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Students get chance to try hand at caribou collaring

December 3rd 6:32 pm | Hannah Heimbuch Print this article   Email this article   Create a Shortlink for this article

Several Ambler students made the journey to Anchorage this week to share their fall field experience during a wildlife consortium. Ambler teacher Ann Washburn accompanied highschoolers Tim Cleveland and Mollie Penn, and middle schoolers Kituq Williams and Carrie Williams on the trip.

Their visit is a follow-up to a field trip made to Onion Portage in September when students assisted Alaska Fish and Game biologists in collaring caribou for tracking and taking blood samples.

"The main thing is to expose them to what environmentalists and the Fish and Game Department do," said Don Thurman, Ambler's middle and high school math and science teacher.

Fish and Game has included students from area schools on this type of excursion for years.

"This year we got to go, and it was absolutely fantastic," said Thurman, who accompanied Ambler students on the trip to Onion Portage. Shungnak students also went on a similar trip this fall.

Students took part in capturing the caribou, using boats to come alongside the large creatures as they forded deep water. Then they helped wildlife biologist Jim Dau place collars, draw blood and weigh calves.

Thurman said the outing was an excellent experience for his students, most of whom spend much of their time outdoors hunting, fishing and camping.

"A couple of them were really intrigued by this as a possible career choice," he said. "It's opened up some definite ideas for them."

On Wednesday, the students who traveled to Anchorage presented essays they wrote about their experience. Thurman said the students were chosen based on attendance, participation and the quality of their essays.

"It is important for students to understand caribou and how they are studied and managed, because caribou are an essential food source for the Inupiat of Northwest Alaska," said Environmental Education Specialist Brittany Sweeney in a release.

 

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