Wonderful World of BC Animals

 During the two and half months of travelling, we saw a variety of animals in Wild Life
preserves or out in the wild. It is amazing to see how humans and animals can live together, sometimes well and sometimes not so well. Here are some of the animals that we saw.

The Prairie Dog. We saw so many of them while travelling.

    There is more to these cute little rodents. Did you know (according to WWF)?

1. Their intricate underground colonies are call prairie dog towns which can extend over huge areas and to depths below the frost line.
2. They're tough: They're fast, skilled fighters armed with sharp claws and powerful teeth so don't get too close. They will fight back.
3. Their entire mating season is just one hour long. This happens in early winter. Well, you have to keep warm even if it is only for a short time but the pregnancy will also keep them warm. They will have a litter of 3 to 8 pups of which only half will survive the first year.
4. Their vocabulary is more advanced than any other animal language that's been decoded.
5. They're cousins of the squirrels in your backyard. All five species of prairie dog belong to the squirrel family. Their other biological relatives include groundhogs, chipmunks, marmots and woodchucks.
6. Their historical range has shrunk by more than 95%. Their range has shrunk to less than 5 % of its original extent due to a host of pressures, including habitat encroachment by humans.
7. They're threatened by the same plague that caused the Black Death in Europe. In the late 1800s, the bubonic plague entered North America via rats aboard European ships. It quickly spread through wild mammal populations, including black-tailed prairie dogs in the northern Great Plains. The disease is still rampant in large tracts of the region and tends to wipe out entire prairie dog colonies when it strikes.

This duck must have thought lots about himself.

He liked standing on this pedestal. 

In B.C. we saw a variety of woodpeckers. There are 12 species of Woodpeckers.

To learn more about these species click here.

Deer are everywhere. Here is one walking through a community

where we boondocked for the night

Deer running along the highway in the Yukon

It was nice to be so close to this animal but walking

along the highway could be very dangerous for the animal

itself plus this animal looks a little malnourished. You can 

see its ribcage. Will it survive the upcoming winter?

We saw this Mourning Cloak Butterfly in a parking lot. There are so many

butterflies in the world. They are all so beautiful.

We spent an afternoon walking through the Wildlife Preserve in

the Yukon. We saw a variety of animals native to the area. In the

above photo are mule deer just relaxing. Here are more we saw:

Of course, the prairie dog was in residence throughout 

the whole preserve.

       The majestic Moose can be seen in all of the Canadian provinces and is one of the most iconic mammals known. Here are some facts about the Moose according to the Canadian Geographic:

1. It is the largest member of the deer family standing up to 2 meters in height at the shoulders and weighs in at 200 to 700 kilograms (that is 440 to 1500 lbs).
2. Young moose become strong swimmers within days of birth! Moose have been known to dive up to 5.5 metres deep to feed on plants at the bottom of lakes. Swimming helps them escape biting bugs, such as mosquitos and to cool off in the summer.
3. Despite the moose's large size and broad antlers, it can travel silently through the forest.
4. The moose's eyesight is poor, but they compensate for it with a good sense of smell and hearing.
5. Their antlers can be so intimidating. Bull moose have big antlers that often span up to 1.5 metres. The antlers begin growing in midsummer and are at first soft and spongy. By late August or early September, when the antlers are fully developed, they are hard and bony, perfect for jousting as bulls compete for mates.
6. Moose live along the margins of lakes, muskegs and streams in almost every region of Canada except for Vancouver Island and the Arctic.

Moose eating in his huge padlock.

Throughout Canada we have seen many moose. Mainly on the side of 

the highway and depending of the province, they can be very dangerous

running across the road. It is nice to see some doing what they do best -- eating.

A close look at a female Moose.

Another close-up.

Al was so thrilled to be up so close. Better here

then on the road or on top of your car.

    

Thin Horn Sheep

    These hardy animals are called "thin horns" because the horns of the males, or rams, are more slender and sharply pointed (so be careful around them) than those of the more familiar Bighorn Sheep of Southern British Columbia. They are about the same size as the domestic sheep that we are familiar with.

    The rams' amber-coloured horns are roughly triangular in cross-section and  grow throughout their lives, although they grow most during the first six to eight years. The horns grow rapidly in summer and slowly in winter and the difference produces prominent rings or "annuli" that show the animal's age.

    The slender horns of ewes grow slowly and never get more than about 25 cm long. The rings on the ewe's horn are a less accurate reflection of age than the rings of a ram's horns because they are so close together.

Thin Horned Sheep eating at their trough.

Sitting around on a mound in their paddock

The Bighorn Sheep

    The bighorn's name comes from the adult male sheep's massive, brown, spiralled horns that curl back and down close to the head, with tips that project forward and outward just below the eyes. 

    The horns continue to grow throughout the sheep's life, but growth slows down in winter. As seen with the thin horn sheep, this causes rings or annuli on the horns which indicate the ram's age. Ram horns can be as long as 127 cm around the curve and as thick as 40 cm around the base. Ewe have slightly curved horns about 30 cm long and their annuli are to close together, making it difficult to tell their age.

    Bighorns have concave hooves with rough foot pads that provide good traction on rocky terrain.

Big Horned Sheep way up on the side of the hill.

Impressive horns. I wouldn't want to butt into him.

Bison are the largest land animal in BC and really cannot be mistaken for anything else. Bulls weigh up to 1,000 kilograms, while cows are just over half that size. The front half of a bison is massive and seems out of proportion to the more delicate-looking hindquarters. The big head, neck, and huge shoulder hump are all covered with long, shaggy, brown hair, while the short hair on the hind half is a pale red-brown. Both bulls and cows have beards and capes of long, dark hair that on bulls extends to their knees, giving the appearance of chaps or pantaloons. Both sexes grow horns that are sharp, black, relatively short and curving inward.

Did you know that bison are not the same as buffalo? Contrary to the song "Home on the Range", buffalo do not roam in North America.  Instead, water buffalo are found in South Asia and Cape buffalo are found in Africa.  Also, bison have a hump, short, sharp horns and a thick beard.  Here is a link to a video which shows the differences.

There is a section of the Alaska Highway in British Columbia where a herd of bison roams freely. There are pamphlets distributed to motorists who will be travelling past them warning them about these large animals and to proceed with caution.

The Bison just meander along the road and cross whenever and wherever they want.

They even stop big trucks.

Walking very close to our car.

They don't seem to mind the traffic around them. Of course, the motorists are

all thrilled to see them up close. Well, maybe not all.

Travelling with the young.

Along the side of the road they dig shallow pits where seem to enjoy sitting.

 The Banana Slug is bright yellow and a huge 10-inches in length, weighing 4 ounces. 

1. They live in the moist conifer forests and are vital to the Redwood ecosystem.. They can blend into their environment and change colour depending on age and environmental conditions. 
2. They are slow, extraordinarily slow. They are the slowest animal on earth moving 4.6 to 7.5 inches per minute and the larger ones will move 6.5 inches per 2 hours. 
3. They use their tentacles to sense their environment, detecting light, movement and chemicals. 
4. Banana slugs also have 27,000 teeth on their long tongues that they use to eat small plants and grasses. 
5. Their best attribute is their slime. Their slime is so thick they they can move along the blade of a knife without being cut. Their slime starts as dry granules which absorb surrounding water. A granule can absorb several hundred times its volume in water helping the slug create maximum lubrication with minimum exertion.  This slime acts as both a lubricant and an adhesive. A chemical in the slime acts as an anesthetic, numbing the tongue and throat of predators trying to eat it. Their slime provides messages to other slugs as they travel along and leave a trail of slime. They are also laying down notes to one another. These messages summon a mate to follow during mating season.
6. The slugs have holes in the sides of their heads and each one has a specific purpose: 1. to breathe, 2. anus, 3. a gonopore which is used for reproduction.
7. During periods of heat and extreme cold they will become dormant, a period of torpor called estivation.

A Banana Slug on display for visitors to the Treetop Adventures

at the Capilano Suspension Bridge. I was so thrilled with them 

that I bought a glass slug which sits on the shelf and hangs over it.

I saw this one while we were on a walk through 

the old growth forest on Vancouver island

Songs have been written about these creatures. Here is a sample of one:

Lying in bed one summer's night

Everything wasn't alright

Something started crawling on me

A S-L-U-G

I saw her walking in the woods last night

And I knew something wasn't right

S-L-U-G

No no no no why'd she have to go-oh-oh-oh

No no no no why'd she have to go-oh-oh-oh

And I know that if I had her back today

Yeah I know (I know) I know (I know)

Why is it always this way?

Lying in bed one summer's night

Everything wasn't alright

Something started crawling on me

A S-L-U-G

I saw her walking in the woods last night

And I knew something wasn't right

S-L-U-G

No no no no why'd she have to go-oh-oh-oh

No no no no why'd she have to go-oh-oh-oh

And I know that if I had her back today

Yeah I know (I know) I know (I know)

Why is it always this way?

S-L-U-G S-L-U-G S-L-U-G S-L-U-G

S-L-U-G S-L-U-G S-L-U-G S-L-U-G

I love owls. This one was on display at the Treetop Adventures

Snakes: Here we see one in a ...... I am sure

there are many in the wild but we did not see any.

Birds are everywhere and some are not afraid to get close to see what you may feed them.

    The Canada Goose is a well-known North American Waterfowl and is recognized by its long black neck and head featuring a white chin strap. They are also recognized by their distinctive honk.  Click here to hear and see more about the Canada Goose. In the sky, they are easy to identify due to their usually large V-shaped formation which helps the birds to maintain their energy and improve communication. The Canada Goose has also appeared on some Canadian silver coins. Here is some information about the Canada Goose.

    While in Vancouver and visiting Stanley Park, visitors sitting at tables enjoying an ice cream cone or lunch, two groups of Canada Geese came waltzing through the eating area. They ignored everyone and continued on their way with their goslings (baby geese). Everyone stopped and watched.  Fascinating! Of course they left some gifts behind.

The famous Canada Geese.

"Lunch! Relax we don't want yours. We are going for our own lunch."

"Follow me everyone. Ignore the small child."

Another group coming from the walking path. Notice the goslings.

Just a casual walk.

Seals and birds rest on the logs in the Vancouver harbour

Lunch time!

Here is a Magpie in our backyard with its catch, a small mouse. We see lots of these birds around the neighbourhood in Kamloops. The first time we saw a Magpie was in Australia and I thought that they were only native there. To my surprise, we have them in Canada as well.

Although we have only seen one bear, we are in bear 

country and there are many warnings about them.

    

    It is amazing to see the variety of animals that our ecosystem can hold but we need to respect not only them but their homes as well. Let's all enjoy the sightings of these animals but not disturb their homes.