Wildlife
Reptiles & Amphibians
Turtles
Turtles are essential to our ecosystem (especially water quality). Currently, all eight species of turtles in Ontario are designated to be at risk (Special Concern; Threatened; or Endangered). Why are turtles important? Sue Carstairs (Ontario Turtle Conservation) provides an answer to that in this article.
Our turtle expert, Nicole Dufort, recently attended the Canadian Herpetological Society (CHS) annual conference in Fredericton, NB. Her observations and notes are fascinating
to read. Enjoy!
Visit the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre https://ontarioturtle.ca or Turtle Guardians https://www.turtleguardians.com for lots of great turtle information.
Five Lined Skink
Five Lined Skink is the only lizard species native to Ontario. While they are elusive, they are native to the Kasshabog area. They are currently an Endangered Species.
They are important for many reasons; among those are that they eat spiders and slugs.
How we can help is easy; their natural habitat is woody debris to decay so where possible, leave the wood to rot.
Other sources of information:
https://www.thelandbetween.ca/five-lined-skink/
https://www.rsenviro.ca/saving-skinks/
Five cool facts about skinks: https://www.ontarioparks.com/parksblog/5-cool-facts-about-skinks/
Frogs and Toads
Check out this site where you can learn more about different frogs and toads in Ontario (including listening to the sounds they make). You can also sign up to participate in the FrogWatch Ontario Programme which will help to increase our knowledge of frogs and toads in Ontario. Frogs and toads are a part of local biodiversity – the amazing variety of life around us. https://www.naturewatch.ca/frogwatch/ontario/
Birds
Birds are a delightful connection to nature and we are lucky to have so many beautiful birds: not only do they eat large volumes of insects (e.g. mosquitoes) they are entertaining to watch and are very good at waking us up early with their beautiful singing.
Do you want to hear the different sounds songbirds make? Check out this cool interactive poster from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Simply click on a bird to hear its unique tune. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mcvmagazine/bird_songs_interactive/index.html?mc_cid=81da42593a&mc_eid=756a8238e1
Birds Canada has been a great support for our bird projects and their website has a wealth of information about birds: https://www.birdscanada.org
Loons
And our beautiful loons with their haunting sound. Listen to the different loon calls:
https://www.syracuse.com/indepth/2008/07/audio_hear_the_calls_of_the_co.htm
You can sign-up to participate in the Canadian Loon Survey: https://www.birdscanada.org/bird-science/canadian-lakes-loon-survey/
In 2021 and 2019 a group of Kasshabog residents studied our Loon population.
Insects
Many insects are important to our natural environment for a variety of reasons. Learn how to identify the good guys from the bad guys.
Canadian Wildlife Federation - Beneficial Insects: https://cwf-fcf.org/en/resources/encyclopedias/fauna/insects/beneficial-insects.html
Monarch butterflies are not only beautiful but they are important pollinators. Without them, many crops and wildflowers would not exist. Sadly, they are endangered. How we can help? https://www.ontario.ca/page/monarch
If you want to help, you can plant a pollinator garden. Watersheds Canada has a fabulous article on how to do that (and ensure you always plant only native plants).
https://naturaledge.watersheds.ca/2022/03/planting-your-own-pollinator-garden
Watersheds Natural Edge Wildlife Garden Guide is available:
Mammals
Bats
Are cool... not spooky. All bats in Canada are insectivorous ... they eat moths, beetles, mosquitoes, and mayflies, among other insects. A single little brown bat can catch up to 1,000 mosquito-sized insects in one hour. Who doesn’t want fewer mosquitoes around! You can build a bat house to give them shelter, just Google it (lots of ideas out there).
Some fun facts about bats. https://www.greenup.on.ca/more-spectacular-than-spooky-fun-facts-about-bats-in-ontario/
Bears
At Kasshabog we are living in Bear Country: they come out of hibernation in early Spring. Bears love garbage so careful management of your waste can reduce the chance of attracting bears to your property. Here are a few tips:
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Do not stockpile garbage. Take it to the landfill frequently.
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Keep meat scraps and cooked food waste in the freezer until you are ready to take it to the landfill.
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Store garbage in a bear-resistant container, secure shed, or garage.
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Never put meat, bones, fish, or dairy products in your compost bin.
For more information on what you can do to reduce the chance of attracting bears to your home or cottage visit the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) Bear Wise website. To report a bear problem, contact the MNR Bear Reporting Line at 1-866-514-2327, TTY 705-945-7671. In an immediate emergency, call your local police or 9-1-1.
Lake Kasshabog hosts Smallmouth Bass, Muskellunge, Walleye (Pickerell),
Largemouth Bass, Perch and Rock Bass.
For details on all regulations pertaining to Kasshabog Lake, you can visit: https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-fishing-regulations-summary/fisheries-management-zone-15
