Fauna of Saskatchewan
The Fauna of Saskatchewan include several diverse land and aquatic animal species. From the multiplicity of invertebrates and vertebrates, two have been chosen as symbols of Saskatchewan. Cenozoic vertebrate fossils reveal the geological evolution of the interior plains and its prehistoric biogeography. Today, Saskatchewan's ecosystems range from the sub-arctic tundra of the Canadian Shield in north Saskatchewan to aspen parkland, the Mid-Continental Canadian forests in the centre of the province and grassland prairie. Fauna inhabit areas unique to their own specific and varied breeding, foraging and nesting requirements. With a large land and water area, and small population density, the ecoregions of Saskatchewan provide important habitat for many animals, both endangered and not. Naturalists observing wildlife have enumerated shrinking and growing wildlife populations. They advocate programs and methods to preserve or re-introduce endangered species and identify programs of control for outbreaks of wildlife populations. A broad diversity of wildlife habitats are preserved as parks and reserves protecting the feeding and breeding grounds of protected and indigenous fauna of Saskatchewan.
Provincial symbols
The sharp-tailed grouse was declared the symbol of Saskatchewan in 1945. As of 2001, the provincial animal is the white-tailed deer.Ancient fauna - paleontology
Fossils have been uncovered which have dated back to the Paleocene, Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, and Pleistocene periods. These Cenozoic vertebrates include mammals, amphibians and reptiles. There have been fossils of birds unearthed as well which have dated back to the Eocene and 23.03 to 5.33 Ma to the Miocene period. Historically mammoths and mastodons which migrated across the Bering land bridge from Eurasia roamed the plains. Black bear, Bison antiquus, Bison latifrons, bobcat, Bos bison, caribou, cheetah, Columbian mammoth, elk, grizzly bear, horse, ice age elephant, llama, lion, moose, one-hump camel, pronghorn, saber-toothed cat steppe bison, white-tail and mule deer, woolly mammoth populated the plains in pre-historic eras. American bison, commonly known as "buffalo" is the largest and most notable mammal found in Saskatchewan dating back to its ancestors Bison antiquus, and Bison latifrons. Large reptiles such as mosasaurs, plesiosaurs, ichthyosaurs and sea turtles lived in the seas which covered Saskatchewan, Triceratops fossils were also unearthed. A scampering non-hopping rabbit Palaeolagus Temnodon and Megalagus were some of the Eocdene-Oligocene mammalian paleofauna uncovered at the Cypress Hills Formation of Saskatchewan. An abundance of Calf Creek Local Fauna has been unearthed at the Cypress Hills Formation. Eastend is about southeast of this site. The following microvertebrates have been located Daphoenacyon dodges, Daphoenus, Daphoenine or bear dog; Parictis parvas, P. Nimravid or small bear; Hesperocyon gregarious or small fox-dog; Hemipsalodon grandis or subjective synonym of Pterodon, and Hyaenodon horridus H. microdon or carnivorous hyaena. Artiodactyls are even toed hoofed mammals such as deer, pigs, camels, goats and cattle. Among the 53 mammalian taxa of fossils from the Swift Current area are the Cypretherium coactatum or terminator pig; Ibarus storer, I. ignotus, or herbivorous fast running small deer the size of a rabbit; Merycoidodon culbertsoni Leidy or camel type mammal that lived in herds; Limnenetes anceps or a cud chewing plant eating sheep sized hippopotamus; Hendryomeryx esulcatus, Leptomeryx speciosus and L. mammifer or small hornless ruminant; Didelphodus serus or meat eating marsupial about the size of a Virginia opossum or house cat; Thylacaelurus campester; Wallia scalopidens is a fossilised proscalopid insectivore bat; Auxontodon processus; Microparamys solidusThe Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary marks the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event which saw the extinction of many of these prehistoric animals which remain only as fossil remnants.
Native species
Vertebrates
Mammals - Mammal fauna
species differ between the various ecoregions of Saskatchewan. Members of six orders of placental mammals which inhabit Saskatchewan. They are the bats, carnivores, artiodactyls, cetaceans, insectivores, and rodents. There are fewer varieties of species as elevation increases which corresponds to the Taiga and Boreal Shield and Cypress Hills Uplands econzones. Mammals which endure the harsh environment in the far north Taiga shield, Boreal Shield and Boreal Plain ecozones are American black bear, barren-ground caribou, western moose, hoary bat, wolverine, American marten, timber wolf, red fox, mink, snowshoe hare, and red-backed vole.The Athabasca Plain ecoregion supplies lichen as winter forage for the woodland caribou. The Arctic fox as their predator is also found in this region. As well as the mammals of the Taiga Shield ecozone, little brown myotis, Canadian lynx, timber wolf, Canadian beaver, muskrat are found in the Boreal Shield ecozone
The beavers dam small streams throughout Saskatchewan. The muskrat and beaver were exploited for their fur and beaver pelts. Beavers are still trapped for the fur trade industry and were almost extirpated in the first half of the 20th century. The Mid-Boreal Upland ecoregion within the Boreal Plains Ecozone features white-tailed deer, mule deer, big brown bat, silver-haired bat and the other mammals of the northern boreal forests. There is a lower population of mammalian wildlife amidst the fens, marshes, bogs and swamps that demark the muskeg area of the Mid-Boreal Lowland. The large mammals of the northern Taiga Shield and Boreal ecozones can still be supported in this transitional area, however elk, reindeer, wolf are animals of the boreal forest.
As well smaller mammals such as Keen's myotis, northern flying squirrel, fisher, ermine, North American river otter, least chipmunk and short-tailed shrew are sighted along with snowshoe hares, and white-tailed deer in the Boreal Transition ecoregion. Carnivores which prey on these creatures such as lynx and wolves are also located in the area.
The Aspen Parkland is agricultural land. The most prominent wildlife species which may be found are coyote, hare, striped skunk, North American porcupine, Richardson's ground squirrel, snowshoe hare, cottontail, northern pocket gopher, Franklin's ground squirrel and red fox. The Aspen Parkland is the environment of choice for the white-tailed deer. The Moist Mixed Grassland ecoregion is characterized by white-tailed deer, pronghorn, coyote, rabbit, American badger, red bat and ground squirrel such as black-tailed prairie dog. Animal populations of the Mixed Grassland enumerate pronghorn, white-tailed and mule deer, long-eared myotis, small-footed myotis, jack rabbit, coyote, Richardson's ground squirrel. The only Canadian site of black-tailed prairie dog is in the Mixed Grassland prairie ecoregion. The raised elevation of the Cypress Upland results in white spruce and aspen forests and an ecoregion more resembling the boreal forested areas than the prairielands. Moose, pronghorn, mule and white-tailed deer, elk, rabbit, and ground squirrel coyote are common in this ecoregion.
Birds - avifauna
Across Saskatchewan there are breeding, wintering, migration, breeding and wintering, and summering grounds for 414 species of birds. migrants follow flyways which can be determined by banding. owls, grouse, and finches overwinter in the province. Bird species which can be found in the northern Taiga Shield ecozone, Selwyn Lake Upland ecoregion, include Harris's sparrow, pine grosbeak,, grey-cheeked thrush, Catharus minimus, tree sparrow, spruce grouse, willow ptarmigan, sandhill crane, waterfowl and :Category:Shorebirds|shorebirds. As a part of the Tazin Lake Upland, prominent birds are common loon, greater yellowlegs, white-crowned sparrow and golden eagle.The Athabasca Plain ecoregion in the Boreal Shield provides breeding grounds for the Bohemian waxwing, white-winged crossbill, Cape May warbler, Canada goose and blackpoll warbler. In the south west area of the Boreal Shield ecozone lays the Churchill River Upland which has the second highest population of bald eagles. This Upland area is home to waterfowl, such as the common loon, red-breasted merganser, as well as other ducks, and geese on the many lakes of the region. The raven, spruce grouse, Canada jay, Connecticut warbler, northern three-toed woodpecker, osprey and hawk owl can be sighted in the boreal forests. The Mid-Boreal Upland ecoregion features these characteristic birds: white-throated sparrow, red-tailed hawk, American redstart, bufflehead, ovenbird, and hermit thrush. The ruffed grouse, Canada warbler, ruby-crowned kinglet and white-breasted nuthatch, American white pelican are common sightings in the Mid-Boreal Lowland ecoregion.
Diverse bird species populate the Boreal Transition ecoregion such as black and white warbler, boreal chickadee, great-crested fly-catcher and neotropical migrant bird species.
The predominant avifauna of the Aspen Parkland are house wren, least flycatcher, yellow warbler and western kingbird. Sharp-tailed grouse, ruffed grouse, black-billed magpie, cormorant, ring-billed gull, glaucous-winged gull and neotropical migrant bird species. The Aspen Parkland with its many sloughs and saline lakes provides breeding grounds for ducks and other waterfowl, black tern, Forster's tern, American white pelican. Typical birds of the Moist Mixed Grassland ecoregion include waterfowl around ponds and sloughs and the western meadowlark, yellow-headed blackbird, piping plover, sharp-tailed grouse, eastern kingbird, and Franklin's gull. The Mixed Grassland in southern Saskatchewan features these characteristic birds ferruginous hawk Buteo regalis, long-billed curlew, yellow-breasted chat, chestnut-collared longspur, burrowing owl and sage grouse. Characteristic birds of the Cypress Upland ecoregion are trumpeter swan, sage grouse, golden eagle, yellow-rumped warbler, MacGillivray's warbler, dusky flycatcher and Townsend's solitaire. There is one species of avifauna found only in the Cypress Upland, Audubon's warbler.
Amphibians and reptiles - herpetofauna
Typical reptiles in the Mixed Grassland ecoregion are the horned lizard, common garter snake, common snapping turtle, and prairie rattlesnake, and western painted turtle. The leopard frogs and chorus frogs are typical amphibians of the Grasslands National Park.Fish - ichyofauna
The lake trout, Arctic grayling, white sucker, longnose sucker, burbot, lake herring, lake whitefish,, walleye or pickerel, and northern pike are fish found in the freshwater lakes in Saskatchewan.Perch swim alongside the northern pike, walleye, lake trout in the Mid-boreal lowland. The lake sturgeon, goldeye, and bigmouth buffalo are fish species of the Saskatchewan river. Streams and ponds throughout the Saskatchewan prairies may be stocked with rainbow trout, brook, and brown trout. Catfish and carp range through the Frenchman river.There are significant commercial fisheries for both freshwater and salt-water species. The Fort Qu'Appelle Fish Culture Station stocks lakes and streams in this way winter killed lakes are replenished.
Invertebrates
Amongst the invertebrates, typical insects of the Moist Mixed Grassland ecoregion are monarch, mosquito, rose curculi, yellow jacket wasp, sow bug, bumblebee, blue-winged olive, daddy longlegs, dragonfly, grasshopper, harvester ant, and two-spotted lady beetle. Gardeners and horticulturists have identified various hemipterans during the growing season affecting their cash crop such as aphids, including the pea aphid, English grain aphid, and green peach aphid, spruce gall adelgid, pine needle scale, tomato psyllid, greenhouse whitefly, aster leafhopper alfalfa plant bug, tarnished plant bug, and black grass bug. Freshwater invertebrates of Saskatchewan typically consist of clams , mollusca, leech, freshwater earthworm Oligochaeta, virile crayfish, Scud, fairy shrimp, Copepod, water flea, clam shrimp, water mite caddisfly, damselfly, mayfly, alderfly, seed shrimp, and tadpole shrimp.Invasive species
The zebra mussel, a non-native species is currently posing a serious threat to Saskatchewan waterways, as it has overtaken nearby freshwater habitats.During the 1930s gophers by the thousands were eating crops and burrowing holes which injured horses. The government offered a nickel for every tail turned in.
The Rocky Mountain locust was a small invertebrate which darkened the skies. In 1875 they covered the American and Canadian plains eating everything in the grasslands. By 1902 they disappeared mysteriously and became extinct. Growing resistant crops, and utilising oats and peas are new methods of control where and when there are grasshopper outbreaks.
Protected species
The burrowing owl is an endangered species. They inhabit holes created by other animals such as Richardson's ground squirrel, prairie dog, fox, coyote, and badger. Their decline is due to habitat loss due to agricultural, residential and highway lands, and pesticide spraying. Another endangered species, the swift fox, has been bred in captivity and re-introduced into protected habitat areas. Lake sturgeon is a Species at Risk in the prairie provinces.In 1691 the buffalo roamed the prairies by the thousands. "The Buffalo so numerous obliged to make them sheer out of our way." -Henday Bone beds have been uncovered showing mass kills of bison herds at the base of buffalo jumps and within wood and stone corrals. Habitat destruction from homesteaders breaking the land combined with hunting practices brought the huge population to near extinction. Similarly, vast flights of passenger pigeons were reported by Peter Fidler in the early 19th century. The sky darkened for hours as flocks of migrating pigeons passed. Forest habitat destruction and wholesale hunting brought the passenger pigeon to extinction. The eskimo curlew, a shorebird who was also seen historically in great numbers met a similar extinction due to changing habitats and diminishing numbers from hunting.
Associated with the [|eradication program] of the prairie dog in the 1930s was the dramatic decline in population of the black-footed ferret which relied on the prairie dog as its main source of food. The lowered population was hastened as the natural habitat of the ferret was also being taken over by agricultural machinery and practices.
Biodiversity conservation
is a designated Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve Network protecting three saline lakes, saline and freshwater marshes. This area is a breeding site for the endangered piping plover. 67,000 other birds in over 30 species make use of this area. The Prince Albert National Park affords protection to a breeding ground of the American white pelican which has been designated as a threatened species. Quill Lakes International Bird Area which houses over one million shorebirds annually is a RAMSAR international wetlands area recognized by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network Site. Redberry Lake World Biosphere Reserve is a United Nations saline lake bird sanctuary. Last Mountain Lake or Long Lake the first federal bird sanctuary, and the Dundurn Military Reserve are preserved areas of natural habitat. Protected areas include Cypress Hills Provincial Park, Douglas Provincial Park, Danielson Provincial Park, Blackstrap Provincial Park, Pike Lake Provincial Park. Approximately 80% of the wetlands in this ecoregion have been lost. The only Canadian colony of prairie dogs is protected in the Grasslands National Park. Ord's kangaroo rat is found only in the Great Sand Hills. High populations of sharp-tailed grouse and mule deer reside in the Great Sand Hills area. The Aspen Parkland has been mainly converted to agricultural cropland and grazing lands. Bronson Forest is original parkland, Pasquia Hills provincial forest, Porcupine Forest, and Nisbet Forest are reserved tracts of land.Highways are threat to wildlife populations. The porcupine's defense mechanism against predators is to crouch and raise quills which results in highway accidents and roadkill of this rodent. Deer and other large ungulates are a hazard to traffic resulting in potential animal or human deaths especially in the autumn mating months or when deer are searching for feeding grounds in the spring. The defense mechanism of deer in the face of a threat is to freeze. There are over 3,500 deer - auto collisions per year in Saskatchewan. A number of measures have been implemented to increase awareness such as fencing, feeding programs, automobile whistles. Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation has launched "Slow Down and Save a Buck" sign campaign. Deer mirrors along the edges of highways were installed for reducing deer-vehicle collisions. The Wildlife Warning System is triggered by highway vehicles, setting off lights, sounds and or odours ahead of the approaching vehicle to frighten away animals. A system that detects vehicle was installed in 2002 near Harris to reduce the quantity of mule deer - automobile accidents for a two-year testing period. Another system detects large animals and sets off a warning system to drivers of vehicles alerting them that an animal is on or near the highway ahead of time.
The major threats to natural habitat are logging, pesticide use and oil and gas exploration. Destruction of habitats by forestry or agriculture change population levels. Removal of forests raising prairieland increases the population of Aspen Parkland and prairie habitat animals. Increasing prairieland and reducing the boreal forest reduces animals which depend on the forest for survival. Trapping, shooting and poisoning are direct threats to mammals. Dumping sand, clearing vegetation on shorelines, leaking septic tanks, dams and weirs are threats to fish populations. Removal of forests to increase agricultural lands creates a habitat loss which is a threat to the avifauna population.