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Vancouver Island Wildlife
Vancouver Island is blessed with an assortment of larger mammals both aquatic and terrestrial. Black bear, Columbia Blacktail deer, Roosevelt elk, cougar, wolves, perhaps wolverines, and a host of smaller critters are indigenous to the Island. Gray and humpback whales, plus Orcas, and other dolphins, seals otter, sea lions and sea elephants can be seen on any given day at the right locations. (Yes Orcas are in the dolphin family, not whales!). Many sharks including mudsharks, blues, Six gilled, the giant but docile Basking shark and occasional visiting Great White shark are known to swim the chuck feasting on salmon, lingcod, seal herring and krill. Beach sightings or attacks are unheard of in these waters. In fact lingcod are more likely to attack the unwary diver who invades her nesting area.
Bird life is abundant on the Island. On our own Wilderquest property we are fortunate to have an active Bald Eagles nest in which a pair of eaglets has been hatched for each of the past 8 years. Their progress can be easily monitored form several locations on the property. The fishermen out front and our older chickens contribute to their well-being. Golden Eagles, turkey vultures, numerous gulls and dozens of seabirds can be found on this section of coast.
Our fifty acres of Westcoast rainforest is a sanctuary to many of these species. All of the larger animals seek occasional forage, shelter, prey, and water or beach access for salt here. Since most of these animals have a territory up to dozens of square kilometers our land is just part of a circuit for some, though home to others. This has become more so lately as land pressures increase. Our main pond, which is also a tidal estuary at higher tides hosts numerous hummingbirds, robins, Canada Geese nesting, ducks of all sorts, kingfishers, Blue Jays, herons, Bald Eagles, finch, swallows, woodpeckers and many others can be seen when they are around.
As well as the wildlife Wilderquest is home to a small flock of sheep (and one big ram) plus an assortment of chickens ducks and peacocks
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