“Their story is one of survival against the odds.”
That’s a passage from Wild Horses, Wild Wolves: Legends at Risk at the Foot of the Canadian Rockies, a book of history, discovery and art as it pertains to the wild horses and wolves of the Ghost River wilderness region. Written by investigative artist and conservationist Maureen Enns, this book was a project six years in the making.
Finally, the book has been released. Formally launched alongside an art exhibit at Calgary’s Masters Gallery June 20, the book will make its way to Cochrane for a June 27 signing at North Forty Feed and Farm. The book signing will run from 3-5 p.m.
“I’m an artist, I look intuitively first,” said Enns, who is known for her research on human and grizzly bear interaction. “As I was studying, patterns and definitions for these horses started to emerge.
“These are different than the feral, free-roaming herds. There was something different going on out there.”
She estimated there to be about seven herds of horses, averaging between five to eight horses per herd. The horses travel on about 10 sections of land.
Enns considers these herds to be “rewild horses” — horses that have spent generations away from civilization and have adapted their behavior to survive against predators, the landscape and the weather.
But for Enns, the greatest threat to the survival of these horses is the increased recreational use of the region and upcoming forestry projects — in short, man. She said off-roading and ATV enthusiasts have damaged and littered the landscape in the Ghost-Waiparous area.
Spray Lake Sawmills does include a compartment of the Ghost River region in its detailed forest management plan, said organization spokesperson Gord Lehn. However, Lehn added that the sawmill has no plans to log in the wilderness area.
“The area was pristine microsystem when I went in there six year ago,” said Enns. “It was hard for me to write this book. I thought revealing the horses would lead to their slaughter.”
This is Enns’ fourth book, although her first as the sole author. Her previous books detail her work with grizzly bears in Russia and in Banff National Park.
Along with details pertaining to her discover of these rewild herds, the book includes information on the history of these animals — including their connection to Cochrane’s ranching and polo-playing past.
Enns research also debunks a few myths about the elusive four-legged creatures — how they have taken on behaviour similar to deer, how they interact as a disciplined and caring herd. She has captured the rare — the relaxed relationship between horses and wolves.
The book is full of photographs, drawings and stories of Enns’ six years of research.
