Wildlife includes much more than furry creatures and songbirds. It consists of wild mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, invertebrates, plants, fungi, algae, bacteria, and other organisms. It is important to understand that wild species and the habitat where they live are inseparable. When habitat is damaged or destroyed, the inevitable result is the destruction of wildlife.
What is Habitat?
Like you, wild animals need a home that satisfies four basic needs - food, water, shelter, and space. If we remove or disturb any of these vital habitat requirements, we force animals to look for new residence, and if they can’t find a suitable replacement home nearby, they may die!
Wild animals have no control over what we do to their homes. You’re lucky - you can count on a place to live – but that’s not the case for most wildlife. When we build houses, clear land for farms, drain marshes, or pollute lakes and streams, we cause a major housing crisis for creatures big and small. Disruption and loss of habitat are the biggest problems facing wildlife today.
Why Should You Get Involved?
With the help of Backyard Habitat for Canada’s Wildlife, you can ensure that wild creatures have a place to live on your property. Take a look at your community. How many areas have been changed without a thought for the wildlife living there? Have lakes and streams been polluted? Has a swamp been drained or brush torn up? Unfortunately, more space for humans usually means less space for wildlife - unless we do something about it - and creating a backyard habitat is a great way to start. Let’s begin by looking at the habitat requirements of wild animals. Then we’ll explore your backyard to discover which habitat elements already exist there, and which ones need to be developed.
