WildLife
The Pacific Maritime has a wide variety of wildlife. There are many animals native to the region such as Vancouver Island marmot and some exotic animals such as orca whales and the tufted puffins. The rainforest is a special area as it is located in a dry region. Some trees there are thousands of years old and can grow up to a hundred meters tall!
The Mighty Grizzly Bear
There are about 16,000 of these bears roaming around in B.C. These massive creatures can weigh up to 790lbs and stand nearly 2 metres tall! Although Grizzly Bears aren't as aggressive as they look, you should still keep your distance. You definitely don't want to run into this massive beast while going on a hike.
The Canadian Moose
When people think about Canada's wildlife, they tend to think about the Canadian moose. Many come to the Pacific Maritime just to see these symbolic animals. Moose stand at a towering 2 metres tall and can weigh up to 1,500 lbs. Although they might seem friendly moose, can be aggressive and can seriously hurt you if not careful.
The Killer Whale
Believe it or not Killer Whales can be found in the Pacific Maritime. They are even considered common with (0.20 to 0.40 whales per 100 km2). They are large fish growing up to 9 metres long and weighing over 10 tonnes. There are about 300 whales off the coast of B.C. If you're lucky you might see one.
The Tufted Puffin
The Tufted Puffin has a distinct look that diffrenciates it from its cousin the Atlantic Puffin. These birds are fairly small at 35cm in size They are also quite light weighing about 1.5lbs. These birds are commonly found on small island off the coast of B.C. Many avid bird watchers travel to the Pacifc Maritime to see these beautiful birds.
Northern Pygmy Owl
This small but ferocious owl can be found in the forests of the Pacific Maritime. This small owl is only 18cm tall and and weighs a mere 60g, lighter than our smart phones. These tiny owls are small enough to fit in our palms. Unlike many owls, the Northern Pygmy Owl hunts during the day and can be seen preying on songbirds.
Mountain Lion
The Cougar, also known as the Mountain Lion, is one of the few wild cats native to North America. These massive felines can grow up to 2.4 metres and weigh 220lbs. There are around 3,500 in B.C. and most of them are found on Vancouver Island. Although rare, there have been a few incidents where cougars have attacked people.
Coast Redwood
The coast redwood trees are the tallest species of trees at some almost 100 meters tall. They are located in the west and north-west of the US and west of Canada. They are auburn in appearance and resistant to fire and rotting.
Douglas fir
Douglas fir trees are 85 metres high in the coast and 42 meters in the interior. They are located on the west coast and the interior of Canada and the US. They are coniferous trees with yellow-green leaves and smooth grey-brown bark.
Garry Oak
Garry Oak trees are around 15-27 metres high. They are found on the west coast of North America (In Canada however, they can only be found in a small area in BC). They have gray bark with rounded, green and shiny leaves.