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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.

In 1971, Hydro-Québec and the government of Quebec initiated the James Bay Project, a monumental hydroelectric-power development on the east coast of James Bay. ( See also Hydroelectricity in Canada.) Over the course of two phases, a total of eight generating stations were built, allowing for the pollution-free production of a significant portion of Quebec’s electricity. However, the project also profoundly disrupted the environment and the Indigenous communities living in the region, the effects of which are still being felt today.

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.

This article is from our Toronto Feature series. Features from past programs are not updated.

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.

A timber slide is a water-filled chute or runway built to carry “cribs” of timber around rapids and waterfalls. (See also Raft). Similar devices for individual pieces of wood were called “flumes.” Timber slides contributed to the growth of the timber industry in the 19th century (see Timber Trade Industry).

The most important berry fruits produced in Canada are strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa), red raspberries (Rubus idaeus), highbush and lowbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum and V. angustifolium, respectively) and cranberries (V. macrocarpon). Blackberries (various Rubus species), blackcurrants (Ribes nigrum) and redcurrants (R. rubrum) and gooseberries (Ribes grossulariia or R. uva-crispa) are of less importance but are increasing in popularity.

The Labrador retriever is one of four remaining Canadian dog breeds (see also Dogs in Canada). Its history begins at the turn of the 16th century on the island of Newfoundland. Here, its ancestors were retrievers of fish and game. The breed was further developed in England in the 19th century to assist in hunting. With a friendly temperament, the Labrador retriever is popular not only as a working dog but also as a family dog. In Canada, the Labrador has been the most popular dog for more than 25 years.

Bloody Falls are rapids located about 15 km above the mouth of the Coppermine River in the central Arctic.

A snake is a long, slender reptile of the suborder Serpentes, within the order Squamata (which also includes lizards). There are 25 species of snake currently found in Canada. In addition, one species, the timber rattlesnake, and one subspecies, the Pacific gophersnake, are extirpated. This means that, while they continue to live in other parts of their range, they are no longer found in Canada. Snake species in Canada belong to one of three taxonomic families: Boidae, Viperidae or Colubridae. Most species live in the southern part of the country; however, the common gartersnake can be found as far north as the 60th parallel, near Fort Smith, Northwest Territories.

Lambeosaurus is a genus of large, plant-eating, duckbilled dinosaur. There are three known species of Lambeosaurus, all found in southern Alberta: L. clavinitialis, L. lambei and L. magnicristatus. In 1913, fossil collector Charles H. Sternberg discovered the first Lambeosaurus fossils in the modern-day Dinosaur Provincial Park area. A year later, Canadian paleontologist Lawrence Lambe named the fossils Stephanosaurus marginatus. Fellow Canadian William Parks then renamed the species Lambeosaurus lambei in 1923 in honour of Lambe. (See also Dinosaurs Found in Canada.)

The monarch (Danaus plexippus) is a species of butterfly best known for its migratory habits. Sometimes called the wanderer butterfly, its annual migration is unlike that of any other insect found in North America. During Canadian summers, the monarch butterfly is normally found in every province except Newfoundland and Labrador, and is abundant wherever its host plant milkweed grows. Due to a decline in milkweed among other factors, the monarch butterfly is an endangered species. Still, its large size, orange-and-black colouration, and slow, sailing flight make it a familiar sight across most of Canada.

Salamanders are tailed amphibians belonging to the order Caudata. There are around 800 known species worldwide; 22 are found in Canada. In addition to these species, the unisexual Ambystoma, a unique lineage of salamanders that does not conform to the typical definition of a species, are also found in Canada. Salamanders mainly live in the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere and tropical South and Central America. North America is home to more species of salamanders than anywhere else in the world. In Canada, salamanders are found from the Maritimes to British Columbia, and as far north as central Labrador and northern British Columbia; none have been recorded on the island of Newfoundland.

Canada has seven primary vegetation regions, in addition to the marine fauna found along the country’s coasts. Vegetation regions are geographical areas characterized by distinct plant communities. Community composition, determined primarily by climate (e.g., temperature, precipitation and sunlight), may be affected by factors such as geology, soil composition and erosion, water drainage patterns and human interference. Each vegetation region supports a characteristic animal community that may also affect its composition.

This is a full-length entry about Vegetation Regions. For a plain-language summary, please see Vegetation Regions (Plain-Language Summary).

Humans have been exploring the North American Arctic for centuries, beginning about 5,000 years ago when Palaeo-Inuit were looking for a homeland, followed by the early Inuit (Thule) — ancestors of the Inuit. European exploration of the same region began with the Norse in the 10th century and, after a short pause, was continued by Englishmen during the Elizabethan era (1558–1603). Over the next several hundred years, explorers ventured to the Arctic in search of resources, scientific knowledge, national prestige, personal fame and a navigable Northwest Passage. The most successful of these explorers adapted to the harsh Arctic environment and adopted the tools and practices of northern Indigenous peoples.

The American eel (Anguilla rostrata) is an elongated fish with a round body and long dorsal fin. It is one of about 35 eel species found in Canadian waters and the only freshwater eel species found in North America. In Canada, the American eel is treasured and valued as food by many Indigenous peoples, including the Mi’kmaq, Innu, Abenaki, Haudenosaunee and Cree. Common names for the American eel include Atlantic eel, common eel and freshwater eel. Indigenous peoples in Canada have their own names for eel. For example, the Mi’kmaq call the eel katew (singular) and kataq (plural) while the Cree refer to it as kinebikoinkosew. Eels are fished recreationally and commercially in Canada.

The North American racer (Coluber constrictor) is a non-venomous snake that is native to North America. It has an extensive geographic range that extends from southern Canada south throughout most of the United States, parts of Mexico and into Guatemala and Belize. Eleven subspecies are recognized across this species’ range, three of which are found in Canada: the blue racer (Coluber constrictor foxii; ON), the Eastern yellow-bellied racer (Coluber constrictor flaviventris; SK, AB) and the Western yellow-bellied racer (Coluber constrictor Mormon; BC). (See also Snake Species in Canada.)