Urban wildlife in your city

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by Doug

Don't visit Australia - nasty spiders all over the place. I've got a big scar on my back from being bitten several times by redback spiders in 2009. My 6 year old got a redback bite last summer after leaving his shirt by the pool overnight and neglecting to shake it out before putting it on.

No I don't plan on visiting any time soon. A simple look on sites like Buzzfeed has some terrifying lists of deadly creatures. There's even a snail that can kill you!

Funny enough Australian friends I made in Europe commented how much crazier our potentially lethal animals were because we had large mammals like Bears and wolves that could potentially kill you. Statistically they've probably got nowhere near the body count of spiders and snakes in Australia though. Not to mention their aquatic alpha predators like Salt water crocs and sharks.

[O-tacular]

I've heard many a story from Australians about huntsman spiders. Shudder....

Not a place for me. I think in this case Boris' sig applies.

Edit: I think this photo perfectly illustrates why I will never visit Australia:

[suburbanite]

How can something like that deter you from visiting an amazing country. The only people killed by these animals are the ones that ignore the many warning signs posted along rivers or beaches. You're way more likely to be killed by a moose in Canada than a snake in Australia.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by suburbanite

How can something like that deter you from visiting an amazing country. The only people killed by these animals are the ones that ignore the many warning signs posted along rivers or beaches. You're way more likely to be killed by a moose in Canada than a snake in Australia.

I am extremely arachnophobic. It does not matter to me if it can kill me or not.

[suburbanite]

For what it's worth I visited Australia for two weeks and never saw any giant spiders. Plus Huntsmans are the ones that kill all the other pests and more dangerous spiders.

[stamps]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

An elk wandered into downtown Ottawa last year and disrupted public transit for hours. Sadly they killed it for fear that it was getting increasingly agitated and possibly dangerous.

Wow , I didn't think there was any Elk in Ontario .... did they move into the area recently or have they always been there ?

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Funny enough Australian friends I made in Europe commented how much crazier our potentially lethal animals were because we had large mammals like Bears and wolves that could potentially kill you..

Whens the last time someone was killed by a Wolf? There are people killed by Coyotes every few years, but I really can't remember hearing about a deadly Wolf attack, or any attack for that matter.

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by stamps

Wow , I didn't think there was any Elk in Ontario .... did they move into the area recently or have they always been there ?

I'm sure they once roamed the entire continent.

[stamps]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

Whens the last time someone was killed by a Wolf? There are people killed by Coyotes every few years, but I really can't remember hearing about a deadly Wolf attack, or any attack for that matter.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ontari...hewan-1.541116

[stamps]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

I'm sure they once roamed the entire continent.

Looks like the Elk in Ontario were re-introduced by the government .... http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business...ge/279012.html

[Daveography]

Australia is amazing, and dangerousness of its wildlife is greatly exaggerated. Don't let the fear of the exotic and unknown deter you from visiting such a beautiful country. We visited in the fall last year (April-May), even stayed overnight in a wilderness preserve, and we saw maybe three spiders, total, the entire trip. And all of them in a botanical garden in Sydney.

[SignalHillHiker]

I stand corrected.

The Telegram printed an article today titled "Yes, there are hummingbirds in Newfoundland."

They're very rare and usually found in the Codroy Valley on the southwest coast of the island. It is irregular to see them anywhere else but, every summer, some are spotted as far east as the Avalon Peninsula. There is one recorded instance of a hummingbird pair nesting in St. John's.

It's the ruby-throated variety that exists here.

They are not found at all in Labrador.

[Dmajackson]

Halifax definitely has some variety in urban wildlife.

Flight-wise we have crows, ducks, swans, geese, pigeons, and seagulls (tame enough you can kick them). In the suburbs we also have pheasants, jays, hummingbirds, osprey and eagles (mostly found near lakes and rivers).

We also have deer (known to walk/swim to Point Pleasant Park), squirrels, grass snakes, feral cats, skunks, racoons, porcupines, mice and rats (the joys of living in a port city), foxes and coyotes.

In the harbour and fresh water areas there are frogs, salmon, gasperaux, jellyfish, eels, and lobster.

Deer in Halifax are like moose in Newfoundland. They might not be downtown but the more suburban areas have them in droves and accidents occur regularly.

[Marty_Mcfly]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

Deer in Halifax are like moose in Newfoundland. They might not be downtown but the more suburban areas have them in droves and accidents occur regularly.

Didn't I read a story online maybe 5 years ago about a deer making its way downtown, crashing through the window of a coffee shop, and wrecking the place before leaving?

[MolsonExport]

Seen in my yard since March (I live very close to a forest and practically on the periphery of the city, plus I have a in-ground pool which is 'popular' with some of the wildlife):

Deer
Wild Turkeys
Hawks
Turkey Vultures
Great Horned Owl
Mallard Ducks (at one point 21 ducklings in the pool, along with a posse of adult males/females)
Goddamned Canada Geese
Bats
Turtles
Opossum
Skunk
Garter Snakes
Eastern Ribbon Snakes
Several species of Frog
Toads
Raccoons
Chipmunks (quite a nesting complex in my backyard, but alas 6 have drowned in the pool)
Squirrels
Mice
Moles
Rabbits
Feral Cats
20 or so other bird species not listed above (e.g., American Goldfinch, Blue Jay, Robin, Raven, etc.)

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

Yeah, I mean why would they be in one part of the badlands but not in another?

The two large badlands areas that we have are actually very different in climate. At least enough that the flora and fauna are distinct. SE Alberta is hotter, drier, and has milder winters than the Drum. It's why you can find scorpions near the Hat but nowhere else in the province.

"Badlands" is just a 19th century catch-all phrase for "shit don't grow here". There's no real connection between badlands areas beyond that.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

I've also never seen a pronghorn but would love to. Aren't they North America's fastest animal?

If you want a near-guaranteed pronghorn sighting, drive east from Calgary in mid-late August. I have never failed to see a herd of pronghorn in western SK when I do this.

[Airboy]

The first Moose on the road in St Albert today. more to come this month.

[Denscity]

We have flying squirrels! Just like rocky and bull winkle. Flat and wide with big eyes cuz they're nocturnal. Grew up here and never saw one till yesterday. Anyone else seen one?

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by freeweed

The two large badlands areas that we have are actually very different in climate. At least enough that the flora and fauna are distinct. SE Alberta is hotter, drier, and has milder winters than the Drum. It's why you can find scorpions near the Hat but nowhere else in the province.

"Badlands" is just a 19th century catch-all phrase for "shit don't grow here". There's no real connection between badlands areas beyond that.

They are connected though, the badlands are pretty constant from north of Drumheller to after Dinosaur Park all along the Red Deer River, they just get narrow for a very large part and there are patches of green breaking it up. I get that it gets hotter and dryer as you go SE though.