Wildlife in Alberta
 

Hi I am sure this has been covered before but I have done some searches and cant find what I am looking for.

Can anyone tell me what kind of wildlife we can expect in Alberta. We are currently in an apartment in Edmonton but we are moving to parkland country in Jan.

So far we have only seen dead animals at the side of the road! :( Deer and what we thought were wolves as they looked pretty big, but I have been told that there are no wolves in Alberta?! :confused: although I thought there were, and that they are actually coyotes that we have seen.

Can anyone let me know what wildlife is around us???

Thanks

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

Wildlife species in Alberta's parkland ecoregion include:
Having said that, I find wildlife to be very sparse in Alberta. But I suppose you need to take my reference point into consideration. I grew up in Africa, at a time when herds stretched almost as far as the eye could see. Obviously Alberta is not the Serengeti Plain.

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

There are a number of arctic hares hopping around Edmonton, though you have to look harder for them now as their fur has turned white (it is grey-brown in the summer). Apart from that I haven't seen much in the built-up areas - TBH, we saw more in central Toronto including raccoons, foxes and skunks. We saw some deer, elk and mountain goats when we visited Jasper.

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

I doubt that you saw any Arctic hares in Alberta. Arctic hares generally range north of the tree line (northern Canada), so what you likely saw was a snowshoe rabbit or hare.

While there certainly are wolves in Alberta, there are far more coyotes. Wolves generally are seen in remote forested areas - far away from major cities. They are far more common in the remote areas of northern Alberta than anywhere south of or around Edmonton. It may interest you to know that wolves will not tolerate the presence of coyotes in their territory and will kill them. A wolf can crush the rib cage of a coyote with its jaws.

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

Tell us about the fish of Alberta, go on ;)

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

I think you'll find that what you believe to be Arctic Hare are in fact Jack Rabbits.

The Arctic Hare's range is northern Canada usually above the tree line, not as far south as Edmonton.;)

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

To see large herds of animals that can match those of Africa, you'd have to go to the tundra of northern Canada....btw our migrating caribou can totally run any African wildebeast off its feet.

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

There's some great caribou footage in Planet Earth's "Great Plains" episode. Don't think it's aired in Canada yet but it can't be far off...

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

Oh good about time we had another "Bear Thread" :D

Between us in one year we have seen bear, wolves, moose, big-horned sheep, Pikas, Elk loads of different squirrels, chipmunks and sundry deer in Kananaskis Country alone!

Love it! :D

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

I'm more interested in the fish of Mexico as you can see: :p

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

Could you please PM me to let me know how you changed your non de plume ( I guess it had something to do with the moderators) as mine will look a tad silly in a month when I land in Calgary ;) :D

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

PM sent. :)

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

Yes, cottontail rabbit, snowshoe rabbit or Jack rabbit are the most likely species.

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

In our back garden we have seen hares, gophers, more hares and ..........yup, more Gophers and thats it. Dragonflys in summer, the size of Lancaster bombers which freaked me out a bit I have to say

Get away from civilisation a bit at places like Elk Island NP and you could be lucky enough to see, Bison, Elk, Coyotes, Foxes, Deer, Porcquopine ( you know what a mean, can't be bothered to spell check)

Get to the Rockies and you may see Moose and Bears aswell. We saw a bear in 2002 on holiday here for 2 weeks. Since we have lived here, we have been to the Rockies god knows how many times and not clocked a single Bear. My parents had a week here in May and saw a Mother Bear and 3 cubs paddling in the water at Medicine Lake. Not fair !!!

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

We saw a bear in 2002 on holiday here for 2 weeks.



Where was he on holiday from????

Sorry couldn't help myself ....... :p

Linda

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

;) Too quick for me tonight M'dear ..................... :D ;)
I spose it does read like that doesn't it. !!!

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

Thanks for the replies.

Its just there is a forest directly behind the house we are buying and currently there is no fence round our garden and I have a 3 year old! Was just wondering what we should expect.

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

Wheres the house Sarah?
Spruce Grove? Stoney Plain? out in the sticks ?
How you liking it so far BTW ?

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

Luvin it so far although still early days!! We have both sorted cars today so happy about that.
The house is in Wabamun which is a lil further out from stony plain, wabamun lake and provincial park is there, and it is just forest behind our house.

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

Sounds lovely. Good for you guys. I remember you said you wanted semi-rural living and you got it. That's great. A lot closer to Jasper from that end of the city too. Takes us half an hour + just to cross from Sh Pk to Stoney. !

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

I think if it were me, I'd want to put a fence around that garden, or make sure my 3 yr old were not playing out there alone.

I expect the risk of being attacked by a coyote or even a bear would be really small, but not one I'd wish to contemplate personally. There was a recent incident of a boy being attacked by coyotes, but I think he was on a reserve somewhere, so probably more rural ..... However, coyotes frequent the city here even in Calgary, like urban foxes.

I just found stories of attacks in Edmonton on Google:

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&rl...G=Search&meta=

edit: my mistake.... the boy who was killed on the reserve was attacked by a pack of starving dogs!

further edit: Not wishing to scare-monger .... I'm sure the risk is pretty small and attacks are unusual .... but I'd still invest in a fenced off play area if I had a small child!

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

I would expect that your area would have both coyotes and black bears. The bear density would be rather low, but you will have the odd one pass through that area. You should see deer, especially whitetails, but you may also have mule deer and perhaps the odd moose. No elk or wolves though.

You can see you are near the edge of the black bear range in Alberta:

http://www.cd.gov.ab.ca/enjoying_alb...20brochure.pdf

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

Thanks for that! Yeah I will deffinately be getting the back garden fenced, as there is not only the risk of wild animals but also running off and getting lost in the forest that would worry me!! I also have another on the way, so will deffinately be fencing it off!

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

I would suggest that you drop into you local Alberta Conservation office, and talk to an officer (or a game warden) about your concerns and ask them about bears and coyotes in your area.

I want you to understand that is it very, very rare for a coyote or a black bear to be aggressive toward a human.... they normally freak out and run away when they see or smell a human in the area.

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

Either you are a very small person, or those are very big sardines in that photo.

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

LOL.... the fish in the first photo are yellowtails... the other photo shows a striped marlin.... and I weigh 205 pounds +.

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

You lucky things......we had our winter camp last year at Wabamun....it's beautiful there!!!!

Linda

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

Nice photo; I almost forgot what snow looked like. :cool:

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

I can't remember what the sea looks like!!!!! :)

Linda

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

Shingle beach, stinky seaweed ...... I can't say I miss our particular brand of sea! :p

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

Here's what it looks like.

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

I have to agree.....I don't miss it at all, I would much rather visit any of the beautiful lakes in the Rockies!!!!

oceanMDX ......I think I could miss that!! :)

Linda

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

www.weaselhead.org.

This is a great site for finding out about all wildlife you may see in Canada.
The forum is a great place to ask any questions about anything you may see.There seems to be some very knowledgeable peeps on there who really do know there stuff.
I pop in when i've had some weird bird in my garden and I get some great advice.
Have a good look in there forum on the picture's there, some great snowy owls on at the mo.

Hope you find it interesting, (hope I am allowed to put that link)

Minihaha

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

Then here's another one that I just took today. Believe it or not, he guy in the photo is fishing. Can you see his fishing line?

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

Hi. The moderator has just informed me that I had a reply from you recently, but I can't find it (clicking the Brit Expat address for it, given in the email doesn't work for me for some reason). I had made a short comment to someone about a Brit complainer, but can't find that either - you may guess that my computing skills are an embarrassing shortcoming!

Secondly, in your marlin trophy photo is the name 'Loreto'. I was surprised, because in the early '50's I worked as a seaman on a ship called 'Barbeta', which prior to being sold to Motor Lines had been named 'Loreto', a word I have not seen until now! (I did not stay at sea, except when it comes to computing!).

And I totally agree about the caribou's speed.

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

Not that I know of....:confused:


No, the photo taken in Loreto shows yellowtails, the marlin was caught near Cabo San Lucas.

Anyway here are two photos for you. You can make a lot of tuna sandwiches from the first one (yellowfin tuna), and the second photo shows a "flying fish" we used as bait while kite fishing for tuna a few hundred miles off shore.

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

Wow......those rocks don't look real!!!!!

and I'm glad you explained what the guy is doing :p

Linda

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

Anyway, Alberta certainly has osprey.... one used to steal rainbow trout out of my lake. Alberta also has great blue herons - those also stole trout... I just took these photos of an osprey (has a fish) and a great blue heron today at the estuary at San Jose Del Cabo:

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

The "parkland" area of Alberta has Plains Bison (Elk Island Park). I used the ones in the photos to mow my lawn. You may also see the odd pheasant in the parkland, although they are more common in southern Alberta.

Re: Wildlife in Alberta
 

Great Link, This was one of our concerns with moving over to Canada, we have brought our kids up being able to name just about every animal/bird in the UK, and would feel at a loss as not to name an animal/bird to them if asked.. We are all avid animal loves and not a wildlife programme gets past us. We are so looking forward to exploring our new environment.