Relatively local fauna

This one knows how to enjoy its habitat

Throughout the last year, I visited wildlife reserves in other parts of the world, and saw koalas, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils and monkeys. However, other than the occasional bear on my parent’s farm, I’d never really taken the time to check out my own local wildlife reserves, and well pigeons and squirrels in the park don’t count.

On our 25 cent coin is the image of a caribou, a rather large deer type animal with antlers, that lives in the northern parts of the country and eat off lichen. I’ve been spending a bit of time with French travellers who are here for a few months, or more, who kept on bugging me about seeing caribou.

So with these three French friends, we decided to take a trip to Omega Park in the Outaouais. The park is actually just a half an hour drive form my parent’s place, but as it only opened after I left the area, I never got around to visiting it. So basically, it’s a kind of safari circuit that you do from the safety of your car. You can buy or bring carrots and feed the animals, but not the wild boars or the buffaloes. At this time of year, added to the list of exclusion are any creatures in heat with antlers, may they be wapiti, red dear or caribou.

The animals who do get to eat carrots are quite used to the system and will walk up to the car and try to stick their head in to get some food, hence keeping the windows as closed up as possible, but open enough to take lots and lots of pictures. Whether they get a carrot or not, they will drool and slobber all over the windows. All of them except one were ok if we did not give them food, except for one that kicked the passenger door. We did our best to get away from that one pretty quickly.

Excellent carrot eating skills

Our windows after deer slobber

There were many other kinds of animals with and without antlers, here they are in pictures!

A baby wild boar

Arctic Fox

We came for the caribou and well, they weren't really interested in us.

Those buffaloes are not to be reckoned with.

There were some spaces where we could step out of the car and walk around. It was nice to stretch our legs and hang out more closely with the deers.

Benjamin and his antlers

A shy one

The boys discover the fluffy qualities of milkweed in the fall.

Milkweed close-up

And back into the car for the second leg of the adventure. 

Coyote pretty

Hiding fail

An arctic wolf

Love how they match with the scenery

An Alpine ibex. Imported from Europe, it can stand winter, however the kids
are usually born in February and struggle to stay alive in our winter conditions.

Wonder if its name is Baloo

And just at the end, there was another area where we could step out wand visit with the fallow.

We could also feed the fishies!

A few extra shots before sundown.

Loic, Marie & Benjamin aka The Frenchies with the Thunderbird

I wanted to take this one home with me.

Yes, autumn in Québec is quite pretty.