Conservation Status: Endangered
Basking shark
Basking sharks are the second largest fish in the world, coming second only to whale sharks. Reaching lengths of 12 metres, basking sharks can give an intimidating impression. They are harmless to humans though because, much like whale sharks, they are filter feeders. These sharks get their name from their appearance of ‘basking’ at the sea … Read more
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Loggerhead sea turtles are named for their broad, strong heads and powerful jaws. They are generalist predators and use their muscular heads and jaws to crush the shells of conch, whelks, spiny lobster and other hard-shelled invertebrates. Loggerheads are a large hard-shelled sea turtle, rivalling the green sea turtle in size. In Canada, loggerhead sea … Read more
Green Sea Turtle
Green sea turtles have roamed the oceans for millions of years! They are ancient creatures, the largest species in the family of hard-shelled sea turtles and second largest to the leatherback turtle among all sea turtles. The adults usually live in shallow waters to feed on seagrasses and algae, and they’re the only sea turtle … Read more
North Atlantic Right Whale
North Atlantic right whales are baleen whales, meaning they filter their food through bristles made of keratin in their mouths. They’re seasonal feeders, spending their summers feeding on copepods in the northern part of their range. When winter arrives, they travel between Newfoundland and the Gulf of St. Lawrence down the eastern United States as … Read more
Chinook Salmon
Chinook salmon are an iconic species of the north Pacific Ocean and the rivers of western North America and eastern Asia. Also known as “king” salmon, they are the largest of the Pacific salmon species with the world record for a commercial catch weighing in at 57.27kg (126lbs)! Like all salmon, this species is well … Read more
Sockeye Salmon
The word sockeye comes from the Coast Salish name “sukkai,” once commonly used in southwestern British Columbia. It translates roughly to “fish of fishes.” Sockeye are the most iconic and sought after salmon species in British Columbia due to their bright red colour and emerald-green head during spawning, and their rich, bright pink, oily flesh. … Read more
Leatherback Sea Turtle
Leatherback sea turtles have been swimming around the world’s oceans for more than 90 million years. They are the largest living turtle in the world, growing to more than two meters long and weighing 900 kilograms. Their preferred food is jellyfish, but because they are not very nutritious, each turtle needs to consume enough jellyfish … Read more
Atlantic Cod
Cod is an iconic species that has played an important role throughout Canada’s history. It used to be the country’s largest—and arguably the most important—fishery. Cod was so significant to the economy of Atlantic Canada that it was called “Newfoundland currency.” From the time settlers arrived in the New World up until the cod collapse … Read more
