Groundhog “Woodchuck” – Marmota Monax

Distinguishing Features – Overall colouration, varying, from pale buff to black with buff-tipped guard hairs, giving a “salt and pepper” appearance; dark brown to black on tail and feet. Heavy-bodied; short-legged. Size 45.7 – 65 cm (18 – 25.6 in) Habitat Widespread throughout Northwestern Ontario; prefers pastures and fields; forest edges. Diet Grazer; vegetative parts … Read more

Muskrat – Ondatra Zibethicus

Distinguishing Features – Overall colouration, silvery-brown to dark brown oily, waterproof fur with chestnut to hazel sides; underparts, grayish; tail flattened vertically, without fur; hind feet, partially webbed. Size Male: .48 – .6 m (1.6 – 2 ft) Female: .51 – .57 m (1.7 – 1.9 ft) Habitat Common throughout Northwestern Ontario, primarily in lakes, … Read more

Willow Ptarmigan – Lagopus Lagopus

Distinguishing Features – Length: male 43 cm; weight: .56 kg; female: 40 cm; weight: .45 kg. Adult Male – summer: Bill black. Iris brown. Toes and claws dark brown, the edges of the latter yellowish-grey. Head and neck bright chestnut, the feathers on the back part of the latter and crown of the head barred … Read more

Siberian Tiger – Panthera Tigris Altaica

Distinguishing Features – The Siberian tiger bears the typical markings of all tigers and is the largest of all the wild cats. A male can weigh more than 300 kg. and measures 2.7 – 3.6 m. long from its head to the tip of its tail, the female is a little smaller. Habitat They are … Read more

Raccoon – Procyon Lotor

Distinguishing Features – Overall colouration, grizzled-gray mixed with reddy-brown, giving “salt & pepper” look, darker on back; sides, more grayish; underside, brownish with a whitish highlights. Dominant black mask extends from eyes across cheeks. Ears, edged in white; tail bushy with prominent dark rings. Size 75 – .93 m (2.5 – 3.1 ft) Habitat Much … Read more

Gray Wolf “Timber Wolf” – Canis Lupus

Distinguishing Features – Overall colouration, varied, from the most common gray tones to blacks and whites, to medium tones of cream, gray, brown and orange. Hair, bristly. Size 1.5 – 2 m (4.9 – 6.7 ft) Habitat Widespread throughout Northwestern Ontario in a variety of habitats where a good supply of food is available. Diet … Read more

Russian Flying Squirrel – Pteromys Volans

Distinguishing Features – Soft, silky pelage. Overall colouration, pale olive-brown; lighter buff-coloured underparts; tail flattened ventrally and densely haired; eyes large and luminous; skin membrane extends along flanks between wrists and ankles. Habitat Inhabits boreal coniferous forests of Scandinavia, Russia, Siberia and as far east as Northern Mongolia, Central and North-eastern China. Prefers dense forests. … Read more

Pine Marten – Martes Americana

Distinguishing Features – Overall colouration, lustrous fur, varying from pale buff to dark brown; underparts paler brown. Ears, pale with whitish edges. Body, long; feet, dark brown; claws, semi-retractable. Size Male: .54 – 63 m (1.8 – 2.1 ft) Female: .48 – .6 m (1.6 – 2 ft) Habitat Throughout Northwestern Ontario, preferring mature coniferous … Read more

Siberian Chipmunk – Tamias Sibiricus

Distinguishing Features – The Siberian chipmunk’s body length is 12 – 17cm, two-thirds of its total length. Like other chipmunks, it has brightly colored fur, dark stripes, and large cheek pouches. Its ears are small and slightly rounded at the tips. The fur on the back is brown-gray to ocher yellow, depending on the origin … Read more

Great Bustard – Otis Tarda

Distinguishing Features – The Great Bustard is one of the largest birds capable of flight. Weight: males up to 17 kg, females up to 8 kg; length: male may be 1.2 m long with a 2.4 m wingspan. Habitat The Great Bustard is a vulnerable species. It is distributed throughout many countries in Europe, Russia … Read more