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Dinosaurs and Canada
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Dinosaurs and Canada

Dinosaurs were a group of animals that dominated the land environments of every continent. They lived from the late Triassic period to the end of the Cretaceous period (225 to 65 million years ago). However, birds are the direct descendants of dinosaurs, meaning dinosaurs are still common today. Paleontologists have found at least 88 different species of dinosaurs in Canada (see also Dinosaurs Found in Canada). The primary site of these fossils is Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta. Well-known dinosaurs first named from Canadian specimens include Albertosaurus, Centrosaurus, Corythosaurus, Dromaeosaurus,Gorgosaurus, Lambeosaurus, Pachyrhinosaurus, Parasaurolophu sand Styracosaurus.

Extinct Animals in Canada
List

Extinct Animals in Canada

As of May 2021, 18 animal species once found in Canada are now extinct, according to the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). The committee’s definition of a wildlife species includes taxonomic categories as well as geographically distinct populations. For example, the Atlantic salmon appears on COSEWIC’s list of at-risk species 15 times, as there are 15 populations of Atlantic salmon in Canada facing different threats to their survival. Similarly, when one of these populations goes extinct — as was the case for Atlantic salmon in Lake Ontario in 1898 — there are specific, cascading effects for the ecosystem that the population belongs to. Communities may lose fishing opportunities and other animals may lose a source of food. Though the Atlantic salmon is an example of a species with populations still observable in the wild, this list of 18 also includes animals that no longer exist anywhere on the planet, such as the sea mink or great auk. The reasons for the extinction of these animals range from overhunting to predation from invasive species to,­ in the case of the Eelgrass limpet, a plight of slime mould.

Frog Species in Canada
Article

Frog Species in Canada

Frogs are amphibians belonging to the order Anura. Worldwide, frogs are the most numerous group of amphibians, with more than 5,000 living species. They are found on all continents except Antarctica. There are 24 species of frog currently found in Canada. In addition, one species, the Blanchard’s cricket frog, is extirpated. This means that, while it continues to live in other parts of its range, it is no longer found in Canada. Five of Canada’s frog species are toads, which are frogs belonging to the family Bufonidae.

While most frog species in Canada are found in the southern reaches of the country, a few, for example the boreal chorus frog, have ranges extending into Yukon and the Northwest Territories, and in the case of the wood frog, Nunavut.

Toad Species in Canada
Article

Toad Species in Canada

Toad is a common name for frogs belonging to the family Bufonidae. The distinction is not firm, but the word toad is generally applied to frogs with relatively short legs and thick bodies, dry, often “warty” skin and reduced webbing between the toes. Five toad species are found in Canada, living in drier habitats than most other frogs. In Canada, other frogs commonly called toads are the Plains and Great Basin spadefoots (family Scaphiopodidae).

For more general information about frogs (including toads) see Frog Species in Canada.

Fowler's Toad
Article

Fowler's Toad

The Fowler’s toad (Anaxyrus fowleri) is a medium-sized, earthen-coloured toad that is native to Eastern North America. In Canada, Fowler’s toads are only found in a few small areas along the north shore of Lake Erie. This species lives in places with sandy or gravelly soils into which individuals can burrow; Fowler’s toads spend much of their time underground. Due to small and declining populations, the Fowler’s toad is endangered in Canada.