Thank you - heading north!

A huge thank you to everyone who has supported this campaign - it is heartwarming and humbling to be buoyed by so many supporters. I'm very optimistic about what we can learn about wolverines, made possible by your contributions and efforts, and look forward to having you all follow along as we uncover some of the mysteries of this elusive animal. (If you haven't already donated and would like to follow along, it's not too late! Every additional dollar goes toward food and lodging).

I wanted to post a brief lab note summarizing what you can expect from me and this project, now that we're fully funded. Tomorrow (1/15), I drive the nine hours north to Toolik Field Station, where I will spend a week with conservation photographer Peter Mather deploying our live-traps. The idea is to put the traps out ahead of the season and "pre-bait" them - that is, put bait in but don't set them. This way, the animals grow accustomed to the traps, get used to coming and going, and begin to think of them as a source of food.

 

Heading up Atigun Pass in the Brooks Range, about an hour south of Toolik, in 2016

Peter and I will drive back to Fairbanks on 1/21, and I'll spend the following four weeks preparing for the main effort of the field season, which will last from February 20th to May 4th.

My plan is to upload short video posts from the field every week or two here on Experiment.com. I urge everyone to ask questions and engage in any way they'd like - I would love for this to be a two-way exchange!

 

A wolverine investigates one of our live-traps, April 2016

Thanks again to you all - let's go find some wolverines!