This week is National Wildlife Week! A week to celebrate Canadian wildlife from coast to coast.
For a northern temperate region, British Columbia supports an amazingly diverse array of animals.
The province of British Columbia is home to 510 species of birds, 476 species of fish, 137 native species of mammals and 30 species of marine mammals, 22 species of amphibians and 12 species of reptiles. This makes our province the most biodiverse province in all of Canada!
Great Blue Heron
Northern Alligator Lizard
Pacific Tree Frog
Black Bear
Sockeye Salmon
Steller Sea Lion
Why Does Our Province Have So Much Biodiversity?
Climate is a major factor in British Columbia’s biodiversity. Because of its large size and varied topography, the province encompasses many different climate regions. Within broad climatic regions, local terrain and soil characteristics influence biodiversity by creating a variety of different habitats.
Old forests contain habitat elements (e.g., snags, fallen logs, large trees) not common in younger forests. Many British Columbia plant and animal species require old forest habitat for some part of their life cycle. For example, many amphibians and mammals, and more than 90 bird species depend on snags for nesting, denning, or food.
Why Are We Dedicating a Whole Week to Promote Wildlife?
There are currently 34 mammals registered under the Red list (species that are extirpated, endangered or threatened) in British Columbia and the list gets longer every year. The well-being of animals is vital to healthy ecosystems. There are currently many barriers animals must face in their day-to-day life like loss of habitat, pollution, overhunting and competition with invasive species to name a few.
What Can I Do About It?
Remember, small acts can add up to great results. The Canadian Wildlife Federation is hosting National Wildlife Week on their website with a contest!
The CWF wants to know what you can #DoMoreForWildlife by doing some small acts as suggested on their website!
Let’s #DoMoreForWildlife together!
– Wild & Immersive Team
PS: Looking for ways to explore and contribute to biodiversity science? Be sure to check out our blog post on the Best Nature Apps for Kids.
