Canadian Fauna

 I'm starting to run out of ideas for "themes" - but, since this Sunday is Canada Day, I've decided to use Canadian species for the month of July. :)

 In celebration on Canada Day, why not do our national species, the beaver? There are two species of beaver; the North American Beaver (found in Canada and the United States), and the Eurasian Beaver (found in Europe). The latter has been hunted into endangerment by humans, and .

The beaver is known as a keystone species; meaning that although its numbers may be relatively low, it's impact on the environment may be extremely significant. This is quite true because beavers are well known for their ability to change the flow and nutrient cycling of an aquatic ecosystem by building dams to regulate water depth. Beavers can also have negative impacts on the environment, though -- particularly in non-native areas, where they are considered a dangerously invasive species.

The world's largest beaver dam is located on the southern edge of Wood Buffalo National Park in Northern Alberta. At 2,790ft long, it is more than twice the length of the Hoover dam, and is large enough to be seen from space (bottom-right photo)! Next to humans, no other species appears to be this talented at engineering, or influencing the environment.

I hope you enjoy your Canada Day! :)

Cougars, are also known as mountain lions, pumas, panthers, and a few other names. They are classified as lesser cats because they cannot roar; they lack the specialized larynx and hyoid apparatus of the "big cats". Instead of roaring, cougars 'scream', purr, and hiss.

Cougars are not built for long-distance chases, like some of the other wild cats. Instead, they use stealth and short-distance chases to catch their prey. Because they are nocturnal, hunting stealthily is very advantageous, and very aptly, cougars are generalist predators (capable of feeding on almost anything they can get their claws on). 

Kittens may be born with spots, and gradually lose them as they mature (left photo). Males (bottom-right photo) can be distinguished from females (top-right photo), primarily based on size (their body, ears, and snout are all larger than those of the female, which is more slender).

Did you know that polar bears have bluish-black tongues, and black skin? These characteristics help to absorb and store solar radiation, in response to the Arctic climate.

Polar bears commonly give birth to twins and triplets. This can be very difficult on the mothers, who must work assiduously to keep her cubs and herself alive. This is becoming increasingly difficult as the arctic climate warms, causing sea ice to melt progressively. The polar bear's life cycle is highly reliant on the sea ice. Polar bears use the ice to hunt, breed, and in some cases to den. Without sea ice, polar bears simply can't survive.

Polar bears are estimated to be extinct within the next 50 years, but conservation efforts are global and worthwhile.