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The Parks / New Brunswick / Kouchibouguac National Park

Colonies of 300 - 400 grey and harbour seals follow the cod fishery to Iceland each winter and spend the summer in the park, frequenting the lagoons, estuaries and barrier islands everyday at low tide. Sea lions may also be seen basking on the dunes. Farther inland are the snowshoe hares, porcupines, red fox, some moose and a few black bears. Coyotes have moved back into the area after a long absence to search the grasslands for small rodents. Marram grass anchors the extensive beaches and dunes providing nesting sites for some of the 216 species of birds. The park protects the piping plover by monitoring their nesting area between May and mid-August when they breed.

The park is home to the second largest tern colony in North America: 4000 common terns mate, nest and raise their young on the barrier islands. Osprey and bald eagles nest in the park. The lagoons, beaches and salt marshes are frequented by many species of ducks and shorebirds.

Great blue herons stalk the riverbanks and shorelines. As the salt and fresh water continually mix and change the salinity of the lagoons, marine inhabitants are forced to adapt quickly. Crabs and starfish, shrimp and snails, mussels and oysters must all adjust their tolerance to their brackish environment. Thirty fish species have been recorded in park waters including Atlantic salmon, trout, striped bass, eel, smelt and gaspereau.