Melia Knect in the Brooks Range, Alaska (photo by Alice Bailey)
Bruce Hale
“The Hidden Lives of Animals Who Share Our World”
Have you ever happened upon animal footprints crossing a snowy meadow and wondered what animal made them, where it was going, and what it was doing? Have you seen a small pile of droppings curiously perched on a raised tuft of grass or rock as if it was meant for you to find? Did you wonder what animal left that and why? Was it intentional? These are signs of animals living their secret lives around us. They use the trails we use, and they are in our gardens and even in our houses! They largely remain unseen, leaving only these telltale signs of their presence.
On Nov. 19 at 4 p.m., SaddleBrooke’s own Melia Knect will talk about animal signs we may encounter on hikes and elsewhere at the SaddleBrooke One Activity Center. In her presentation, she will explore common tracks, scat, and signs that animals leave and will discuss the behavior, context, and details that help reveal the identity of the creatures who leave these signs. Tracking is an art and science that increases one’s awareness and appreciation of the living world and our place in it.
Melia knows her stuff! She grew up in the Seattle area, graduating from the University of Washington with a degree in anthropology. She has worked various careers in commercial fishing, cargo shipping, archaeology, and museums and now is a department manager at the Tucson REI store. Drawn to remote places, she lived for years on the treeless Aleutian Islands, Northern Scotland, and the Palauan archipelago in Micronesia. Melia enjoys many other outdoor pursuits, including photography, backpacking, birding, natural history, sailing, snorkeling, and diving, and has practiced these during adventures in various remote places throughout the world.
The SaddleBrooke Hiking Club presents programs at 4 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month, October through April (except December). All are welcome.