lit cabin, a shadow among the
pillows and blankets, only two gold eyes belying my
presence. After greeting
everyone, he finally
noticed me.
by Jeffrey C Dubrick
According to his thoughts he was sur-
prised that a mink, of all things ( this
cabin is on a duck-pond ), had paid
him a visit. When he discovered that it
was a one-summer-old kitten looking
back at him from the dark, he
immediately offered me membership
in the clan. I accepted, of course, and
allowed him to rub my head.
Apparently that particular night,
in the world of the tall-cats, was called
Halloween. He announced that my
new name, in honour of this, was to be
Samhain, the olde name for the date.
And so it was that I came to live
with my new family. There was Red
Jaguar, my sponsor, and his twin
brother Ocelot. They are serious boys,
born on property in the very cabin
they live in. Choux-fleur, their sister is
a tortie -- fluffy, like a cream-puff, yet
deadly to birds. Their mother, the
little black-and-white cat, is known as
Pu-Kah' Pi'-Ni. She tells me this means
Little Eyes in the Blackfoot language,
and she was born at the neighbour's
farm four years previous. Marmalade,
the queen, is a tabby, The Great
Hunter. She instructed me, just as she
showed everyone else, the best places
for a warm-meal. She accepted me and
groomed me and when she purred she
made a lot of spit.
Not long after I began spending
my nights on fabric in the warmth of
the wood-stove heated shack, we were
all caged up and brought on a long trip
into The City. While everyone else was
having Check-ups by The Vet, I was
getting fixed, whatever that means.
Something about inbreeding and
overpopulation. I'm told the numbers
in our clan are sufficient to keep the
limited amount of territory of this
farm free from the gnawing grain-
stealers, chicken-killing weasels and
sparrows.
Regardless, after that trip to
town, I've never really trusted the
human again, and he'll not get me into
one of those travel-crates again. I
retain my right to be wild and now
you'll not find me indoors come dawn,
the time of day I hated being put in
that box. I'll spend the night, after my
rounds, with the others, yet as soon as
the sky colours I'm off to my daytime
digs, and they're plenty. I may pop in
to grab some crumbs, but I never
remain. I'm just seen way too easily in
the daylight and it makes me more
nervous than I already am.
Things are getting better between
the human and me. I allow him to
come close to me and, if he doesn't
make any fast moves, scratch behind
my ears and on my back legs. The rest
of the family is all touchy-feelie, but I
keep my distance, like any half-wild cat
would. Although I probably will never
completely trust humans, I realize he's
part of the clan and everyone thinks
he's alright, so I guess he's cool.
Then, last year when the season
changed into Winter, fast and furious,
socking us into heavy cold and massive
drifting, Red Jaguar went Away, due to
something going on Inside him. Were
the weather not so harsh, he was to
have been taken to the hospital, yet
before that could happen, he lay by the
door and Left. We were still in a state
of grief when, four days later, after the
warm winds of a Chinook enabled us
to get out and hunt, we were visited by
more Change.
On the road next to The Farm,
Marmalade was struck and killed by a
page17
fast-moving vehicle. Nine winters of
hunting and showing us all the good
places and she is victim to The Road.
The fact is there is lots of prey near
there, but danger as well. The trucks
come silent and speeding, and perhaps
we forget where we are when we lock
into the Hunt. We all make mistakes.
They are gone, as I shall Go, even-
tually. It is the way of all flesh, and we
as predators know this intimately. We
cats are well-acquainted with Death.
As for now, it is the four of us who
prowl these pastures. When the
weather's nice, there's always plenty
to do. When it's not, it's the bales or
the barn, or under buildings or
vehicles that don't move anymore.
Sometimes I catch the rodents which
the farmers stir up when they make
their morning visits to the birds and
big-hooves. The mice run right to me
where I wait in the shadows, quiet and
unseen, while the farmers go about
their chores, oblivious to me -- they are
so noisy!
Yet, when the sun finishes its
course for the day, I'm back at the
shack by the slough for crumbs and
then curling up on the chair with
friends. Every night, now, we wait on
the end of his sleeping platform for the
big-guy to arrive from the farmhouse,
where he takes his meals and watches
a loud, flashing box.
I must be getting used to him
because lately I've been staying in the
cabin until he rises and stokes the fire,
starting the day as the sun returns in
the east. That's my new time when I
quietly slip out the small-door.
Whereas I was always gone by dawn, I
now feel comfortable enough to let
myself sleep in! ca
 YOUTH SAID IT
a special thank you
by Gr 6 class, Chestermere Lake Middle School

I
n the past, several people have Thanks, for the magazines, They were wonderful. I espe-
expressed a desire to help support cially liked the pictures they were COOL! I loved the picture
creaturesall through the gifting of on page 15 it was so cool the birds were so CUTE, I also
bulk subscriptions to families, school enjoyed the articles, they were great. It gave good informa-
groups, children’s centres, etc. In that spirit, Helen and Harv tion about the birds and the bat. My favourite bird and arti-
Dougan of Strathmore, AB, purchased forty gift subscriptions cle was the Swallows! Once again THANK YOU for giving
on behalf of their long-time friend and retired librarian, Jan these magazines!!!
Honeyman, of High River, AB. The lucky recipients of that
Sincerely, Hasina
gesture, the Gr 6 class of Chestermere Lake Middle School,
took the time to say Thank You. I admired the pictures, and mostly the article, 'A
Thank-you for all of these wonderful magazines for our Chestnut Quarter Horse Called Adam', by Viki Chatham.
class. I loved the picture of the baby elephant named, Malti. The first part was very sweet how they started to ‘relax’
It was so cute! My very favourite passage was about the dog with each other, and bond so quickly. A lot of these stories
named Chester. It makes me wish I still had my dog, Shelby. inspire me to help out animals. I also really enjoyed the
Thank-you very much for these awesome magazines. poem, ‘How Hard Could It Be?’, by Trebor Redleif. Another
thing was the Obsolete, by Sean Skerry. I really hope I will
From Erica be able to read another article.
Thanks for the creaturesall magazine. I LOVED the chap- Thanks again, June
ter that was called “in passing”. I felt very sad when
Small(cat) and Chester(dog) were departed. I also liked the I got the Creaturesall Magazine and I really liked it! I
part about the baby elephant. Thank you for donating us these especially like the part about the elephant that was being
magazines.I LOVE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! born. I would really want to watch a elephant being born
because it seems like it's quite a thrill seeing an elephant
Tehmeedah
being born. And the picture of the elephant on the page was
Thank you so much it was great I really liked the article really cute! The picture I really like is the picture of a deer
The Miracle of Eileen Simpson. I'm 100% sure my favourite eating leaves. It looked liked he was really enjoying it. What
picture was the very big picture of the German Sheppard. pictures and articles do you like? It seems like you really
This was one of the greatest things I've ever read. I thought love animals, I do too!
the baby elephant was the coolest thing in the magazine. And
I really want to thank you for the magazine.
I felt really bad for the animals that weren't rescued.
Natalie
Matt
Thank- you for giving all of these wonderful magazines to Thank you for purchasing this magazine for us. My
our class. I especially loved the picture of the puppy on favourite article is the one with the baby elephant at the
page14. He was so adorable. My favorite passage was about Calgary Zoo. It is very interesting. I especially liked it because
Chester. I wish I still had my dog. he is small and tiny and I went and saw him at the Zoo one
time. And I like the article about Chester he is like my aunt's
From: Taylor dog he is very friendly. And I liked all of the pictures of the
Thanks for the amazing magazine that you sent the class. animals on page 20 they are awesome.
I just loved it. My favourite article was “A chestnut quarter from Nick
named Adam.” I thought it was the best story about a horse
and another reason why I liked it is because my name is I especially enjoyed the articale about The Miracle of
Adam. I also liked all the poetry about animals it was very Eileen Simpson it was a facinating article. I also liked the
descriptive, and it talked about what they did with the animal poem How Hard Could It Be? by Trebor Redleif, and also the
I thought that was pretty cool. I would just liked to say thanks poem Discarded by Susan Sweetman. Those two poems are
and I hope you send us another one. the best.

Adam From: Anton

creaturesall always encourages input from young people and will “Youth Said It”, in the subject line. Address your submission to
enthusiastically consider for publication any works dealing with publisher@creaturesall.com The author should also attach a head
all things fur, feathers, fins, skins and scales. Persons 18 years of and shoulders photo of themselves as a 300 dpi tif or jpg.
age and under should submit their work attached to an email, with

page18
 Thank you for sending us these magazines. I aspecially
liked the story Cross Paths. I didnt know that animals were
crossing into Fish Creek Provincal Park.
Sincerly Richard

I really like the magazine. I like the part called “In

Passing” and I love the pictures allot, infect I like all the
pictures. I like the page 13 it was really interesting.
sincerely Ume
Thankyou for your fine donations of these magazines
“creaturesall” issue 12. My favourite articles are “The
Miracle of Elieen Simpson”. It was a breathtaking story to
read. It helped me to learn more about animals especially
dogs and how they help others. And the poem How Hard
Could It Be made me smile everytime I read it.
The Hervey Foundation for Cats is a place of protection
and refuge for cats, the old, the suffering and a place of
last resort for healthy cats that would otherwise be
euthanized. We are a no-kill, non-profit and tax-exempt
private Charitable Foundation.
(780) 963-4933 www.herveycats.com
Happy healthy dogs for a healthy environment

Thankyou, and make more issues of “creaturesall” I

would love to read them
Vanesa
I very much enjoyed reading the creaturesall magazines
you gave us. It was a great way to enjoy reading and
humour in one magazine.
I especially enjoyed the article about the hawk, the
write up from the Calgary Zoo and the article entitled
"resistance is futile"
NEW
• Eco-conscious business owners!
• Puppy Parties! 4:30 pm Saturdays,
$5 drop in for puppy socialization
• Healing Touch for Animals® energy-medicine
assisting your dog with health and well-being
#128 5403 Crowchild Tr. NW, Calgary, AB/Crowchild Sq Mall

Thank you again, Alice

www.rowdydogz.ca 288-4000

Some of the sculptures I have

completed include pheasants, frogs,
dogs, cats, historic buildings, roses,
sunflowers, mushrooms and cat-tails.

All of my pieces are created from the

recycled hoods of cars and trucks. I
rework the heavy gauge metal using an
assortment of tools and techniques
which owe much to the now bygone
age when blacksmithing and hand-
craftsmanship were the only options
available. I do take orders for gift-giving
and keep an inventory of a variety of
sculptures on hand.
COUNTRY CREATIONS
Metal Sculptures
hnhdougan@nucleus.com

Harvey Dougan 403-934-3640

page19
 by Courtney Lynn Flaska

H
She demonstrated our close bond when I was violently
emi the hedgehog ill. Hedgehogs are primarily nocturnal, and spend the
majority of the night running on a wheel in their cage. Hemi
was no exception, but when I was ill, she refused to wheel.
Instead, she stood in the corner of her cage nearest my bed
and peeked through the bars. When I would make a dash
to the bathroom, she would scamper to the other end of
her cage and chirp her encouragement to me. Each time I
returned to my bedroom, I would find her standing on her
hind legs with her little head craned around, looking at me.
Hemi was a true hedgehog ambassador and burrowed
her way into the hearts of all who knew her. She became
one of the most well-known hedgehogs on the popular
online community, Chins-N-Quills.com, and many users
actively followed her life. I can’t even count how many
people told me Hemi was the reason they decided to adopt
a quill baby of their very own.
came home on May 23, 2005 as part of a bargaining tool
hen she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of
created by my parents. If I broke up with my boyfriend, she
could stay. Tactfully speaking, my boyfriend just did not
W bone cancer (osteosarcoma) in March 2006, the
entire forum was saddened. Her prognosis was, at best,
know how to treat another person decently. I’ll never forget one month and I opted against any treatment. Rather than
the first time he met Hemi. amputate her leg, I chose to keep her comfortable until the
“She’ll take up too much of your time. I never said you time came to help her cross the Rainbow Bridge.
could have her. Return her to the store, or I will. If they won’t Ten months after her diagnosis, Hemi began to bleed
take her back, I’ll deal with her myself,” he said, as my jaw hit when she urinated. She underwent numerous tests, biopsies
the floor. He was promptly and medications to combat
given his walking papers, and the problem. She was
to this day, has no clue I chose scheduled for a spay on April
an animal over him. 3, 2007, but died at 9:14 that
As a baby, Hemi was morning due to complications.
extremely skittish. The smallest Her death hit me hard, and
injustice was cause to curl into adding her memorial to Chins-
a ball and hiss. When she N-Quills was heartbreaking.
became frightened, she would To members of the forum,
begin to scream – much the losing Hemi was like losing
same sound a cat makes when one of their own. The
it is in pain. A hedgehog’s community’s response was
scream is commonly overwhelming, and I received
described as the ‘scream of many letters of condolence
death’, and is one noise a from people who loved Hemi
hedgehog parent dreads. as much as I did. Someone
Hemi made this sound anonymously even sent me a
whenever a thunderstorm clock with Hemi’s photograph
rolled through the area and on the face.
would have to be relocated to the basement until it blew over. For six months after her death, Hemi continued to
As she got older and more secure in her surroundings, visit. Her wheel would spin for hours, even when a new
Hemi learned to trust. Her trust, however, was directed hedgehog moved into her cage. It was as if Hemi was
only towards me. I spent hours with her, socializing and saying, “Hey Mom! I miss you, but I’m okay”.
playing. She learned my schedule and waited patiently for Hemi was more than just a hedgehog to me. She was
me to return from school or work. When she saw me, she my lifeline, my miracle baby, and my beloved pet,
would chirp excitedly and clamour to be picked up. When I all rolled into a cute little package with quills. If not
kissed her, she’d place her front paws on either side of my for her, I don’t know where I would be. As for Hemi,
face and quickly lick the tip of my nose. It was plain to see my Mom always says, “Her life began the day she came
that she loved me as much as I loved her. home with you”. ca

ierra is a young Sage Grouse,
S a.k.a., a Greater Sage-grouse
(Centrocercus urophasianus
urophasianus). She comes from a
family known as the Phasianidae. The
Phasianidae family includes turkeys,
grouse, ptarmigans, quail, pheasants
and partridges. In Canada, the grouse
sub-species include Blue, Spruce,
Ruffed, Sharp-tailed, and Greater
Sage-grouse. Greater Sage-grouse are
found mainly throughout the
grasslands, where sagebrush is also
commonly found, in Alberta,
Saskatchewan, and the United States.
Sierra’s favorite food consists of
soft vegetation such as sagebrush
leaves and buds, forbs, and many
types of insects.
Greater Sage-grouse like Sierra,
are no longer abundant. Prior to
European settlement it is estimated
that there were more than 10 million
Greater Sage-grouse in North
America. By 1970, their number was
estimated at 1.5 million. The Greater
Sage-grouse is endangered in Canada,
and there are believed to be less than
500 individuals left in Alberta and less
than 1,100 remaining in Canada.
In Alberta, Greater Sage-grouse
are found on the semi-arid mixed-grass
prairie where the habitat is mainly flat
with just a few small hills and coulees.
Greater Sage-grouse habitat must be
suitable for dancing grounds (leks),
nesting areas, feeding sites and
wintering grounds.
Sierra’s parents are rather large,
brown, white and black mottled birds.
Sierra’s dad has a large white chest
and a long spiked tail while her
mother has a black belly and mottled
brown plumage.
Greater Sage-grouse perform
ritual mating dances during late winter
and early spring at their dancing
grounds, known as leks. These
dancing grounds are where male
SPACES and SPECIES
prairie dancer
by Kristie Romanow, Conservation Representitve
grouse show off their dancing moves As a protected species, hunting of
to impress the female grouse. During
the dance, the male’s white chest
becomes very large and he puffs out as
the Greater Sage-grouse has not been
allowed for many years. It is
prohibited to destroy, harm, or collect
much as he can to impress the ladies. adults or eggs, or to destroy active
Sierra’s mom, like other female nesting sites. Since 2000, all known
Greater Sage-grouse, lays between 6-9 Greater Sage-grouse lek sites in
eggs each year. Her mother incubates Alberta have received protection;
the eggs for up to 27 days before they including land use guidelines that
hatch. Habitat loss and other threats, ensure that nearby activities do not
though, have made it difficult for many disturb leks.
chicks to survive to adulthood. Maybe one day, with some of the
Sierra, along with her family and measures in place to recover species
other Greater Sage-grouse, often suffer such as the Greater Sage-grouse, you
from the destruction of their homes by may be lucky enough to see Sierra or
humans. Greater Sage-grouse habitat is one of her family members in the
destroyed by houses, oil and gas wild! ca
exploration, and construction. Massive
sagebrush eradication programs have The Nature Conservancy of Canada
existed since the turn of the century in (NCC) is dedicated to conserving habitat
North America. This, along with for wildlife species like the Greater
cultivation of native fields for crops, Sage-grouse. It is our hope that one day,
and heavy grazing by cattle of native wildlife like Sierra and other fascinating
fields, has resulted in the loss of species will no longer be at risk. Please
vegetation and food sources that the contact us at 1-877-262-1253 or
grouse rely on. Hunting has also been alberta@natureconservancy.ca to help
a major threat to the Greater Sage- conserve habitat for these important
grouse - open hunting seasons existed endangered species.
in Alberta until 1995.
Susceptibility to disease, like West
Nile virus, is another factor that causes
alarm for the long-
term survival of
Greater Sage-
grouse. Alberta
is the northern
extent of the
Greater Sage-
grouse range and
short summers
and harsh winters
can have severe
effects on their
populations.
Drought can limit
the amount of
food available for
Sage Grouse to
survive.
page21
 You’ve been promising yourself you’d
do it... so, go ahead & do it.
We’re looking for writers and artists
to submit their stories
and cover art.
Send your submissions to:
publisher@creaturesall.com
We promise
not to yell.

Details at: www.creaturesall.com

You can make a difference

abuse
t
neglec
abandonm
ent
Before After

Volunteers & donations of any kind mean the continued success of Oops-a-Dazy
and expansion of our programs.
Ph: 1-888-734-1013 • Fx: 1-403-734-1014 • oopsadazyrescue@yahoo.ca • oopsadazy.com

page22

eep in the endangered
D foothills of Alberta live two
creatures whose fate is
determined by decision makers of
our time.
One is a female Woodland caribou
named Maggie. She lives with her
family of 80, the dwindling Little
Smoky caribou herd. Surrounded by a
chapel of sub-alpine fir, Maggie gave
birth to a beautiful 12-pound girl last
spring. This winter Maggie’s daughter
is learning from her mother as the
snow falls on the moss covered ground
of the mature old growth forest on
which they depend for survival.
The Douglas Fir and Lodgepole
Pines are frosted over with snow
crystals this winter season. Perhaps
one of the herd’s most important
adaptations is their keen sense of
smell, detecting lichen hidden by the
white blanket. Woodland caribou are
dependent on lichens that grow on
trees for 90% of their winter diet.
Without these trees and the intact old
growth forest sustaining the slow
lichen growth, Maggie and her family
would not exist.
Lower in the river valley lives a
pack of 8 Gray wolves. The Alpha of
the pack is a female named Maya.
Increased industrial presence has
created countless linear features such
as seismic lines, access roads,
pipelines and clear cuts. The scars on
the landscape have benefited Maya’s
pack by generating highways of access
to the deep old growth forest, once
too thick to venture into for prey. The
favorite food of the pack is hoofed
herbivores called ungulates, such as
deer, moose, elk and caribou. Being
opportunistic hunters, they prey only
on the sick, diseased and weak. This
characteristic has assisted the
ungulate herd’s evolution as they
sustain the favorable traits of their
gene pool thus building a strong herd
through survival of the fittest.
When wolves were eliminated
from Yellowstone National Park, the
ecosystem collapsed. Top predators,
known as keystone species, hold
ecological balance together. Like the
keystone in an archway, if removed it
falls apart. Yellowstone reclaimed
ecological balance only with the
reintroduction of wolves from Alberta,
removed from the very same packs
which prey on Maggie’s herd.
Maya has large front feet twice the
size of those of a similar sized dog.
These feet are webbed acting like
snowshoes in the winter. With narrow
set legs and slender bodies, the wolves
cross track, plowing their way through
the deep snow. Maya’s pack is lucky to
eat one meal a week. Today they are
fortunate to locate a group of
Woodland caribou. They choose one
with a distinctive limp for the day’s
successful hunt.
Maggie’s daughter follows her
swiftly on top of the packed snow
escaping the sight where one of their
fellow sisters had been attacked. Her
feet are almost as wide as they are long
leaving a round track with two dots
where her dewclaws touch the snow.
Just like Maya’s feet, the caribou’s
large hooves act like snowshoes.
The Woodland caribou herd has
lost several members this season to
predation from wolves, cougars and
bears. However, this is not the cause
of their decline. Sensitive to human
disturbance, caribou have not adapted
to the destruction of their forest. It is
difficult to find precious lichen as the
ancient forests are being logged by
industry. The clearings benefit other
ungulate species which prefer open
meadows for grazing. Caribou need
diverse old growth for lichen. Without
sufficient habitat protection there will
be no caribou.
The Alberta government has
received public pressure to preserve
the threatened caribou herds.
page23
WOLF TRACKS
the tradeoff
by Lisa Flaman
Common sense tells us that future
caribou populations depend on our
protecting caribou habitat. Sadly
however, to avoid stepping on the toes
of industry, the Alberta government
began a 5-year wolf cull, removing the
species which has evolved with the
caribou. With 3 years left in the cull,
the government will endorse the
slaughter of several hundred wolves.
Caribou experts estimate that it
will take 80 years for the destroyed
caribou habitat to return to sufficient
levels. Due to habitat loss, Maggie’s
herd is expected to decrease 11% per
year and become only a memory within
12-13 years. It seems difficult to avoid
the conclusion that the current wolf cull
will prove an ineffectual effort to save
the caribou and is ethically unsound.
The Alberta government and
industry have made a decision
guaranteeing detrimental effects on
the wolves. Please contact the
government and express the need to
protect caribou habitat and wolf
populations. Such short term economic
gains may leave future generations
unable to hear a wolf howl or see a
caribou track in the snow. ca
Visit www.northernlightswildlife.com,
or speak directly with Lisa at:
Rowdy Dogz (403-288-4000) in Calgary.
Lisa Flaman is a Northern Lights
Wildlife Wolf Centre Volunteer and a
co-owner of Rowdy Dogz.
NEWMAN
G
rowing up in Calgary, my four sisters
and I enjoyed every pet imaginable.
Cats, dogs, horses, assorted rodents
by Cheryl Beck

(even a gopher named Happy that lived in an

old mailbox, but that’s another story), fish,
ducks, and I vaguely remember a pig, although
Mom may have cut that memory short and who
would blame her!
My own children are no different. They
enjoy the same closeness with animals, but
they have also embraced the fine art of reptile
and amphibian keeping (yes, inside my house)!
Encouraging their interest is easy when
you understand the value of animal interaction

(even if that means having a bag of frozen

mice in your freezer next to the popsicles)!
Caring for and nurturing an animal provides
great return. As they tug on your heart
strings and give you unconditional love and
friendship, you develop a keen understanding
of what it means to have someone truly
depend on you. Excellent preparation for
adult life!
It was a typical day that started routinely
enough. My daughter came home with yet
another member for her ever growing reptile
family. “Mom, you just have to see this little
guy,” she said. “He’s the cutest thing I’ve ever
seen, I fell in love with him the minute I
saw him!” she continued. “I just had to bring
him home!”

page24
 Going through my mind were the usual parent like
thoughts. “Oh boy, now that she works in a pet store, will
she fall in love with every pet she sees? How many animals
can she keep up with?”
But when I peeked into the little carry home crate, I
too fell in love with this odd little frog! He was a little
smaller than a golf ball and sort of the same shape. His
colors were brilliant! Orange, red, green, black! The
patterns were almost confusing! A camouflage like pattern
on his back, but a spotted tummy with yellow feet! Look at
those toes! Are those little horns on his eyes?
My daughter explained
that he is a hybrid frog, a
mix of two types, A Pac-
man/Fantasy Frog.
“No kidding!” I thought.
He will grow to a saucer
size, has a very calm disposi-
tion, and prefers to live
alone (mostly because of the
cannibalism thing). “Okay,
sounds like a good idea.”
“His name came to me
the moment I saw him,”
she continued. “Mom,
meet Newman!” And so, Newman was home.
A passion for photography and a house full of snakes,
frogs and lizards leads to only one thing, a better
understanding of what animal photographers go through!
It’s not always easy to convince one of these beauties to
look directly into the lens and say “Crickets” or “Mice” or
whatever gets their particular attention! Newman however
is different; he is a very well behaved photogenic frog that
is game for just about anything!
It seems that many people share our feelings for little
Newman. His images have been on the cover of a magazine,
on display at the Calgary Stampede, and have inspired an
entire collectible image
series.
Not only has working
with Newman encouraged
me to work with and learn
about other reptiles and
amphibians, but it has also
reconfirmed the value of
sharing our lives with
animals. My daughter and I
are sharing a really special
experience, all thanks to
Newman, the odd little
frog! ca

Cheryl Beck
Photographer
More Newman images:
cherylbeckphotography.com

page25

Casey
You were our best, good boy dear Casey-
Gooz and we loved you very much.
Your kindness, love and sweetness were
ever present in your touch.
A gentle paw, a forceful nudge, a
whimper, bark or whine.
An in your face, a plunk in your lap, you
never paid no mind.
You made fast friends of everyone and
you knew just how to do it.
You simply looked them in the eyes as if to say “… I knew it.”
But doggie age crept up on you and slowed you down a lot.
And although we tried our very best,
We couldn’t turn back that old doggie clock.
So off you went and now we miss our beloved “Goozer-
rama-guy”.
You were such a gift, our very best friend, our dear “Boo”,
Our “Casey-d-a”, our beloved “Sweetie-peetie-pie.”
May you run with wild abandonment as your back is
warmed by the sun.
page26
IN PASSING
celebrating the lives of animal friends
May your big bushy tail wag free and high
As you run around and have lots of fun.
May the gentle wind blow through your little ears
As you hold your head up high.
And may the green grass be cool beneath your paws
As you trot along with ‘neary a sigh.
May the meadows teem with flowers and trees
As you run, tumble and rollover.
And when you’ve had your fun and all is done,
May you gently rest in sweet clover.
And as your big brown eyes sparkle and glisten,
May you patiently wait to see, the day when you and I again
Will go for long “walkies.”
Rest in peace our dear, sweet Gooz.
Passed away 11/23/07
Send your tribute to publisher@creaturesall.com All material
subject to editing for space. Include ‘Passed Away on: date’
and a 300 dpi photo in jpg or tif.
 Proud to support
creaturesall
in sharing enriching
stories with
Alberta readers,
young and old!
Mr. Len Webber , MLA Proudly representing the Calgary communities of:
Member of the Legislative Assembly Citadel • Edgemont • Hamptons
Calgary-Foothills Constituency Hidden Valley • Kincora • Sherwood
403•288•4453 in the Alberta Legislature

Hm]m]£:goZgqkojYf_daf_Yll`]:mklge]jJ]jna[]:gjjYd

page28
When I became My goats were gone I finally got
a goat mom, to far off worlds; a pix of Juan,
I was all smiles to the far but that just
and grins. side of the pond. made me bawl.
Because my first I sent letters For nothing
goatie offspring, seeking pictures. came from Egypt.
were a pair Of those goats No photo of
of goatie twins. I had grown so fond. of Ahmal.

But alas, I could My partner Still unmoved,

not keep them. was more stoic. my partner smiled;
(The thought still No tears dripped “Don’t let me
brings me pain.) down her cheeks. hear you bawl.
The first I sent Though my goat twins Those goats, you see
to Egypt. had been missing are twins,” she said.
The second went for weeks and “If you've seen Juan,
to Spain. weeks and weeks. you've seen Ahmal.”

If It’s All The

The Egyptian goat

Same To You
I called Ahmal.

©
The Spanish
twin was Juan.
But sadly, I by Très Bore
lost contact
with these, my
goatie spawn.

page29

e finally did it.AAAAAAA
H After thirteen years of con-
tentedly surveying his own
personal kingdom from inside the
backyard, Yoda, t h e s t ay a t h o m e
tomcat, f inally realized there was
a wider world to conq uer beyond
the fence.
Much to his house-servants’
dismay, Yoda started escaping from
the backyard on a regular basis. He
would never go far, but would be gone
long enough to cause panic. We live in
a neighborhood where coyotes
abound, and not many outdoor cats
last for long, so my husband and I
would help Yoda’s house-servants, Alf
and Lynn, look for him.
On this particular beautiful fall
morning, Yoda had again made the big
break. Lynn, myself and hubby started
the search. After climbing over several
neighbor’s fences, I found Yoda,
reclining in a shady spot under a tree,
savoring his freedom.
He saw me coming. Seeing my
approach triggered defensive action.
He took off into a nearby backyard,
with me in hot pursuit, yelling for
backup.
Lynn showed up and the two of us
set about trying to catch the hissing,
spitting, growling ball of ferocity. We
were running around, back and forth
in this yard, trying desperately to
corner him with absolutely no luck. I
said to Lynn, if we had a towel I could
throw it over him to grab him without
being shredded.
We stopped, looked at each other
and in a moment that cemented our
friendship for a lifetime, both whipped
off our shirts.
Now there are two half naked
women running around the yard,
THE FINAL WORD
chasing a growling ball of grey, armed
with t-shirts. I had just dodged to the
right, around a particularly pretty
patch of miniature roses, to cut Yoda
off at the pass. Head down, intent on
my prey, I nearly collided with a pair
of legs, that belatedly struck me as not
being Lynn’s. I came to a screeching
halt, looked up and realized that the
legs certainly did not belong to Lynn.
There standing before me was a
bespectacled gentleman. Clearly
drawn by the commotion, the owner of
the yard came out and the look on his
face undoubtedly showed his utter
disbelief at finding two half clothed
strangers running about amongst his
prize rose bushes. An older man who
had kept to himself, he didn’t know
us at all but he saw more in that
few seconds than good friends have
in years.
“Oh… um.. hello,” I stammered,
suddenly very conscious of my state of
dishabille. “We’re trying to catch our
cat. He escaped from the yard. We live
at the end of the block. He jumped the
fence. We’re sorry for coming into
your yard like this.”
So far, the gentleman hasn’t said a
word.
“He is really grumpy and now he’s
scared so he doesn’t want to get
caught.”
The gentleman finally responded
by giving me a slight nod. I think he
was stunned into speechlessness.
After another apology for
trespassing on his property, we contin-
ued the chase. Yoda had now found
refuge under the deck. I crawled
under and shooed him out. The
gentleman was kind enough to join the
ruckus, I believe partially to get us out
of his sight as well as to catch the cat.
page30
the great escape
by M. Yeung
Eventually the three of us cornered
Yoda long enough that I finally
managed to throw a shirt over him. He
immediately calmed down enough for
Lynn to grab hold of him.
“You have a beautiful garden,” I
said to the gentleman after thanking
him again for his patience. He merely
nodded at me again. Realizing that he
surely thought the neighborhood had
gone completely to the dogs (or maybe
cats), Lynn, Yoda and I embarked on
our journey home. Yoda snuggled very
happily in Lynn’s arms, body wrapped
in the shirt, his head sticking out,
assessing what other places he could
explore on his next escape. Lynn and I
were still shirtless, walking through
the neighborhood, thanking the
powers that be for sports bras and
laughing at the things we do to protect
our four-legged family members. I am
sure the kind gentleman whose
property we trespassed on, as well as
anyone who saw the escapade, are all
still shaking their heads.
Yoda has since gotten used to his
new harness and lead which keeps him
in Lynn’s yard, but I am sure that he is
plotting his next great escape. I often
see him standing at the bottom of the
fence, tail twitching as he calculates
his odds. ca
Although your feline friend may love to
enjoy the great outdoors, they will have a
much longer life if they do so in a protected
environment. Cats are appetizers for
coyotes and other wildlife. There are lots
of people who dislike cats, thinking
nothing of hurting, abusing or capturing
them. For your peace of mind and their
safety, please let them enjoy the outdoors
in a kitty run, or by using a harness and
lead, under supervision.
 I ONLY
ASKED TO
BORROW HIS
creaturesall!

h i s happ en t
Make friends for a lifetime.
t
Give creaturesall for a year. o yo u !
Subscribe to creaturesall
N EVER let
S ubscribe to creaturesall
For just $25 get all 6 issues delivered right to your door
Go to www.creaturesall.com to subscribe on-line
and for just $25 per year you can have all six issues

or just mail in the form below

d e l i v e re d r i g h t t o y o u r d o o r w w w. c re a t u re s a l l . c a
or fill out and mail us the form below

1 Year (6 issues) $25 (GST incl) Canada

1 Year (6 issues) $25 (GST incl) Canada make cheque or money order payable to:
1 Year (6 issues)$35 Cdn (GST incl) USA creaturesall publishing
make cheque or money order payable to:
PO Box 126
1 Year (6 issues) $35 Cdn (GST incl) USA creaturesall
Langdon,publishing
Alberta
1 Year (6 issues) $50 Cdn (GST incl) Elsewhere Canada POT0JBox
1X0126
Langdon, Alberta
1 Year (6 issues) $50 Cdn (GST incl) Elsewhere Canada T0J 1X0
name daytime phone

name daytime phone

address city prov/state postal/zip

address city prov/state postal/zip

email

email