Fun Facts About Canadian Animals
Caribou:
The caribou (Rangifer tarandus) is, along with deer, elk, and moose, a member of the family cervidae, sometimes called the deer family. Caribou live north of the tree line in North America and Greenland, with nearly 2.5 million in Canada alone. About four feet tall and six feet long, the caribou is bigger than the deer but smaller than the moose. The caribou is also related to the reindeer, which inhabits northern Eurasia. However, they look quite different from each other with the reindeer being significantly smaller.The caribou is well adapted to the artic tundra, forests and mountains it inhabits. Its short and bulky body helps it conserve heat and its long, thick winter coat acts as insulation from the cold and rain and snow. The caribou’s long legs and wide hooves help it walk through deep snow. It is also a great swimmer.
The caribou is an herbivore (plant eater) and lives in herds, many of which migrate constantly in search of food and nicer weather. A newborn caribou typically learns to walk within two hours of its birth, which allows it to keep up with the herd as it migrates. Some herds travel over 1290 km (800 miles) very year. About half of the caribou in Canada are Barren Ground Caribou, one of the four sub-species found in North America. The Leaf River Herd (Quebec and Labrador) of Woodland Caribou is approximately 600,000 strong.
Unlike the other members of the deer family both male and female caribou grow antlers, which they shed and re-grow each year. A male caribou’s antlers can grow to be as much as four feet wide.
Wolf:
The wolf (canis lupus) is a member of the Canidae, or dog, family. Wolves are about the size of a German Shepherd dog, perhaps a little stockier. They can be found in many colours, from white to black. The white fur of the Arctic Wolf helps it blend in with its snowy habitat while the mottled grey, black, brown coat of the Timber Wolf does the same in the mainly forested areas it occupies.Wolves once ranged across the whole of North America, but were exterminated in many areas. Today they are still common in remote parts of Canada from Labrador to British Columbia as well the northern territories. The red wolf (canis rufus) was eliminated from the southeastern U.S nearly a century ago. However, it is being reintroduced there thanks to a captive breeding program.
The wolf is a carnivore, and lives in families or “packs” in order to hunt the large mammals like the elk, moose, deer, caribou and bison that make up the main part of its diet. A wolf pack has a highly organized social structure, headed by a dominant male and a dominant female. The pack’s “bond” is strongest during winter, when wolves travel and hunt together. In summer, when the pups are young, adults stay closer to “home” -- the dens where their pups are being cared for.
Wolves are highly territorial, with each pack occupying an area that it will defend against intruders. Territories vary greatly in size, depending on the kind and abundance of prey available within them. Deadly fights can occur when wolves cross into each other’s territories. Wolves use howling as a form of communication, both within their packs and to warn off others.
Snowy Owl:
With an average weight of 2.3 kg (5 pounds) for females and 1.8 kg (4 pounds) for males, the Snowy Owl (Nyctea scandiac) is the heaviest of all North American owls. These birds of prey typically stand nearly half a metre tall (20 inches) and have a wingspan in excess of 1.5 metres (5 feet). Adult males are almost completely white, while females typically have brown markings on their white feathers. The Snowy Owl’s white feathers serve as camouflage in its snowy winter habitat, and its thick down and feathers insulate its entire body from the cold, allowing Snowy Owls to stay warm in even the coldest of weather. Like most other owls, the Snowy Owl boasts acute hearing, binocular vision (great depth perception) and long sharp talons to help it track and kill its prey – mostly lemmings (a rodent) and other small mammals like arctic hares. Unlike the all other members of the owl family, which are nocturnal, the Snowy Owl is active day and night.The Snowy Owl can be found across the northern U.S. and nearly all of Canada in winter. In February and March, while the tundra is still snow-covered, most fly north to their arctic breeding grounds. The Snowy Owl is typically shy and quiet. However, during nesting, the female will hiss and scream at perceived intruders. During breeding season, the male Snowy Owl will hoot loudly at and attack intruding males. Humans are advised to keep their distance, especially from nesting females, as they have been known to dive at and strike intruders of any kind and size.
In 1987, the Snowy Owl was named the official bird of the province of Quebec.