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CANADA


A timber wolf, a species that can be spotted across the eastern regions of Canada


THE TRANS-CANADA HIGHWAY In numbers


4,645 MILES The total length of the Trans-


Canada Highway (TCH) network, the second-longest national highway in the world after Australia’s Highway 1


9


The number of Canadian provinces crossed by the highway’s main route as it runs from Victoria, British Columbia to St John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador


1962 CANADIAN WILDLIFE: A SPOTTER’S GUIDE


BEARS There are four types of bear in Canada. Grizzly bears are seen most often in British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest, while black bears, the grizzly’s more timid cousin, are spread more widely across the country. Polar bears are witnessed in the greatest numbers between October and November in Churchill, Manitoba. Finally, spirit bears — black bears with a recessive gene that turns their fur creamy white — can only be found in British Columbia, where they’re considered sacred by local First Nations people. Bear-viewing in Canada often comes down to luck, but these animals are usually most active around dawn and dusk, on the sides of rivers and roads. Time your visit with the salmon run in autumn and book onto a guided tour.


WOLVES Wolves can be found in less-populated areas across Canada, from Labrador and British Columbia up to the Yukon and Northwest Territories. They’re secretive and you’re unlikely to spot one — the most you might see are their pawprints, which are around the size of an outstretched human hand. To be in with the best chance, head to Manitoba’s Kaska Coast or BC’s Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, where coastal wolves have become adept at fishing.


BALD EAGLES A white dot in a sea of evergreens is your first clue to the whereabouts of North America’s most beloved bird. Then, you might spot that curved, yellow beak and the brown overcoat ending in a sweep of white feathers. Bald eagles can be found right across Canada, most frequently along the coast, and are so common that locals are largely unfazed by their sight.


WHALES You can spot more than 30 whale species in Canada, from belugas in Manitoba and orcas in British Columbia to narwhals in the far Arctic reaches of Nunavut. Humpbacks, minkes and greys are seen along the west coast, while the east around Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Quebec is home to pilot, fin and sperm whales, and even big blues. The best time for whale-watching might vary depending on the destination, but it’s typically May to October.


MOOSE Despite their enormous size, moose are surprisingly stealthy, and it’s possible to drive right past them without ever knowing they are there. They’re most often seen in low- lying wetlands beside rivers; look for them in Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario. GS


The year the highway was officially opened following over a decade of work, though some sections remained uncompleted until 1971


1,627M


The altitude of the highway’s highest point, the mile-high Kicking Horse Pass in the Canadian Rockies


8 MILES The length of Confederation


Bridge, the world’s longest bridge over ice-covered waters, which


carries part of the TCH from Prince Edward Island to the mainland


44


The number of wildlife corridors, including both bridges and


overpasses, constructed to allow animals to safely traverse the highway in Banff National Park


2012 The year the TCH became the


world’s longest electric-vehicle- ready highway, after electric


charging stations were installed along its main route. AL


MARCH 2024 129


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