The Canadian prairies might seem like endless grasslands, but they hide some truly unexpected wildlife. From speedy predators to amphibians that survive harsh winters, Manitoba and Saskatchewan are home to creatures you would never guess live there. Many of these animals are rare, elusive, or making remarkable comebacks after near extinction.
Wildlife observations should be made from a safe distance. Always respect animal habitats and follow local regulations when exploring prairie ecosystems.
1. Swift Fox
Canada’s smallest wild canine nearly vanished from the prairies by the 1930s due to poisoning campaigns and habitat loss. Reintroduction programs starting in 1983 brought these pint-sized hunters back from the brink.
Weighing just two to three kilograms, swift foxes can sprint up to 60 kilometres per hour when chasing prey or escaping danger. Their enormous ears help them detect insects and small rodents moving underground at night.
2. Burrowing Owl
Unlike most owls that nest in trees, these ground-dwelling birds make their homes in abandoned badger or ground squirrel burrows. Their long legs seem comically oversized but help them navigate their underground tunnels with ease.
Burrowing owls collect animal dung and place it near their burrow entrances, which attracts beetles and other insects they love to eat. Sadly, their population has declined by over 90 percent in Canada since the 1970s.
3. Pronghorn Antelope
North America’s fastest land animal can reach speeds of 88 kilometres per hour, second only to the cheetah worldwide. Pronghorns have enormous eyes that provide 320-degree vision, letting them spot predators from kilometres away.
These animals are not true antelope despite their name. They are the last surviving members of an ancient family that roamed North America for millions of years alongside now-extinct predators like American cheetahs.
4. Black-Footed Ferret
Once declared extinct in Canada, this masked bandit depends almost entirely on prairie dogs for food and shelter. Conservation breeding programs have successfully reintroduced black-footed ferrets to Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan since 2009.
A single ferret family can eat over 100 prairie dogs each year. Their nocturnal hunting habits and underground lifestyle make them incredibly difficult to spot, even where populations are recovering successfully.
5. Plains Bison
Tens of millions of these massive grazers once thundered across the prairies before being hunted to near extinction by the late 1800s. Today, conservation herds in places like Riding Mountain National Park help preserve this iconic symbol of prairie wilderness.
Adult males can weigh up to 900 kilograms and stand two metres tall at the shoulder. Despite their enormous size, bison can run 55 kilometres per hour and jump nearly two metres high.
6. Northern Leopard Frog
Distinctive dark spots scattered across bright green skin give this amphibian its leopard-like appearance. Northern leopard frogs can leap distances up to 20 times their body length, making them impressive escape artists when predators approach.
These frogs survive brutal prairie winters by hibernating underwater in ponds that do not freeze solid. Their populations have declined significantly due to wetland drainage, making remaining prairie potholes critically important for their survival.
7. Sharp-Tailed Grouse
Every spring, males gather at traditional dancing grounds called leks to perform elaborate courtship displays. They stamp their feet rapidly, spread their wings, rattle their tail feathers, and inflate purple air sacs on their necks while making cooing sounds.
Sharp-tailed grouse can survive on a winter diet consisting almost entirely of tree buds and catkins. Their feathered legs and feet act like snowshoes, helping them walk across deep prairie snow.
