The Animals Are Stirring!

Welcome back to my blog! Since my last email, we've experienced a bit of melting in Baker, but not to the extent that I expected. The streets are just now starting to replace the well-worn snow tracks with squishy red mud. However, with the sun now rising at 3am and setting after 11pm,it will only be a matter of time before the snow is gone off the land. The massive lake that borders the town and its namesake, Baker Lake, will not be clear of ice until well into July or August.

With the change in weather and the long days of daylight, the locals are getting ansy to get out on the land. I sat with a local at a recent farewell feast for a local southerner who was returning home to Newfoundland after many successful years in the North. The local was very excitedly telling me about catching his first grizzly bear during the previous week. I asked him what he planned to do with it and he said he wasn't sure but hoped to get a good pelt out of it. If the quality wouldn't allow him to keep the head, he hoped to harvest some teeth. I asked about the grizzly's claws. He said if he couldn't keep them with the pelt, he'd give them away. I'm hoping he remembers our conversation and offers one to me!


I was surprised to learn that grizzlies are so abundant in this part of Nunavut. This past week, someone past on a warning to us to not venture outside of town without protection, because a grizzly was on the prowl just outside of town. I have definitely listened to that advice!

On a trip around town this past week, there were at least 3 homes that had grizzlies (not alive!)outside in their yards. I took a picture of one of them and it is included with this blog. Unfortunately, you can't see his head very well as it is tucked under.

The other pictures I took while walking around town were of a muskox, two arctic wolves, an arctic hare (a live one)and a herd of caribou. It was the closest I'd even been to a muskox, and I can tell you it looks scary, even when it's only the head! I didn't want to touch it... I guess the spooky stories told by the locals of animal spirits was front and centre in my mind! The arctic wolves look majestic, even if only from a distance. I've included that picture in my blog as well.

The other picture is of an Arctic Hare that seemed quite curious about what I was doing. According to the locals, he was not a large hare, however, I think he could take down a small child! Unfortunately, my picture of the caribou herd didn't turn out very well. The herd, about 15 or so, was grazing in the field close to my house, just behind the sled dogs. Two other herds have been spotted close to town and creating excitement for the locals.

I asked a local about what parts of the caribou they would harvest and they went into great detail about the stomach, tongue and other parts that surprised me. Probably the most surprising were the delicacies: the brains (supposedly they taste better than yogurt (!)), and the eye balls. If offered, I have already decided to pass. Sorry, I just don't have it in me to try either of those!

I am off for a month, one week in Iqaluit, two weeks in the south visiting family, and one week in Kugluktuk (in the western Arctic, formerly called Coppermine). By the time I return to Baker, I'm hoping the snow is all gone, the roads have dried up, and I can try my hand at fishing for Arctic Char or the massive lake trout that lurks in the many lakes around Baker. Until then, have a great spring!!