Animals of Northwest Territories

Polar Bear

Ursus maritimus

The Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a hypercarnivorous bear found within the Arctic Circle, encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the largest extant bear species, as well as the largest extant land...

American Bison

Bison bison

The American bison (Bison bison) is a species of bison native to North America. Sometimes colloquially referred to as buffalo (a distinct species of bovine), it is one of two extant species of bison, alongside the European bison. Once roaming in...

North American River Otter

Lontra canadensis

The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) is a semiaquatic mammal that lives along its waterways and coasts. It is the only river otter that is found north of Mexico. These animals live in burrows and like most predators, prey upon the most...

Mule Deer

Odocoileus hemionus

The Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) is one of the most iconic and beloved wildlife in the American West. It is so-named because of its large ears that look like a mule's ears.

Mountain Goat

Oreamnos americanus

The Mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) is a hoofed mammal endemic to mountainous areas of western North America. A subalpine to alpine species, it is a sure-footed climber commonly seen on cliffs and ice. Despite its vernacular name the Mountain...

Arctic Wolf

Canis lupus arctos

The Arctic wolf (Canis lupus arctos) is a sub-species of grey wolves. These wolves spend their lives in the Arctic tundra, higher than the northern tree line. They are the only wolves in the world with their coloring, unique due to the environment...

Brahminy Blind Snake

Indotyphlops braminus

The Brahminy blind snake (Indotyphlops braminus) is a nonvenomous blind snake species found mostly in Africa and Asia. It has also been introduced in many other parts of the world. They are completely fossorial (i.e., burrowing) animals, with habits...

American Red Squirrel

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

The American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) is one of three species of tree squirrels currently classified in the genus Tamiasciurus, known as the pine squirrels. The American red squirrel is variously known as the Pine squirrel, North...

Snowshoe Hare

Lepus americanus

The Snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) is a secretive forest-dwelling mammal found only in North America. It has the name "snowshoe" because of the large size of its hind feet. The animal's feet prevent it from sinking into the snow when it hops and...

Arctic Hare

Lepus arcticus

The Arctic hare (Lepus arcticus) is a highly adapted hare to living in the Arctic tundra and other icy biomes. They can travel together with many other hares and can run up to 60 kilometers per hour (40 mph).

Thorny Devil

Moloch horridus

The Thorny devil (Moloch horridus) is a species of lizard native to Australia. It is the sole species in the genus Moloch. The names given to this lizard reflect its appearance: the two large horned scales on its head complete the illusion of a...

Wood bison

Bison bison athabascae

The wood bison (Bison bison athabascae ) or mountain bison (often called the wood buffalo or mountain buffalo), is a distinct northern subspecies or ecotype of the American bison. Its original range included much of the boreal forest regions of...

Northern Flying Squirrel

Glaucomys sabrinus

The Northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus) is one of three species of the genus Glaucomys, the only flying squirrels found in North America. They are found in forests across North America. They are proficient gliders but uncoordinated walkers...

Boreal woodland caribou

Rangifer tarandus caribou

The boreal woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou ), also known as woodland caribou, boreal forest caribou and forest-dwelling caribou, is a North American subspecies of reindeer (or caribou in North America) found only in Canada. Unlike the...

Eastern Meadow Vole

Microtus pennsylvanicus

The Eastern meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus) is a North American rodent. It is active year-round, usually at night. It also digs burrows, where it stores food for the winter and females give birth to their young.

Hoary Marmot

Marmota caligata

The Hoary marmot (Marmota caligata) is a species of marmot that lives the mountains of northwest North America. It is the largest North American ground squirrel and is often nicknamed "the whistler" for its high-pitched warning issued to alert other...

Pig-Nosed Turtle

Carettochelys insculpta

The pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta ), also known as the pitted-shelled turtle or Fly River turtle, is a species of turtle native to northern Australia and southern New Guinea. It is the only living member of the family Carettochelyidae,...

Arctic Ground Squirrel

Spermophilus parryii

The Arctic ground squirrel (Urocitellus parryii ) (Inuktitut: ᓯᒃᓯᒃ, siksik ) is a species of ground squirrel native to the Arctic and Subarctic of North America and Asia. People in Alaska, particularly around the Aleutians, refer to them as "parka"...

Bushy-Tailed Woodrat

Neotoma cinerea

The bushy-tailed woodrat, or packrat (Neotoma cinerea ) is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae found in Canada and the United States.Its natural habitats are boreal forests, temperate forests, dry savanna, temperate shrubland, and temperate...

Interior Alaskan wolf

Canis lupus pambasileus

The Interior Alaskan wolf (Canis lupus pambasileus ), also known as the Yukon wolf, is a subspecies of gray wolf native to parts of British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, Interior Alaska and Yukon.

Porcupine caribou

Rangifer tarandus granti

The Porcupine caribou or Grant's caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti ) is a subspecies of the reindeer or caribou found in Alaska, United States, and Yukon and the Northwest Territories, Canada. It resembles the subspecies known as the barren-ground...

Hoary Bat

Lasiurus cinereus

The hoary bat (Aeorestes cinereus ) is a species of bat in the vesper bat family, Vespertilionidae. It lives throughout most of North America (possibly including Hawaii, although this is disputed).

Western toad

Anaxyrus boreas

The western toad (Anaxyrus boreas ) is a large toad species, between 5.6 and 13 cm (2.2 and 5.1 in) long, native to western North America. A. boreas is frequently encountered during the wet season on roads, or near water at other times. It can jump...

Woma Python

Aspidites ramsayi

The woma python (Aspidites ramsayi), also known commonly as Ramsay's python, the sand python, and simply the woma, is a species of snake in the family Pythonidae, endemic to Australia. Once common throughout Western Australia, it has become...

Barren-ground caribou

Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus

The barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus ) is a subspecies of the reindeer (or the caribou in North America) that is found mainly in the Canadian territories of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, as well as in Kitaa, Greenland....

Meadow Jumping Mouse

Zapus hudsonius

The meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius ) is the most widely distributed mouse in the family Zapodidae. Its range extends from the Atlantic coast in the east to the Great Plains west, and from the arctic tree lines in Canada and Alaska to the...

Western Moose

Alces alces andersoni

The Western moose (Alces alces andersoni ) is a subspecies of moose. It is the second largest North American subspecies of moose, second to the Alaskan moose. This subspecies is prey to timber wolves, bears.

Least Chipmunk

Tamias minimus

The least chipmunk (Neotamias minimus ) is the smallest species of chipmunk and the most widespread in North America.

German cockroach

Blattella germanica

The German cockroach (Blattella germanica), colloquially known as the croton bug, is a species of small cockroach, typically about 1.1 to 1.6 cm (0.43 to 0.63 in) long. In color it varies from tan to almost black, and it has two dark, roughly...

MacFarlane's bear

Ursus inopinatus

MacFarlane's bear was a grizzly bear killed in Canada's Northwest Territories in 1864. Inuit hunters shot and killed an enormous yellow-furred bear and gave the skin and skull to the Fort Anderson post manager and amateur naturalist Roderick...

Collared Pika

Ochotona collaris

The collared pika (Ochotona collaris ) is a species of mammal in the pika family, Ochotonidae, and part of the order Lagomorpha, which comprises rabbits, hares, and pikas. It is a small (about 160 g) alpine lagomorph that lives in boulder fields of...

Peary Сaribou

Rangifer tarandus pearyi

The Peary caribou (Rangifer tarandus pearyi) is a subspecies of caribou found in the High Arctic islands of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories in Canada. Peary caribou were named after the American explorer Robert Peary. They are called tuktu in...

Children's Python

Antaresia childreni

Children's python (Antaresia childreni) is a species of nonvenomous snake in the family Pythonidae. The species is named after John George Children. It is a nocturnal species occurring in the northern half of Australia and generally found on the...

Canadian toad

Anaxyrus hemiophrys

The Canadian toad (Anaxyrus hemiophrys ), also known as the Dakota toad, is a species of toad that ranges from the prairie regions of central Canada south to parts of the United States upper midwest. It belongs to the family Bufonidae, the "true"...

Northern Long-Eared Bat

Myotis septentrionalis

The Northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) is a small bat native to North America. It is distinguishable by its long ears when comparing it to other bats in its genus. The geographic range of this species includes 37 states.

Mackenzie River wolf

Canis lupus mackenzii

The Mackenzie River wolf or Mackenzie Arctic Wolf (Canis lupus mackenzii ) is a subspecies of gray wolf which is found in Canada's southern portion of Northwest Territories. Not much has been published on Canis lupus mackenzii but one of the most...

Northern Collared Lemming

Dicrostonyx groenlandicus

The Northern collared lemming (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus) is a small rodent found in Arctic North America and Wrangel Island. At one time, it was considered to be a subspecies of the Arctic lemming (Dicrostonyx torquatus). Some sources believe...

Indianmeal moth

Plodia interpunctella

The Indianmeal moth (Plodia interpunctella), also spelled Indian meal moth and Indian-meal moth, is a pyraloid moth of the family Pyralidae. Alternative common names are hanger-downers, weevil moth, pantry moth, flour moth or grain moth. The almond...

Southern red-backed vole

Myodes gapperi

The southern red-backed vole or Gapper's red-backed vole (Myodes gapperi ) is a small slender vole found in Canada and the northern United States. It is closely related to the western red-backed vole (Myodes californius ), which lives to the south...

Blue-Tongued Lizard

Tiliqua scincoides

The Blue-tongued lizard (Tiliqua scincoides) is a large species of skink found only in Australia and an island in Indonesia. Due to their characteristic blue tongue and their curious nature, Blue-tongued lizards are popular companion animals in...

Tegenaria domestica

Tegenaria domestica

The spider species Tegenaria domestica, commonly known as the barn funnel weaver in North America and the domestic house spider in Europe, is a member of the funnel-web family Agelenidae.

Northern red-backed vole

Myodes rutilus

The northern red-backed vole (Myodes rutilus ) is a small slender vole found in Alaska, northern Canada, Scandinavia and northern Russia.