By Julie Buehler
Special to the Turnagain Times
Summer bounty of food is key for animal survival
The annual summer bounty of plants and wildlife is here. Salmon are running in the streams, plant life is exploding around us, and people are outside enjoying nature in a variety of forms. In these luxurious summer days it is hard to think of the seasons ahead of us, but for the animals around us, this summer bounty is key to surviving the harsh Alaskan winter.
One animal taking advantage of the long working hours is migratory birds. Birds migrate to Alaska each spring for the plentiful food and the warm long days. Each summer these birds have a few short months to find a mate, lay eggs, feed, and teach the young to fly before they head back to their winter grounds. One remarkable bird, the Arctic Tern, must do all this before flying 12,000 miles back to Antarctica.
In addition to birds, mammals are also eating large quantities of food to gain weight while building up fat and protein reserves for winter. Each summer new moose calves gain up to ten times their birth rate, bears increase their weight up by 50 percent and mountains goats gain 10-15 pounds each month. Not only are these animals gaining weight for their own survival, but many females need energy to breed and give birth again next spring.
Smaller mammals like bats also need to eat lots of summer food to survive the winter. A colony of 500 bats can eat up to 500,000 insects in one night. Squirrels, mice, and beavers prepare in the summer months by creating food caches. Porcupines will eat large amounts of birch, aspen, and willow to build a thick fat layer to help them remain active during the winter.
Finally, whether we like to admit it or not, people are preparing for winter too. Many are enjoying the summer bounty by filling the freezer with fresh fish. Others are working in the garden and growing mid-winter treats. Soon it will be August and berries will be ripe for picking and jars of jam will line the shelf.
During this time of lush plant life and luxurious summer days it is hard to think of winter. However for birds and mammals, summer is essential for surviving the long harsh winter. Have fun out there and enjoy this seasonal summer bounty.
Celebration of culture and art
July 18 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. is the Fifth Annual Celebration of Culture and Art at the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center. The focus this year is all about quilts and quilting. The Girdwood Gold Stitchers will be on hand to help you create a fabric postcard to take home. Their quilts will be displayed in the visitor center classroom, as will 10 Copper River Shorebird Festival quilts created by the children of Cordova. This event is supported by Alaska Geographic, an educational non-profit group who manages the center’s bookstore. There is no charge for this event. If you would like more information please call (907) 783-2326.
