Outdoors 8 impressive facts about Canadian wildlife By Jackie Davis Published: July 20, 2022 share Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest Copy Link Cancel View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 By Andrew Sutton/Shutterstock Biggest creature that's ever lived! Canada’s blue whale—it spends at least part of its life on our Atlantic and Pacific coasts—is the largest animal on the planet, not to mention the largest animal that has ever lived on earth. A blue whale can weigh up to 132 tonnes; its tongue alone weighs as much as an elephant. View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 By Jukka Jantunen/Shutterstock Best at baby-making! The tiny meadow vole is a reproduction machine. It has more babies than any other mammal, up to 17 litters in one year. With six babies in a litter, that’s 102 offspring. A hundred children? Imagine the college tuition. View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 By christopher d gilman/Shutterstock Speediest on hooves! The prairie-dwelling pronghorn antelope is the fastest herbivore on the planet, and the second-fastest land animal on earth (the cheetah is faster). A pronghorn can sprint, over short distances, at more than 70 km/hr. (Usain Bolt’s top speed was a measly 44.72 km/hr.) View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 By Pascal De Munck/Shutterstock Strongest stomach! A turkey vulture’s stomach acid is 100 times as acidic as a human’s—or, with a pH just slightly above zero, even more caustic than battery acid. That means that this big bird can literally stomach rotting or diseased animal flesh; their digestive system is actually strong enough to kill anthrax. View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 By Tom Reichner/Shutterstock Heftiest on four legs! Western Canada’s bison is North America’s largest land animal. Males can weigh up to 2,000 pounds (that’s more than a Smart Car—remember those?). They’re also, by the way, agile and fast, plus powerful swimmers. Which is fairly amazing given how clunky and awkward they look. View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 By Paul Reeves Photography/Shutterstock Most feathered (feathered) friend! Canada’s tundra swan ranks at the top of the list when it comes to birds with a huge number of body feathers. Most tundra swans have around 25,000, almost entirely on their necks. The feather record goes to a swan with 25,216 feathers. (Yes. Someone counted them.) View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 By a454/Shutterstock Super crazy strong! Ants may be pests in a cottage, but props to these bugs for being able to carry up to 50 times their own body weight, or, at minimum 10 times their own body weight. That would be like an adult man holding up a full-grown cow. While walking around. Without ever throwing his back out. View in Fullscreen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 By Stephen Lavery/Shutterstock Fastest creature ever! (Sort of) Peregrine falcons are fast and furious. Or, at least, they’re fast. While diving after prey, they can hit up to 320 km/h. That makes them the world’s fastest bird, and, if you don’t include animals that swim or run, the fastest animal on earth. View in Fullscreen Related galleries The origins of 7 wildlife idioms How well do you know your weasels? Stunning bird photos and videos from the 2023 Audubon Photography Awards 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 8 impressive facts about Canadian wildlife Canada’s creatures are way cooler than you thought. Bust out these astonishing and surprising Canadian wildlife facts—and impress your friends and family. Featured Video Related Story 7 Canadian capital cities you didn’t know existed Related Articles The best Christmas tree farms to visit in cottage country this year Outdoors Winter gear to solve all your weather woes Outdoors Gift guide: 17 of the best Canadiana-themed gifts General How to manage an Asian lady beetle infestation Outdoors