Whenever I travel to Canada, I come across so many unique and exotic animals that I have to enquire about them from locals, but many of these animals are at the end of their existence or cannot be found easily. As you must know Canada’s natural beauty is one of the reasons why millions of people visit this beautiful place, and many more than 80,000 species have a home here, but when you travel, spotting all of them might be difficult, so aim at the ones that interest you the most. Let me tell you about the 10 most fascinating animals in Canada!

1. Canadian Goose

A Canadian goose is a wild goose with a black head, white cheeks, and a brownish body. These herbivores prefer habitats near freshwater, so you’ll often find them in marshes, lagoons, and estuaries. What’s remarkable is how well they adapt to human-altered areas, a testament to their resilience. And when you witness their awe-inspiring migration journey, spanning up to 3,000 miles, you can’t help but marvel at the wonder of nature.

2. Wood Bison

When you observe the bison, you’ll notice that their diet primarily consists of grasses and sedges. Bison is quite almost like natural snowplows and the hump on their back is full of muscle which makes it easier for them to use their heads to plod the snow. However, you must know that sadly these are considered endangered as the number of these animals decreases yearly. Also, remember to stay at a safe distance as these are predatory!

3. Kermode Bear

When you encounter the Kermode bear, you’ll discover that it’s a small subspecies closely related to the American black bear. Most Kermode bears are sometimes black, but 100 or 500 fully white ones exist, these white bears are also known as spirit bears. You can easily spot this bear living on Gribbell Island, Princess Royal Islands, and the Great Rainforest of British Columbia. I suggest you go out of your way to spot these, or you can simply alter your itinerary as needed.

4. Blue Great Heron

This is a large bird from the heron family species Ardeidae, these Herons are a subspecies of the Great Heron bird species They thrive in a variety of aquatic habitats, from desert rivers to the coast of Southern Alaska. What’s fascinating is that their diet is diverse, allowing them to adapt and even winter in more northern regions than most herons. These Herons usually nest in trees 20 or 60 feet above the water. So, the next time you’re near a body of water, keep an eye out for these magnificent birds and marvel at the wonders of nature they bring.

5. Black Bears

Ah, the classic black bears. Don’t fall for their cuteness, they are just as dangerous as their size. While most bears are black, you may be surprised to know that many individual bears have blond, cinnamon, light or dark brown coats or variations and mixtures of these colours. Black bears are more active at night, so you might catch sight of them travelling and feeding at any time of the day.

Ah, the classic black bears. Don’t fall for their cuteness, they are just as dangerous as their size. While most bears are black, you may be surprised to know that many individual bears have blond, cinnamon, light or dark brown coats or variations and mixtures of these colours. Black bears are more active at night, so you might catch sight of them travelling and feeding at any time of the day.

6. Orca or Killer Whales

This is one of such most different mammals in the world. I must tell you that it’s also one of the most fascinating animals. These whales can be recognized by their body’s black and white patterns and you can normally find them in various water environments that range from the Arctic to the tropical seas. You will find that these whales are highly social animals, and many live in a stable family of whales called pods. So, you can easily spot them from a distance, and remember that they kill humans, so maintain a safe distance.

7. Gray Wolf

Well, if you are a great fan of werewolf stories, seeing this animal will be an amazing experience. These wolves can appear in various colours, from brown to black to different hues of grey. You can spot these animals in the Yukon Territories, Alberta, Quebec, Nunavut, and other places in the Northwest Territories. To watch these wolves you can always visit the Banff National Provincial Park and sometimes be seen on the Valley Parkway.

8. Bald Eagles

When you spot Bald Eagles, you’ll often find them near large open-water bodies with abundant food and trees suitable for nesting. This bald eagle is not bald, they get their name from the word pinhead, which means it is spotty and patchy. You must also notice that their wingspan can extend from 2 meters, making them the largest bird of prey in Canada, and when a bald eagle loses a feather in one of its wings, it loses a feather on the other to keep its balance, interesting to watch indeed!

9. Grizzly Bear

The first time I heard about grizzly bears was in some cartoon, but let me tell you, they are even more fascinating up close. You can spot the major population of grizzly bear species in regions of British Columbia, Yukon, Hudson Bay, and Alberta. The bears have unique home landscapes, even if their homeland overlaps, they don’t fiercely defend or fight. Despite their big size, these bears are known to run at 55km per hour, so get some running shoes on!

10. Polar Bear

Last but not least, polar bears! This one is quite obvious in this list. You can spot more than half of the Polar bear population in the Canadian Arctic circle, from Northern Ellesmere Island to James Bay and from the Alaskan border to Labrador. This bear is adapted well to life in the extremity of the Arctic climate, the thick white fur coat is camouflaged in the ice and snow-covered land. The funny thing you will notice is that the fur is not white but is transparent. As these animals are always in icy regions covered with ice, the light is reflected, which causes the hair to look white. They have black skin under their white fur, which helps them retain the heat from the sun.

The animals in Canada are fascinating in many ways, including all aspects of their life, food, species, beauty, habitats, and more. These species interest a lot of people to travel. I strongly recommend you try to spot these animals whenever you visit Canada. Watching their beauty and species in their habitat is an amazing experience that should not be missed.

Last Updated on April 10, 2024 by Pragya Chakrapani