The main diorama in this section shows the aftermath of a successful hunt by a pack of Grey Wolves. The landscape is typical of areas near La Ronge, just south of the Churchill River.

Boreal Winter

Like many predators, Grey Wolves sometimes hunt animals that are much larger than they are. They use speed, effective weapons, and cooperation to make up the difference. As winter arrives, small families join together to form packs of up to 36 individuals. By working together, these large packs are more likely to find, outsmart, and kill their prey.

In winter, Common Ravens depend on the carcasses of large mammals as their main source of food. Birds under five years of age form subadult "gangs" that drive off other animals, including older ravens. When challenged by subadults, adults give a long "quork" as both a threat and a warning call. They also signal their dominance by bowing and by erecting head crests and prominent shaggy throat feathers.

Barren-ground Caribou

This diorama depicts the annual fall migration of Barren-ground Caribou in northern Saskatchewan. The scene shows part of a herd on the Fond du Lac River near Black Lake.

Large herds of Barren-ground Caribou usually start to enter Saskatchewan in early November, travelling south and west from the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. As many as 200,000 animals may winter here, but 10,000 to 20,000 is more typical. Caribou have large feet that are ideal for travel on snow and ice. They are also good swimmers, but they sometimes fall through the ice of frozen rivers and lakes and eventually drown.

A miniature diorama in this section shows the Athabasca Sand Dunes, an expanse of active dunes and "desert pavement." Among the plants that grow here, 80 species are rare in the province and 6 of these are unique to the south shore of Lake Athabasca. Rare insects also occur, including a tiger beetle called Cicindela hirticollis athabascensis.