Ontario is home to a large number of wildlife species ranging from red tailed hawks and cottontail rabbits to polar bears. Here are a few places you can travel within the province to witness amazing animals!

Parks and Preserves

• The Hilliardton Marsh Research and Education Centre: This wetland habitat (located about 6 hours north of Toronto) is home to ducks, songbirds, hummingbirds, owls and more. Spring and Fall are the best times to experience migrating flocks, and also the seasons for public events such as Garden Party and Owl Banding at the Centre.
• Ivanhoe Lake Provincial Park: This glacial landscape, dotted with lakes, offers many different recreational activities like hiking, kayaking and fishing. Ivanhoe is located 8 hours north and west of Toronto, and offers camping. The most unique animals in the park are “white-coloured” or “spirit” moose, whose ghostly shade comes from a unique recessive gene.
• Chapleau Crown Game Preserve: Bears, beavers, foxes, waterfowl, timberwolf, lynx, and bald eagles all reside here. The Missinaibi River offers gorgeous views, and you can paddle down it in canoes. It takes between 8 and 9 hours to reach the Preserve from Toronto.

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Rescue Habitats and Education Centres

• Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat: This rehabilitation centre for wild polar bears operates on 24 acres of sub-arctic and boreal forest. Located 8 hours north of Toronto, getting to the habitat can be a bit of a trek. Luckily, there is the option to camp on the grounds for one or two nights. Guided tours and special viewing experiences can be reserved ahead, allowing you to make the most of your trip if you’re there to witness the majestic bears.
• Wolf Centre at Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve: The privately-owned forest includes a massive facility for the conservation of Ontario wolves. Primarily an education centre, the wolves (including a pair of Alphas and their relatives) are viewable from an observatory. The forest also offers outdoor activities, a treetop walk and bookable wood cabins for overnight stays. It is located just 3 hours north and east of Toronto!
• Mountsberg Raptor Centre: An educational facility located within the Mountsberg Conservation Area, programming and events are held for guests to experience Ontario birds-of-prey (owls, hawks, eagles, and falcons) from up close. The “Raptor Encounter” is a unique opportunity to hold a raptor on-glove yourself, as well as participate in their feeding and enrichment. Mountsberg Raptor Centre is located just west of Mississauga.

Viewpoints

Viewpoints

• The Deer Yard: About 4 hours north of Toronto is an area of wetlands where tens of thousands of whitetail deer congregate in a herd. The 3.6 km of trails are maintained by volunteers for visitation between May and October.
• Point Pelee National Park: Mid-September and the rest of the Fall is the time of year when flocks of migrating Monarch Butterflies make their way through Ontario on their way south for the winter. Just 3.5 hours south of Toronto you can see these bright and beautiful insects (as well as migrating birds) at the southernmost point of mainland Canada.

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