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Quiz
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The
Parks / New
Brunswick / Kouchibouguac
National Park
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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.
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