Hoot, hoot! It’s owl talk o’clock! Today we are going to be talking about the gallivanting great horned owl. The great horned owl is a fascinating bird – its most intriguing characteristics being its yellow eyes, deep hoot and sharp talons, oh my!  You can find great horned owls all over various ecosystems within North America.  Some examples include wetlands, forests, grasslands, urban areas and even deserts! 

Tips to find a great horned owl:

• If you would like to have an up close and personal encounter with these magnificent birds, build a nest box and place it in your backyard – a pair of great horned owls might just stop by.
• Remember, great horned owls are mostly nocturnal, so you may have to stage an overnight stakeout to observe these special creatures! 
• Great horned owls often construct their nests in cottonwood, juniper, beech, and pine trees, so you may want to brush up on your tree ID to truly track down one of these owls.

Like other birds of prey, great horned owls are considered raptors – all raptors have a hooked beak, strong feet, extremely sharp talons, very good eyesight and are carnivores.  Great horned owls have a very diverse diet, one of the most diverse diets of all North American raptors in fact!  They feed on various rodents, hares, scorpions, skunks, geese and other species of raptors or small birds.  Great horned owls are even known to prey on house cats, so watch out for your feline friends!

Sadly, great horned owl populations are declining.  In Canada, populations of the great horned owl are suffering from even larger declines than observed elsewhere.  Overall, between the years 1966-2015, great horned owls in Canada have declined by 72%.  Reasons for this significant decline include hunting (which is fortunately, now illegal), changes in the populations of their prey, loss of habitat, accidental poisoning owing to the accumulation of pesticides and other toxic substances consumed by their prey.  It is very sad that these magnificent birds are undergoing such challenges owing to human activity.  By conserving natural areas, being mindful of the products we put into the environment, and constructing nest boxes to help provide a home for owls to raise their young, we can all contribute to restoring the Canadian great horned owl population to its original state.

If you want to take a step further to protect the great horned owl, you’re in luck!  Alongside, the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), Earth Rangers is working to restore a very important habitat to all sorts of critters, including the great horned owl!  This habitat is known as the Lathrop Nature Preserve and consists of forested woodlands, wetlands and glades.  These wooded areas make the perfect home for our feathered friends, the great horned owl.  This project works to increase existing habitat and provide a safe place for owls to hunt, nest and raise their young.  If you would like to support this project and the protection of important habitats, such as the Lathrop Nature Preserve, adopt a great horned owl today!

Beluga whales are majestic creatures of the sea.  Despite their giant size and their slightly menacing teeth, they are very sensitive and playful animals!  The scientific name for beluga whales is Delphinapterus leucas – what a tongue twister!  Beluga whales live in the cold waters of the Arctic ocean and can be found in regions of Canada, Alaska, Russia, and Greenland.  The history between humans and beluga whales is one that extends very far back in time. For example, right here in Canada, the Inuit people of Nunavik (the Nunavimmiut), which is an area located within Arctic Quebec, have extensive knowledge about beluga whales and their role in the ecosystem. 

The Nunavimmiut have depended on beluga whales for centuries, which has led to an intricate relationship between this group of people and the whales. Throughout this relationship the Nunavimmiut have collected a large amount of knowledge regarding beluga whales.  Specifically, they have acquired a lot of information about the foraging ecology of the beluga whale.  Foraging is the search for food sources within the wild.  A beluga whale’s diet consists of fish, like cod and salmon, as well as crustaceans, like shrimp.  The Nunavimmiut also understand the sensitivity of these whales in response to their environment.  Changes to the environment can sometimes mean changes to the species beluga’s depend on for food.  These changes often have a cascading effect, which then leads to physical changes observed in the beluga whales.  For instance, the Nunavimmiut have noticed changes in the thickness of the whale’s blubber owing to changes in diet!

But what causes these changes you may ask?!  Primarily, a warming climate poses the largest threat and causes much of the variation observed in the ecosystems of the Arctic.  In fact, climate change affects polar regions and higher latitudes much more and at a much faster rate than it does the rest of the world –  in some cases 2-3 times more!  In order to monitor changes in the climate, scientists often use apex predators within the ecosystem as an indicator.  Remember, an apex predator is the organism at the very top of the food chain!  Because beluga whales are at the top of the food chain AND they are considered generalist feeders (which means they eat almost everything), scientists have chosen to observe the beluga whale to explain the changes seen in the Arctic ecosystem.  With the help of the Nunavimmiut people, researchers aim to document their knowledge regarding the diet composition and seasonal changes in body conditions of beluga whales and how these changes relate to climate change.  By using the vast pool of knowledge of the Nunavimmiut, previous research on Arctic organisms can be strengthened.

Help support important research to protect beluga whales with the Wildlife Adoptions Program!

The Basic Facts About River Otters

Today’s animal of the day is not only OTT-erly adorable, but an excellent swimmer as well!  Can you guess which animal we may be talking about?! If you guessed a river otter than you are correct!  These playful creatures reside in aquatic habitats across North America and feed on fish, frogs, crayfish, turtles, urchins, insects and more.  Because otters are amphibious animals, they spend time on land and in the water.  Like we said, otters are playful – they are often seen playing and sliding down river banks together!  Oh, to be an otter!

The Fun Facts About River Otters

River otters are not only playful but they are extremely intelligent!  New research shows that otters can learn to solve puzzles, simply by copying each other.  Most often, young otters are able to learn quite well from their parents and siblings.  Some of the puzzles researchers gave to the otters included having them open up Tupperware containers with clips, screw-on lids or pull-off lids.  Inside were tasty treats waiting for them like peanuts or fish heads – yuck!

The Environmental Facts About River Otters

Unfortunately, many species of otters are threatened, vulnerable or endangered. A major threat to river otter populations includes water pollution – which affects river otters directly AND indirectly.  For example, certain food sources, such as fresh water mussels, are majorly affected by contaminants in the river system as well.  Without a healthy freshwater mussel population, other organisms that depend on this organism as a food source (like river otters!) will suffer as well.  Freshwater mussels are not only an important food source, but they act as a biological filtration system, removing sediments, contaminants and particles from the water.  This makes them extremely important to the river ecosystem.

River otters are also affected by habitat loss – all across North America wetlands and aquatic habitats are being destroyed owing to development.  This is part of the reason conservation is so important – especially for these playful critters!  In Saskatchewan, there is a particularly important river otter habitat in the Saskatchewan River Delta.  This area is under threat owing to increased urbanization, agriculture demands and peat extraction (an extractive process that destroys wetlands and marshes!).  In order to help our furry friends the river otters, we must advocate to preserve this significant habitat.  Let’s make sure river otters don’t lose their homes!

Help support River Otters with a Wildlife Adoption Kit!