I just love wildlife and if you are anything like me, then you may know just how much can be found in this beautiful part of the world.
I have been lucky enough to see bears in the Rockies and whales off the coast of Cape Breton Island, but my wildlife bucket list has plenty more, with the polar bears of Churchill and a stay in a bear viewing lodge on Vancouver Island both featured.
Canada offers a broad range of wildlife diversity and some of the world’s most accessible viewing opportunities.
From the Atlantic Provinces to British Columbia on the Pacific Coast, you are spoilt for choice: whale watching, a host of other marine wildlife, birds galore, black, grizzly, polar and even the elusive Spirit Bear, elk, moose, deer, mountain sheep and goats and a whole lot more.
There is a host of pre-bookable excursions available together with multiple night stays at lodges specifically aimed at wildlife viewing but throughout the Rocky Mountains you can often see black bear, elk, mountain sheep and goats along the roadside.
Here is a brief overview but, of course, for more information just contact me!
Atlantic Provinces
In the summer, up to 12 species of whales can be found in the Bay of Fundy.
Used as a feeding ground and nursery, the waters are rich with krill, squid and schools of young herring.
Common sightings are humpback, minke and finback whales, while other species include sei, pilot, North Atlantic right whales plus the elusive blue, sperm, beluga and killer whales.
I highly recommend a boat excursion from either Digby in Nova Scotia or St Andrews by the Sea in New Brunswick.
During June, Twillingate in Newfoundland provides an opportunity to see both icebergs and humpback whales on one excursion while Bay Bulls is home to a popular puffin and whale watching trip.
The stunning Gros Morne National Park is the residence of both moose and caribou.
The Cape Breton Highlands area of Nova Scotia boasts a large population of moose and black bear and you can take a whale watching excursion from Cheticamp, where frequent sightings include pilot, minke and finbacks.
Quebec
Recognised as one of the best whale watching areas in the world, the waters of the mighty St Lawrence River at the mouth of the Saguenay River are rich with krill, attracting minke, humpback, finback, sperm and blue whales.
Taking a trip from Tadoussac or Baie-Sainte-Catherine also offers the chance of seeing beluga whales as they are the only cetacean species to live in the St Lawrence year-round.
From nearby Sacre-Coeur, you can take an informative outing to see black bear in their natural environment along with the occasional beaver.
Ontario
Algonquin Provincial Park is home to moose, black bear, white tailed deer, and wolves.
Generally, moose are best spotted early morning or evening in ponds and lakes, feeding on lilies, pondweed and grasses.
There is numerous birdlife in the park, including great blue heron, loon, ducks, jay and chickadees.
Manitoba
Bison, moose, black bear, elk and an abundance of birdlife and butterflies can be found in Riding National Park.
However, Manitoba is best known for Churchill, the ‘Polar Bear Capital of the World’.
Between October and mid-November, visitors flock to see the majestic polar bears waiting for the winter icepack to freeze on the Hudson Bay.
Tours by specially designed vehicles take you to the Churchill Wildlife Management Area where the bears congregate; they are very curious and far from shy, so often come right alongside the vehicles.
Arctic fox, arctic hare, ptarmigan and even snowy owls can also be seen here.
In summer, the bay is home to around 60,000 beluga whales who come to feed, mate and to give birth in the warm waters. It’s also a possibility to see polar bears as they leave the melting sea ice.
Alberta
Stunning Banff and Jasper National Parks are home to a cornucopia of wildlife, including black and grizzly bear, mountain goat, sheep, elk, deer, moose, wolf and coyote.
In both towns, there’s fabulous locally guided wildlife viewing excursions with hosts who know the area best.
In Banff, mountain sheep can often be seen around Two Jack Lake viewpoint and elk hanging around Vermillion Lakes.
Lake Louise offers the best chance of seeing grizzly bear and a ride on the sightseeing lift is a must as they can often be seen on the ski slopes feeding on clover, grasses and wildflowers.
The road between Lake Louise and Jasper is the Icefields Parkway, recognised as of one of North America’s top drives and where the only time you will see a traffic jam is when there’s exciting wildlife roadside.
In Jasper, the road to Maligne Lake is a wildlife corridor with frequent sightings of black bear, mountain sheep and elk along the roadside.
British Columbia
There is so much to enthral in the province of British Columbia. With its diversity of wildlife viewing due to the variety of landscapes, it’s hard knowing where to start.
Take magical Vancouver Island, where three resident pods of orca inhabit the waters around Victoria and a pod of transient orca can sometimes be observed.
Humpback whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, sea lions, sea otters and a myriad of sea birds are also found here, including bald eagles.
In Tofino, take a voyage to view the Pacific gray whales and other marine wildlife while, at low tide, you can enjoy a tour to see the black bears come to the shoreline in search of their favourite food, rock crabs, but also over-turning rocks looking for clams and other molluscs.
Telegraph Cove is an iconic destination famed for its ecotourism and postcard waterfront setting.
Tucked away along the Johnstone Strait’s north end, it is recognised as a prime area for orca viewing but also provides a good chance of seeing humpback as well as other marine wildlife.
Excursions operate from Campbell River along with full day itineraries travelling to Bute or Knight Inlet to look for grizzly bears during September and October.
There are amazing viewing lodges in remote areas specifically aimed at grizzly bear viewing, including Knight Inlet Lodge, Farewell Harbour Lodge and Great Bear Lodge.
There’s also the Spirit Bear Lodge looking for its elusive namesake (also known as the kermode bear) which is a black bear with a double-recessive gene giving it a creamy coloured fur.
On the mainland there are also lodges such as Tweedsmuir and Wild Bear Lodge.
Whistler and its surrounds are home to around 80 bears and offer a great chance of seeing black bear on the ski slopes feeding on wildflowers, clover and grass.
The Yukon
The vast regions, varied ecosystems and relatively sparse human population make the smallest and westernmost of the provinces a haven for some of North America’s most impressive species.
Look up in the Yukon and you will see the glorious mountains in the St. Elias Range including Mount Logan, Canada’s highest peak at a staggering 5,959m.
Look down and you will see the mighty Yukon River, that stretches, winds and weaves through the landscape for over 3,000km.
Look in between and around and spot the living and breathing wildlife that includes grizzly and black bears, red fox, deer, wolves, lynx, Dall sheep, caribou, moose, muskox and millions of migratory birds.
As there’s very little traffic, animals think nothing of ambling across the road, so always keep a look out.
Canada is like a real life nature documentary and I will gleefully discuss the best ways to incorporate some of its wondrous wildlife into an inspiring itinerary.
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