This is a Public Service Geocache designed to inform you of various
dangerous animals that inhabit our region, and to teach you how to
recognize, avoid, and defend yourself against them.
The Clockwise Hill Gouger:
Though becoming increasingly rare, the Clockwise Hill Gouger has
yet to be put on the Endangered Species List. When asked about the
reason for this, a spokesman for the Department Of Interior said
“We really don’t see the point. It’s a nasty,
silly little creature that we feel the world would be better off
without.”
A member of the Mustelidae family, it is a difficult animal
to define. A naturalist studying the species in 1971 described them
as ‘Part badger, part raccoon, and part Charles
Manson’.
By far the most noticeable trait about the Clockwise Hill Gouger is
the fact that their right legs are significantly shorter than their
left. This bizarre evolutionary mutation is assumed to be tied to
the territorial habits of the species, in that they make their den
on a steep hill and then guard their terrain by habitually
patrolling it and foraging in a right-to-left pattern. It is
believed that this constant clockwise motion, over generations,
resulted in the elongation of the left legs and the contraction of
the right to adapt to movement along hillsides. They leave
tell-tale signs of their repetitive passing by wearing trails
across the hill they inhabit, hence the name 'Gouger'.
Why the Clockwise Hill Gouger ever started doing this obsessive
one-way walk in the first place, however, remains a mystery to
scientists.
If encountered in the wild, a Clockwise Hill Gouger will
immediately charge and attack humans; their large teeth and sharp
claws can potentially cause severe wounds. Fortunately, such
encounters should be rare and there are simple defensive acts that
a person can take that will significantly reduce the chance of
injury.
First, the creature will always be encountered on their home hill,
which they never leave. Since a Clockwise Hill Gouger will always
approach from your right if ascending or from the left if
descending, keeping an eye in the appropriate direction when on
unfamiliar knolls is a good habit to develop.
If you find yourself being charged by a Clockwise Hill Gouger the
best tactic is to stay calm and then quickly step out of the way of
the beast at the last second. Doing so will cause the animal to
pass you, and if a Clockwise Hill Gouger tries to turn around it
invariably falls over due to its unusual leg design, and is
rendered helpless. The animal is far more likely to continue its
charge all the way around the hill to try for a second attack,
which normally gives you ample time to leisurely walk away from its
territory.
Cache Notes:
This is a real Clockwise Hill Gouger den, and the terrain is
therefore steep and rocky. Appropriate precautions should be taken,
and younger children (as well as clumsy adults) should be kept
under close supervision, especially in wet or muddy conditions.
The container is a Lock-n-Lock with slightly less storage than a
30-cal ammo can. Placed for Geo
Jamboree 5, there are many other caches to be had in this great
park. Make a day of your visit, and see how many you can
find!
Enjoy!