Winter in P.E.I.'s Provincial Parks 
     
    
   
   
    
     Were there days this winter or past winters when you wished the sun would come 
     
     out and melt the snow away, even if the temperaturesplummeted afterwards? Who 
     
     cares if it is —20°c, if we can only get rid of those mounds of snow. 
     
    
   
   
    
     By wishing this, not only are you antagonizing skiers and snowshoers who frequent 
     
     our Provincial Parks, but you are wishing doom and hardship on many of our Island 
     
     small beasties. 
     
    
   
   
    
     ‘ For mice the snow provides insulation from extreme cold, something like a puff 
     
     on your bed. Even if the air temperature drops to -25, the temperature under 
     
     the snow drops only a few degrees below freezing. In addition to permitting 
     
    

    
     the mice to decrease the energy they must expend in staying warm, they are not 
     
     as prone to being gobbled up by "Reddy the Fox." When we get a mid-winter warm 
     
     spell and the snow disappears, the mice have much less protection and are more 
     
     easily found by foxes, mink, hawks and owls. Even your house cat and wild ones 
     
     too join injthis readily available food source. Mice which have frozen to death 
     
     are also eaten by predators. The mice must still move around and find food, 
     
    

    
     but they no longer have a protective blanket. 
     
    
   
   
    
     When the mouse population is excessively depleted at some point during the winter, 
     
     fewer mice will be available in the spring, when predators need extra energy 
     
    

    
     for raising young. This can lead to fewer young being born, and fewer young 
     
     surviving. 
     
    
   
   
    
     So, next time you wake up on a Saturday or Sunday, instead of wishing the snow 
     
     away, put your cross-country skis in the back of your car and head to the nearest 
     
     Provincial Park. If you do not have skis and want to rent them, or if you want 
     
     tracked trails, head for Mill River Provincial Park, Brudenell River Provincial 
     
     Park or Brookvale Provincial Ski Park. For the more speed inclined,wanting down- 
     
     hill skiing or those wanting to try toboganning or sliding down a hill on an 
     
     inner tube, Brookvale Provincial Ski Park is the place to be where all of this 
     
     equipment is available for rent or you can bring your own. 
     
    
   
   
    
     In any event, don't wish the snow away and a hard life for mice, go out and enjoy 
     
     the snow for soon it will be spring. 
     
    
   
   
    
     - 14 _