We are lucky to live in the most beautiful country in the world, where Mother Nature is also incredibly generous.
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Today I present to you some interesting facts about the animal universe that populates our earthly paradise. You will certainly be able to have some discussions based on this data during the holiday season.
The vertebrates
This branch of the animal kingdom includes all animals with backbones. There are a total of 846 species in Quebec, divided into five groups. The amphibians include 21, divided into two orders, i.e. 10 caudate in the form of salamanders, newts, etc., then 11 families of toads and frogs.
Then there are 95 species of mammals. To belong to this family, the female must have hair and breasts. There we find, among others, small rodents, bats, hares, squirrels, marmots, beavers, porcupines, foxes, coyotes, wolves, bears and even large game such as deer, elk, etc., as well as seals and many other marine animals.
In flight
In total there are 464 species of birds in Belle Province. Using this number, we find that 169 species are classified as rare or accidental. In Canada, that number rises to 681. A new study shows that the most common wild bird on the planet is the house sparrow, whose population is estimated at 1.6 billion. In second place is the starling with 1.3 billion individuals, followed by the ringed gull with 1.2 billion and the barn swallow with 1.1 billion.
Underwater
More than 249 species of fish swim in our waters. Of these, 118 are freshwater species that populate our 3.6 million lakes and rivers covering an area of 366,900 km2, or 22% of our total territory.
Of the 118 species, 102 were classified as native and 16 as introduced. On a sporting level, the species most sought after by Quebec rod guides are brown trout, walleye, pike, perch, perch, lake trout, rainbow trout, smelt, landlocked salmon, brook trout and salmon.
Fewer
Finally, there are the reptiles, consisting of eight species of snakes, the timber rattlesnake near the American border, and eight families of turtles. Just like crocodiles, snakes and lizards, these lung-breathing and temperature-variable animals have skin covered in scales.
Even more
In addition to the large families mentioned, there is also the category of invertebrates, which includes insects, crustaceans, worms, mussels, snails and spiders. Almost 30,000 species live in our region.