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To fully appreciate the Ecomuseum, take a moment to examine the wall exhibit that describes the turbulent history of the site. The area on which the museum has been developed was a marsh and woodland at the turn of the century. Trees were cut for firewood and in the 1930s the northern end of the area was tile drained in an attempt to make use of the rich organic soils of the marsh. The air-photo interpretation followed by a series of colourful oblique photos of the site, graphically depict how fast the area was ruined and how we are slowly recovering it.

Other exhibits in the building include; a set of two paintings that depict the 19 species of frogs and salamanders which can be found in the Valley, a set of aquaria that contain fish, zebra muscles, crayfish, aquatic turtles such as the stink pot and softshell turtles, and finally several touch tables.

As you leave the building to start your outdoor visit there is a collection of eagles, hawks, falcons and owls along with a turkey vulture. All but the turkey vulture can be seen year round. These birds came to us from the Macdonald campus Raptor Center which is now known as the Avian Science Center where there is no longer any public access. The main diet of these predators is day old male chicks a byproduct of the poultry industry. This food is supplemented with rats, mice, quail and fish depending on the species. All of these birds are unreleasable because of injuries or because they were imprinted to humans. Several of the birds have been trained to perch on a gloved arm and can be used for off-site education programs.

The Snowy Owl is Quebec's Provincial bird. Though it does not nest in the Valley it is a fairly common winter visitor. The smaller white bird is the male while the larger brownish bird is the female. These are primarily rodent eaters, however, they will attack anything that is alive and on the ground. Although we do see them perched on buildings and light standards in the Valley, in the North, they perch on stones and nest on the ground. This is one of a few species of owls that are active during daylight hours. Snowy Owls do not seek the protection of forest cover at any time preferring to perch in the open even in the windiest and coldest weather.

White-tailed Deer are the most common, widely distributed, large (over 50 kg) mammals on the American continents. Because they are found in so many different kinds of habitats such as swamps, deserts, tropical forests as well as the snowy north, much of their biology differs throughout their range. Our St. Lawrence Valley White-tails live at the northern edge of the species' distribution and so are quite special.

Northern White-tailed Deer have adapted well to our cold winters. In late summer, a thick grey coat of fur begins to replace the thin reddish summer fur, and the deer begin to accumulate fat reserves. Here, where we receive heavy snowfalls, White-tailed Deer tend to cluster in deer yards (sheltered areas of the forest) where there is less snow accumulation and where the deer can move more freely. Because they generally lose more energy than they can gain through eating, deer usually forage much less in the coldest part of the year, preferring to save energy by lying down in soft deep snow.

Deer are browsers. In winter they feed on buds, twigs and evergreen needles. For the rest of the year, their diet onsists mainly of the broad leaf foliage of shrubs and saplings. They seldom eat grass.

With the exception of caribou, only males of the deer family grow antlers. The antlers are shed in late winter long after the rutting season. In spring new buds appear and the antlers grow quickly, and become larger than the year before, until the bucks reach their prime. The growing antlers are covered with 'velvet' - skin rich in blood vessels. In the fall, bucks rub their antlers against trees to scrape off the velvet and expose the shiny, pointed tines of their antlers. That is why we make an effort to protect the trees of the enclosure in the fall.

Females, called does, give birth sometime during the spring or early summer. Here at the Ecomuseum, fawns are typically born in early June. Usually two fawns are born, but a doe may have as many as four at one time, or as few as one. For the first three weeks of their life the fawns spend most of their time lying in tall grass, depending on their cryptic speckled coats and their weak odour to prevent predators from finding them. Their mother seeks them out a few times a day to nurse and clean them. As they slowly become more steady on their feet, they seem to gain confidence. They spend less time hiding in the grass and more time frolicking.

Crows, often thought to be among the most intelligent birds, belong to the same family as jays, magpies and ravens. They are often mistaken for the far less common raven, even though they are considerably smaller, have a smaller beak, and do not have the shaggy looking feathers on their throats that are characteristic of ravens. The easiest way to distinguish between the two species is by the voice and by the shape of the tail. Crows "caw" and ravens "raw" while rolling their R's. Crows have square tails in flight while those of ravens are wedged shaped.

Unlike many birds, male and female crows are similar in appearance but males are slightly larger. They have a non-specialized beak, which enables them to eat a wide variety of foods. Their diet includes grain, eggs, fruit, seeds, worms, carrion and young birds. In turn, this variable diet enables them to live in a wide range of habitats. In general, however, they prefer open areas for foraging and wooded areas for nesting and roosting.

Small birds are often seen chasing crows which have probably raided their nest. When crows, in turn, chase and harass owls and other large raptors, it is called mobbing.

Crows like to flock together overnight, sharing a communal roost. Before nightfall they sometimes have to fly quite far to join the rest of their flock. In the morning they spread out again in search of food. They probably roost together for protection from predators and to exchange information.

Every year the Ecomuseum receives orphaned baby crows as well as crows which have been injured or malnourished. Care is taken to restore them to good health, so that those capable of surviving on their own can be released.

This aviary contains Great Blue Herons, American Bitterns, Canada Geese, a Brant Goose and many native species of ducks.

Herons and bitterns belong to the same family, with characteristic long necks and legs. They wade through shallow water looking for aquatic animals, which they spear with their sharp, pointed beaks. When they sense danger they freeze with their necks stretched out and their beaks pointed upwards. You may have to look carefully to see a bittern. Their striped plumage of white and tawny brown feathers camouflage them well in the tall reeds where they spend most of their time. The herons and bitterns in this aviary have been either injured or orphaned.

Most people are familiar with geese because they are often seen, in spring and fall, flying in "V" formations, and honking as they migrate. All the geese in this aviary are no longer able to migrate due to previous injuries. Geese are particularly fond of grasses, sedges and roots of aquatic plants.

Canada Geese vary in size depending on the region in which they are found. Their size can range from that of a Mallard duck (1 kg or 2,5 lbs) up to 6 kg (13 lbs.). The ones in this aviary are mid-sized, at about 4 kg (9 lbs.). Even though their size is variable they can always be recognized by their long black neck and black head with large white cheek patches.

The Brant Goose is smaller than our Canada Geese. It has a black head, neck and breast with a small white patch on either side of its neck. It is a coastal goose, an occasional visitor to the Valley as it migrates from the high Arctic to the eastern coast of the United States.

This aviary also contains 3 basic types of ducks: dabblers, divers and fish-eaters. The first two have bills which are designed to act as sieves. The bill filters out water and retains vegetation and aquatic animals such as small crustaceans, molluscs, insects and insect larvae.

Dabblers are shallow-water feeders which float on the surface and reach for food under the water, with their posterior sticking straight up. The legs of dabbling ducks are attached near the center of their body. They have large wings in relation to their body size, which enables them to spring up out of the water when they want to fly away. Because of this, they can feed in small bodies of water and make a fast getaway when frightened.

Some examples of dabbling ducks in this aviary are Mallards, Black Ducks, Northern Pintails, Gadwalls, American Wigeons, teals, Shovelers and Wood Ducks. You can try to identify them by using the illustrations beside the lower revolving door to help you. You may have some difficulty identifying them during late summer, however, since this is the time they moult and lose their vivid breeding plumage. Birds moult several times a year - their feathers fall out and new ones grow in. They are quite drab-looking during this transition period and have what is called an eclipse plumage. During part of the moult, they are unable to fly and are more vulnerable to predation. New feathers must grow in quickly, requiring a large amount of energy.

Diving ducks obtain most of their food by diving below the water's surface. Their legs are set further back and further apart than dabbling ducks. This design makes them better swimmers than dabblers, but also makes walking on land very difficult. They also have a heavier body in relation to the size of their wings than do dabbling ducks. This means they cannot spring out of the water - they scoot across the surface of the water before take off and so require ponds of a reasonable size. Some examples of diving ducks in this aviary are scaups, Canvasbacks and Redheads.

The third group of ducks represented here are diving, fish-eating ducks called mergansers. They have thin, serrated bills which enable them to catch fish, crustaceans and aquatic insects. This aviary contains a female Hooded Merganser.

Ducks have different nesting styles, depending on the species. Most nest on the ground, hidden in tall grass or thick brush. Their nests will often, but not always, be located near water.

A few species, such as Wood Ducks and Hooded Mergansers, nest in trees. They prefer tree hollows but will also build on the limb of a tree. Nest boxes have been installed in this aviary so that some will nest here. Every spring many of the Ecomuseum ducklings and their mothers are put in special brood boxes in the service area to protect them from other ducks and to make sure they get a proper diet high in protein. We also receive orphaned ducklings from the SPCA and the public. These are raised with surrogate mothers, a cooperative hen or an older duckling of the same species. In the fall, many of these orphan ducks are released.

In the fall, the Ecomuseum auctions off the releasable ducks, giving the public an opportunity to share in this conservation project. Anyone can bid on a duck and the first 50 to 70 highest bidders, depending on the number to be released, get the opportunity to release their duck with all the others. The Duck Release Day is held in late October or early November.

Both Lynx and Bobcats are found in the St Lawrence Valley. Lynx range as far north as the tree line and tend to be restricted to coniferous forests, whereas Bobcats tend to be associated with broadleaf forests. Lynx and Bobcats are hard to tell apart, if seen at a distance, however the black tip of the tail, large feet, and pointed ears with long tufts are the typical characteristics of the Lynx. At maturity Lynx can reach close to a meter in length and weigh nine to ten kg. They moult twice a year in October-November and again in April-May.

Eighty percent of the Lynx diet is Snowshoe Hare, the remainder being birds, small mammals, and carrion. Although they are seldom preyed upon, and then only by Wolves, numbers fluctuate periodically due to the starvation of young. When Hare are abundant the survival of Lynx kits increases and so does the population. It has been estimated that a Lynx would kill from 170 to 200 Hare per year in a home range of six to eight square miles. Although adults, without young, usually hunt alone there is a good deal of overlap of territories, thus over a period of a month several different Lynx could hunt a patch of bush without ever encountering his neighbour. Lynx prowl through the forest and use their sight and hearing to detect prey. They tend to be more active at night and in the late afternoon or early morning when their prey is most active. They silently stalk their prey then spring forward for the kill. Though they climb trees they are not known to jump down onto prey.

Mating occurs in March or early April and the gestation period is about nine weeks. Average litter size is between two and three.

Two species of foxes are native to the St. Lawrence Valley: the Red Fox and the Grey Fox, though the latter is rarely seen this far north.

Foxes are active all winter, and in February the females come into heat. Gestation lasts about 56 days and 1 to 8 young are born in mid to late April. The mother nurses the young for about two months, but cares for them until fall. The first coat of the pups is greyish to black, but red fur starts to show through at about 4 weeks of age. Both parents will hunt and carry food to the hungry, playful pups in the den. Once the young can travel, the parents begin teaching them to hunt.

Red Foxes typically hunt small rodents like voles but also often feed on young muskrats, groundhogs, squirrels and rabbits. They hunt by stalking and then pouncing on their prey with all four paws. They also eat frogs, snakes, eggs and insects, but in late summer they tend to eat a lot of fruit.

Like many of our native mammals, Red Foxes cope with our hot summers and cold winters by changing the thickness of their protective fur coat. During the spring and summer, they shed large amounts of fur, often leaving them looking rather scruffy, particularly in June and July. In the fall, their undercoat of thick fur grows back, preparing them again for winter. Foxes have a particularly bushy tail, called a brush, which they use to keep their feet warm when lying down curled up in the snow. The fox also uses its brush for balance and to signal its feelings to other foxes.

The odour, which is often detected at the fox pen, is not caused by a skunk, but rather the fox which marks its enclosure when excited with a strong-smelling scent. Males use the scent, produced by their anal glands, to establish territories, particularly in the breeding season.

All of the foxes at the Ecomuseum were orphaned and have been around people since they were only a few weeks old. They are indeed curious, intelligent and playful animals.

Coyotes and Grey Wolves are very similar in appearance, but differ greatly in behaviour. Both coyotes and wolves have the characteristic red behind their ears and more often than not a black spot about two thirds up their tails. Most coyotes and wolves have the same grey-brown coats. Wolves are far more variable in color from white through tan, grey and black. Wolves in the Valley weigh around 40 kg whereas coyotes, though much larger than their western cousins, weigh around 23 kg. Wolves and coyotes can interbreed and both readily mate with dogs. Coyote-dog crosses are called "Coydogs" and are quite common in New England. Since both wolves and coyotes have been known to kill dogs, and wolves are said to kill coyotes, most crosses are limited to the males of the dominant species mating with bitches of the other species.

The major differences between the two species are their posture, their voices and their social organization. Coyotes tend to keep their tails hung low while trotting whereas wolves tend to keep them raised. Neither ever curl them over their backs while travelling. Coyotes yip, often disjointedly, and wolves howl. Finally, coyotes are loners usually hunting alone or sometimes in a family group. Wolves live together in organized social groups called packs. Members of a pack hunt together, and this allows them to kill relatively large prey. The diet of coyotes consists largely of mice, medium sized rodents and cottontails, while that of wolves consists mainly of beaver, deer or moose.

It is generally believed that coyotes were once limited to the western United States and southwestern Canada, but have slowly spread north and east. They are now found across most of North America, only recently arriving in the Maritimes from the St.Lawrence Valley. It is thought that their range expansion coincided with the elimination of wolves south of the St Lawrence. More likely it is the expansion of agriculture and human settlement that produced habitats favorable to the coyote. Wolves, on the other hand, were incessantly hunted and had to compete with man for big game.

Wolves are not necessarily wilderness animals. Packs of wolves are found throughout the southern Laurentians wherever there are deer yards. Coyotes, on the other hand, are common in areas affected by land speculation. Grass fields, hedgerows and young forests abound with rodents and other preferred food items including the occasional cat or dog. It should not come as a surprise that coyotes are often seen, even on the Island of Montreal.

The coyotes at the Ecomuseum were sent to us from Nova Scotia in the spring of 1989. They were orphaned at about five weeks of age.

There are three species of bears native to Canada: the Grizzly, the Polar Bear and the Black Bear. The smallest of these, the Black Bear, is the only one which can be found here in the St. Lawrence Valley.

Black Bears are the most omnivorous of all bears, which means that they not only eat meat but also vegetable matter. In fact, only about one-quarter of their diet is meat; they sometimes catch small mammals and birds, or feed on carrion. The bulk of their diet consists of leaves, flowers, fruit, buds, nuts, berries, grubs, insects (especially ants) and of course honey, when they are lucky enough to find a beehive! We feed our bears a cereal mix, fruit and vegetables. The cereal mix satisfies their protein requirements. The fruit and vegetables are scattered throughout their enclosure, and they forage for them as they would in the wild.

Our bears usually emerge from hibernation in the third week of March. They eat little at first but their appetite increases through early summer. Mating takes place throughout June while the bears are going through their annual moult. They often look scruffy. As autumn approaches, Black Bears must spend most of their time in search of food to build up their fat reserves - once they den for winter's dormant period they won't eat or drink until spring.

Our bears at the Ecomuseum hibernate in the building at the east end of the enclosure. Inside are insulated dens where they sleep from mid-December to mid March. It is during the winter dormant period that female Black Bears give birth. They generally have two cubs, but may have anywhere from one to five cubs in a litter. Bear cubs are born helpless and tiny - about the size of a red squirrel - but they grow quickly. After spending about one and a half years with their mother, they set out on their own.

Black Bears are not always black, although this is by far the most common colour. They may also be dark brown, cinnamon or even white.

Though the Caribou population in Quebec far outnumbers that of White-tailed Deer and Moose, their distribution has shrunk remarkably over the past two centuries. Caribou, at one time, were found in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Maine and Quebec, south of the St Lawrence River. But now, even after many attempts to reintroduce them to their former range, they are only found on Mont Jacques Cartier in the Gaspé. This remnant population is considered threatened, because of its small range and its small size.

The characteristics which make Caribou differ from other deer are: their antlers which are found on both males and females, their thick coat of hollow hairs, their herding instincts and their propensity to travel throughout their habitats, not confining themselves to restricted well known home ranges. The Mont Jacques Cartier Caribou only migrate up and down the mountain depending on the depth of snow and availability of food. This is fortunate because if they were to remain too long at the lower elevations they would probably lose more of their young to predators (Black Bears and Coyotes), or become infested with brain worm. Brain worm is a parasite which is carried by, but not fatal to White-tailed Deer, and which has caused massive die-offs of moose and the re-introduced caribou in Maine.

Normally, Caribou females calve in areas where the chance of their young being kill by enemies will be relatively low. North of the St. Lawrence this could be an open tundra calving ground harbouring several hundred animals or a small isolated island where a single female and her calf will spend the summer. In fall, herds of caribou grow in number as they head for wintering sites which seem to depend for a large part on the snow conditions. After the rutting season in December the males and females begin to separate and by April small herds of males can be found dispersing in single file toward their summer range. The males shed their antlers in March but on the females antlers persist until late May. In early spring, females have been seen chewing on each other's antlers, leading biologists to speculate that antlers on females evolved as a source of stored minerals, which might be critical to the late stages of development of their fetuses.

Throughout history, snakes have been either worshipped or much maligned. They have been feared, loathed and killed merely because they are snakes. One probable reason for this is the fear people have of being bitten by a poisonous snake. It is true there are snakes whose venom can kill people, but the vast majority of snakes are harmless to man. Though there might be poisonous rattlesnakes in the Champlain Valley, there are none in the Canadian portion of the St. Lawrence Valley.

The St. Lawrence Valley has nine native species of snakes, all of which are depicted in the information case. Seven of the species can be found in Quebec, but only two species, the Garter Snake and the Red-bellied Snake are widely distributed and common.

Our snake pit exhibits several species. Look carefully at the rock pile or in the grass. If it is a sunny cool day you may be able to see a Garter Snake basking in the sun. If it is sunny and hot the snakes will probably have retreated to the shade. Garter Snakes and Water Snakes can often be seen in the pond, swimming in search of frogs and fish. Brown Snakes and Red-bellied Snakes, though very secretive, can occasionally be seen on the compost pile looking for insects, slugs, grubs and worms in the rich soil.

Since snakes are ectothermic (that is, their body temperature fluctuates with the temperature of their surroundings), they must use the sun's rays to warm themselves. This is why they are more easily observed on sunny days. However, if it is too hot, or too cold, they must seek a sheltered area, such as under rocks or logs.

Each fall snakes migrate to den sites (hibernacula) where they can spend the winter without the risk of freezing. A hibernaculum can consist of a rodent's deep burrow, a crawl space under a house, deep cracks in limestone or sandstone, or rock piles at the foot of cliffs. In the St. Lawrence Valley they spend up to seven months hibernating. Male Garter Snakes emerge first from hibernation and wait for females near the entrance to the den site. Mating occurs as soon as the females emerge. Each female, laden with sperm, then leaves on an extended trip which could take her as far as 15 km before she returns to her den site. It is not until late spring that she ovulates and the eggs become fertilized. In late July or August she gives birth to as many as 25 young. Some of the other species of snakes lay eggs in old rotting wood or compost piles.

Snakes are strictly carnivorous; their food ranges from tiny invertebrates to small mammals. Snakes have teeth, which they use to seize their prey. Most snakes then proceed to swallow their prey live, however, two species in the valley kill their prey by constriction and then swallow it. They are the Eastern Milk Snake and the Black Rat Snake.

The Ecomuseum is fortunate in having a few wild Garter Snakes on the site. They may occasionally be observed basking on a rock pile or crossing one of the gravel paths. Please take care not to disturb these snakes, or any other wildlife on the Ecomuseum grounds.

Next to the snakes is a small building which serves two purposes. The section near the snake pit is a hibernaculum for the snakes, whereas the other half is a hallway leading to a public viewing chamber in the experimental pond. The pond is 15.25 m (50 ft) in diameter. Two plateaus, at depths of 30 cm (1 ft) and 1 m (3 ft)), permit animals which like shallow water to find resting places. The pond bottoms out at a depth of 1.5 m (5 ft). In the center of the pond is a viewing chamber which is used by researchers and is not accessible to the public.

The tank can be divided with nets into four similar sized chambers. One chamber is used for public viewing, and the other three are used by researchers to conduct behavioural experiments. This is a unique facility. We built it to permit us to follow the behaviour of aquatic animals, especially turtles and fish, in winter. Winter is a critical time for most temperate animals, and we know virtually nothing of the winter behaviour and activity of our aquatic animals. At this time there is no filtering system or flow through of water for the pond. This permits the natural ecological cycle of a temperate pond to be played out. Algal and zooplankton blooms come and go, and visibility varies depending on what part of the cycle the pond is in. Sometimes you will see fish quite well. At other times visibility might be too poor to see anything.

In the winter, a stratification or layering occurs in the pond. Water is a peculiar substance, and one of its particular properties is that it reaches its maximum density at a temperature of 4 degrees C. Water at this temperature sinks to the bottom of the chamber, while colder (1 degree C) less dense water floats above it. Frozen water is the least dense of all, and forms the ice cap which covers the pond. Oxygen levels are lowest near the bottom of the pond, and highest just under the ice surface. Our Perch, Sunfish, Rock Bass, Pike, Muskelunge, and Quillbacks have remained active all winter, but the minnows and Killifish have not been observed, and may rest quietly, waiting out the winter. Enough light gets through the 50 cm ice covering to keep the aquatic plants green and the phytoplankton growing.

In the summer, large plants, phytoplankton and zooplankton all grow vigorously, and the fish become very active. Visibility varies widely because of the presence of the phytoplankton and zooplankton in the water column. Eventually, the large plants will outcompete the phytoplankton and monopolize the use of the nutrients in the pond which are essential for growth. When this occurs, phytoplankton and zooplankton levels will drop and visibility will improve.

The river otter is a member of the weasel family found throughout North America. It is an amphibious creature, which means it is at home on land and in the water. Its features are specifically adapted for its watery environment. Otters have dense fur to keep them warm, large lungs, webbed feet, a streamlined body, a long tapered tail and their ears may be closed underwater.

Otters usually prefer deep,clear water in lakes, rivers, marshes and ocean bays. They are more likely to inhabit bodies of water with wooded shores.

The female otter gives birth to 1 to 6 kits in the spring. Otters do not dig, so the young are born in an abandoned beaver lodge or a burrow of some other animal on the banks of a river or lake. The kits are blind and helpless at birth and begin to play at about 5 or 6 weeks of age. The female otter cares for the young without assistance of the male, whom she has driven away. The male will usually rejoin the family group when the young are 6 months old and learning to swim and hunt. Otters are sociable, playful animals, and the games they play teach young otters the skills needed for an independent life. The young otters will leave the family unit when they are about 7 to 8 months old to establish their own territories and eventually raise young of their own.

Otters swim with a quick, serpentine motion and often tread water while poking their head and neck above the water to look about. An otter can swim approximately 350 meters underwater and hold its breath for 6 to 8 minutes. Otters are also swift on land, and on a snow-covered surface, such as a frozen lake, they travel by a series of jumps and slides that can last several meters. Using this method an otter may reach a speed of up to 25 kph (18 mph).

Otters forage primarily at night, but may be active in early morning and late afternoon. They are out and about all winter but will stay in a sheltered spot when the weather is severe.

The bulk of an otter's diet is made up of a variety of fishes, followed by aquatic invertebrates, frogs, tadpoles and small mammals, such as voles, shrews and muskrats. They forage widely and may cover a large area over the period of a year.

The high intelligence, sociability and playfulness of otters allows them to be easily trained in captivity when they are young. The river otter lives an average of sixteen years in captivity.

The service area is where we keep new arrivals that are under quarantine, animals which need special care, animals which are being used in behavioural experiments, surplus animals, and animals which we use for our education programs.

We cannot predict what will be seen here, but the following are usually present in one of the holding cages or aviaries.

Woodchucks, also known as groundhogs, marmots and whistle pigs, are ground-dwelling members of the squirrel family.

The colour of a woodchuck's fur varies from light to dark brown. Albinos and melanistics (black) occur occasionally. In 1990, the Ecomuseum received a young albino (white fur and pink eyes). It came from Ste. Hyacinthe. In the wild, albinos do not generally survive very long since they are more conspicuous and easier to prey upon.

There are many wild woodchucks around the Ecomuseum grounds because the landfill rubble provides many good den sites for them. Since they are slow creatures, better at digging than at running, they tend to stay close to one of the 2 to 5 entrances to their den. If alarmed, they give a sharp whistle and dive for cover. Woodchucks have benefitted from human's alteration of the natural environment. They prefer farmland and meadows instead of forests, and their population is now larger than before deforestation occurred.

The woodchuck's strong legs and sturdy claws allow them to dig at an incredible rate. Their burrow is large and usually has a chamber for excretion and a separate chamber for hibernation and nursing. Many other animals make use of the burrows dug by woodchucks. Raccoons, squirrels, opossums, rabbits and mice seek shelter there; coyotes and foxes enlarge them for use as dens; and snakes, lizards, salamanders and many invertebrates use them for overwintering.

Woodchucks eat a wide variety of plants, but show preference for clover, alfalfa and dandelions. They seem to dislike sedges. Backyard gardens are a groundhog's delight.

A 2 cm layer of fat is accumulated over the course of the summer, in preparation for winter. Woodchucks begin hibernating soon after the first heavy frost. During hibernation, their heart rate, body temperature and breathing slow down tremendously. During the winter their dormancy is often broken and they will remain awake for about 24 hours before resuming hibernation. It is because of these breaks in dormancy that "groundhog day" was initiated in eastern North America. In the St. Lawrence Valley, most hibernate until March. Males emerge from hibernation first, and are ready to mate as soon as the females emerge. A litter of 1 to 9 pups is born in April.

Because they are food for animals such as raptors, foxes and coyotes, and because they dig burrows used by a wide variety of animals, woodchucks play an important role in our natural environment.

The Wild Turkey is representative of a conservation success story in the St. Lawrence Valley. It was once found in much of North America including parts of southern Canada. There is much debate about its former distribution in the St. Lawrence Valley, but evidence regarding today's distribution of the animal in southern Quebec and the Thousand Islands indicates that it can live here now. Excessive market hunting was probably the cause of its near extinction in North America in the 19th century; however, many conservation programs designed to reintroduce the turkey into its former range have been successful.

The habitat of the Wild Turkey consists of large areas of mature deciduous forest with open patches where large quantities of insects can be found to feed the young. They spend most of their time on the ground, searching for nuts, seeds and insects. In the evening, turkeys fly into communal roost sites high up in trees.

During breeding season in the spring, toms (males) are extremely territorial and guard their harem of females from other males. In a quiet forest, their 'gobble' can be heard more than a mile away. They will fluff up their feathers, so that they appear larger than they really are, in an attempt to intimidate intruders. As a turkey becomes more agitated, his wattle (the flap of skin under the beak) turns blood red and the top of his head turns blue. These colours demonstrate to another male turkey that he is ready and willing to fight.

The turkeys here at the Ecomuseum are often seen displaying in this manner. The colours red and blue, even when worn by people, appear to be especially provoking. Take care not to stand too close to the netting, since turkeys can deliver a nasty peck.

The Ring-necked Pheasant is but one of many species which were successfully introduced into the St. Lawrence Valley. Most introduced birds such as the Rock Dove (pigeon), the English or House Sparrow and the Starling have been ecological disasters, in as much as they have often displaced some of our endemic birds. However, the pheasant, like the Hungarian Partridge, has not had a negative impact on any other species because they have adapted to an agricultural habitat.

Ring-necked Pheasants were introduced to North America from Asia in the late 1800's. They have also become widely established in Europe and New Zealand. They can now be found in parts of southern Canada. Pheasants prefer open woods and farmland. They feed mainly on waste grains, seeds and berries, and nest on the ground.

Ring-necked Pheasants have adapted to a cold climate with the ability to tolerate temperatures reaching -45 C (-50 F). They can withstand this only if they are protected from the wind. Marshes with cattail stalks are ideal cover. They also hide in deep snow and can go without food for up to two weeks.

The plumage of the male pheasant (the cock) is brilliant and showy compared to the female. Both have long tail feathers.

Unlike most birds, pheasants are polygamous and, in the spring, compete for harems of up to ten females. A cock's territorial call is a loud screech, followed by a rapid beating of wings. This crowing is designed to warn other cocks of his possession of the territory.

We have several pairs of pheasants here. They are not always visible since they tend to be shy and hide in the brush. Try to spot a male and female and note their different plumage.

People rarely get to see our skunks because, as in the wild, they sleep all day and are active at night. Their wake-time is spent searching for a wide variety of foods which include grubs and other insects, worms, berries, eggs, grasses, mice and shrews. They have an extremely acute sense of smell and long strong foreclaws which help them find food in the soil. As winter approaches, skunks build up their reserves of fat. In winter they enter a torpid state, sleeping almost constantly, living off these fat reserves until spring.

Striped Skunks are members of the weasel family, all of which have musk glands located on either side of their anus. Skunks have the most highly developed musk gland defence system of all animals. They are able to squirt their noxious-smelling, eye-stinging, yellowish musk up to 6 meters. However, it usually reaches little beyond 2 meters, which is enough to drive away most predators. Their highly visible, distinctive black and white coloring is thought to be a warning to previously sprayed animals. The amount of white on the backs of skunks varies from a little white on the neck with the start of two stripes, to all white from forehead to rump.

As effective as spraying the enemy may be, skunks only resort to it after giving several warnings. First they hiss and stare, then they stamp their front paws as they jump toward their attacker. If this ruse does not work, they raise the tip of their tail and turn their body so that head and anus are pointed toward their attacker. A faint warning odour usually precedes the full blast.

Skunks are among the cleanest of animals. When caring for young they carry out feces from burrows and stack them outside the entrance. This could serve to warn potential predators to stay out. Skunks do not have a strong odor and do not spray in their burrows unless frightened.

If all this talk about spraying is making you nervous as you stand beside the skunk enclosure, rest assured that all our skunks have had their musk glands removed. Surprisingly, not all people find skunk musk distasteful. The smell that eminates from the foxes when they get excited is the same as that of the skunks.

As with many animals at the Ecomuseum, these skunks were orphans and were therefore raised by humans. Although they have become quite tame and enjoy being petted, they still have a natural tendency to be timid.

In 1990 the St. Lawrence Valley Natural History Society undertook several studies relating to salamanders in southern Quebec. Unfortunately these studies indicated that two species might be threatened and that one of the most productive salamander sites known to us is in imminent danger of being destroyed for development.

To try to alleviate this problem in part, we have committed ourselves to develop some suitable habitats for salamanders in the shaded bottomland and below the fish pond. During the course of the summer we hope to start developing thick layer of leaf litter in the shaded woods, and we will build a habitat which will be suitable for stream salamanders, and yet will be safe from raccoons.

As in most cases the facility will allow visitors to observe a few of the animals. The species we should be able to display will include: Newts, the Blue-spotted Salamander, the Yellow-spotted Salamander, the Red-backed Salamander and the Two-lined Salamander. The four remaining species, the Mud-puppy, Spring Salmander, Dusky Salamander and four-toed Salamander are too difficult to display under these conditions.

It is in the amphitheater that Staff and volunteer guides perform puppet shows for preschoolers. Starting in 1991, we hope to expand the use of the amphitheater by having special talks at specific times on the weekends. The talks, which will last about 20 minutes, will center on the natural history of one of the groups of animals found in the Valley. This can be an excellent opportunity to get additional information on exhibited animals as well as on some which are not present at the Ecomuseum.

On your way to and from the amphitheater, or while waiting for the talks to begin, you can take a few moments to look at the consumer display.

In case of rain this is a good place to take shelter.

Eight species of turtles can be found in the St. Lawrence Valley. The four most common species, the Painted Turtle, Blanding's Turtle, the Map Turtle and Snapping Turtle can be seen in the pond. The four remaining species, some of which are rare, include the Wood Turtle, Stinkpot, Spotted Turtle and Spiny Softshell Turtle.

Reptiles are ectothermic, which means they cannot generate body heat or maintain heat within their bodies. Thus, turtles must use the sun and water to warm or cool themselves. Warm, sunny days in the spring and autumn will invite turtles to bask on the banks of the pond or on rocks and branches protruding from the water. During hot weather, turtles can regulate their body temperature by alternating between basking and swimming.

Noise does not bother turtles, but seeing unexpected movement when people approach the pond may make the turtles dash for the water or dive from their basking sites. Turtles are excellent swimmers and will take refuge in the water, sometimes not resurfacing for hours.

Turtles are specific to their habitats: some, such as the Map and Snapping Turtles, prefer large bodies of water while others, such as the Painted Turtle, frequent quiet bays or ponds. The Stinkpot is usually found in small rivers while the Wood Turtle inhabits meandering streams or small rivers with a gravelly bottom in the foothills and mountains. The Spotted Turtle frequents bogs, the Blanding's Turtle prefers marshy areas around lakes and the Spiny Softshell Turtle can be found in sandy-bottomed rivers and lakes.

Turtles will eat a variety of plant and animal matter. Our only terrestrial turtle, the Wood Turtle, eats a variety of grasses, broad leaves, flowers and fruit as well as insects and snails. All the remaining species eat only when in water. Like turtles in the wild, these eat a variety of food found naturally in the pond such as plants, insects, frogs and fish. We also supplement their diet with smelts.

Turtles grow continuously throughout their lives, however, growth slows remarkably when they become mature and begin to invest their energy in reproduction. With the exception of the Snapping Turtle, females normally grow larger than males. Turtles, like all reptiles, must shed their outer skin to accommodate their increased body size. Shedding occurs on their soft body parts (head, legs, tail) and on their shells. The outer, paperthin layer of shell that looks like clear plastic peels off the large scales (scutes) one at a time. The turtle is not bothered by the shedding process although it may appear tattered to the observer.

In the north, turtles have a very limited active season. They come out of hibernation in April, start feeding in late May, and continue throughout July and August. In early September they stop eating and begin evacuating their stomachs in preparation for winter. With the onset of cold weather, usually October or November, the turtles' metabolism virtually shuts down and they remain under water. The turtles hibernate five or six months on the bottom of ponds, lakes or rivers, extracting, the small amount of oxygen needed to maintain life from the water. Recent experiments have shown that there are times when turtles move around the bottom during the winter.

Female turtles usually lay their clutch of eggs in June. They wander up on land, dig a hole in the soil at a suitable site, deposit their eggs, and cover them with earth. The eggs will then be left to incubate in the soil during the summer. Usually, most of the nests are destroyed by predators such as raccoons and skunks. Most species hatch and emerge from the nest in the fall. However, the Painted Turtles hatch but stay in their nest, where they remain frozen over the winter. In April they thaw, emerge from their nests, then head out in search of a pond.

Our turtle pond was dug in the spring of 1987. Most of the aquatic vegetation and the woody stock were planted and have since multiplied and spread. The other plants invaded the area naturally over time. The deepest portion of the pond (1.3 m at its maximum) is directly in front of the viewing platform. The depth of the water drops gradually during the summer then rises again in the fall. The pond water comes from an old agricutural tile drain system which had been blocked with fill down near the marsh. While excavating we fortunately broke into the pipes and the water from the system quickly filled the pond. For most of the winter, the north end of the pond remains open.

Permanent ponds such as this, differ greatly from marshes. There is not the profusion of invertebrates which you see in the marsh and mosquito larvae are few. On the other hand you see more water striders, whirlygig, beetles and damselfly larvae. Animals that are uncommon or absent in the marsh but found here are the Green Frogs, the Banded Killifish and leeches. The latter, for the most part, overwinter on the turtles.

The four less common species of turtles are all considered threatened in Quebec. The Ecomuseum, in cooperation with several agencies, is involved in management and restoration of two species, the Map Turtle and the Wood Turtle.

Most people are familiar with the small turtles, called Red-eared Turtles, wich are commonly sold in pet stores. These turtles, which have red flashes on either side of the head and neck, are not native to the St. Lawrence Valley and therefore cannot survive here in the wild. When properly cared for, these turtles can grow to a diameter of 30 cm (12 in.). Please consider what you are going to do with the adult turtle before you buy a hatchling as a pet.

Rodents are mammals whose four front teeth (incisors) never stop growing and must be worn down by frequent gnawing. The largest rodent in our area is the Beaver; the second largest is the Porcupine. About two million years ago, when North America became attached to South America, there were animals which travelled in both directions. Of the many rodents which invaded North America, only the Porcupines survived. Their nearest relatives are South American rodents such as the Chinchilla, the Guinea Pig, and the Capybara.

Porcupines are particularly interesting because of their unique adaptation designed to fend off predators: their quills. A porcupine's coat is made of sharp, barbed, white-tipped quills, coarse brown hairs which hide most of its quills and a soft woolly undercoat. An adult porcupine can have up to 30,000 quills. Each hollow quill has a small muscle attached to its base which pulls the quill upright when the porcupine is alarmed. Porcupines cannot shoot their quills but if an attacker prods, noses or attempts to bite it, the quills will easily detach from the Porcupine, penetrate the attacker's flesh and work their way in deeper and deeper as the predator moves about.

In spite of their protective quills, porcupines do have some enemies. The fisher, a large weasel, is the most successful of these. Porcupines have no quills on their muzzle, legs or abdomen. By flipping a porcupine onto its back, a fisher or other predator is able to expose the vulnerable belly and kill the porcupine.

Porcupines are excellent tree-climbers and can spend a great deal of time high up among the branches, eating bark, twigs, leaves, needles and buds. Quite often they go to sleep wedged in the fork of a branch, but in cold weather they retreat to the base of rock faces where they can find crevices between boulders or caves. Here they squeeze themselves into corners alone, or with others. Since finding food is never a problem for these animals, they remain active all winter, but like most well adapted northen animals they only come out when the weather is relatively nice.

Only one baby porcupine is born to a female per season. The baby is born with soft quills which harden within a few hours of birth.

All of the Ecomuseum's porcupines were orphaned. They were raised by hand and are quite tame.

Raccoons sleep through most of the winter, but are not considered to be true hibernators, since they awaken easily and will sometimes wander about on warm winter days.

Raccoons are among the few wild mammals which have done well in urban areas. This is because they are intelligent and adaptable, and are able to change their diet according to what is available. Their dexterous front paws enable them to open garbage cans, making them a nuisance in some areas. As well as providing raccoons with abundant food, humans have also inadvertently provided them with winter shelters, a lack of which could very well have limited their numbers in the past.

In the wild, raccoons commonly come out at dusk. They can often be found along the shores of lakes and streams, searching for their favoured food of frogs and crayfish. This has led to the mistaken belief that raccoons wash their food; they are in fact searching for food with their nimble front paws. In June and July they devastate turtle nests. In August they begin feeding in the corn fields where they can do much damage.

Raccoons are quite sociable throughout most of the year. However, in spring, once breeding has taken place and while the young are in their den sites, raccoons become nasty and aggressive. At this time they tend to pick on one member of the group, growl at each other, and, with little provocation, threaten one another.

Some of the Ecomuseum's Raccoons were orphaned, others were brought here by the SPCA. Their staple food is dog chow, and they also enjoy an assortment of fruits and vegetables, such as grapes, apples, green peppers and corn.

Our marsh is a small remnant of what was once a large luxuriant wetland which extended from the service area to the entrance on Chemin Ste-Marie. A floating marsh walk was built because water levels usually fluctuate over one meter during the course of the year. Most years, the marsh dries up in July or August, but after the growing season when the vegetation in and around the marsh no longer needs water, the water rises with every rain storm. During the spring melt the water reaches its highest level. The timing of the loss of water is crucial in determining the vegetation. A lot of cattails indicates dry years as we have had through the late 80's, but after a few wet summers the cattails die back and other aquatic plants replace them. A "hemi-marsh", such as this, is the most productive of marshes and ideal for waterfowl. It is characterized by having open water over about half of its surface the remaining half supporting emergent vegetation such as cattails.

This marsh is particularly productive because only a small portion of the nutrients which arrive from falling leaves and run-off from the adjacent agricultural fields get carried downstream during the spring melt. The trapped nutrients, having accumulated over a long time, allow for spectacular blooms of small creatures.

While ice still remains on the marsh, microscopic algae grow and eggs of many small animals without backbones (invertebrates) begin to hatch. From April to early June, clouds of water fleas (Daphnia), fairy shrimp, copepods, and mosquito larvae can be seen in the water. Among these you might see snails, red water mites, and the larvae of dragonflies, damselflies and caddisflies.

The caddisfly is one of the more fascinating insects in the marsh. The adults look similar to moths but as larvae they live in tubelike cases of leaves, sand, twigs or bark. Most species can be identified by the type of case they make. The larvae pull their portable, protective cases behind them as they move about feeding on animals and vegetation in the water.

The black, wiggly larvae that mainly swim in a vertical plane to the surface and back down to the bottom, are the mosquito larvae. They eat microscopic plants and animals. Only the adult female Mosquitoes are bloodsuckers - they need the protein found in blood to produce eggs. The males have much larger filamentous antennae than do the females and feed on nectar and ripe fruit. mosquitoes survive winter and periods of drought in the egg stage, hatching when conditions are more favourable.

Drawing of most of the invertebrates we have mentioned can be seen in the information case at the west end of the marsh walk.

Invertebrates are not the only creatures to use the marsh. In April, frogs, toads and salamanders all come to the marsh to breed. Ear splitting choruses of calling male Spring Peepers, Wood Frogs, Toads and Grey Treefrogs can be heard on warm nights throughout May. Tadpoles and larval salamanders grow quickly feeding on algae and invertebrates.

As small flying insects begin to emerge from the marsh, birds such as swallows, Red-winged Blackbirds and Song Sparrows begin to feast on them. On some days in late April and early May, spectacular flights of Tree, Barn, Cliff and Bank Swallows can be seen swooping up and down the marsh close to the surface of the pond and dodging people on the marsh walk.

Among the cattails you might see a variety of ducks. Mallards, Pintails, Wood ducks, Black ducks and Blue-winged Teal are the most commonly seen ducks. Many ducks use the marsh as a stopover during spring and autumn migration; however, there are a few which breed here. The marsh provides a great food source of invertebrates for ducklings and some protection from predators.

Many other birds use the marsh area for food, shelter and nesting. The most commonly observed bird in the marsh is the Red-winged Blackbird. The black male, with bright red shoulder patches, establishes a territory which appeals to the smaller brown striped female. A nest is often woven among the cattails or the lower branches of a willow. The pair defend the nest site with vigor, sometimes even attacking people who get too close. Common Grackles (larger all-black birds with longish beaks and tails) and Eastern Kingbirds (black with white bellies) also tend to build nests around the marsh.

In the late afternoon you might also see a Muskrat or two swimming around the marsh, diving for food such as roots and young shoots of aquatic plants.

In late May the aquatic plants start to grow and slowly the appearance of the marsh changes from tawny brown to bright green. Among the young and old vegetation you can usually see floating mats of small green leaflets. These are called duckweed. Each leaf is a single plant. Ducks and other water birds feed on duckweed and many small creatures spend their whole lives in the dense habitat it provides.

In mid-summer, while the water level gradually drops, aquatic insect larvae become adults and can be seen buzzing in the air and crawling on on the plants. dragonflies and damselflies are some of the most conspicuous and common flying insects in the marsh. The colorful dragonflies hold their wings outstretched horizontally to the side, while the damselflies hold their wings vertically, straight back along their bright blue or green abdomens. These fearsome looking insects are rather beneficial to humans in that they prey on biting insects.

Some other insects found in and around the water in summer are giant water bugs, water boatmen, water scorpions, water striders and backswimmers. These insects have mouthparts adapted for piercing and sucking. They spear their prey with their sharp beaks and then suck out their body juices. Insects such as these can swim, dive, cling to plants, fly or even walk on the water's surface.

Whirlygig beetles are shiny black insects that can be seen whirling in circles on the surface of the water. They use their paddle-shaped back legs to swim as they search for food. Their eyes are divided into two sections, so that the top half sees above the water while the bottom half sees beneath the water.

When scooping out the marsh inhabitants with the dip net, almost every scoop will yield snails. Many snails are hermaphrodites, having both male and female reproductive organs. Each adult snail can lay up to 400 eggs on the underside of a submerged leaf, which the young snails feed upon when they hatch. Snails' heads have a pair of sensory tentacles that can be extended or retracted. At the base of each tentacle is an eye. A snail's mouth is under the tentacles and is equipped with a rasping tongue called a radula. While feeding it uses the radula to shred its food by moving it back and forth like a rasp. Snails crawl on a single, muscular foot on the underside of their body. They eat plants and occasionally dead animals.

There are a variety of mammals that can be found in the vicinity of the marsh. Most are active around the marsh at dusk and dawn, searching for food. A look at the animal tracks display will give you a clue as to which species they might be.

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