1st Annual Caribou Festival Fun

Written by admin on 27 May 2011

: A barbecue will was hosted by The Friends of Pukaskwa at 12 pm each day of this fun packed weekend on Friday, students from Margaret Twomey, Pic River Elementary and other visitors enjoyed their bbq lunch outside the Visitor Centre next to the river. Photo OntarioNewsNorth.com 2011

: Emeraude (OntarioNewsNorth.com helper) crafts with Margaret Twomey Public School students.

: Guided hikes were enjoyed by those wanting to learn even more about caribou awareness efforts, especially Friday’s elementary school visitor from Pic River Elementary and Magaret Twomey Public School.

: Students from Margaret Twomey Public School enjoy a spectacular view during their hike.

: Guided hikes were enjoyed by those wanting to learn even more about caribou awareness efforts, especially Friday’s elementary school visitor from Pic River Elementary and Magaret Twomey Public School.

: A barbecue will was hosted by The Friends of Pukaskwa at 12 pm each day of this fun packed weekend on Friday, students from Margaret Twomey, Pic River Elementary and other visitors enjoyed their bbq lunch outside the Visitor Centre next to the river. Photo OntarioNewsNorth.com 2011

: Emeraude (OntarioNewsNorth.com helper) crafts with Margaret Twomey Public School students.

: Guided hikes were enjoyed by those wanting to learn even more about caribou awareness efforts, especially Friday’s elementary school visitor from Pic River Elementary and Magaret Twomey Public School.

: Students from Margaret Twomey Public School enjoy a spectacular view during their hike.

: Guided hikes were enjoyed by those wanting to learn even more about caribou awareness efforts, especially Friday’s elementary school visitor from Pic River Elementary and Magaret Twomey Public School.

Students from Margaret Twomey Public School enjoy a spectacular view during their hike.

Pukaskwa National Park hosted its first annual Caribou Festival last weekend (May 20 – May 22). While catching a glimpse of one of Pukaskwa’s woodland caribou is a rare joy an invitation from the park through the press called the weekend “A chance to learn more about the elusive animals through a full weekend of family events”.

Emeraude (OntarioNewsNorth.com helper) crafts with Margaret Twomey Public School students.

Pukaskwa’s Caribou Festival offered visitors, more than 200 on Friday alone, the opportunity to get involved in the park’s caribou care in more personal ways; children from elementary schools in Marathon, Manitouwadge and Pic River had coloured caribou pictures, or drawn their own caribou images as part of a contest, the images decorated the walls of the Visitor Centre (see end of video below) while the names they suggested for the park’s herd of approximately 6 to 16 caribou were also posted allowing people to vote on the names they found most fitting. To assist with the naming, and educate people about caribou conservation efforts and how Pukaskwa keeps track of the number of caribou living in the park, photos taken by motion-sensing infared camera were also on display for review.

Guided hikes were enjoyed by those wanting to learn even more about caribou awareness efforts, especially Friday's elementary school visitor from Pic River Elementary and Magaret Twomey Public School.

Throughout the weekend, visitors were challenged to ‘Guess the number of pieces of caribou scat (chocolate)’ in a jar while Saturday’s events included a caribou calling contest. Pukaskwa’s Coffee House featuring local talent. . Park entry fees apply.

The festival started with a traditional Sunrise Ceremony Friday at 7:30 am, it was a small group who participated but Acting Park Manager Sharon Hayes said that she and others involved thouroughly enjoyed themselves. At 11:00 am, the Grade 2 class from Margaret Twomey Public School and the Grade 2/3 class from Pic River Elementary School presented an impressive performance of a traditional Ojibway song to honour the caribou. Students from local schools have also been working hard on colouring and drawing pictures of caribou, and naming the caribou that live on Otter Island. Winners will be announced on Sunday, May 22 at 2 pm.

A barbecue will was hosted by The Friends of Pukaskwa at 12 pm each day of this fun packed weekend on Friday, students from Margaret Twomey, Pic River Elementary and other visitors enjoyed their bbq lunch outside the Visitor Centre next to the river. Photo OntarioNewsNorth.com 2011