The Land That Gives Life
Wildlife
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Pimachiowin Aki is a magnificent natural habitat for wildlife. Approximately 400 mammal, bird, amphibian, reptile and fish species rely on it for survival.
Mammals
Pimachiowin Aki is home to over 40 species of mammals, including the iconic moose.
Species of conservation concern
| Mammals |
| Beaver |
| Black bear |
| Black wolf |
| Grey wolf |
| Fisher |
| Lynx |
| Little brown bat |
| Marten |
| Moose |
| Muskrat |
| Northern bat |
| Otter |
| Red squirrel |
| Snowshoe hare |
| Timber wolf |
| Wolverine |
| Woodland caribou |
A Safe Haven for Woodland Caribou
Canada was once known for its thriving herds of woodland caribou. Today, the future is uncertain. Pimachiowin Aki is one of their few safe habitats left.
Industrial development is responsible for driving woodland caribou toward extinction. When a forest is broken up by human activities like logging or roads, deer and moose move into the open areas, bringing predators like wolves and coyotes with them.
As a World Heritage site stewarded by Anishinaabeg, Pimachiowin will continue to provide woodland caribou with the unbroken stretch of thick boreal forest they need to thrive; a place where they can safely raise their young, and travel and feed throughout the year without major threats to survival.
Birds
Pimachiowin Aki is a paradise for songbirds, shorebirds and waterfowl. Forest, wetlands and waterways offer birds critical breeding and nesting grounds, and rich sources of food on which to raise their young.
Up to 220 bird species rely on Pimachiowin Aki for survival each year, including at least 18 species of conservation concern. Every summer, millions of birds fly from tropical climates to Pimachiowin Aki to nest. Approximately 175 species breed here and over 20 species live here year round.
Species of conservation concern
| Birds |
| American bittern |
| American coot |
| American redstart |
| American white pelican |
| Bald eagle |
| Bank swallow |
| Belted kingfisher |
| Black-capped chickadee |
| Buff breasted sandpiper |
| Canada goose |
| Canada warbler |
| Common loon |
| Common nighthawk |
| Double-crested cormorant |
| Eastern whip-poor-whil |
| Eastern wood-pewee |
| Evening grosbeak |
| Gray jay |
| Great blue heron |
| Great grey owl |
| Harris’s sparrow |
| Horned grebe |
| Least bittern |
| Mallard |
| Olive-sided flycatcher |
| Piping plover |
| Red knot |
| Rusty blackbird |
| Short eared owl |
| Snowy owl |
| Sharp tailed grouse |
| Spruce grouse |
| Sandhill crane |
| Yellow rail |
Fish
Pimachiowin Aki’s many shimmering lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands are teeming with fish, including lake sturgeon — the largest fish, reaching two and half metres long and weighing as much as 180 kilograms.
Species of conservation concern
| Fish |
| Burbot/Mariah |
| Cisco/Tullibee |
| Lake sturgeon |
| Lake trout |
| Lake whitefish |
| Northern pike |
| Redfin sucker |
| Sauger |
| Walleye/Pickerel |
Reptiles and Amphibians
Three reptile and eight amphibian species live in Pimachiowin Aki year round. They use adaptations like hibernation and metabolic changes to survive Pimachiowin Aki’s long, cold winters.
Species of conservation concern
| Reptiles & Amphibians |
| Blue spotted salamander |
| Common snapping turtle |
| Northern leopard frog |
| Red-sided garter snake |
| Spring peeper |
| Western painted turtle |
| Wood frog |
