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Explore Ontario’s Wildlife
and learn about
ontario wildfires
this book belongs to:
The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources would like to thank
the Government of Alberta for their support in development of this publication.
Project Team
Nicole Tuyten and Beth Anne Fischer (Haliburton Highlands Stewardship Council)
Jim Murphy (Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services Branch)
In Consultation With:
Ontario Stewardship FireSmart Committee
Species at Risk Branch
2010 Species at Risk Characters copyright Charlie Teljeur
This material may be printed for educational purposes and is available at www.ontariostewardship.org.
Enquiries for the reproduction of this booklet must be made to Ontario Stewardship at 705-755-5193.
Cette publication est également disponible en français.
K
Y
E
H
!
S
D
I
We are Species
at Risk in Ontario.
Our homes and food are in danger.
We need your help to protect them.
Join us and do the activities in this
book to learn how you can become a
friend of Ontario Species at Risk!
3
forest
ecosystem
The forest is an ecosystem home to many
plants, animals, insects, reptiles and
amphibians. Try to name all the different
creatures in the forest ecosystem below. 
Hint: There are 18!
4
Hi! I am the
Peregrine Falcon .
I live in Ontario
where the
survival of
my species is
THREATENED.
What’s for dinner?
All living things need food to grow and survive. A food chain shows how each creature
gets its food. Some creatures eat plants, some eat animals, and some eat both plants
and animals. Check out the food chain below to see who eats what in the forest!
Using the
key provided,
uncover some
of these animals’
favourite foods:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
eastern timber wolf
4 5 5 18
Peregrine Falcon
4 21 3 11 19
Fisher
Black Bear
2 5 18 18 9 5 19
Red Squirrel
16 9 14 5
3 15 14 5 19
16 15 18 3 21 16 9 14 5 19
did you know
that the
peregrine falcon may
reach speeds over
300 km/hour?
5
A
The wilderness provides food, water, shelter, and space to a variety of
creatures. The place a creature lives is called its habitat or home.
wilderness
home
Can you match
each creature
to its home?
Did you know
that the Polar
Bear is the largest
land carnivore in
the World?
r Bear.
Hi! I am the Pola in
I am a mammal is
e
Ontario and ther
Special Concernf
o
about the survival
my species.
6
fe
i
l
detective
d
l
i
w
Although you may not always see animals in the forest, you know
that animals have been in the area by the signs they leave behind.
Some of these signs include feathers, fur, nests, holes, bones, chew
marks, scat (droppings) and tracks.
__ O __ C __ P __ __ E
Clue: This animal climbs trees and loves to
eat the twigs, buds and inner bark of trees.
Adults are protected from predators by about
30,000 quills.
Use your detective skills and the
clues provided to help solve the
animal track mystery!
AM__R__C__N __E__V__R
__ O __ G __ R
Clue: You cannot see this animal’s claw marks
in its tracks. It is a large, seldom-seen member
of the cat family.
Clue: This water-loving animal’s teeth never
stop growing. It has a large, flat tail, webbed
hind feet and a waterproof fur coat.
R__ __ __Q__I__R__L
G __ __ Y
__ OL __
Clue: This animal is the largest member of
the wild dog family. It lives in a family group,
known as a pack, and howls to stay in touch
with family members.
S__ __W__ __OE H__ __E
Clue: This animal is named for its large feet
and can run up to 50km/hour! The Canadian
Lynx depends on this animal for its dinner.
__ OO __ E
Clue: This animal is the largest member of the
deer family and is able to move quickly on
land, in deep snow and in water.
Clue: This animal stores spruce and pine
cones. It has a bushy tail it uses for balance
when leaping between tree branches.
R__FF__D GR__ __ __E
Clue: This is a small, chicken-sized bird.
In the spring, you may hear the males
making a drumming sound as they beat
the air with their wings.
w__ i__ E T__ __L__D
D__ __R
Clue: This animal has large ears and a whitetipped tail. You can often find this animal
in open woodlands and grassland areas.
7
l
coo ters
crit
Read the
clues and
connect the
dots to
uncover
these cool
critters!
Ontario
has over
4,000
Species
including
• I hunt at night and eat insects, mice, fruit,
eggs and garbage.
• When I am scared, I raise my tail and
stomp my feet.
• You do not want to be sprayed by me. If
you are, you will have to bathe in tomato
juice, lemon juice or vinegar!
• I use my bushy tail for balance as I leap
between tree branches.
• I leave a large pile of cones and cone
scales beneath the spruce or pine tree
where I have eaten.
• I am noisy and may scold you as you
walk by!
Who am I?__________________
Amphibians
and reptiles
• I weigh less than one pound at birth!
Mammals
• I climb trees very well, and I like to have
an afternoon nap in a tree.
Fish
• I can run short distances faster than a
horse, and I like honey!
Birds
Who am I?__________________
Plants
8
Who am I?__________________
• I have excellent vision, but a poor
sense of smell.
• Skunks are one of my favourite foods!
• I swallow my food whole. I spit out
the bones and fur later for you to find!
Who am I?_____________________
s
’
F
o
o
i
r
r
e
a
s
t
ts
n
O
Using the word bank,
fill in the blanks to spell the
name of each native
ontario tree.
w__it__
__i__ __
A__p__n or
Po__l__ __
Ontario’s
provincial tree.
Heart-shaped leaves
tremble in the wind.
Bl__ __k
Sp__u__e
Usually a very
skinny tree that
grows in wet
areas.
Word Bank
W__ __ __e
B__r__h
Makes great firewood
and is also known as
paper birch.
White Spruce
Balsam Fir
White Birch
Aspen or Poplar
Black Spruce
white Pine
Tamarack or Larch
Ba__ __a__
F__ __
Makes a great
Christmas tree.
W__ __ __e
S__r__ __e
Looks like its
name only in the
winter.
Ta__a__a__ __
La__ __h
or
Needles turn bright yellow in autumn
when they fall from the tree.
9
forests have many uses!
know
Did you ut 66% of
o
that ab s covered
oi
Ontari ?
st
in fore
Ontario’s
provincial
bird is
the Loon.
10
Can you name
some of the ways
forests are used?
Hi! I am the Karner Blue Butterfly.
I am an insect in Ontario and my
species is EXTIRPATED. We no longer
live here but may still be found
other places.
Did you know that ants protect the larvae of the
Karner Blue Butterfly from predators like spiders?
Help!
asian long horned beetle -
Spruce Budworm -
1. WHITE SPRUCE
2. ASH
3. MAPLE
4. OAK
The Trillium is Ontario’s provincial
flower. it is used as the official logo
of the government of ontario.
Figure out which pest
attacks which tree so
that we can help the
trees survive!
Gypsy Moth -
Emerald Ash Borer -
Did you know that woodpeckers
are the natural predators of
many forest pests?
ONTARIO HAS 8 DIFFERENT
SPECIES OF WOODPECKERS.
11
Across
3.
ome insects, like the Monarch butterfly,
S
do this every fall.
6.
Sometimes, this type of insect lives in a
hive and makes honey.
8.You can find ants and beetles in a forest
when you turn over these.
11. This type of insect eats grass and has long
legs for jumping.
13.This type of insect is brown and has
pincers on its back end.
14. The front section of an insect’s body,
where the antennae and eyes are found.
16. This pesky type of fly drinks
your blood and leaves behind
an itchy bump.
Down
1. The number of legs on an insect.
2.The Green Damer and 12-spotted
Skimmer belong to this group of insects.
4. Maybe your dog or cat has had these
itchy insects in its fur.
5. The act of changing from an egg to
an adult insect (may have three or
four steps).
7. At this stage of life, a butterfly is like
an eating machine.
9. The middle section of an insect’s body
where the legs and wings attach.
10.Butterflies hatch out of a chrysalis. Moths
hatch from this covering made of silk.
12. Insects use these to fly.
15. The caterpillar of this orange and black
butterfly eats milkweed.
12
insects
Crossword Puzzle courtesy of Ontario Parks – www.campsite24.ca
Across
amphibians
1. An adaptation that helps frogs swim is their
_______ toes.
2. Adult salamanders and newts have these, but
adult frogs and toads do not.
6. You might find a Red-backed _________
under a log.
8. These have warts and poison glands in sacs
behind their heads.
9. ‘Metamorphosis’ means a ________ of shape.
10. Most amphibians lay these in small ponds or
pools.
12. An animal that lives on land and in the water.
13. There are 9 species of these in Ontario.
15. The largest amphibian in Ontario.
Down
1. A moist habitat where frogs sing in the spring.
3. A young frog or toad.
4. A very small frog with a very loud voice
(2 words).
5. An amphibian whose song sounds like
‘jug-o-rum’ (the largest frog in Ontario).
7. Many frogs bury themselves in this to
hibernate for the winter.
11. A frog or toad uses this to catch insects.
14. As tadpoles turn into frogs or toads, their
___________ are replaced by lungs.
Hi! I am the Tiger Salamander. I
am an amphibian that
once lived in Ontario. Now my
species is EXTIRPATED.
(This means we no longer live
here but may still be found
in other places.)
The last time that the
Tiger Salamander was
seen in Ontario was in
1950 on Pelee Island.
Crossword Puzzle courtesy of Ontario Parks
– www.campsite24.ca
13
How to play:
get a blank piece of paper and go to
the pest alert! page. Trace the forest
pests and use scissors to cut out
each pest to use as a game piece!
1. Select a game piece for
each player.
2. Decide who will go first.
3. Each player rolls a six-sided
die to find out how many
spaces to move.
4. If you land on a square at the
bottom of a ladder, go up.
If you land on a square at the
top of a hose, go down.
5. The first player to land on
square 27 is the winner!
good luck!
-
You looked after
your yard.
14
-
Your camp fire was
properly put out.
You reported
a wildfire
15
Wildfires
se of wil
cau
df
n
i
ai
re
n
in O
tario!
This is th
em
A wildfire is a fire that burns in forested areas, grass or alpine/tundra vegetation.
Wildfires can be caused naturally or by human activities;
affecting all plants and animals living in the habitat.
GNLHINTIG
RSKAP
Each picture
shows one way a
wildfire could
start.
Unscramble
the letters to
find some of
the causes of
wildfires.
R F M C PA I E
Hi! I am the
Eastern Milk Snake
a reptile in Ontario
and there is Special Concern
about the survival of my species.
16
WOERP
NBRU
NIEL
EALRRB
Did you know that the
Eastern Milk Snake
can grow up to
1.8 metres long?
detecting Wildfires
Top of the World
Eyes in the Sky
Small planes and helicopters
are used to look for smoke and
wildfire in the forest.
Looking for wildfires by flying
in the sky helps locate
wildfires that may not be
seen from the ground.
The main method of detecting forest
fires used to be towers. In the 1960s,
airplanes began to be used more as
this method works better.
finish
17
In Ontario we fight out-ofcontrol wildfires from the
air and from the ground.
fighting
Wildfires
How many ways of fighting wildfire do you see?
Colour the picture below and match the ways
to fight fire with the picture.
Airtanker
An airplane that carries and drops water
or foam on the wildfire.
Firefighters
Trained men and women work very hard to fight
wildfires. They may use water, remove trees and
grasses, or make small fires to stop the spread of
the larger fire.
18
Helicopter
Helicopters with special buckets carry
water or a water/foam mixture
to drop it on the fire.
Bulldozer
A piece of heavy equipment used to fight
wildfires by moving trees and soil.
In Ontario the first forest fire
ranger started work in 1885.
The first Aircraft was used in 1924.
!
y
t
e
f
a
S
e
t
i
s
p
Cam
safety rules:
1. Have a ________  start the campfire
and stay nearby
2. keep the campfire ______
3. Build the campfire ______ from hanging
branches, grass, and dry leaves
4. Play _____ from the campfire
5. ______ leave the campfire unattended
6. have a ______ of water and ______ nearby
7. Have a grown-up ________ the campfire
properly
use the list of words in the
word bank to fill in
the blanks!
WORD BANK
Small
Away
bucket
Ashes
Grown-up
Never
Soak
Water
Put out
Shovel
The Eastern Prickly
Pear Cactus has “spikes” on
its leaves to stop animals
from trying to eat it!
Parents:
Putting out your
campfire? Here’s how:
1. Soak the campfire with _______
2. stir the _____
3. ____ campfire pit again.
Hi! I am the Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus.
I am a plant in Ontario and I am
ENDANGERED (in danger of
becoming extinct.)
19
mature jack pine forest
lightning
strikes
forest
forest fire
starts and
animals relocate
Forest
Cycle
Not all fire is bad!
A Jack Pine forest is
an ecosystem that
depends on fire to
stay healthy. Heat
makes the pine cones
open, letting seeds
fall out to grow
new trees.
Colour the pictures
to the left and
follow the Jack Pine
forest cycle.
forest fire stops
20
Jack
Pine
plants re-grow and
animals return
t
FireSmar
When living near a forested area, it is
important to protect your home from
wildfire. Look at the two pictures below and
see if you can find the differences between
them. Which yard do you think is FireSmart?
Did you know that
the spotted turtle
eats all of its food
underwater?
BE
FireSmart
®
Fill in the blanks to finish these FireSmart tips.
Thin ____________ around the house.
Keep the ___________ clean of pine needles and leaves.
Store _____________ well away from the house.
Use a grate over the _____________ pit.
Hi! I am the Spotted Turtle.
I am an ENDANGERED reptile in
Ontario, in danger of becoming extinct. 21
shoreline
habitat
NATURALIZE THIS
SHORELINE! A natural
shoreline creates good
habitat for wildlife
and water quality.
In the picture,
circle each object
that helps create a
healthy shoreline
property.
22
facts, tracks & habitats
Across
2. Forests provide ________ to build homes.
4. The White Spotted Sawyer ________ is a forest
pest that attacks pine and spruce trees.
5. This animal is the largest member of the deer
family.
11. _____________ is the number one cause of
wildfires in Ontario.
12. Never leave a _______________ unattended.
13. The tamarack or _______________ loses its
needles every fall.
15. Red squirrels like to eat spruce and
pine ______________.
16. The place an animal lives is called
its_____________.
Down
1. The great horned ____________ is one of the
largest owls in Ontario.
2. ____________ towers and cabins are used to
locate smoke and wildfire in the forest.
3. One of the endangered species in this book is the
Prickly __________ Cactus.
6. You cannot see this animal’s claw marks in its tracks.
8. To report a _____________, tell an adult.
9. This animal hibernates during the winter and eats
berries, plants, insects and ground squirrels.
10. An ______________ is a large airplane that
carries water or foam to a wildfire.
14.Jack pine cones need ________ to open the cones
and release the seeds.
15. The snowshoe hare blends in with its surroundings by changing the colour if its __________.
23
answers
Forest Ecosystem
Peregrine Falcon
American Black Bear
Grey Wolf
Moose
Striped Skunk
Snowshoe Hare
Great Horned Owl
Grey Jay
Common Loon
Red-winged Blackbird
Northern Flicker
Great Blue Heron
Black-capped Chickadee
Dragonfly
Butterfly
Wood Frog
Brook Trout
Garter Snake
What’s for Dinner?
1. Sunlight - Trees - American
Beaver - Eastern Timber Wolf
2. Sunlight - Grasses/Shrubs Snowshoe Hare - Canadian Lynx
3. Sunlight - Grasses/Seeds - Insects Mouse - Great Horned Owl
Eastern Timber Wolf- Deer
Black Bear - Berries
Red Squirrel - Pine Cones
Peregrine Falcon - Ducks
Fisher - Porcupines
24
A wilderness Home
Forests Have Many Uses
Tree Cavity - Downy
Woodpecker
Forest Floor - Earthworm
Meadow - White Tailed Deer
Valley - Black Bear
Wetlands - American Beaver
Burrow - Snowshoe Hare
Produce oxygen
Provide food for wildlife
Provide habitat for wildlife
Protect wetlands
Jobs
Lumber for homes
Paper for books
Wildlife Detective
Recreation:
Hiking, bird watching, hunting,
camping, fishing
1. Porcupine
2. Cougar
3. Grey Wolf
4. Snowshoe Hare
5. Moose
6. American Beaver
7. Red Squirrel
8. Ruffed Grouse
9. White Tailed Deer
Cool Critters
1. Red Squirrel
2. Striped Skunk
3. Great Horned Owl
4. Black Bear
Ontario’s Forest
1. White Pine
2. Black Spruce
3. White Spruce
4. Tamarack Larch
5. Balsam Fir
6. White Birch
7. Aspen Poplar
Forest Pests
Gypsy Moth - OAK
Asian Long Horned Beetle - MAPLE
Emerald Ash Borer - ASH
Spruce Budworm - WHITE SPRUCE
INSECT Crossword
Across
3. migrate, 6. bee, 8. logs,
11. grasshopper, 13. earwig,
14. head, 16. mosquito
Down:
1. six, 2. dragonflies, 4. fleas,
5. metamorphosis, 7. caterpillar,
9. thorax, 10. cocoon,
12. wings, 15. monarch.
Amphibian Crossword FireSmart
Across
1. webbed, 2. tails,
6. salamander, 8. toads,
9. change, 10. eggs,
12. amphibian, 13. frogs,
15. mudpuppy
Down
1. wetland, 3. tadpoles, 4. spring
peeper, 5. bullfrog, 7. mud,
11. tongue, 14. gills
The second yard is the
FireSmart yard.
FireSmart Tips:
• Thin trees around the house
• Keep the roof clean of pine
needles and leaves
• Store firewood well away
from the house
• Use a grate over the
campfire pit.
Wildfires
shoreline habitat
Detecting Wildfires
Facts, Tracks and
Habitats
1. Lightning
2. Power Line
3. Burn Barrel
4. Campfire
5. Spark
Fighting Wildfires
There are four ways to fight
wildfires: Airtanker, Firefighters,
Helicopter, Bulldozer
Campsite Safety 
Grown-up
Small
Away
Never
Bucket
Shovel
Put out
Water
Ashes
Soak
Cattails, Rocks, Fish, Native
Trees and Shrubs, Beaver, Deer,
Birds, Sticks, Frogs, Loons,
Turtles, Insects, Environmental
Stewards (People).
Across
2. Lumber
4. Beetle
5. Moose
11. Lightning
12. Campfire
13. Larch
15. Cones
16. Habitat
Down
1. Owl
2. Lookout
3 Pear
6. Cougar
8. Wildfire
9. Black Bear
10. Air Tanker
14. Heat
15. Coat
25
contact
information
Ontario Stewardship
www.ontariostewardship.org
Aviation & Forest Fire Management
www.ontario.ca/fireprevention
Your Local
Stewardship Council
Your Local
Fire Department
Contact person:
Contact person:
Tel: _______________________
26
Tel: _______________________
Fax: _______________________
fax: _______________________
Address:
Address: __________________
In an Emergency Call:
NAME:
Number:
REPORT FOREST FIRES
310-FIRE (3473)
west fire
region
thunder bay•
CALL YOUR LOCAL
FIRE DEPARTMENT
moosonee•
what to report
East fire
region
sudbury •
ottawa •
• Exact Location
• Condition
• fuel type
• size
• toronto
Windsor •
Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus
Spotted Turtle
Tiger Salamander
Eastern Milk Snake
Polar Bear
Karner Blue Butterfly
Peregrine Falcon
ontario.ca/speciesatrisk
You can help!
just a few of
ontario’s
species at
risk
27
Thanks for joining us,
Ontario’s Species at Risk
on our detective journey
of Ontario’s Forests
and Wildfires.
Tell your friends
and family about
stewardship of our
natural resources and
how to be fire smart!
52166
(35 k P.R., 08 07 08)
ISBN 978-1-4249-6814-5 (REPRINT)