NL Wildlife

In Newfoundland and Labrador we share our forests with a variety of native and non-native wildlife species. Some, like the endangered Newfoundland marten, are valued for their uniqueness. Others, like the coyote, are sometimes feared for their adaptability. All are part of our natural environment, and all have a role to play.

Check out the table below to learn about the diversity of wildlife in our province, and some of the differences and similarities in species between the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador.

Learn more about NL’s Native Plants and Endangered Species

Check out these sites:

Checklist of Vascular Plants in Newfoundland and Labrador

Endangered Species and Biodiversity in NL

Information courtesy of NL Department of Environment & Conservation, Wildlife Division

The Forest in Your Backyard

Western Newfoundland Model Forest

Weasel, red fox, and boreal owl. Photos: WNMF Archive

Wildlife Species
of Newfoundland & Labrador

	Mammals	Birds (common migratory, NL)	Inland Fish
Native to both Newfoundland & Labrador	Woodland caribou Lynx Red fox, cross and silver Otter Beaver Meadow vole Little brown bat Black bear Ermine (weasel) Muskrat Arctic hare	American wigeon Barrow’s goldeneye Black duck Black scoter Blue-winged teal Canada goose Common eider Common goldeneye Common merganser Common snipe Green-winged teal Long-tailed duck (old squaw) Mallard duck Pintail duck Red-breasted merganser Ring-necked duck Surf scoter White-winged scoter Wood duck	American eel Arctic char Atlantic salmon Black spotted stickleback Brook trout Burbot Stickleback: threespine, fourspine, ninespine Rainbow, American smelt
Native to Newfoundland (island)	Newfoundland marten Newfoundland wolf (extinct) Eastern long-eared bat Hoary bat		Banded killifish Long-nosed dace Mummichog
Native to Labrador	Moose Muskoxen Polar bear Arctic fox American marten Fisher Mink Wolverine Wolf Bank vole Heather vole Northern bog lemming Flying squirrel Woodchuck (groundhog) Norway rat Woodland jumping mouse Rock vole Red-backed vole Red squirrel Deer mouse Masked shrew Water shrew Pygmy shrew Starnosed mole Meadow jumping mouse Ungava lemming Porcupine Snowshoe hare		Lake chub (occurs in Labrador) Lake trout Lake whitefish Longnose sucker (occurs in Labrador) Mottled sculpin (occurs in Labrador) Northern pike (occurs in Labrador) Pearl dace (occurs in Labrador) Round whitefish (occurs in Labrador) Slimy sculpin (occurs in Labrador) White sucker (occurs in Labrador)
Introduced to Newfoundland (island)	Moose Bison (unsuccessful) Mink Coyote Eastern chipmunk Red squirrel Norway rat Bank vole Deer mouse Red-backed vole House mouse Snowshoe hare Masked shrew		Brown trout Lake whitefish Rainbow trout