It was short, but at times a bitter battle.
The fight was between the Holstein cow, and the red fox.
The title? The official animal of the province of Prince Edward Island.
Official symbols for nations, states, and in Canada- provinces are important representatives of that political entity.
The “spirit bear” is part of the black bear species with a genetic variation making their fur white. Only about 100-500 of the Kermode bears are white. It is the official animal of British Columbia. Photo: Jonathan Hayward- CP
They include official birds, (everyone knows the bald eagle symbol of the United States for example), official flowers, even official fish, and of course official animals.
Canada’s smallest province, named after then Prince Edward of England who went on to become the father of Queen Victoria, was without an official animal until this week.
An elementary school on the island had been pushing for the fox for months until a member of the provincial legislature tabled a private members bill to have the animal named as the official symbol of the island and its 150,000 residents.
Last month however, another member challenged and said the Holstein cow was more representative of the island’s primarily agricultural nature.
That amendment was withdrawn, and the fox won. The bill has yet to pass third reading, but it’s acceptance is all but guaranteed.
A Holstein getting the bad news she lost out as being named official animal of P.E.I. Photo: Nancy Russell/CBC
While all Canadian provinces have official flowers, not all have official fish, official trees and not all provinces have official animals at this point.
Ontario, Canada’s most populous, and second largest province, has an official flower, the trillium; a tree-eastern white pine; bird, common loon; but no official animal.
Other provincial animals
- British Columbia spirit bear (kermode bear)
- Alberta Bighorn sheep
- Manitoba plains bison
- Saskatchewan white-tailed deer
- Ontario x
- Quebec x
- New Brunswick x
- Nova Scotia Duck tolling retriever (dog), Sable Island horse
- Newfoundland-Labrador caribou, Newfoundland pony (heritage animal)
- Yukon x
- Northwest Territories x
- Nunavut Canadian Inuit dog
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