Born to the Wild

In Born to the Wild – Journals of a National Park Warden in the Canadian Rockies, former Park Warden Rob Kaye recounts his boyhood adventures growing up in Jasper National Park and his experiences as a warden patrolling the vast mountain wilderness that he called home. Kaye gives a vivid account of wardens' lives in the park. He describes backcountry encounters with wolves, bears, bighorns, and other wildlife, as well as accounts of survival and tales of adversity. Kaye relates heartfelt and humorous stories about the backcountry wardens’ most trusted companions—the riding and pack horses that shared their high country travels. The author’s passion for the preservation and protection of wilderness and wildlife is a theme that runs throughout the book. Kaye invites the reader to ponder the future of our national parks. In reflecting on his career with the Warden Service, he illustrates how the few remaining (and no longer pristine) wild spaces are threatened by over-use, commercial development, habitat loss, and climate change.