Page 26 - 2026-2027 Travel Guide to Canada

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POLAR BEARS IN CHURCHILL, MANITOBA • TRAVEL MANITOBA
Wildlife Viewing:
Call of the Wild
BY HANS TAMMEMAGI
Canada’s vast, varied terrain provides a
habitat for countless creatures, and the
same can be said of its waterways. As a
result, it supports more kinds of wildlife
than you can shake a camera at. Here are
some of the most memorable, with tips
on where to find them.
LIVING LARGE
Canada is blessed with several species of
bears, including iconic polar bears. White,
like the snow of their northern habitat, they
are considered the largest of all terrestrial
carnivores. In Churchill, Manitoba, the
“Polar Bear Capital of the World,” you can
take a tour from mid-October to mid-
November aboard a special tundra vehicle
that lets you safely get close to them.
Grizzlies, who reside mostly in the western
and northwestern part of the country in
forested and mountainous areas, can be seen
from spring to fall (they hibernate in winter)
on cruises along the Great Bear Rainforest or
on several guide-led outings. They can also be
viewed at B.C. sanctuaries like Grouse
Mountain in Vancouver, Khutzeymateen
Provincial Park outside Prince Rupert, and
Kicking Horse Resort near Golden.
Black bears, smaller than grizzlies
although still formidable, are found
throughout Canada and it’s not unusual to
spot them while driving in remote areas or
canoeing.
These big bears are an extraordinary sight,
yet the spine-tingling sound of a wolf in the
wild is equally impressive. Private tours of
the Wolf Centre in Haliburton Highlands
takes visitors on an evening forest hike for
“Wolf Howls” where you can imitate a howl,
and hope to receive answering cries.
PUFFINS AT CAPE BONAVISTA LIGHTHOUSE, NL •
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR TOURISM/
JACKIE ZHENG