Around Grand Manan, New Brunswick, Canada, the tidal range is about 5.8 to 6.7 m (19 to 22') depending on the phase of the moon. The tides get progressively higher as you move northeast along the Bay of Fundy toward Saint John and ultimately the Minas Basin in Nova Scotia, where the highest tides in the world have been recorded. Tides are higher on the full and new moons and are called the spring, drain or full tides. Neap tides, or smaller, dead tides, occur when the moon is in the first and third quarters.  Tide  tables published by the Canadian Hydrographic Service can be purchased or local islanders can be consulted. If you are in doubt, be on the safe side and do not leave your vehicle on the beach or cross an area you may not be able to get back over when the tide comes in. Remember tide and time wait for no one. The great tidal pump in the Bay is responsible for an abundant marine life including plankton, invertebrates, fish, whales, dolphins, porpoises and seals and seabirds.

The influence of the Bay of Fundy also modifies the climate, giving us a typical "Maritime" climate, late spring, cooler summer (and fog), extended fall, moderate winter.  Most islands in the archipelago are wooded with a few exceptions such as the Duck Islands (Great, High and Low Duck) Outer Wood and numerous ledges.  Beech, oak, and pine were common when settlers arrived in the late 1700's but logging and fires changed the predominant species to spruce, fir, tamarack or larch, birch and maple.  Bogs are common complete with cedars, orchids and insectivorous plants.  The fauna on the islands has a long history of introductions from mammals to reptiles to amphibians.  In exposed areas such as Southern Head, trees are twisted from the wind.

BIRDS:John James Audubon, the great naturalist and painter, visited White Head Island in May of 1833. His glowing reports of the abundant bird life inspired a steady stream of visiting naturalists that continues to this day. Currently, almost 363 species of birds have been recorded from the Grand Manan Archipelago, of which an average of 250 are seen on an annual basis, while half that number regularly breed here.

LAND MAMMALS: The Grand Manan Historian, No. XX.  "The Other Creatures", 1978,  gives a good account of the mammals of the archipelago.

Few non-domestic land mammals make their home in the archipelago. The only native non-flying, non-swimming species are two rodents - a meadow vole and a deer mouse, both of which are larger than mainland counterparts and have been given sub-specific status. When the Loyalists settled here, no large mammals made their home on the islands. Even beaver and otter were absent although native middens (shell and bone heaps) do contain beaver remains. Both would be expected to colonize the islands given their strong swimming ability and today both are present, but only the otter has introduced itself. Beavers were brought over in ca. 1948 by residents for the purpose of establishing a population which could be trapped for pelts. Four other species of rodents have been introduced, muskrats ca. 1935 intentionally to be trapped, the Norway rat and house mouse mostly likely on ships, and the American red squirrel unintentionally (although there is some question as to whether the squirrels were introduced or arrived on their own).

Snowshoe hares (varying hares) in 1951 and the European, or domestic, rabbit first in ca. 1925 were introduced, again for trapping purposes or lately as pets. The red fox was introduced to the island (again for trapping) in the early 1870's, multipled rapidly and nearly wiped out the snowshoe hare population and a herring gull colony at Southwest Head. By 1905 they were uncommon and soon disappeared. Raccoons were accidentally introduced ca. 1905 when a pair escaped from captivity. They are now well established throughout the island. A farming enterprise brought American mink to Grand Manan ca. 1925 but none exist today.

Caribou may have existed on Grand Manan, perhaps swimming over from the mainland but the evidence is scarce. The Loyalists introduced moose in 1784 but they did not thrive despite Provincial protection in 1805, largely because of hunting pressures. The protection lapsed in 1824 and by 1835 the last moose was killed. In 1845 white tailed deer were brought to the island and again despite protection were eliminated through over hunting. They were re-introduced in 1909 with a few animals added from time to time since then. Unlike the deer mouse and meadow vole, the deer tend to be smaller than their mainland counterparts. Red-tailed deer now live on the island but are kept in enclosures on two game farms, although some escaped when a gate was accidentally left open. All deer were recovered.

The greatest number of species of any order of land mammals is of bats, of course, capable of flying to and from the island. Seven species of bats are known for New Brunswick, and five have been collected from the Grand Manan Archipelago with the possibility of the other two occurring at some point.

Domestic mammals include cattle, horses, goats, pigs, cats, dogs and occasionally others such as ferrets, gerbils, hamsters, etc., kept as pets.

BUTTERFLIES & MOTHS SEEN ON GRAND MANAN: This list is complied from a number of sources.  For reference to the province, the New Brunswick Naturalists site has a complete list including French common names.

MARINE MAMMALS: Whale watching has become a popular activity in the summer, although a few whales can be seen year round. The rare North Atlantic right whale is a regular visitor with up to two thirds of the population visiting the Bay each year. The Bay is an important feeding and nursery area for these whales. Harbour and sometimes grey seals are often seen from shore. Hooded seals are becoming more frequent visitors and harp seals are also a possibility. Native middens (shell and bone heaps), scallop dredges and historical accounts indicate that walrus were once common in the Bay of Fundy until the early 19^th century. Hunting pressure is the most likely cause of the extirpation. The sea mink, now extinct, was found in the Bay of Fundy. Although no records occur for Grand Manan, the last specimen was killed on Campobello Island in 1894. It was probably a subspecies of the American mink.

If you plan to take a whale watching tour make sure that your tour operator is familiar with and abides by the Code of Ethics developed by Bay of Fundy water-based tour operators, abides by all Coast Guard regulations referring to passenger carrying vessels, and is familiar with the natural history of whales.