Canadian Wildlife: 20 Iconic Animals

The beaver has been Canada's official national symbol since March 24, 1975. This semi-aquatic rodent, North America's largest (up to 32 kg), builds dams that can stretch hundreds of metres long. The beaver has appeared on the 5-cent coin (the nickel) since 1937 and was featured on Canada's very first postage stamp in 1851. It was the fur trade in beaver pelts that drove the economic colonization of Canada in the 17th and 18th centuries, attracting both the French and British to the continent.

The world's largest deer species, moose can stand up to 2.1 metres at the shoulder and weigh over 700 kg. Their majestic antlers can span 1.8 metres across and are shed and regrown each year. Canada's moose population is estimated at roughly 800,000 to 1 million. Moose are solitary animals that feed on aquatic vegetation and foliage. They are capable swimmers, covering long distances and diving to eat underwater plants.

The world's largest land predator, polar bears can weigh up to 800 kg. Canada is home to approximately 16,000 polar bears — roughly two-thirds of the global population. Churchill, Manitoba, is nicknamed the "Polar Bear Capital of the World" — every autumn, hundreds of bears converge on Hudson Bay, waiting for the ice to form so they can hunt seals. The polar bear is featured on the 2-dollar coin (the "toonie").

Recognizable by its muscular shoulder hump and claws that can measure 10 cm, the grizzly is a symbol of western Canada's wild frontier. Canada is home to approximately 25,000 grizzly bears, of which 15,000 live in British Columbia alone. The Great Bear Rainforest on the Pacific coast is one of the best places in the world to watch these bears feast on salmon. Grizzlies can weigh up to 360 kg and sprint at 55 km/h.

The caribou has appeared on the Canadian 25-cent coin since 1937, designed by sculptor Emanuel Hahn. It is the only deer species in which both males and females grow antlers. Barren-ground caribou herds undertake one of the longest land migrations on Earth, travelling up to 5,000 km per year. The woodland caribou, a subspecies living in the boreal forest, is unfortunately threatened with extinction due to habitat loss and increased predation.

Once numbering in the millions across the Canadian Prairies, the bison nearly went extinct in the late 19th century due to overhunting. Elk Island National Park in Alberta played a crucial role in its conservation. Today, the wood bison (Bison bison athabascae), a larger subspecies living in the north, is protected in Wood Buffalo National Park — Canada's largest national park (44,807 km²). The bison is North America's largest land mammal, weighing up to 900 kg.

Canada is home to approximately 60,000 grey wolves, one of the largest populations in the world. Living in hierarchical packs, wolves are essential predators that regulate ungulate populations like elk and caribou. On the Pacific coast of British Columbia, the coastal wolf has developed a unique behaviour: it feeds primarily on seafood, salmon and crustaceans. Arctic wolves, entirely white, live in the most remote regions of Canada's far north.

This elusive and elegant wild cat is perfectly adapted to Canadian winters thanks to its large paws that act like snowshoes on snow. The Canada lynx feeds almost exclusively on snowshoe hares, and its population follows a 10-year boom-and-bust cycle linked to its prey. Its characteristic ear tufts, short black-tipped tail and thick fur make it one of the most recognizable felines in the world. It weighs between 8 and 14 kg.

Nicknamed the "canary of the sea" for its complex vocalizations, the beluga is one of the most sociable whales. In summer, approximately 3,000 belugas gather at the mouth of the Churchill River in Manitoba — the world's largest concentration. The St. Lawrence beluga population (approximately 900 individuals) is considered endangered. Entirely white as adults, belugas measure 3 to 5 metres and can live up to 50 years.

The largest member of the dolphin family, the orca is an apex predator of remarkable intelligence. British Columbia's waters harbour three distinct populations: residents (fish-eaters), transients (marine mammal hunters) and offshores. The southern resident orca population, with fewer than 75 individuals, is one of Canada's most endangered species. Orcas live in matriarchal groups and communicate through unique vocal dialects.

Nicknamed the "unicorn of the sea," the narwhal has a spiralling tusk that can reach 3 metres in length — actually an overgrown canine tooth. Approximately 80% of the world's narwhal population spends the summer in Canadian waters, primarily in Nunavut's Arctic archipelago. This tusk, rich in nerve endings, is thought to act as a sensory organ for detecting water temperature, pressure and salinity. Narwhals dive to depths of 1,500 metres.

Famous for its spectacular breaching and complex songs, the humpback whale is one of the most observed whale species in Canada. They can be spotted in the Bay of Fundy (New Brunswick), off Newfoundland and in Johnstone Strait in British Columbia. Weighing up to 30 tonnes and measuring 16 metres, they migrate annually between Canada's cold waters (feeding) and warm tropical waters (breeding).

Recognizable by the harp-shaped marking on its back, the harp seal is famous for its whitecoat pups — babies with immaculate white fur, born on the sea ice off the Magdalen Islands and Newfoundland. Every spring, hundreds of thousands of females gather on the ice to give birth. The Northwest Atlantic population is estimated at approximately 7.6 million individuals. Harp seals can dive to 270 metres and hold their breath for 15 minutes.

The loon has appeared on the Canadian 1-dollar coin since 1987 — hence the coin's nickname "loonie." Its haunting, melodious call heard on Canadian lakes at dusk is one of the most iconic sounds in Canada. An excellent diver, it can stay underwater for over a minute and descend to 60 metres to catch fish. The loon also appears on the Canadian 20-dollar bill. Its characteristic red eyes help it see underwater.

With its black head, white cheek patches and characteristic "honk," the Canada goose is one of the most recognizable birds in the world. Flying in V-formation during migration, these birds travel up to 5,000 km between Canada and the southern United States. Each bird takes advantage of the slipstream created by the one ahead, reducing flight effort by 70%. Canada geese mate for life and have become a symbol of spring's return in Canada.

Nicknamed the "clown of the sea" or "sea parrot" for its colourful orange, yellow and blue beak, the Atlantic puffin is the provincial bird of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Witless Bay Ecological Reserve near St. John's is home to North America's largest puffin colony, with approximately 260,000 breeding pairs. These birds can flap their wings up to 400 times per minute and carry about ten small fish in their beaks at once.

This majestic raptor, with its distinctive white head and wingspan of up to 2.3 metres, is one of North America's largest birds of prey. While it is the national symbol of the United States, Canada boasts a thriving population, particularly in British Columbia, which has one of the world's largest concentrations. Each winter, thousands of bald eagles gather along B.C.'s rivers to feed on salmon. They build the largest bird nests in the world, sometimes weighing over a tonne.

An Ice Age survivor, the muskox has lived in the Canadian Arctic for over 100,000 years. Its thick coat of qiviut — the warmest wool in the world, eight times warmer than sheep's wool — protects it from temperatures reaching -60 °C. When threatened, muskoxen form a defensive circle around their young, adults facing outward with their massive horns. Canada has approximately 80,000 muskoxen, primarily in Nunavut.

Canada's most common bear, with a population estimated between 396,000 and 476,000 individuals. Despite its name, the black bear can be brown, cinnamon, blonde or even white — the rare "Kermode bear" (spirit bear) of British Columbia's Great Bear Rainforest is a black bear with white fur, caused by a recessive gene. An omnivore, it feeds primarily on berries, nuts, insects and fish. An excellent climber, it can scale trees at surprising speed.

Five species of Pacific salmon (sockeye, chinook, coho, pink, chum) undertake one of the most spectacular migrations in the animal kingdom, swimming upstream in British Columbia's rivers to spawn in the exact spot where they were born. The Fraser River salmon run can see millions of sockeye salmon turn the rivers red. Salmon are a keystone species that feed grizzlies, bald eagles, orcas and even the forests themselves through marine nutrients. First Nations peoples of the west coast hold salmon in fundamental cultural and spiritual importance.