10+ Common and Rare Animals to Meet in Canada

Chapter 2 of 5

Marine wildlife

Canada’s coastline is the world’s longest and the country borders three oceans—the Atlantic, the Arctic and the Pacific oceans. With a bit of luck and planning, you could see amazing marine mammals, from dolphins to polar bears.

Canada’s sea creatures include many whale species (orcas, humpback whales, beluga whale, bowhead whale and more), Pacific white-sided dolphins, Atlantic walrus and gray seals, snapping turtles, leatherback turtles, stinkpot turtles, and painted turtles, sea otters, seals… and many more.

On the Atlantic side, Tadoussac, Quebec, is a prime destination for whale watching from May to October. On the Pacific side, thousands of whales migrate through the waters near Vancouver from March to October. 

Pick your excursion tour company carefully to make sure they use best practices. For instance, approaching marine mammals too quickly, coming too close or making too much noise can disturb, stress or even harm them. The key word is “keep your distance” for their safety and yours. If you’re kayaking through whale habitats, you can take this informative online training to familiarize yourself with regulations and the most frequently encountered species. 

You can also discover Canada’s marine wildlife in aquariums, for instance at the Vancouver Aquarium, one of the five largest in North America.