The King's Connection Magazine Volume 21 Number 3//Fall 2011 | Page 12

Featured article

a northern perspective
By Stephanie Penner, King’s Student

I

n July 2011, as a part of the King’s University College’s
summer research program, I travelled north, to Rankin Inlet,
Nunavut to participate in field research on peregrine falcons. I
had previously been involved in lab work regarding the genetic
population dynamics of peregrines. This trip was meant to give
me a comprehensive understanding of the project. My bags
were packed with Mountain Equipment Co-op® gear and I had
special rubber boots on my feet. However, in spite of my all
attempts at forethought and fastidious preparation, there was no
way I could have foreseen the absolute adventure upon which I
was about to embark.
The over-arching research on the peregrines of Rankin Inlet
pertains to the population’s unique dynamics. Data collection
focused and is focusing on peregrine ecology and demography.
The work preceding this was far from simple. It involved setting
up motion cameras, keeping track of site visitations, egg
counting, counting and weighing chicks, setting up rain
gauges and more. The nesting sites were spread out over a
455 km2 range around Rankin Inlet. We had to cross tundra,
cliffs, countless lakes and parts of the Atlantic Ocean to get
to them. When our desired site was finally reached, we were
greeted by the indignant shrieks of an angry peregrine mother
who was willing to dive bomb our sorry selves at 325 km/hr.
Some sites were a breeze; all we had to do was merely scramble
up a grassy incline. Other sites were of a different nature, being
perched precariously on 100 ft. cliffs over hypothermia-inducing
arctic waters. At first, this notion terrified me. Before this trip,
the most strenuous part of my research was pressing down my
thumb on a micropipette. By the end of my trip however, the
sites where we brought out the rappelling equipment and rockclimbing shoes were the ones that I looked forward to the most.
In the tundra, I learned about more than just peregrine falcon
field research. I became quickly acquainted with new machines,

I kept thinking
“God, you’re a genius,”
which was probably an
understatement.

cultures and living conditions. My
first day, I nearly catapulted myself
off my designated ATV, when attempting

to reverse it. Little did I know, that in a few short weeks, I would
be able to cross deep fast flowing rivers, drive up cliff faces,
forge my way through muddy bogs with that machine while
loving every second of it. I also discovered more about Canadian
diversity being immersed in both Quebec (my co-workers hailed
from the francophone region of our blessed nation) and Inuit
culture. It was fascinating, and not to mention, a lot of fun. I
had to adapt to new living conditions also. I learned how to fish,
cooked over a Coleman stove and functioned in a one-room
cabin without any running water. When you do field research,
you don’t just learn about the organism being studied, you learn
to adopt a new lifestyle.
Amidst the wild romping and steep learning curves however,
there were also moments of tranquility. Times where the team
was boating to a coastal site, ATVing over a flat patch of tundra,
or spending the evening fishing, were times where I got to stop,
breathe and take a look at the rugged unadulterated beauty
surrounding me. The cliffs were wild and jagged and I could not
help but be in awe of their sheer magnitude. The tundra was
covered with tiny flowers that were so intricate, delicate and
elegant; I was stunned at their existence in such an untamed,
unforgiving climate. I kept thinking “God, you’re a genius,” which
was probably an understatement.
My trip to Rankin Inlet, which came about from the support
of my supervisors at King’s, was beyond anything my
imagination could have conjured. I have fallen in love with the
rugged tundra, its wildlife, and the adventures that I encountered
while in it. Who knew a lab bound geneticist could turn out to be
a tundra girl too? ?

10 /// The King’s Connection /// Fall 2011