OUR WILDLIFE
|
|
KOOTENAY RIVER SYSTEM |
MACKENZIE RIVER SYSTEM |
Similarities
|
| The moose
is the largest of the deer family, with bulls weighing about 500
kilograms (or up to 700 kg). They stand about 2 meters at
the shoulder. They lose their antlers during certain seasons.
Photo:
"Reproduced with
permission of the Minister of Public Works and Government Services
Canada, 2003"
|
 |
 |
The Black
Bear can be various colours, from blonde to
brown to black. Males weight about 115 - 160 kilograms, but
they gain a lot of weight in the fall when they are getting ready
for hibernation. They have poor eyesight but a great sense of
smell. They can run fast and swim well. |
| Grizzly Bears
are usually bigger than black bears. One way you can tell a
grizzle from a black bear is by the hump on its back. |
|
The
Creston Valley has 265 species of birds, 50 kinds of mammals, and 30
kinds of reptiles, amphibians and fish.
Osprey are fish-eaters and
inhabitants of river and lake country. Their powerful long,
narrow, slightly crooked wings can lift them out of the water
after having plunged in after a fish. Their feet have spiny
scales, long curved talons and a reversible outer toe, all of
which increase their ability to hang onto their slippery prey. |
Osprey are a common sight near the
lake or river, diving for fish and nesting high in secure places.
This Osprey has built her nest on top of a railroad bridge.
|
|
 |
<- Double-click photo |
|
Differences
|
| Whitetail
deer’s coat is reddish in summer, blue-gray in winter. When it is
running, it is easy to spot and to identify because it raises its
all-white tail. You have to be very careful driving at night, because
many people run into deer. |
The
wood bison is the largest land mammal in
North America. It is about 1.8 m
at the shoulder and weighs over 1000 kg.
Cows are smaller, averaging 550 kg. It has a
woolly undercoat with longer guard
hairs, which makes it resistant to cold
temperatures. |
| Mule
deer’s coat varies, from yellow-brown, sooty-gray, blue-gray. It’s
tail is white with black tip, to all black rump patch white. |
The
photographs below were taken by Ms. Paquette, just at the side of
the road. |
 |
 |
| Elk: Elk
weigh from 20-200 they are related to the moose and deer. They also
eat vegetation. You can often see them down on the flats |
 |
 |
We often see wild turkeys in our area. Turkeys were a
staple food for the aboriginal people long before the pilgrims
arrived. Wild turkeys are fast runners and excellent flyers.
They are smaller birds ranging from 5 - 15 pounds. Their feathers
are very dark, almost black. |
 |
| Caribou
males are about 110 cm high at the shoulder and weight about 140
kg at their prime in the fall. |
|
The California, or Rocky Mountain Bighorn, sheep graze on the
grasses of alpine meadows. The
most thing about a mature male is a set of huge horns which spiral
backwards from the top of the head. The hooves are hard on the outside
and soft on the inside making it an excellent climber and jumper. |
We can often see herds of ewes with lambs and separate herds of
rams as we are driving over the Creston-Salmo pass, high in the
mountains. |
Dall's
Mountain sheep are medium-sized, hoofed mammals,
with the rams weighing
from 80 to 100 kg and ewes are smaller at 60 kg. Both rams and
ewes grow horns throughout their lives. The horns of the ewe are
less curved, more slender and shorter than the ram's. Their
coat is really
suited to a cold,
harsh climate. Long hollow guard hairs cover an undercoat of fine
wool. In spring the long hair is shed, giving way to a short
summer coat. |
| |
Credit:
|
|
       |
