|
 |
|||
 MAMMALS
British Columbia's Coast offers travellers opportunities to see wildlife in its true habitat. We spend thrilling times watching a variety of whales and marine mammals from our boat and kayaks. We see a number of Dall and Harbour Porpoises as well as the playful and acrobatic Pacific White-sided Dolphin. |
||||
| An inquisitive Minke whale will delight us all by approaching the boat, spyhopping and diving under the boat only to reappear on the other side. We also see Humpback Whales and many pods of Orcas (aka Killer Whales). On yearly cruises we see whales blowing, bubblefeeding, breaching. We have often waited,whispered and prepared our cameras for that brief thrill of seeing something so wonderful so near. Whale watching is always exciting and can bring everyone up on deck even in the middle of the meal. | ||||
Stellar Sea Lions and Harbour Seals are often seen basking on rocks or swimming and feeding around kelp beds. The Stellar Sea Lions are very large with the lighter coloured male often weighing up to 2,200 pounds (1000 kg.). Their heads are flatter than the Harbour Seals and they sport a distinctly furry coat.They show little fear as we pass by affording us excellent views of these vocal and magnificent creatures. Harbour seals are considerably smaller and sport beautiful slick mottled coats. Curious but shy, they may quietly survey travellers from afar, bobbing up from below the water's surface or they may suddenly dive into the water in a noisy and ungainly rush. Once in the water they are svelte, acrobatic swimmers capable of great speed and agility.
We have often enjoyed the noisy and playful River Otter communities near our anchorages. These sociable and lively creatures are voracious fish hunters and are found all along the coast. From first-hand experience, we can tell you it is much more wonderful to see them in a wilderness situation than to have them make a home under your living room or on your boat during the winter. Amongst the unique and rare species that inhabit this area, the White Kermode or Spirit Bear stands as a beacon for the incredible bio-diversity which inhabits this part of the Pacific Coast. This blond Black Bear has captured the intense interest of biologists, environmentalists, photographers and naturalists. Black "Grey Wolves" have also been seen in the same location. Though the Black Bear and Grey Wolf are common in these coastal forests, the white Spirit Bear has developed in a small locale of splendid isolation in a region now threatened by human industry. |
||||
| The bear and wolf are common here, but they shy away from human contact. Signs of their proximity have made us sing their praises aloud as we have hiked through their territory. A healthy respect and understanding of behavior is always a good idea. | ||||
 Other Mammals gracing the forests, cliffs and shoreline along our travelled path are Mountain Goats, Marmots, Mink, Beavers and Black-tailed Deer. We have spotted the Black-tailed deer at the water's edge nibbling sea lettuce at low tide. Mink can be seen darting in between rocks near shore. We have watched dramatic techniques on the part of a mother mink to gain the attention of a Bald Eagle intent on bagging one of her offspring for lunch. Mountain Goats can be seen in some of the fjords north of Bella Bella. Their ability to scale the near vertical cliffs is quite amazing.
Abundant Migratory and resident species of birds can be seen all along this coast. Birds scoot away from the approaching boats by ducking under the water or in a flurry of sound, fly off to land a short way from us.
There are five species of Salmon prized for their flesh by coastal mammals and humans. Rock fishes, though not as sought after by sport fishers, are colourful examples of the diversity of animal life seen along this coast. The coastline of British Columbia is a wonderful place to beachcomb, peer into tidepools and generally observe from a scenic vantage point. This far North, the tidal range between high and low tide may be as much as 16 feet during the Summer. At low tide, many animals and plants are exposed allowing close inspection of a fascinating and complex ecosystems divided by biologists into five tidal zones; from those living near spray to those living in tidepools when the water is at its lowest. Clams, oysters, abalone, scallops and mussels all well known to seafood enthusiasts grow in abundance in B.C. coastal waters. Unfortunately, B.C. Fisheries has posted Red-Tide or Paralytic shellfish poisoning closures over much of the Central and North Coast areas. Captain Vancouver's expedition log in 1793 has an account of crew members being affected by these toxins. Fortunately only one died and is buried at Carter's Bay in the Fjordland area. The photo to the left is an example of only some of the variety of seashells found along the seashore during our 1997 expedition. We only keep empty shells and leave alive and inhabited ones in their place. The partially shown black mussel shell found on Goose Island is 6" long! Many small snail type shells are homes to hermit crabs who scuttle away as we approach. As young crabs, they may find a periwinkle shell just right but will change homes several times as they outgrow each abode. This moving business is quick as their abdomens are very soft and vulnerable. Small multicoloured crabs wearing their more traditional outside armour can be found by the thousands under rocks. Gunnels, small eel-like fish, small sculpins and other small fish can be found in tidepools darting amongst bits of seaweed. There are hundreds of wondrous animals and plants along the shore. Identification can be made easier through the use of some excellent books. We often use Rickett"s classic: "Between Pacific Tides" and have found "Pacific Northwest Sea Creatures" by Dan H. McLachlan. to be very useful. We also use a number of other field guides to help solve the weird-creature-of-the-day puzzles which often arise after an excursion ashore. |
||||
| More Information on Animal life on the Pacific North Coast can be found at: | ||||
|
|
||||
|
||||
Murres, marbled murrelets, Scoters, gulls, Grebes and various ducks all add their distinctive calls and behaviors to the mix. Along the shoreline we have seen Tufted Puffins, Great Blue Herons, stately Bald Eagles, Sandhill Cranes, Osprey, Kingfishers, owls, woodpeckers and Stellar Jays. Of course there is also the Raven, always watching and informing us of our trespasses. There are over 200 species of birds to be seen our coast; a bird watchers paradise.
Rockfish come in a rainbow of colours, some mottled some striped. Lingcod, Halibut and sole are found here as well. Lingcod can grow to six feet in length over a lifespan of thirty-five years and can weigh up to eighty pounds. Pacific Halibut who prefer the sandy ocean bottom can attain 400 pounds in weight. Other members of this family, sole and flounder are also common to these waters. Some strange and fascinating fish we see are, ratfish, dogfish and a variety of sculpin. Favourite species include the pipefish, a relative of the seahorse and the Spiny Lumpsucker, a small, awkwardly designed fish sure to make one laugh. The ferocious-looking but often misunderstood Wolf Eel aka "Sea Puppy" is a favourite with divers.
By far the most colourful of the tidal creatures are the sea anenomes and seastars; purples, pinks, brown, blues, reds, oranges, whites, greens and yellows and versions in between.