Chad Dupuis, a resident of Slave Lake, Alberta, has been employed by Alberta Parks since 2017. He shared his experience of working in the forest and how it had made him accustomed to the wildlife inhabiting the area. As the maintenance supervisor at Carson Pegasus Provincial Park, he recounted a particularly eventful day when he discovered an unexpected visitor in his camper.

On a scorching Sunday, the team at the park had been busy preparing over 120 camping sites for incoming guests. Despite the arduous tasks of cleaning up litter, clearing firepits, removing ropes from trees, and tidying up after weekend campers, Chad was in high spirits as the day drew to a close.

Returning to his Winnebago, Chad was looking forward to grilling steaks for dinner only to find the meat missing upon entering his camper. Bewildered, his initial thought was of a young black bear that had been spotted nearby recently. However, the absence of a bigger mess ruled out the possibility of a bear intrusion.

Considering other scenarios, Chad pondered if someone unauthorized had taken the steaks, but the untouched jar of change on the counter dismissed that notion. His investigation led him to a softball-sized hole in the window screen, indicating a smaller critter had outwitted him and snatched his dinner.

Reflecting on the incident, Chad realized the importance of respecting wildlife in their natural habitat. Despite his familiarity with forest creatures like deer, bears, and pheasants, the dinner episode served as a reminder of their wild and unpredictable nature.

As Chad sat on his bed contemplating the situation, he heard a low growl emanating from beneath him. Swiftly, he ventured outside and discovered a pine marten, a weasel family member, scurrying out from under his camper. Relieved, he watched the marten climb a tree while growling, ensuring his dinner thief was safely outside.

Returning to his camper, Chad accepted his fate of having a simple meal that night, amused by the unexpected turn of events. The encounter reinforced his understanding that the forest belongs to the wildlife first, and humans must always remain vigilant and respectful of their presence.