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Where the Wild Ones Find Peace: My Love for the Écomuseum Zoo

Tucked away on the western edge of Montreal is one of my favorite places in the world—a place that is more like a sanctuary than a zoo. A forever home for those who can’t return to the wild. A place where healing, curiosity, and love for Québec’s native wildlife come together.

It’s called the Écomuseum Zoo, and I hope that if you care about animals, you’ll visit, support, and maybe even love it like I do.

More Than a Zoo

The Écomuseum is home to animals that were either injured, orphaned, or deemed non-releasable. These animals are not just on display—they’re cared for with deep respect. Every habitat is created with the animals’ comfort in mind. There’s no exotic species here—only animals native to Québec: the ones who live in our forests, wetlands, and skies.

Wolves, foxes, bears, turtles, owls, raccoons, porcupines, and more… each with their own story. Each with a second chance.

It’s a place of compassion. And that compassion shows in everything.

My Time with Akela 🐺

I’ll never forget my visits with Akela, the white wolf. He was always calm and elegant, like a quiet guardian of the green space he calls home. Sometimes I’d find him lying in the tall grass, sunlight flickering through the leaves, looking peaceful and majestic. I always took a quiet moment to just watch.

One morning, a zookeeper told me something that made me smile—Akela loves to pose for pictures. Apparently, he knows when people are watching and just stays there, striking a regal pose like the king of the forest. And honestly… he does. He’s so photogenic!

What’s funny is that I usually went to the Écomuseum to see the coyotes—but Akela was always there too, quietly stealing the spotlight. And I didn’t mind at all. It’s like he knew he belonged in every visit, every memory.

The Arctic Fox Family ❄️

Every time I visit the Écomuseum, the Arctic foxes are always there—curled up in the grass, pacing softly, or just watching the world go by. There’s a whole little family of them, and somehow, they’re always visible.

Always around, always adorable.
One of the Arctic foxes from the Écomuseum crew—these cuties are always out and about like they’re running the place.

The Coyotes: Victor, Aggy & Canyon 🐾

And then there are the coyotes.

I’ve been sponsoring Victor for two years now, and I always stop to visit him and his companion Aggy. They each have three legs, but they don’t let that define them. They move through their space with calm curiosity, and there’s something powerful in how quietly they live.

One morning I arrived early and met a lovely staff member who was feeding them. She told me that the third coyote, Canyon, was new and still shy—that he was afraid of the wind. I never forgot that. She also told me the coyotes love playing with egg cartons, even if it makes a mess, and how they’re so gentle that birds will often steal food right out from under them. I actually witnessed that once.

Masters of camouflage.
Coyotes blend in so well with their surroundings—it’s like they’re part of the forest floor itself. If you’re not paying attention, you might miss them completely… and that’s kind of their magic.

The Other Wild Ones 🦊🐾

The Écomuseum is also home to red foxes, bobcats, and Canadian lynxes—each one with their own energy. The red foxes are actually the beautiful silver-phase variety, with dark, shimmering coats that catch the light like shadow and smoke. The bobcats and lynxes are quieter, more intense. Unlike the coyotes, they’re not so tolerant when birds come too close to their food. There’s a little standoff in the air—a reminder that even in peaceful places, wild instincts are alive and well.

The People Who Make It Special

The animals are incredible, but the people who care for them are just as inspiring. Every zookeeper I’ve spoken to has been knowledgeable, kind, and clearly in love with the animals they work with. The staff and volunteers radiate that same energy. There’s real devotion in this place.

That’s why I became a lifetime member of the Écomuseum.

How You Can Help

If this place speaks to you, here are a few ways to support them:

🌿 Sponsor an animal – like I do with Victor. Your contribution helps feed and care for them.

🌿 Make a donation – even small amounts go a long way.

🌿 Become a member – it’s worth every visit, every season.

Or just come visit. Take the time to walk the paths, hear the birds, see the animals up close, and feel what this place is really about. It’s healing. It’s hopeful. It’s home.

With love and gratitude for those who care for the wild ones,
Kodkod

Meet the Güiña: The Tiny Wild Cat of Southern Chile

Photo by Pía Vergara, via Ladera Sur

The güiña, also known as the kodkod, is the smallest wild cat in the Americas—and one of the least known. But this rare feline has a big story. Native to the temperate rainforests of southern Chile and parts of Argentina, the güiña is elusive, solitary, and deeply woven into the landscape and culture of the region.

Its Mapudungun name—“güiña”—is a reflection of the Indigenous roots of its homeland. The scientific name, Leopardus guigna, may sound big, but the cat itself is tiny—usually no larger than a house cat, with spotted fur, rounded ears, and a tail nearly as long as its body.

Despite its small size and shy nature, the güiña plays an important role in its ecosystem as a predator of small mammals and birds. Sadly, its forest home is shrinking. As logging, agriculture, and urbanization continue to spread, the güiña faces increasing threats from habitat loss and fragmentation. It’s also sometimes killed by humans who mistakenly believe it preys on chickens or other domestic animals.

Today, the güiña is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. With an estimated population decline of over 30% in the past decade, conservation efforts are more important than ever.

Credit: Photo taken at the private facility of Fauna Andina, Nov 2024 . By an unidentified contributor, via ZooChat

But there is hope.

Many organizations and researchers are working to protect this mysterious little feline. Here are a few ways you can help:

The güiña may be small, but she carries an ancient spirit—one that deserves space, safety, and a future. 🌲🐾

Photo credit: Nicolás Gálvez, via Wikimedia Commons

El Zorro Chilote: A Tiny Treasure at the Edge of the World

Photo of a zorro chilote (Darwin’s fox) shared by u/ErickYj on Reddit. Source

Have you ever heard of the zorro chilote? Also known as Darwin’s fox, this little zorro lives deep in the temperate rainforests of southern Chile. With dark fur, curious eyes, and a secretive nature, the zorro chilote is one of the most special creatures of our land. He’s tiny—smaller than most other foxes—and only found in a few places, like Chiloé Island and the Valdivian forests of the mainland.

What makes the zorro chilote unique isn’t just his size—it’s his wild, mysterious heart. He belongs only to Chile. Nowhere else in the world does this species exist. He walks silently through the shadows of the native forest, where trees drip with moss and the ground is soft with fallen leaves. Like the güiña (kodkod), he’s part of an ancient web of life that has existed for thousands of years.

But today, this beautiful fox is in danger.

With deforestation, development, and dogs introduced by humans, the zorro chilote has fewer places to hide and hunt. The species is now considered endangered, with fewer than 1,000 individuals believed to remain in the wild. His world is disappearing—and with it, a piece of our soul.

Zorro chilote with pup.
Image originally shared by ProAraucanía in 2013, no photographer credited.

How you can help

There are still ways to protect this little guardian of the forest:

  • Support WWF’s symbolic adoption program, where you can symbolically adopt a Darwin’s fox and help fund global conservation efforts: WWF Adoption Page
  • Donate to Chiloé Silvestre, a local grassroots organization in Chile that works on behalf of the zorro chilote and other native species: Chiloé Silvestre Website
  • Learn more and support Fauna Australis and ONG Convivencia Humano-Fauna, two other organizations committed to wildlife research and coexistence in southern Chile.

The zorro chilote may be small, but his spirit is mighty. Let’s help make sure this little fox has a future—wild, free, and protected.

Hidden Cruelty: Speaking Out Against Penned Dog Hunts in Ontario

By Kodkod | Coyote Pretty

There are still places in Canada where foxes, coyotes, and rabbits are locked inside fenced enclosures—not to be rehabilitated or protected, but to be hunted for sport.

In these penned hunting facilities, dogs are released to chase, terrorize, and often kill wild animals that have no way to escape. Hunters call it “training.” But investigations show the truth: it’s bloodsport. It’s cruelty. And it’s still happening.

Recently, Animal Justice filed a lawsuit against the Ontario government, challenging the issuance of three illegal licences that appear to allow penned hunting facilities to operate in violation of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act. These licenses permit the use of large hound breeds—such as foxhounds, coonhounds, and bloodhounds—to chase red foxes for “training” and competitions, despite clear regulations that prohibit this unless strict conditions are met. None of the three sites in question meet the legal pen size requirements.

An undercover investigation in 2023 by Animal Justice revealed that wild animals used as bait are routinely injured, mauled, and killed. Pen owners have admitted to replenishing wildlife throughout the year—foxes and coyotes caught and used again and again.

Worse still, no inspections have been conducted at these facilities for at least two years. The system is broken—and these animals are paying the price.

Ontario remains the only province in Canada that still allows this practice. Even most U.S. states have banned it.

This is not just a wildlife issue—it’s an animal cruelty crisis.

📣 Read more about the lawsuit and investigation: https://animaljustice.ca/media-releases/animal-justice-sues-ontario-over-cruel-penned-dog-hunting-licences

🧡 If you’re able, please support Animal Justice’s court battle here: https://animaljustice.ca/donate

Coyotes and foxes deserve better than this. So do the dogs forced to become weapons.

#CoyotePretty #AnimalJustice #StopPennedHunts #Coexistence

Repost: Environmental Action, These are some of our favorite wolves that you may not know much about

For as long as humans have lived on Earth, wolves have existed alongside us, from the tundra of North America to the islands of Japan. Here are just a few of the world’s remarkable wolf species.

Arctic wolves are a sub-species of gray wolf that lives in the frozen northern tundra. Their beautiful white coats enable them to blend into their snowy surroundings as they hunt for arctic hares, lemmings and even caribou and bulky muskoxen.

In some ways, arctic wolves are lucky to live in such a distant part of the globe. Their isolation makes them one of the only grey wolf sub-species to not be threatened by widespread hunting. However,increased mining and oil drilling may put their food supply at risk.

The rare and mysterious Ethiopian wolf lives in Ethiopia’s highlands. Fewer than 500 of them survive in the wild, making them one of the most endangered wolf species in the world.

These wolves have some of the most unusual diets of wolf species including, of all things, nectar! The highlands of Ethiopia contain large flowers, which the wolves have learned to lick for the sweet liquids inside.

But the flowers have the last laugh. When the wolves steal nectar, their noses become caked in pollen, which then gets transferred between flowers. This unusual relationship makes wolves the world’s biggest carnivorous pollinators.


Japanese folklore is full of stories about wolves. The Japanese wolf, known for its tiny ears, lived for thousands of years in Japan. Although they were technically a sub-species of gray wolf, the Japanese wolves diverged from their larger cousins and soon became genetically distinct.3

Tragically, the Japanese wolves are no more. The entire species was wiped out by the early 1900s after a systematic extermination campaign. Now, they remain only in story and myth.

The tragic tale of the Japanese wolf should remind us that we can’t take any species for granted. And once a species is wiped out, there’s no way to turn back the clock.


The environmental action team has been around since the first Earth Day in 1970, and their whole mission is to protect wildlife and wild places by helping people take meaningful action. From speaking up for wolves and bees to keeping our air and water clean, they’re doing important work.

They also have a little online store where you can grab eco-friendly gear and gifts that help support the cause—things like stickers, wildlife-themed tees, and more. And if you’re in the spirit to give back, they make it easy to donate directly to their campaigns.

You can learn more at environmental-action.org or check out their store here.