The passing of an era: Alberta Game Park founder Al Oeming has died

[yakhistorian]

Sadly, Dr. Oeming passed away this week. I just found out today. Here is a link to the report on the CBC:

Al Oeming, Edmonton conservationist, dies at age 88 - Edmonton - CBC News

I have been in recent email and phone contact with Todd Oeming, who was printing out emails from me for his father Al, the founder of the Alberta Game Park. His answers concerning yaks at his game farm would have been exceedingly valuable for part 2 of my paper on the history of the Domestic Yak in North America. Specifically, I was trying to establish where he obtained the black-and-white yaks we now call "Royals." Every Royal yak in North America can be traced to the ones he imported in the 1960's. Two weeks ago Todd told me his father was planning to contact me in response to my email.

Todd has been working for years to get the 1000-acre site of the former game farm developed as an ecotourism park--Wild Splendor. His father had mixed feelings about this--would have preferred if the land could just be left all natural--but agreed that this would be better than having it revert to Crown land because of an impossible tax load on the family. Here is a story from 4 years ago about the project and Al's feelings on it:

'Realist' game-farm founder reconciles to resort

And here is a kind of overview of it:

http://www.wildsplendor.com/downloads/DirectControlZoning.pdf

Apparently, Alberta is still not permitting the go-ahead. I wonder how Al's passing will impact things. Hate to see the family lose it all due to bureaucracy.

Rest in peace, Al.

 

[snowleopard]

I visited Al Oeming's park many times as a young child and having 800 species and 3,000 animals was an astonishing introduction to the world of zoos for myself. The zoo closed down in 1998 and it was barely sustaining itself by that time, but it still seems like the end of an era with his death.

http://www.zoochat.com/223/edmontons-polar-park-11902/

 

[Westsong]

Moose in Alberta captivity, ca. 1965-1975

I'm seeking Alberta Game farm/Polar Park keepers and attendees from the 1960s and early 1970s. In 1971, a start-up wildlife park, Northwest Trek in Washington State, purchased a c. 4-year-old bull moose for $700 from an institution around Calgary. He arrived at Trek Nov. 23, 1971 and became the iconic animal of the park. I'm writing a children's non-fiction book about him, and so am seeking to reconstruct his early life in Canada. Even if I can't specifically track him, it would be helpful to know the conditions in which moose like him were kept, i.e. the style of paddock, feed, with or w/o antlers, usual mode of transport, etc. Any observations, memories, or leads gratefully received! Thanks, Connie Hellyer