© Lora Denis
Eastern hog-nosed snake © Jessica Ferguson
If you asked people on the street about their greatest fear, many of them would say, snakes. In fact, snakes are one of the most common phobias amongst Canadians as cited by 33% of men and 46% of women. This innate fear stems from popular myths and may be an evolutionary remnant from a time ...
May 5, 2023–Renee Suzanne Lemieux
Reduce Your Footprint•Reptiles and Amphibians•Species at Risk
Snapping turtle © David Seburn
Our planet’s natural environment is under unprecedented stress. The good news is that you can help restore a healthy planet by reducing your environmental footprint, and we’re here to help you. This blog is part of a series that will help you go #GreenStepByStep. Subscribe to our blog to follow along! Wildlife-vehicle collisions are more common than you ...
April 21, 2023–Guest blogger
Habitat•Recreation and Events•Reduce Your Footprint•Reptiles and Amphibians•Water
Watercross © Dick Daniels CC BY-SA 2.0
Not expecting to hear snowmobiles in the summer? Be advised snowmobile watercross, known as watercross racing, is gaining in popularity and may be headed your way. Despite negative impacts on the environment, enthusiasts and novices are looking to grow this activity. Here’s what you need to know: What is Watercross Racing? Watercross racing uses modified ...
April 5, 2023–Guest blogger
Community Science•Indigenous Relations•Reptiles and Amphibians•Stewardship and restoration
The wondrous world of snakes, or gnebigoog, as we say in Anishinaabemowin, was explored last July when Ontario Nature’s Brittney Vezina and Christine Ambre met up with a group of youth from the Bkejwanong Eco-Keepers (BEK) program for a knowledge sharing and training event all about snakes. The Bkejwanong Eco-Keepers is an ongoing Indigenous environmental ...
Massasauga rattlesnake © Joe Crowley
I’ve been thinking about Samuel Beckett and Ontario rattlesnakes. There used to be two species in the province, the Massasauga and the timber. But for decades there’s only been one. In 1967, conservationist Barbara Froom said the timber rattler, “that was common in the Niagara Gorge region many years ago, is now extinct in Ontario.” ...
Laurel Creek Conservation Area © Carl Hiebert / Grand River Conservation Authority