17 February 2014

Why after such a nice day as yesterday (16-2-2014) am I feeling so useless today...

Yesterday I went on a beautiful hike with an arranged group of people and the rangers. We walked, we took a time out at a refuge and went for another hike and then returned for lunch on the refuge again. We ate wonderful polenta with funghi and sausages, we drank wine, liqueur and listened to stories. What a wonderful day was that!! But now… I feel meaning-less. I feel like an amateur and sooooo not-experienced at all, what is logical of course but still. I met my co-intern and he is busy with clusters of wolfs. Only that wolf that we were following is really dead right now, so we have to wait for the allowance to catch another wolf to follow.

But I am not sure what the plan is now really. I need structure, I need a plan! What can I do about it? I am so dependent on my co-intern (who wants also money for the kilometres, what makes sense but Majella needs to pay for it, not me) and Antonio of course. The first moment that I have money I will arrange lessons to get my driver's licence because I cannot take it anymore… But now… What now… What will I do? I feel so useless and I haven't seen any wolf/animal at all… ~

Now, view days later, I have received a plan! I'm going to do research about the genetics of the pack of M3. Also research about their nesting places will be done of the same pack of M3. M3 is a wolf with a collar from last year but the batteries are too low to receive data from him. So data of 2013 will be analysed and clusters will be visited. Besides this I also asked if I may participate in the process of catching a new wolf to follow him and discover his territory and patterns of predation and resting. Finally, something that I can do!

We have been (re)placed some new video traps but no wild animals have been observed yet by eye during the day… This is strange they say, so I am curious why these animals hide all the time when they supposed to eat or walk around…

Luna, the dog I talked about is still with me by the way!! Yesterday (19-2-2014), I showered her and she enjoyed it in some way. Before that I had to buy some special shampoo and towels. I did not know that towels are soooo expensive my god! I will not think about soon again to buy a towel again, because these things can cost more than 18 euro's seriously!!!

Co-intern and I have been done some observations on red-deer. We discovered that the stress-level of these animals are very low so no predators were near their area. Every 10 minutes one of us picked random an individual and observed this animal.

Today (20-2-2014) I have been starting with my reports but I cannot do anything and it is only 11.45… That's going to be interesting for the rest of the day. Maybe I dive back in my book again. Last day of being 20 on the 20th, tomorrow will be my first day of being 21 on the 21th.