On Wednesday, December 16, 2015 at 5pm, Dr. Jay F. Kirkpatrick of The Science and Conservation Center traveled on. He did not want anyone to know he was sick. He didn’t want anyone to fuss, to feel bad, or to focus on his condition. He didn’t want tears or final goodbyes. Instead, he remained steadfast in his life's work to the very end of his journey on this earth plane. His resolve never wavered, his truth ran clear and deep. He loved animals and the environment, was a true humanitarian and was fierce when it came to accountability and humane solutions to man-made wildlife issues. He was a man of great intelligence, compassion, action, integrity, patience and extreme perseverance. His immense heart, kindness and desire to share his knowledge through his work, teaching and collaborations, span worldwide. His legacy is, and will remain, far-reaching and ever-lasting.
I first contacted Jay in 2011 when I was hard at work on a new and collaborative approach to wild horse management in effort to curtail the 2012 Challis BLM Helicopter Roundup. I reached out to introduce myself and Wild Love Preserve, and to learn more about his work and Native PZP-1YR. From the onset Jay welcomed me, wanted to know more, was supportive, communicative and immediately recognized the difference in what I was creating with Wild Love Preserve. I learned he held a special place in his heart for the Challis Herd because his field work had initiated with Challis stallions in the 1970’s, and our work together brought him full circle. Our communications continued and in 2012, I and three other WLP volunteers, trained at The Science an Conservation Center (SCC) in Billings, MT, thanks to grants from ASPCA and the Vitalogy Foundation.
At his suggestion I and WLP, also attended the 7th International Conference on Wildlife Fertility Control in Jackson, Wyoming in 2012. When I had called to tell him I wanted to be there, but funding was a problem, he responded in classic Jay fashion, “I will understand Andrea, but I will be very disappointed if you don’t make it.” Thanks to a grant from the Vitalogy Foundation, WLP was able to attend, and as Jay promised, many nice and beneficial connections were made, which I am appreciative of to this day.
WLP's relation with SCC has been shaped by mutual interest in native wild horse preservation and human accountability. In April 2013, Jay called me with a proposal for WLP... 'If I would find interest in his legacy of knowledge for our education element, he would like to develop the program'. I was awed and had to pinch myself. Subsequently, as WLP Education Development Director, Dr. Kirkpatrick, a scientist out front in the field and lab for 45 years, shares his unique wealth of wild horse knowledge and expertise by designing WLP’s educational curriculum. We are honored and grateful for this special gift.
I already miss our phone conversations, his energy, support and enthusiasm. I also miss his deep, hearty, laugh which always came about at some point in every conversation. He seemed to find it especially amusing when I told him turning in WLP paperwork on the Challis Herd felt like going to the principal’s office, butterflies until all checked okay. It is no surprise that Jay made sure all transitions with SCC will be seamless and his work will carry on. WLP and our education program will carry forward as well, thanks to Jay.
