Hedgehogs...

There is a Vector guy (or gal) on pretty much every base. Vector would be called Pest Control at home. They put out glue traps to catch mice in and around the tents to dissuade snakes from entering tents to hunt for a midnight snack. Vector puts out fly bait to keep down the pest population. They also bait large wire cages around the perimeter of the camp to trap stray cats, dogs and other assorted fauna that wanders on and could create a health hazard or endanger the people living here. Rabies is rampant here in Afghanistan and there are warning posters everywhere about not adopting feral animals. Normally, all Vector does after they catch something is turn it loose near the exterior border of the FOB. By regulation, they must be humane in their treatment of the animals they catch. They provide food and water and check the cages regularly. Vector does not euthanize animals. Only the military can use kinetic force to put down a dangerous animal if necessary as long as the animal is not considered an exotic. Kinetic force means they can shoot the animal - apparently whomever wrote the Army regulation thought kinetic force sounded more humane than shoot. Vector here on Wolverine has been having problems of late with foxes digging under his wire cages and pulling the meat used as bait out without springing the trap. Clever foxes. Cleverer Vector. Now there is wood under the bait.

Anyway, pretty much everyday, I ask Vector if he has caught anything interesting and remind him I want to see it if he does. A couple of weeks ago, he caught a young jackal and Pete and went over to the cage to check it out. The jackal looked pretty bitten and beat up. He seemed quite glad to be safe in a cage where food and water was plentiful - and delivered regularly. The jackal didn't struggle to escape the cage but rather seemed more to kind of make himself at home...like a dog in a kennel. I got the idea that life in the wild for a small, young jackal must be rather stressful and this one was enjoying the time to relax safe from larger predators in the cage and free from the need to hunt or fight for sustenance. Gotta love room service, right?!?

This morning Vector took me on a tour of several cages. He had caught a desert cat and an adorable hedgehog. It was the first time I had seen either one up close. The cat was kind of a cross between a bobcat and a small mountain lion. It growled, hissed a bit, and lit out like its tail was on fire once the cage was opened. The desert hedgehog appeared quite different from ones I had seen in England and Germany with larger ears and a much longer, very facile nose. Vector used gloves to remove the hedgehog from the cage and took him across the road to release. Hedgehogs are carnivorous. They eat bugs but don't bite. They do have ticks sometimes though. When hedgehogs run, their little bitty short legs appear as a blur of motion they move so fast. The hedgehogs body though seems to be just ambling along.

Once in Iwakuni, during our time on the Marine base, Pete talked me into playing on the faculty baseball team. Being a fan of the nifty red and white striped uniform, not wanting to be left out and cleverly assuming that with so many better players on the team, I wouldn't have to really hit or run or anything and I could just decoratively sit the bench and cheer, I agreed. One week, the team turned up a few folks short  so to avoid having to forfeit the game to the Marines, I found myself in the batting lineup. Naturally assuming I would just strike out and return to the warm the bench, I wasn't too worried. I marched myself confidently up to the plate, chocked up on the bat and assumed the stance. The pitcher shot the ball. I swung, and the ball went sailing into the outfield. Total fluke! Talk about kinetic force...I thought, "CRAP! I guess now I better run!" So, I dropped the bat and took off in the direction of first base as fast as my fat little old lady legs would carry me. A fielder caught the ball. I was out at first, but later, on our way home in the car, Pete turned to me and said with a smirky chuckle," Honey, I know you were running as fast as you could, but watching, it looked like you were moving in slow motion." Needless to say, I was NOT amused by the remark. I am pretty sure my face looked a lot like the picture below...maybe I was a hedgehog in a former life.