Lessons learned from the otter meme
Otter meme (Photo from Pinterest.com)
I have mixed feelings every time I see a river otter meme pop up on my Facebook feed. They are my favourite animal, and they are often very funny, and cute as anything, but as a wildlife biologist, I often wonder whether it impacts how people...
Le petit polatouche : mon animal canadien favori
Southern flying squirrel (Photo by Judy Frederick)
Le petit polatouche est un mammifère nocturne, vivant au Québec et en Ontario, principalement autour des grands lacs. Petit rongeur semblable à l’écureuil, il est très à l’aise dans les arbres...
Pronghorns: A sure-footed alarm whistle for Canada's Prairies
Pronghorn antelope, Old Man on His Back (Photo by Karol Dabbs)
Growing up on a ranch in the short-grass prairie region of southern Alberta, I had early exposure to the natural world and some of Canada’s most unique and charismatic wildlife species. From the resilient coyote, to the secretive badger, the...
An inordinate fondness for weasels
Fisher, Clear Creek, Riding Mountain Aspen Parkland Natural Area, Manitoba (Photo by NCC)
I suppose I’ve always been a cheerleader for the underdog so it’s only logical that I am a fan of the Fisher (Mustela pennanti). Weighing between seven and 13 pounds, fishers are the second-largest of North American weasels. Like their...
The swift fox: A conservation success story
Swift fox (Photo by Karol Dabbs)
Although I work as the Nature Conservancy of Canada's (NCC's) conservation coordinator responsible for the area in Alberta where swift foxes now live, I have never seen a wild one myself. These are elusive creatures. I did see several being...
The raccoon: A human’s perspective
Raccoon (Photo by Ken Thomas/Wikimedia Commons)
Most people who live in southern Canada have witnessed raccoons first-hand. However, due to the fact that they are usually observed tearing up garbage bins, they are often viewed with disdain. I must admit, although I love animals, there have been...
Year of the Horse: The wild horses of Sable Island
Sable Island horses (Photo by Bill Freedman)
According to the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac, the year of the horse begins on January 31. In related mythology, this fine animal is viewed as being bright, capable, energetic, intelligent, and warm-hearted, which are attributes that...
