Monthly Archives: March 2023

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Wildlife of Newfoundland and Labrador

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Newfoundland is a large island located off the east coast of the North American mainland. It is part of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The island is separated from the Labrador Peninsula by the Strait of Belle Isle and the Cabot Strait separates it from Cape Breton Island. The landscape is varied with a ragged coastline of deep fjords and high coastal cliffs.

Gros Morne National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is located on the west coast. Here you can see woodland caribou grazing on grass. Herds include 20 to 40 caribou.

Taking the Tablelands hike you can see caribou and moose.

In the wilderness surrounding the Torngat Mountains, you can enjoy seeing black bears, moose, caribou, muskox, and wolf.

There are also polar bears.

At Cape St Mary’s Ecological Reserve there are many seabirds among them white gulls and murres who enjoy perching on the cliffs towering over the sea.

Other birds include razorbills, black-legged kittywakes, northern gannets and different types of cormorants. There are 35 million seabirds that call Newfoundland their home. It has become the “seabird capital of North America”.

Elliston is a fishing settlement and the best place to see Atlantic puffins. The puffin is the province’s official bird, They enjoy being on the cliffs and plunging down 200 feet into the sea.

Elliston is located on the Bonavista Peninsula, also known as Bird Island Cove, overlooking the Atlantic. Here you can see some 2,500 Atlantic puffin pairs that come to nest from May to September.

It is also possible to take a boat for Gatherall’s Puffin and Whale Watch to Witless Bay Ecological Reserve.  

All over Newfoundland and Labrador, you can see 22 species of whales and dolphins swimming in the Atlantic Ocean just off the coast.

The world’s largest population of humpbacks and minke whales.

Others joining the swim are pilot, fin, sperm, blue, and orca whales including dolphins and porpoises.

Quirpon Island is a beautiful island with a historic white-and-red lighthouse from 1922. To enjoy watching the whales in the Atlantic visitors can stay at the Quirpon Lighthouse Inn.

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Wildlife of Quebec

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Quebec has an abundance of wildlife. There are extensive forests, national parks, and natural areas even surrounding cities. The province is home to 650 animal species, 300 bird species, and 90 mammal species.

Beavers are easy to spot in the forests. They make their homes in huts or dams. Beavers can be seen on lakes and near rivers and are the largest living semiaquatic rodents. The best time to see them can be early mornings and around twilight. These animals are active in summer and winter and can be found all throughout the year. They can be seen if different national parks.

Caribou are large animals that are a species of deer with a circumpolar distribution. They can be found in north Quebec. The best time to see them is in September.

Grands-Jardins National Park in the Charlevoix region is one place to see a large number of caribou.

About 70,000 black bears make their home in Quebec. They live in dense forests. Their hibernation period starts in October and ends in April. The best time to see bears is at the beginning of the summer.

The moose is the largest and heaviest of the deer species. They require 25 to 30 kg of plant food daily. They can be seen in valleys where there is efficient vegetation. The best time to see them is during their feeding season from June to early October.

Jacques Cartier National Park is one of the best places to see moose. The moose is the emblem of the park. They can be spotted resting in water when the weather is hot.

White-tailed deer are the most common animals and can be seen in southern Quebec.

Boucherville National Park is a great place to see deer with about 120 deer making their home here. Most of the deer can be seen along the Grand-Duc Trail.

Anticosti Island has about 1,600 deer. The island can be reached by boat and is also a national park.

The timber wolf or Algonquin wolf is a different species of gray wolf. The best time to see wolves is in the early morning and at dusk. They roam in Quebec all year round.

Omega Park is a good place to see wolves in their natural habitat. The park is built like a zoo.

Birds

The northern gannet is an attractive bird found in northeastern Quebec. These birds can fly at speeds of 55 to 65 km per hour. They need time to warm up before flying. Since they also have problems walking they take flight from the ground. They search for food near the sea and nesting sites. They are migratory birds found in Quebec from mid-May to mid-October.

Rocher National Park is the best place to see the northern gannet. They can be seen during mating and can be heard chanting and singing in the park.

Bald eagles can be seen near rivers, lakes, and reservoirs since they dine on fish. They can best be spotted in the early morning and at dusk.

Temiscouata National Park has bald eagles and the bird is the emblem of this park,

Marine Animals

Seals can be seen in Quebec. They are usually found in polar areas. Seals are carnivores that dine on fish.

The Magdalen Islands are a good place to see seals. Guide here take visitors to see the seals up close.

Bic National Park is another place to see seals from the shore upon rocks.

Quebec is a good place to see whales. You can see the blue whale here as well as 13 other species. The best time to see whales is from May to October. In the winter they migrate to warmer places.

Pointe-des-Monts is one of the best places to see whales.

Another place to see wildlife is the Mingan Archipelago which consists of 40 limestone islands and 1,000 granitic islands and reefs. The archipelago is located on the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

On land, you can see silver foxes, snowshoe hares, ermines, and river otters as well as others.

In the waters are colonies of seabirds, grey seals, dolphins, porpoises, and whales.

It is one of the best places to see Atlantic puffins.

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Wildlife of Ontario

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One of the best places to see the wildlife of Ontario is to visit the National and Provincial Parks in Southeastern Ontario.

Wildlife in Frontenac Provincial Park

Grey wolves can be seen in colors ranging from dark grey to black. There are more than 9,600 wolves living in Ontario. Mostly they can be heard but you might catch a glimpse of one.

Northern River otters live near rivers, lakes or swamps. They are amazing swimmers. They can hold their breaths underwater for several minutes while hunting for fish and amphibians.

Fishers are great hunters ready to take on mammals like porcupines. They are from the weasel family. These carnivores can be seen near trees, stumps, and burrows.

American black bears are large omnivores with big appetites. Their diets include plants, insects, mammals, and fruit.

At Springside Park in Lennox and Addington County you can enjoy wooded trails running along rivers. Here you can see painted turtles, swamp sparrows, and red-winged blackbirds. Turtles enjoy basking in the sun on logs or rocks. The birds enjoy the wetlands.

Guindon Park in Cornwall & SDG Counties

Common loons can be spotted easily with their black and white feathers. They are recognizable by their loud calls. They find their food underwater and can swim well and can be spotted popping up to the surface.

Redheads are diving ducks seen in lakes and rivers. They are vegetarians and enjoy plants and weeds that grow underwater.

The Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve

White-tailed deer can be spotted in early mornings or at nightfall searching for food at campsites.

A cottontail rabbit sitting up being curious

Snowshoe hares are among the most common animals in Canada and are known to only reside in North America. They are forest dwellers and good at camouflage as their fur changes shades from dusty brown to snowy white. They can be spotted in fields and swamps.

Northern and Southern flying squirrels are greyish-brown in color. They can easily glide from tree to tree. They live is heavily wooded areas and best spotted looking up as they glide.

Eastern rat snakes nest in boxes placed to help them in laying eggs. The FAB is known as a migration route for this species and the rat snakes can be seen in the forests along trails.

Red foxes can be seen in the Thousand Islands National Park. They search for food among the tall grasses and dense woods. They come out at dawn and dusk looking for food.

At the Point Petre Wildlife Conservation in Prince Edward County is a great place to see various duck species. Among them mallards, black ducks, and blue and green-winged teals. In seagreen waters and along rocky shorelines you can see families of mallards and green-winged teals swimming and looking for food.

At North Beach Provincial Park you can enjoy birds like hawks, saw-whet owls, and turkey vultures. Spots to see them include long sandy coastline, dense woods, and enclosed trails.

At Mac Johnson Wildlife Area you can see trumpeter swans. The area participates in the Trumpeter Swan Restoration Program. The birds visit the wetland and open water.

Along the Cataraqui Trail great blue herons can be seen as they scan the waters for their next meal.