The curious

The curious It is not without reason that caribou are the animals I admire the most. I have been fortunate to spend countless hours with all the herds in our province. Unlike most other mammals, caribou often adopt an attitude of curiosity towards us. This image dates back to my very first encounter with the Charlevoix caribou in the fall. This individual was a particular one. In every herd that I observed, there was always a curious individual. Sometimes it was an old male, other times a female and very often a young of the year. You can see that his plume is broken on one side, which is very common in caribou. The finesse and elegance of their antlers cannot rival the intensity of the sometimes bloody fights. I had the chance to photograph this male for almost three years. His panache and features set him apart from many others. Among caribou, each one has a very different look. At least, much more discernable than in his cousins the Virginia Deer and the Moose. He was the only one of the herd to come and find me until he approached less than five meters away. There was in him that curiosity and confidence that still fascinates me today. What was he looking for while staring at me like that? What did he want from me? The beauty of his encounters lies in these unanswered questions. The only thing for which I have a certainty is that if each person could have the chance I had to enter the gaze of these animals, we would do everything in our power to save them from almost certain disappearance.