Being Canada's southernmost area inhabited by people, Pelee Island is a haven for wildlife with many unique Carolinian species, many of which cannot be found anywhere else in Canada. To celebrate this diversity, I put together a short film for Wildlife Preservation Canada to show the rare animals and plants as well as the work being done to preserve the island's wild areas. This video is to be played on the ferry to and from the video so that visitors and residents alike can relish in the animals that call Pelee Island home while also learning about local conservation projects.
Having worked on the island in previous years, I had an idea of what animals and behaviours I wanted to film and and outline to boost. Working on this video has made me truly appreciate how unpredictable nature can be. From bad weather and plan changes to damaged camera equipment, filming has been an adventure to say the least, one I will look back on and relish. The Island is filled with beautiful views, amazing wildlife and some fantastic people who helped make the film possible. It was a pleasure to come back to Pelee Island and revisit old haunts and visit friends, reptilian and otherwise.
Dr. Tom Hossie Holding a Small Tissue Sample from an Ambystoma sp.
On Pelee Island, there are three species of mole salamander; the small-mouthed salamander, the unisexual mole salamander and the blue-spotted salamander, all of which can only be differentiated through genetic testing. Through his research, Tom hopes to uncover more about the complex relationship between these salamanders, identify the habitats they use and what can be done to help protect them. With both the small-mouthed salamander and the local population of Unisexual mole salamanders being considered endangered, Tom is advocating for the local blue-spotted salamanders be given the same protections due to their small population and the Unisexual mole salamanders’ reliance on them for breeding. Big thank you to Tom and Jordan for letting me shadow them for a few days to film their research.
Two colour Morphs of White-Throated Sparrows at the Pelee Island Bird Observatory
At the Pelee Island Bird Observatory, thin mist nets are set up, the fabric small enough that two white-throated sparrows didn’t see them and got tangled. The nets are gentle enough that the delicate birds remain unharmed. Within minutes, the birds are carefully removed before being weighed and measured, taking wing and bill measurements while a small aluminum ankle band is delicately fixed in place. This band has a unique code that can be identified by other bird banding stations. Data collected here and from other banding stations is sent to the Canadian Migration Monitoring Network so that it can be used to look at trends in the birds’ health as well as track migration patterns and populations which can fluctuate with climate change. Research such as this can be used to help scientists get a better idea of the threats birds face as well as ways to help protect the plethora of different species. Big thank you to Sumiko Onishi for letting me visit and film at the Pelee Island Bird Observatory.