Regional wildlife and Bonaventure island

Regional wildlife

The coastal forest


The mixed forest on Percé’s coast shelters numerous mammals common to all of Québec such as the American hare, the red squirrel, the striped chipmunk,

the porcupine, the striped black-headed gull, the red wolf, the coyote, as well as small rodents. The Virginian stag, the American black bear and elk are less

frequent visitors. Its aviary wildlife is rich and diversified. Almost 293 species of birds (residents, migratory birds and other occasional visitors) are recorded as

visitors of Gaspé. The coastal forest is host to numerous representatives of sparrows (bunting and other social sparrows), of ducks, of woodpeckers,

of owls and of birds of prey. The fisher eagle, sparrowhawk and the American Grand-Duke are some of the regular visitors of Mont St. Anne and Mont Blanc.

Photo : R. Lambert

Île Bonaventure et ses oiseaux

Photo: J.P Lambert 2003

Bonaventure Island and the sea birds

With more than 400 years of history, this island was one of the first seasonal fishing ports of New France. It hosted various historical individuals such as Cartier (1534), Champlain (1603), Mgr. de Laval (1659), Frontenac (1672), Mgr. de Saint-Vallier (1688), the allies of Phipps (1690), Admiral Walker (1711) and even the formidable pirate Peter-John-Duval, who lived here until his death in 1835. He now rests in the cemetery at Cap Canon. Situated 3.5 km off the coast, Bonaventure Island has a surface area of 3.5 km by 4 km, and is made of a mix of red soil from the Carboniferous period (310 million years ago), similar to Mount Saint Anne, to which, a long time ago, the island was no doubt attached. Thanks to the 1916 convention on the protection of migratory birds of Canada and the United States, Bonaventure Island was declared a migratory bird sanctuary in 1919. Acquired by the Québec government in 1971, the island became a provincial park under the name, “Park of Bonaventure Island and Percé Rock” in 1985. The island shelters a population of 280,000 marine birds, as well as an imposing colony of 60,000 gannets and more. This colony, the second largest, and most easily accessible in the world, constitutes a unique attraction and a rare opportunity to see these stunning fowl up close as they go through their daily routines. The nesting area, a three kilometer detour on a path, is an extraordinary spectacle. Of the many species of birds, even the least densely populated, live there together and return to nest each year: tridactyl seagulls, communal terns, common murrees, feathered cormorants, black guillemots, godes, petrels with white backsides, as well as friar puffins. A boat ride around the island allows visitors to observe thousands of birds in flight as well as gray and common seals.

 

 

Paths on Bonaventure Island

Les Mousses: 3.5 Km
Les Colonies: 2.8 Km
Le Paget: 3.7 Km
Chemin-du-Roy: 4.9 Km

 


 

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Tout droit réservé :William Lambert 2003

revasse@globetrotter.net