Me and the Wildlife

The Wapiti

  I use the term Wapiti rather than Elk in order to avoid confusion.  In Europe the Wapiti is extinct.  What they do have in Europe are Moose, but these animals are called Elk.  A moose is the same size and shape as a Wapiti, but the moose has antlers that look like a very large hand and a nose that would put Jimmy Durante to shame.  The Elk (Wapiti) has a much more refined appearance, and the antlers are branched and pointed like a large deer.  The early European settlers, upon first seeing a Wapiti, apparently did not ascribe any value to these glaring differences between the Wapiti and the moose, so it was named an Elk.  When they finally saw a moose in North America, they could not call it an Elk, because the name was already taken.  The word moose comes from the Algonquin word "moose" meaning "stripper and eater of bark".

  I was camping at a campsite to the north of Waskesiu in Prince Albert National Park.  There is no mountain scenery, but there are many, many lakes and endless coniferous forest.  It is very peaceful, and the pace is relaxed.  My campsite was a short distance north of Waskesiu.  After getting some groceries in town, I was driving my van back to my campsite.  I slowly came up behind a Wapiti who was taking a leisurely stroll down the one lane dirt road that I had to take to my campsite.  Unfortunately, he was in less of a hurry than I was.  He continued walking, but edged over to the right side of the trail.  I drove past him as slowly as I could.  I had not realized how huge he was.  Looking from the driver's seat through the passenger window of the van, I could not see the top of his back because it was was higher than the roof of the van.  I did not startle him, and he knew I meant him no harm.  As I pulled into my campsite, I watched him continue slowly down the trail, until the view of him was obscured by the forest. I had never experienced such a feeling of awe at being so close to such a large and graceful animal.