Hopes For Strawberry and Boomer
Hello! As I stated on Wednesday, I wanted to try and locate Strawberry this week since she had once again been separated from Arrowhead and his band. It took three days of hiking various areas of the Park but I was able to finally get eyes on her and her colt, Boomer. I found them resting near a great water source and then shortly thereafter watched from a high point as they moved to an area about 1.5 miles away to graze.
Today I would like to share my observations of Strawberry and the reality of the situation as of yesterday. First, I know many of you have been worried because they are alone from time to time and that is a valid concern. However, I do want to note that after watching her off and on for several weeks and speaking with others who have kept eyes on her, I personally believe she is choosing to stay behind. It appears to me, that she is doing what is best for her and her colt. If that means staying behind to rest then so be it. Strawberry has lived in this Park for 20 years and knows it better than any of us. She knows how much she can handle and as she showed me yesterday, is fully capable of finding what she needs to survive. Second, we are all aware of how thin she is right now. Although she is thin, she appears to have no issues eating and drinking. She also continues to provide milk for Boomer. Her love for him is amazing and I have no doubt that she will do all she can to keep him safe for as long as she is able.
None of us know how this will all play out. She may be picked up by Arrowhead again or another stallion but also could continue to be left behind. Winter in North Dakota is rough and my hope is that she can settle with a band before the worst of it hits us. This is a tough situation to mentally deal with but wild and free is not always pretty. It is out of our control and all we can do is keep her and Boomer in our thoughts and prayers. Thank you.