Canada's Wild Icons: Celebrating Wildlife This Canada Day

Every Canada Day, Canadians celebrate the landscapes, communities, and traditions that make this country unique. From coastlines and mountain ranges to boreal forests and Arctic sea ice, Canada's diverse habitats support an incredible array of wildlife.

Some animals have become deeply woven into Canada's identity. They appear on our coins, inspire artwork and stories, and capture the imagination of people around the world.

Canada is home to approximately 80,000 wild species.

However, these species are much more than national symbols. They play important roles in maintaining healthy ecosystems and supporting countless other plants and animals.

This Canada Day, we're highlighting five iconic Canadian species: the American Beaver, Polar Bear, Common Loon, Moose, and Canada Goose. While they live in very different habitats, each helps shape the ecosystems they call home.

American Beaver

Few animals are as closely associated with Canada as the American Beaver. In fact, the beaver became an official symbol of Canada in 1975 and has long been recognised for its importance in Canadian history and culture.

Beavers can be found throughout most of Canada, inhabiting ponds, rivers, streams, and wetlands from coast to coast. Their powerful teeth and remarkable engineering skills allow them to build dams and lodges that transform landscapes.

The world's largest beaver dam is in Wood Buffalo National Park, Alberta. It's almost 800 metres long end-to-end!

But beavers aren't just builders; they're ecosystem engineers. By creating dams, beavers slow water flow and form wetlands that provide habitat for fish, amphibians, birds, insects, and mammals. These wetlands can improve water quality, reduce erosion, and help store water during dry periods.

At Calgary Wildlife, we have seen firsthand how rehabilitated beavers can contribute to ecosystem restoration after release. Every healthy beaver returned to the wild has the potential to create habitat that benefits countless other species.

Did you know? A beaver's front teeth never stop growing, which is why they must constantly gnaw on wood to keep them worn down.

Polar Bear 

The Polar Bear is one of Canada's most recognisable wildlife species and an icon of the Arctic. Canada is home to approximately two-thirds of the world's polar bears, making the country especially important for their conservation.

Polar bears are found across Canada's Arctic regions, including Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, Yukon, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, and Québec. They depend heavily on sea ice, which they use as a platform for hunting seals.

Polar bears are built for marathons! They are extremely strong swimmers and can paddle for multiple days without stopping. Photo courtesy of Animalia.

As apex predators, polar bears sit at the top of the Arctic food web. Their presence helps maintain balance within marine ecosystems and serves as an indicator of the overall health of Arctic environments.

Polar bears are also culturally significant to many northern and Inuit communities, where they have been respected for generations.

Did you know? Despite appearing white, polar bear fur is actually transparent. Their dense coat and thick layer of fat help them survive in some of the coldest environments on Earth.

Common Loon

With its striking black-and-white plumage and echoing calls echoing across northern lakes, the Common Loon is one of Canada's most beloved birds. So beloved, in fact, that it appears on the Canadian one-dollar coin: the "loonie."

Common Loons breed on freshwater lakes across much of Canada, from British Columbia to Newfoundland and Labrador, before migrating south for the winter.

Due to their legs being so far back on their bodies, Common Loons are extremely clumsy on land.

Loons are skilled divers that feed primarily on fish. Because they require clean, healthy lakes to thrive, they are often considered indicators of freshwater ecosystem health. Changes in loon populations can sometimes signal broader environmental issues affecting aquatic habitats.

Their distinctive calls have become synonymous with Canada's wilderness and are often among the sounds people remember most after spending time at a northern lake.

Did you know? Loons can dive more than 60 metres underwater while pursuing fish and can remain submerged for over a minute.

Moose

The Moose is the largest member of the deer family and one of Canada's most impressive mammals. Adults can stand over two metres tall at the shoulder and weigh several hundred kilograms.

Moose are found throughout much of Canada, particularly in boreal forests, wetlands, and forest edges. Their range stretches from Newfoundland and Labrador to British Columbia and into parts of the northern territories.

Moose have built-in snowshoes with their splayed hooves that let them navigate deep snow or boggy terrain.

As large herbivores, moose play an important role in shaping vegetation communities. By feeding on shrubs, aquatic plants, and young trees, they influence forest growth and help create habitat diversity. Moose also serve as prey for large predators such as wolves in many parts of Canada.

Although they are powerful animals, moose face challenges from habitat changes, vehicle collisions, parasites, and shifting environmental conditions.

Did you know? A moose's long legs allow it to move through deep snow and wetlands with surprising ease, making it well adapted to Canada's northern landscapes.

Canada Goose 

Love them or not, the Canada Goose is undeniably one of Canada's most recognisable birds. With their black necks, white chinstraps, and unmistakable V-shaped migration formations, Canada Geese are familiar sights across the country.

These adaptable birds can be found in every Canadian province and territory during at least part of the year. They thrive in wetlands, lakes, rivers, grasslands, agricultural fields, and urban parks.

Canadian Geese are extremely protective of their goslings and may stretch their necks, hiss or fly towards any perceived threats.

Canada Geese play important ecological roles by dispersing seeds, cycling nutrients between aquatic and terrestrial habitats, and serving as prey for a variety of predators during different life stages.

Their seasonal migrations are among the most impressive wildlife movements in North America. During migration, flocks travel thousands of kilometres between breeding and wintering grounds.

Did you know? Canada Geese take their goslings to swim 24 to 48 hours after they’re hatched. 

Celebrating Canada's Wildlife

Canada's iconic wildlife helps tell the story of this country, but these species are more than symbols. They are engineers, predators, indicators, grazers, and migratory travellers that contribute to healthy ecosystems from the Arctic Ocean to southern wetlands.

This Canada Day, take a moment to appreciate the wildlife that shares our landscapes. Whether you're watching geese in a city park, listening for loons at a lakeside campground, spotting a moose along a forest road, or exploring a wetland shaped by beavers, each encounter offers a reminder of the remarkable biodiversity that makes Canada unique.

Canada has 20 ecozones, which include 15 land zones and 5 ocean zones.

By learning about wildlife and supporting conservation efforts, we can help ensure that these iconic species remain an important part of Canada's story for generations to come.

For assistance with injured and orphaned wildlife, please contact the Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society at 403-214-1312.

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References:

Government of Canada. (2025, March 31). Official symbols of Canada. Canadian Heritage. https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/official-symbols-canada.html

Government of Canada. (2020). Conservation of polar bears in Canada. Environment and Climate Change Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/wildlife-plants-species/wildlife-habitat-conservation/conservation-polar-bears.html

Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. (n.d.). Beaver (Castor canadensis). Forestry, Agriculture and Lands. https://www.gov.nl.ca/fal/wildlife/snp/programs/education/animal-facts/mammals/beaver/

Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. (n.d.). Canada Goose (Branta canadensis). Forestry, Agriculture and Lands. https://www.gov.nl.ca/fal/wildlife/snp/programs/education/animal-facts/mammals/canada-goose/

Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society. (2025, September 4). Building a future with beavers: Where rehabilitation meets conservation. https://www.calgarywildlife.org/post/building-a-future-with-beavers-where-rehabilitation-meets-conservation

National Park Service. (2020). Beaver: Nature's engineer. U.S. Department of the Interior. https://www.nps.gov/isro/learn/nature/beaver.htm

Government of Canada. (n.d.). The number of species in Canada. Environment and Climate Change Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/get-involved/resources-educators/number-species-canada.html

Wildlife Conservation Society Canada. (n.d.). 22 reasons why conservation in Canada matters to the planet. https://wcscanada.org/newsroom/stories/22-reasons-why-conservation-in-canada-matters-to-the-planet/

World Animal Protection Canada. (n.d.). Canada's role in the wildlife trade. https://www.worldanimalprotection.ca/news/canadas-role-wildlife-trade/

Natural Resources Canada. (2026, March 9). Forest classification. Government of Canada. https://natural-resources.canada.ca/forest-forestry/sustainable-forest-management/forest-classification