Issue No 1 February 2004 Welcome Letter from the Editor Coming Up In Our Next Edition Rockies Events Calendar The best Canadian Rockies events calendar highlights so many events in Canmore and Banff that you'll be begging for some down time! Canmore's Native History Ancient pictographs are just one reminder of this area's rich and fascinating Native history. Discover the 11,000-year-old story behind the Canmore area's First Nations people. Adventures on Snowshoes Walk on clouds of powdery snow for miles amidst pristine Rocky Mountain scenery - on a snowshoeing adventure. Snowshoeing is fun, safe and a great way to enjoy the outdoors for all ages. Subscribe Today!     If you haven't already signed up to receive your free subscription to SolaraLife, sign up now by submitting your email address in the space provided above.	HOME   /   SEE IT Wildlife adapt to winter challenges in Canadian Rockies January is the coldest month of the year in the Canadian Rockies. Heavy snowfalls and cold temperatures test the survival strategies of even the toughest animals. Large mammals, like bighorn sheep, elk, deer, moose and caribou move into the valley bottoms during the winter to forage for the limited winter foods available at this time of year. Gone are the succulent leaves, grasses and plants of summer. Instead they are forced to browse on buds and tough twigs. After the exhausting stress of the fall rut, many bull elk begin the winter in less than ideal condition. The females, or cows, have a different challenge — pregnancy. Winter is not only the coldest time of year; for deer it is the season of reproduction. In the Rockies, pregnancy can be fatal. Forced to expend resources towards reproduction at a time of year where food resources are scarce, many pregnant females find themselves on the dinner menu of wolves and cougars. Some that survive the predators will suffer an even less glamorous fate — starvation. Bears, snug in their dens, are not really hibernating. In fact the females, or sows, awaken briefly during January or February to usher in the next generation. Sows awaken just long enough to give birth to a tiny cub (often twins) weighing only a few ounces. Adult Grizzlies, which tip the scales at almost 400 kg (880 lbs.) only weigh around 500 g (1.1 lbs.) at birth. Like kittens, they are born blind and helpless. After finding themselves a nipple, they’ll join mom in the winter nap. Over the next few months, they’ll gain 3-4kg (6.6-8.8 lbs) before emerging from the winter den. Of all the large mammals, moose are unique. They are truly one of a kind when it comes to adapting to winter. Moose are able to reduce their body temperature by several degrees. This greatly reduces the amount of food they need to consume in order to maintain their body temperature. While their hooves are small, the large dewclaw on the back of their legs helps to add to the surface area of the hoof and reduce their snow penetration. Finally, their legs are long and enable them to walk through nearly chest deep snow with little effort. Mule and white-tail deer are forced into a bounding gait with even a small snow depth. Their solution, take turns breaking trail in order to reduce the challenges of deep snowpacks. For animals that lack genetic adaptations, behavioural changes are the only option. back to top A bull elk pauses in his search for winter sustenance in the Bow Valley. While most of the hoofed animals (ungulates) have headed to the valleys, there is one animal that seeks out the most inhospitable ridges available – the mountain goat. Goats take advantage of the high winds that blast the summits, keeping many high ridges exposed. This allows them to thrive on the low plants available on these wind blasted locales. Like the Arnold Schwarzenegger of the hoofed animals, they have a strong upper body and a short body length. Their strong forebody helps them pull themselves up the sheerest slope. The short wheelbase lets them turn around on rock ledges as narrow as 15 cm (6 in). Contrary to popular belief, mountain goats do fall. In fact falling, along with avalanches are the most common causes of death. Next spring, as black and grizzly bears emerge from their winter dens, they’ll make their way to the avalanche slopes, head to the frozen food section and claim themselves a TV dinner. Nicely preserved beneath the winter snowfalls, the carcasses of these goats (and the occasional sheep), are kept well preserved, much like a frozen dinner. These hearty meals provide a nice hit of protein for the hungry bears after their long winter sleep. In the Rockies, it’s a landscape of constant change and adaptation. Every animal needs to be able to deal with a world of extreme temperatures and limited foods. Every weather forecast brings a new survival challenge. It’s not all about the skiing! Ward Cameron Ward Cameron is a Canmore-based naturalist, photographer and author. His Web site, www.mountainnature.com, is an on-line guide to the nature of the Rocky Mountains. His popular guide book, Canmore & Kananaskis: Best Hikes, Best Activities, includes hiking trails, popular attractions, historical vignettes and superb colour photography.
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