Kirsten Larsen
Northern News Services

NNSL (Apr 09/99) - There's something wild happening on the third floor of the Scotia Centre today. Wolverines, caribou, grizzlies and other Northern wildlife have made themselves a comfy home for a one day open house.

The annual exhibition, put on by the Wildlife and Fisheries division of the GNWT Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development department, has expanded not only its floor space for the exhibition, but has been joined by some new exhibitors.

Displays featuring wildlife and habitat studies conducted around the North's present and future mining and development sites are expected to attract the attention of those on the environmental and economic development watch.

Ron Graf, manager of the RWED Integrated Resource Management section said the displays will include studies by DIAND and the West Kitikmeot/Slave Study Society.

"They study not only the caribou, but also wolverines, and there will be traditional knowledge studies, ice research lakes and water (studies)," said Graf.

Another new exhibitor is Canadian Wildlife Service with a study on the birds of the Great Slave, as well as two videos which are guaranteed to excite fowl and frog lovers.

The exhibition, although quite informative, is also geared towards entertaining and educating children with interactive displays such as a fur feeling display, and a wildlife forest.

"We are trying to make a forest and set up (wildlife mounts) so kids can get a perspective of what these creatures look like in their habitat," said Karen Johnson, coordinator for the wildlife displays open house.

Technology will not be left out of the wilderness experience either. A display featuring caribou will include information on the satellite tracking devices that have been worn by individual caribou in the herds.

New maps will also be on display which show the different types of wildlife habitat and other variables that play a part in the environmental health and makeup of the Western Arctic.

The exhibition's main purpose is to create awareness about preserving wildlife and its habitat in the North.

"We want people to understand the importance of the wildlife in the North," said Graf. "It (wildlife) is used more than anywhere in the provinces...people are regularly harvesting caribou, moose and birds... We have got to take steps early on to preserve the wildlife for our children and grandchildren."