By April Overall
Over 500 species of migratory birds stop over in Canada as they make their way to wintering or breeding grounds. En route they face a number of challenges including poor weather, changing climate, a loss of habitat, habitat degradation, pollution, hunting and predation.

As a non-migratory species, the northern bottlenose whale’s Scotian Shelf population spends approximately 57 per cent of its time at the entrance of the Gully. The six- to nine-metre mammal is the most curious of all whales and often approaches stationary vessels.

The assessment of 28 wildlife species by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) in November verified what many of us already knew.  Without significant efforts, more and more of our native species are at risk of becoming extinct. Habitat loss, climate change and human activity are increasingly threatening their worlds, making survival an even greater challenge.
 

As the days get longer and the nights grow warm, many animals across the country feel the tug of springtime rituals. They may have the instinct, and they may have the mate—but what happens if they don’t have the habitat?

By Megan Findlay
As the days get longer and the nights grow warm, many animals across the country feel the tug of springtime rituals. They may have the instinct, and they may have the mate—but what happens if they don’t have the habitat?