Historic Old Town in Niagara-on-the-Lake in Niagara Region, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)

Rare and Interesting Animals in Niagara-on-the-Lake

Photographed by Kevin Westell, June 5, 2026

1. Rare and Interesting Animals in Niagara-on-the-Lake - Marker

Inscription.

Rare and Interesting Animals in Niagara-on-the-Lake. . Between being part of the Carolinian Forest zone and housing a wide variety of habitats, Niagara-on-the-Lake allows for plenty of nationally unique and surprising life forms to live and thrive in the area. Niagara-on-the-Lake contains hardwood forests, rocky escarpment slopes, swamps, marshes, meadows, small creeks and a giant river within a relatively small area. The more habitat types that are available, the more conducive the area is for a greater variety of wildlife to move in. , The classic mammals of Niagara-on-the-Lake, including the white-tailed deer, red fox, skunks, raccoons and coyotes, use the Heritage Trail you stand on as a valuable habitat corridor! Keep an eye out for their tracks or scat as you enjoy your walk. Coyotes are well-populated in Niagara-on-the-Lake and are critical for keeping local rodent populations under control, with their celebratory feasting songs heard frequently in rural areas every night. A much smaller animal, the elusive southern flying squirrel, was confirmed on a private property along this trail in 2022. This nocturnal gliding squirrel is at its northernmost range here. , Did you know: , - Niagara-on-the-Lake was historically home to black bears, wolves, the eastern cougar, and two species of rattlesnake , - Remaining forest patches visible from this trail may be small, but they are vital for migratory birds , - Habitat clearance, pollution, and domestic cats are some of the biggest threats to Niagara-on-the-Lake's biodiversity. , This walking route you are taking may be one of the best opportunities in Niagara Region to spot bald eagles as they soar inland from the nearby Niagara River. Emerging from the nearby ditches late at night to risk a road crossing, you may spot Canada's only marsupial (a mammal with a pouch for its young): the Virginia opossum. We also have blue spotted salamanders in the area, which look like something straight out of a fairytale. Their population in Niagara-on-the-Lake is likely dwindling. but they are found near areas where beavers slap their tails, and fisherman tell tales of the Lake Sturgeon, which can grow 2 metres long with weights up to 90 kilograms!

Between being part of the Carolinian Forest zone and housing a wide variety of habitats, Niagara-on-the-Lake allows for plenty of nationally unique and surprising life forms to live and thrive in the area. Niagara-on-the-Lake contains hardwood forests, rocky escarpment slopes, swamps, marshes, meadows, small creeks and a giant river within a relatively small area. The more habitat types that are available, the more conducive the area is for a greater variety of wildlife to move in.

The classic mammals of Niagara-on-the-Lake, including the white-tailed deer, red fox, skunks, raccoons and coyotes, use the Heritage Trail you stand on as a valuable habitat corridor! Keep an eye out for their tracks or scat as you enjoy your walk. Coyotes are well-populated in Niagara-on-the-Lake and are critical for keeping local rodent populations under control, with their celebratory feasting songs heard frequently in rural areas every night. A much smaller animal, the elusive southern flying squirrel, was confirmed on a private property along this trail in 2022. This nocturnal gliding squirrel is at its northernmost range here.

Did you know:
- Niagara-on-the-Lake was historically home to black bears, wolves, the eastern cougar, and two species of rattlesnake
- Remaining forest patches visible from this

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trail may be small, but they are vital for migratory birds
- Habitat clearance, pollution, and domestic cats are some of the biggest threats to Niagara-on-the-Lake's biodiversity.

This walking route you are taking may be one of the best opportunities in Niagara Region to spot bald eagles as they soar inland from the nearby Niagara River. Emerging from the nearby ditches late at night to risk a road crossing, you may spot Canada's only marsupial (a mammal with a pouch for its young): the Virginia opossum. We also have blue spotted salamanders in the area, which look like something straight out of a fairytale. Their population in Niagara-on-the-Lake is likely dwindling. but they are found near areas where beavers slap their tails, and fisherman tell tales of the Lake Sturgeon, which can grow 2 metres long with weights up to 90 kilograms!

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Parks & Recreational Areas.

Location. 43° 14.759′ N, 79° 4.6′ W. Marker is in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, in Niagara Region. It is in Historic Old Town. It is on John St E. The marker is along the Upper Heritage Canada Trail, hemmed in by housing on both sides. It is 200 m S of John St E. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 506 King St, Niagara-on-the-Lake ON L0S 1J0, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe

and in Niagara Canada.

It is also in Central Canada.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony,

the Viceroyalty of New France,

the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

and Rupert’s Land.

Other nearby markers.

Rare and Interesting Animals in Niagara-on-the-Lake - Marker in context image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Kevin Westell, June 5, 2026

2. Rare and Interesting Animals in Niagara-on-the-Lake - Marker in context

Photo faces south along the Upper Canada Heritage Trail.

At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Upper Canada Heritage Trail (about 180 meters away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named Upper Canada Heritage Trail (about 210 meters away); a different marker also named Upper Canada Heritage Trail (approx. 0.2 kilometers away); Our Carolinian Forest Zone (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion / 1er Bataillon de parachutistes canadiens (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Butler's Barracks (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Eighth World Boy Scout Jamboree (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); The Scouting Movement In Canada / Le Scoutisme au Canada (approx. 0.3 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Regarding Rare and Interesting Animals in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Of the listed historic wildlife (black bears, wolves, the eastern cougar, and two species of rattlesnake), most have been extirpated from Niagara for well over a century; but a tiny pocket of perhaps 300 eastern massasauga rattlesnakes is holding on in Wainfleet bog, north-west of Port Colborne.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 6, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 6, 2026, by Kevin Westell of St. Catharines, Ontario. This page has been viewed 4 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 6, 2026, by Kevin Westell of St. Catharines, Ontario.