The Wildlife of Kananaskis Country

While visiting with my sister and seeing her new-to-me place was a priority during my trip to Alberta, the mountains and scenery were a welcome bonus!  But there was something else that drew me to the remote area of Kananaskis and that's the wildlife.  "There are deer, elk, bears and bighorn sheep everywhere" was all I heard from anyone who was familiar with the region and I certainly wasn't disappointed on this trip when it came to the abundance of wildlife. 

As soon as we turned off the Trans Canada onto the Kananaskis Trail, we saw three deer and several bighorn sheep.  While unpacking, I heard stories from my sister and her partner about animal encounters in the area.  A neighbor's dog was injured in a cougar attack, a grizzly bear wandered through the backyard in broad daylight and black bears raided some nearby campsites. 

The second day I was there, I saw three black bears.  One mamma bear and her cub eating in someone's backyard and a huge black bear walking down a remote road. Later that same day as we watched from on top of a hill overlooking the golf course, a very large grizzly bear walked around an area where several golfers were teeing off nearby. I don't think they had any idea that the bear was in the area and the bear didn't seem to be bothered by the activity nearby. 

I was a little afraid to drive by myself after my sister went back to work.  There were so many animals wandering onto the road at all hours of the day, I was scared I would hit one and damage her car or one of the sheep would turn and attack the car as I tried to get by them.  Those bighorn sheep like to block traffic and honking, waving and yelling does nothing to get them to move any quicker or budge an inch so you can get by.  They move when they feel like it.  Sometimes they move and several others will run out of the woods from the other side and sometimes they turn around and look like they are going to start kicking or head bunting the car. 

Here at home, the whitetail deer either run out in front of cars or stand in the middle of the road.  They are constantly getting hit!  But in Kananaskis, the deer just stayed in the ditch nibbling on grass.  I didn't see any on the road at all.  

Grey squirrels are certainly plentiful in Kananaskis but it was there strange behavior that caught my attention.  In the mornings, the little squirrels were lined up along the highway on their hind legs and facing the sun.  Not sure why they were doing this but it was definitely a cute and funny thing to see.

Although I had seen a grizzly on the golf course, it was so far away, I couldn't get a decent picture.  I kept hoping to see another one from a safe but closer distance and I finally did get that chance.  I dropped my sister off at work and drove to the entrance of Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.  I noticed a car pulled over to the side of the road and two people with cameras looking in a grassy area.  I scanned the area looking for whatever it was that caught their attention and there it was; a large grizzly bear calmly eating some grass and making it's way across the field to a little stream. 

 

There's Nothing like a Morning Drive Through the Mountains

I knew my time with my sister would be limited as she had to return to work while I was still there. She allowed me to use her car while she was gone as long as I drove her to work in the morning and picked her up again in the afternoon.  I didn't mind that at all!  It was an excuse for me to go for a drive through the mountains with my morning coffee. 

Although I was sick with a cold, I still managed to get up at 6 AM, take some cold medicine and get an early start to the adventures of the day.  For three mornings, we left the house at 7:30, I dropped her off at work and than kept driving towards the Trans Canada Highway.  I didn't turn off onto the highway but instead pulled into the Gas Station / Tim Hortons that was located right before it.  I grabbed my breakfast and some coffee, gassed up and headed back the way I came from.  Instead of going back to homebase, I kept driving to Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.  After June 15th, you can keep driving further into the backcountry but that section of highway was closed during my visit so that was as far as I could go. 

Every morning, I'd see so much wildlife along the road.  Black bears, deer, bighorn sheep.  It wasn't until the second day that I finally saw what I had wanting to see since I got there; a grizzly bear.

I saw a grizzly on the Kananaskis Golf Course a few days earlier but it was so far away, I couldn't even get a picture of it.  This bear on this day was so close, I didn't feel safe wandering any more than a foot away from my car.  And I made sure to leave the door open too!  

The bear was wandering in a field close to the entrance of the provincial park.  Several other people were already stopped to take pictures.  The bear looked calm and content as it sniffed the ground and inched towards some trees at the edge of the field. For a few seconds, the bear sprinted and I had a chance to see just how fast these huge, powerful animals can run.  I was glad I met him like this and not on a remote trail in the forest.  

I made this drive every morning for three days but I stopped at different points-of-interest every day.  Once I stopped at Barrier Lake to sit by the water and drink my coffee, another time I drove up a road to see where it went and another time I just sat and admired the beauty of the area.  I always made it back to homebase by noon where I spent the afternoons relaxing in the backyard hammock or catching up on emails.  At 3 PM, I left to pick up my sister and from there we would head home to have supper and relax for the evening.  

 

With Spring, Comes new Life

The Night Stalker

I thought I was alone but a shadow kept appearing in my peripheral vision.  I could see something watching me from over the sand dunes. When I turned my head to see who or what was watching me, it disappeared behind the dunes.  

I could feel my heart beating faster and I picked up my pace and headed toward the parking lot and the safety of my car.  Whoever or whatever was watching me was following me all the way down the beach.  When I reached the bridge to cross to the parking lot, I heard a scuffle in the darkness not too far away and whatever had been there, took off into the darkness.  

At that point, I knew it had to be some sort of animal.  A coyote? A bobcat? There are no bears here.  I ran the rest of the way to my car, hoping whatever it was wouldn't return to grab me for a late-night snack. 

The Great Reveal

That scary walk on the beach near my house was ten years ago. I've since found out who the beach stalker was and met her and her whole family. Generations of beach stalkers have come and gone since then and I've befriended every single one of them.  And now for the great reveal.....

 

I know, so scary, right?! 

All joking aside, I managed to laugh at myself when I realized my stalker was just one of these adorable little red foxes.  Over time, they became accustomed to me being around and now they even wait for me to pass by their den every evening during my walk.  Not too many people even know they are there because not too many people go far enough up the beach to reach their home. 

Getting to know the Resident Beach Critters

I lived away for a long time so I wasn't aware of the generations of foxes that made their home on this beach but I managed to piece some of their history together by talking to some long-time beach-walkers.  Through observation, I've learned their habits, where their dens are, when their kits are born and what they like to do for fun. 

Now, I know their routine. Every March, I see Dad fox scurrying around more than usual and digging random holes in the dunes.  Around this time, Mom fox disappears, not to be seen again until sometime in late April or early May. And I wait.  I wait until I see more activity around the den that Dad has been hanging around all winter. I wait for Mom to start coming out of the den more.  When I see her, I know it's almost time.  

And I wait some more.  

I wait to see one little furry face peek out of the entrance...then two....then three....until finally, they emerge into the great big world for the first time! I try to be there, from a safe distance of course, as they see this whole new world for the first time. 

Sometimes, one of them will lock eyes with me and tilt its head sideways in confusion at the strange creature lurking in the shadows. There's always that one brave one in every litter who'll wait until Mom isn't looking before inching closer and closer to me for closer inspection. Sometimes, the little one even tugs at my shoelaces.  But, I never try to touch or interfere. I just watch.

When I first started observing this den, Mom would bark at me and shuffle them all back into the safety of the den if one of her curious little ones got too close. Now that generations of this fox family have come to know me as a regular fixture on that beach.

From Toddlers to Teens to Adulthood

For a few months every Spring and early Summer, I return to the beach almost every night to watch these babies grow from tiny, nursing furballs to adolescents learning how to hunt for rodents. Playtime is my favourite time. 

Their hilarious antics include chasing their tail (and sometimes their siblings' tails), somersaulting over one another, play fighting and stealing anything they can get their little paws on. If someone loses something at the beach, it can usually be found near their den!

As spring turns to summer, the kits get their red coat and grow so big that you can't tell them from their parents. Day by day, I see them less and less until they leave the comfort of their birthplace for good, leaving Mom and Dad fox with another empty den...until spring comes around again.

If you Love Observing Wildlife, Cape Breton is the Place to be!

While driving, hiking and exploring Cape Breton Island, you'll likely come face-to-face with many of the critters who make their home here.  Most are friendly, such as the red fox, while some are best observed at a safe distance, such as the black bear and coyote.  While it's fun to observe the local wildlife, it's important to respect their space.  Never feed or try to pet wild animals as this can endanger them and you.  Just stand back and watch....if they don't feel threatened by you, they may provide you with some very cute photo ops!

A playful red fox entertaining passerby at a local beach.

Learn about Some of the Wildlife Species that Make Their Home in Cape Breton

Some things around Cape Breton may still be closed but Two Rivers Wildlife Park in Huntington (Mira area) is open for business!  There are dozens of animals to be seen during a walk through the park.  A cougar, otters, deer, raccoons. bobcats and coyotes to name a few.  I always make a day out of it and bring along a picnic and enjoy the rural surroundings away from the city for the day.

This adorable otter (above) is just one of the animals you'll see during your tour of the park.  A few peacocks (below) wander around on the trails as well.

Peacocks and bunny rabbits roam around like they own the place at Two Rivers Wildlife Park.  You won't be able to get close to them though because they run away when you get too close!

My Wildlife Photography

I love animals both wild and domestic. Taking pictures of domestic animals is easy but wild animals are a different story! Over the years I have spent a lot of time outdoors and a lot of time searching and waiting for wild animals to make an appearance only to have them pop up at the most unexpected moments! Here is my collection of wildlife photography. Some of them were taken right in my backyard while others were taken on the road and in the woods. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvy9KijOrsODoqDffUUsKZispgWNZ4mnx6B6AUJ0Xw_IdsSaS_6wFsf6UYDg_VII5mVGvRNv2dFA9aCZPTktlSNAWXHkybwMj7cL7gBGmIcJiMEJovE_Q7n1sVIZl4_0M00m8UAq331WU/s1600-h/DSC01313.JPG">