Canadian Waters

Red King Crab

Though the red king crab is the largest species of king crab, this impressive species starts life as a tiny floating larvae. After 2-3 months, the larvae settle on the bottom of the ocean, still smaller than a dime. Juvenile red king crab are very susceptible to predators, especially after molting, so they will gather in large groups, or pods, of up to 500,000 individuals for protection. At around four years old, crabs tend to leave the pod and head to deeper water, preferring areas of soft substrate like sand or mud.

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Giant Pacific Octopus

The giant Pacific octopus can be found as deep as 3,000 feet or more, though they prefer to inhabit shallow water caves, often near kelp forests. Unlike many smaller octopuses that may only live a year, the giant Pacific octopus typically lives 3-5 years, not mating until the end of its life.

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American Lobster

American lobsters thrive in cold waters where there are many rocks and other places to hide from predators. They mainly prefer shallow water but are also found as deep as 1,500 feet.

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Lumpfish

Juvenile lumpfish cling to seaweed in shallow nearshore waters. As they grow older, they tend to move further from shore, spending more time in colder waters on the rocky seafloor.

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Giant Acorn Barnacle

The largest barnacle species in the world, the giant acorn barnacle starts life as a tiny floating larva that eventually attaches itself to a hard substrate and metamorphoses, or transforms, into a baby barnacle. To attach itself, the barnacle creates a glue that is so strong it's almost indestructible; not even acid can dissolve it! This glue will continue to hold the barnacle shell long after the barnacle inside is dead.

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Lake Sturgeon

Lake sturgeons are primitive-looking fish with unique skeletons composed of cartilage and bone. They have taste buds outside their mouths, which they use to sense prey items on the bottom. Lacking teeth, they extend their rubbery lips to vacuum up food and swallow it whole.

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Bowfin

Bowfin are ancient air-breathing fish that often go to the surface to gulp air. This allows them to survive in stagnant water with low levels of oxygen. If their pond evaporates, they can even bury themselves in mud and survive for an extended period until the next rain allows them to swim free. There have been reports of bowfin surviving for 21 days buried in the mud of a drained pond!

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American Eel

The American eel lives most of its life in freshwater, usually in larger rivers or lakes near the coast, primarily swimming near the bottom in search of food. They prefer to hunt at night and typically hide during the day, often burying themselves in the substrate. Once fully mature, which may take 20 years, the eel will migrate downstream, eventually reaching the Sargasso Sea to spawn, after which they die. Baby eels return to the rivers and streams of their parents, and the cycle begins again.

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Muskellunge

Typically found in clear water lakes, alone or in small groups, muskellunge are the apex predator of their ecosystem. They are aggressive hunters that will even pursue prey half their own size! These fish have a well defined home range they seldom venture beyond, often repeating the same routine daily.

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Bluegill

Most active during the day, bluegill can typically be found in shallow water areas with lots of aquatic plants, fallen trees, or other structures for them to hide. Male bluegills make nests in colonies with dozens of other males in shallow water. The nests are circular depressions in the substrate about one foot wide, from which they have painstakingly removed all debris. Once a male has attracted one or more females to his nest and spawning is complete, he will protect the eggs and newly hatched fry for about a week before the fry leave the nest.

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Largemouth Bass

During the day, largemouth bass of often found resting under lily pads, near fallen trees or in weed beds, typically preferring to hunt for food in the evening. Juveniles form schools with similarly-sized fish, while adults are usually solitary and do not interact with each other. Bass generally stay within a relatively small home range, about the size of 5 city blocks.

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Purple Sea Urchin

Purple sea urchins can sometimes be found in large groups, especially around the bases of giant kelp. They eat through the stems of the kelp, which can be devastating to both the forest and the species that rely it as a home.

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Bat Star

Typically found on rocks, sand bottoms, and among surf grass, bat stars come in a wide variety of colors, either mottled or solid. They can also be found with five to nine arms, with the center disk of the animal being much wider than the stubby arms are in length.

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Red-Bellied Piranha

Found throughout the Amazon River Basin, red-bellied piranha tend to travel in large schools. Despite their fearsome reputation, piranha are omnivorous and rarely bite animals larger than themselves.

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Pacific Spotted Shrimp

Pacific spotted shrimp spend their days in deeper ocean waters, but at sundown, migrate closer to the surface to mate and find prey, returning to the depths for safety when the sun rises.

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