Whether hiking, walking, canoeing, boating, or beach combing, you'll find the wildlife viewing opportunities exceptional in the Quesnel Lake area.

Quesnel Lake and the surrounding Cariboo Mountains is home to mountain goats, mountain caribou, cougar, grizzly bear, black bear, moose, deer, wolf and bald eagles, loons, osprey, kingfishers and other birds.

What you will see depends on the season, and, a lot on luck.

Naturalists and photographers will find the flora and fauna unparalleled and a challenge to explore in this interior rainforest-type vegetation.

Bears
Native people called them "bear people." Bears stand on the soles and heels of their feet as humans do and they will walk upright for short distances. When bears stand, it is usually to get a better look around and to sniff the air for intruders. Bears have a highly developed sense of smell. They are much more dependent on this sense, rather than their eyes or ears, for identification of other animals, food sources and danger.

Download: Bear Facts Brochure

bearfacts_brochure.pdf (291KB)

The language of bears includes both body and vocal signals. Each position or sound sends a specific message to other bears. A sign of aggression may be shown by a lowered head position, flattened ears, head swung back and forth, or vocal sounds, such as grunts, snorts, bellowing or clicks made by opening and closing their mouths. All bears can be dangerous and should be given plenty of room and treated with respect.