Former Manitoba biologist publishes memoir of Arctic adventures and conservation

Murray Gillespie released Wildlife: 45 years as Wildlife Biologist, recounting four decades of fieldwork in the Canadian North and Arctic; copies are being sold through the Manitoba Métis Federation Marketplace and directly from Gillespie.

Murray Gillespie has released a memoir after 45 years of work in the Canadian North and Arctic fieldwork. The book, Wildlife: 45 years as Wildlife Biologist, was published shortly before Christmas and began as a project to preserve family stories. It traces his life from growing up in Macdonald, Man., through a long career with Manitoba Natural Resources and the Canadian Wildlife Service. Gillespie uses the book to reflect on field experiences and environmental changes he has observed. Key details: - The memoir is titled Wildlife: 45 years as Wildlife Biologist and collects stories from Gillespie's decades in northern Canada. - He recounts an 18-day canoe trip northwest of Churchill that he said was life-threatening for his then-inexperienced crew while collaring geese for research. - Gillespie worked with the BBC on documentaries and managed a primitive High Arctic camp for a crew filming caribou. - He frequently speaks at schools, including in First Nations communities, using his experiences to highlight reported threats from climate change and industrial expansion. - Internal issues at his publisher have delayed wider bookstore distribution, so Gillespie has been hand-delivering copies across Manitoba; copies are available through the Manitoba Métis Federation Marketplace or directly from the author. Summary: Gillespie frames the memoir as both a record of long fieldwork and an educational resource, and he has noted changes on the land linked to climate and development. He has met many readers in Manitoba while managing distribution challenges with his publisher. He will appear at the Portage la Prairie Regional Library on Saturday, Jan. 31 for a book signing.