The Buffalo Wolf: Predators, Prey, and the Politics of Nature

by Carbyn, Lu

• ISBN13: 9781588341532
• ISBN10: 1588341534
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-10-01
• Publisher: Harpercollins

Summary

A wildlife adventure set amid North America's last uninterrupted wolfbison predator-prey cycle. Carbyn's tale is an adventurous first-person narrative of a scientist in one of the most remote places on earth-- Wood Buffalo National Park in northwestern Canada-- studying the only remaining uninterrupted predator-prey relationship of wolves and bison. As remote as the park is, however, the long reach of human civilization is everywhere to be found. An odd collaboration of ranchers, government officials and conservation groups propose that all the bison be killed because they harbor diseases such as tuberculosis, brucellosis, and anthrax. The threat to cattle is the primary mover, but some conservationists have dreams of a "pure herd" and want to start over. Carbyn sees it differently, always basing his opinions in science, but also realizing that the bison are part of the long cultural heritage of Canada's native peoples. He expertly navigates through these emotional debates, exploring their twists and turns with insight and compassion.

Author Biography

Lu Carbyn is a research scientist emeritus for the Canadian Wildlife Service and an adjunct professor at the University of Alberta.

Table of Contents

Apparitions in the Mist	1	(28)
The Park and the Delta	29	(18)
Sights from a Lofty Perch	47	(34)
An Eagle's-Eye View	81	(20)
Lousy Creek	101	(22)
A Chilly Hike	123	(24)
A Film in the Wilderness	147	(20)
The Old Bull	167	(20)
When Scavengers Become Predators	187	(16)
The Fate of the Herd	203	(16)
Edmonton	219	(10)
A Silent Spring	229	(7)
Selected References	236	(9)
Index	245