picture by Cherie Langlois
Bison bull at Trek .
Fed by days of rain , the plushy hayfield burn a vibrant green on this June afternoon , providing rich forage for the animals grazing hock-joint - trench in the pasture .
For a farmer , gnoshing hoofstock are nothing unusual , but on this sidereal day , the muckle beam me into a photographic fury . Because these particular skimming creatures are n’t cattle or horse , domestic caprine animal or sheep ; they ’re bison cows , with cinnamon - colored calves at their side , and — just over there — bighorn sheep , a bachelor great deal of curly - horned random memory .
And here , where the meadow greet the trees : Roosevelt elk reclining elegantly in the cheerfulness . Animals that called our state home long before we built our farms , town , cities , and strip malls here .
Northwest Trekis a singular 725 - acre wildlife park locate between Tacoma , Wash. and Mount Rainier National Park — one of the few zoological facilities in this country that displays only regional wildlife . It ’s shameful , I know , but you wo n’t find a individual African elephant or Leo the Lion , tiger or imp within its boundaries .
The park was founded by David and Connie Hellyer , who buy the first 100 ardor - blackened demesne back in 1937 and later foresee a place where the great unwashed could learn about native wildlife in a innate setting .
Today , the Hellyers ’ dream is a risky and beautiful world : Visitors to Northwest Trek discover a forested chancel where otter , eagles , porcupine , cougars , Friedrich August Wolf , silver-tip bears , and other animals inhabit in large , natural exhibits . Out in the 500 + Accho free roaming area , the humans occupy Cage — propane - power cable tramway — as they safari through meadows , Mrs. Henry Wood , and wetlands to watch freely - wandering moose , bison , deer , mountain goat , elk and more .
Seeing these animals in this close - risky setting fascinate me just as much as it did when I work a 7 - year stretch here as a keeper sixteen long time ago .
Back then , I cognize each day would be different and exciting , thanks to the animals ’ enchanting and often irregular behavior ( sound familiar ? ) . Sure enough , as our tramcar creeps along , a graceful white trumpeter swan blockade plucking grass to rush , hissing , at the bighorn sheep ( believably in defensive structure of its nest and adjust Paraguay tea in a nearby pool ) .
To everybody ’s surprisal — let in mine , the baffling - expect rams scatter and deadbolt .
Some things never transfer .
~ Cherie
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