Top 10 Iconic Canadian Animals

The Calgary Zoo is celebrating Canada’s 150th by highlighting some of the country’s most iconic native species.

The 150th anniversary of Canada is interesting. 2017 marks a significant moment in the history of Canada. 150 before that year, Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia united to create the Canadian Confederation, called the Dominion of Canada.

Canada is known for its mammals such as American bison, Arctic hare, badger, beaver, black bear, bobcat, little brown bat, Canada lynx, reindeer (caribou), coyote, grizzly bears, wolf, red fox, lemming, meadow mice, moose, mountain lion, mule deer, musk ox, muskrat, polar bear, porcupine, prairie dog, pronghorn, raccoon, pinniped (seal), skunk, snowshoe hare, walrus, wapiti, weasel, whale, white tailed deer, wolverine.

Amazingly, Canada lies within the 15 terrestrial and 5 marine ecozones. The largest marine ecozone is the Arctic Archipelago. The largest terrestrial ecozone is the Boreal Shield. The main biomes of Canada are tundra, boreal forest, mixed forest, broadleaf forest, prairies, Rocky Mountains, and temperate coniferous forests which hosts significant biodiversity.

In recent decades, human encroachment has certainly posed a threat to Canada's wildlife. To help the situation, National Wildlife Areas (NWAs) are set aside under the Canada Wildlife Act. In existence are National Parks, National Wildlife Areas and Migratory Bird Sanctuaries. National parks protect important natural regions in Canada. NWAs help conserve habitats for species at risk. Migratory bird sanctuaries protect the breeding grounds of migratory birds during the vital nesting season.