Successful Applicant:
Nature PEI (Natural History Society of PEI Ltd.)
Award:
$3,000
Project Title:
Printing "Mammals of Prince Edward Island and Marine Mammals of the Southern Gulf"
Project Summary:
Under a slightly different title than first envisioned, 750 copies of "Mammals of Prince Edward Island and Adjacent Marine Waters", were printed and became available for sale in late November 2019. The book has 304 pages and is printed in colour. Here is what one person stated when receiving it
"Wow!! What a wonderful book! It arrived on my desk on Friday, and I was lost for most of the day in its pages. Congratulations to all of you on this fantastic achievement." "All" includes all the funders that are recognized with logos on the back cover, and without the support, the book would be only a dream. PEI Wildlife Conservation Fund, PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation, Province of PEI, Purity Dairy and Nature PEI, are all acknowledged in the book.
Thirty-eight terrestrial mammals and 20 marine mammals in the Gulf of St. Lawrence are addressed in the book. Historical information is available for most species, and parasite information is available for most terrestrial mammals. Parasites are not treated in most mammal books, but information on PEI is available through the work of the Atlantic Veterinary College. Each account includes a colour illustration: English, French, and Mi'kmaq names; description and dental formula; measurements (length and weight); global range; conservation status and history on PEI; ecology including predators diet; reproduction and development of the young; behaviour and vocalizations; and illustrations of skulls and tracks (where appropriate). For the marine mammals, the book includes an overview on seal exploitation, and their status and history in the Gulf. There are also several sidebars on white-nose syndrome, deterring skunk damage, and a skunk spray remedy. To assist readers further, there is an abbreviations list, a metric to English conversion table, a glossary, an alphabetical index, a reference list, and acknowledgements. The last booklet publication that explicitly included PEI Mammals was written in 1958 and included a chapter on Prince Edward Island mammals. Let us hope another will appear before another 60 years passed.