This exhibit is based on a location just north of Hudson Bay. It shows activity around a beaver pond on the east slope of the Pasquia Hills.

Beaver Pond

The largest rodent in North America, the Beaver is sometimes called a "keystone species" because it has such a marked and lasting impact on the landscape. Beavers usually position their lodge in the middle of their pond or on the bank. The dome can measure up to three metres in height and provides a safe, dry shelter where the female gives birth and looks after the kits until they are old enough to venture outside.

The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker drills regular rows of squarish "sap wells" in the bark of a tree, especially birch trees. The bird feeds on the sugary sap that collects in these wells, as well as on insects that come by. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are also attracted to the sap and insects, especially when nectar is in short supply. Fights can break out when the sapsucker and the hummingbird meet, and sometimes the feisty little hummer wins!

This diorama looks at the diversity of life in a stand of mixed-wood boreal forest. The area depicted is north of Hudson Bay on the east slope of the Pasquia Hills.

Mixed Woods

The Cougar, or Mountain Lion, is Canada's largest wild cat, but it is not restricted to mountainous areas. In Saskatchewan, Cougars live in both wooded areas and on the prairies, but are rarely seen. They prey mainly on deer, but will also take animals as large as Moose and as small as mice.

The American Marten chases squirrels through the trees with great agility and persistence. If this Red Squirrel manages to escape, it may hide out in its summer nest made of leaves, high up in a spruce tree. Fortunately (for the squirrels), martens also hunt on the ground. Their diet is varied, consisting of voles, mice, ground squirrels, Snowshoe Hares, birds, insects, and fruit.