KnowKi

Learn the wildlife of national parks

Learn the wildlife of Gulf Islands National Park Reserve

British Columbia · Canada

1,178 species have research-grade observations inside Gulf Islands National Park Reserve on iNaturalist. KnowKi turns the most recorded into short lessons with real photos, so you know what you're looking at before you go.

Start this trip in KnowKi →
Āki the kiwi, KnowKi's guide

Most recorded here

The species with the most research-grade observations on iNaturalist, and how many each has. Most recorded doesn't mean native.

Birds

  1. Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus100
  2. Black Oystercatcher Haematopus bachmani75
  3. Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias59
  4. Harlequin Duck Histrionicus histrionicus44
  5. Purple Martin Progne subis40
  6. White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys33
  7. Canada Goose Branta canadensis30
  8. Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri27
  9. Pigeon Guillemot Cepphus columba27
  10. Sanderling Calidris alba24

Plants

  1. Broad-leaved Stonecrop Sedum spathulifolium212
  2. Yellow Sand Verbena Abronia latifolia201
  3. Douglas-fir Pseudotsuga menziesii156
  4. Pacific madrone Arbutus menziesii153
  5. Salal Gaultheria shallon144
  6. Western Rattlesnake Plantain Goodyera oblongifolia144
  7. Scotch Broom Cytisus scoparius135
  8. Cascade Oregon-grape Berberis nervosa110
  9. Fairy-slipper Calypso bulbosa106
  10. Ocean spray Holodiscus discolor103

Mammals

  1. Harbor Seal Phoca vitulina101
  2. North American River Otter Lontra canadensis52
  3. Mule Deer Odocoileus hemionus45
  4. Steller Sea Lion Eumetopias jubatus37
  5. Orca Orcinus orca19
  6. Domestic Goat Capra hircus19
  7. American Beaver Castor canadensis14
  8. American Red Squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus14
  9. Common Raccoon Procyon lotor12
  10. American Mink Neogale vison10

Insects

  1. Vancouver Bumble Bee Bombus vancouverensis36
  2. Seven-spotted Lady Beetle Coccinella septempunctata25
  3. Golden Buprestid Beetle Buprestis aurulenta21
  4. Western Tent Caterpillar Moth Malacosoma californica18
  5. American Sand Wasp Bembix americana17
  6. Yellow-faced Bumble Bee Bombus vosnesenskii16
  7. Silver-spotted Tiger Moth Lophocampa argentata16
  8. Mossy Rose Gall Wasp Diplolepis rosae16
  9. Woodland Skipper Ochlodes sylvanoides14
  10. Blue-eyed Darner Rhionaeschna multicolor14

Spiders and kin

  1. Broom Gall Mite Aceria genistae8
  2. Cross Orbweaver Araneus diadematus7
  3. Intertidal Jumping Spider Terralonus californicus7
  4. Woodlouse Spider Dysdera crocata5
  5. Sand Bear Spider Arctosa perita5
  6. Zebra Jumping Spider Salticus scenicus4
  7. Habronattus americanus4
  8. California Flattened Jumping Spider Platycryptus californicus4

Reptiles

  1. Western Terrestrial Garter Snake Thamnophis elegans40
  2. Northwestern Garter Snake Thamnophis ordinoides23
  3. Common Garter Snake Thamnophis sirtalis5
  4. Painted Turtle Chrysemys picta5

Amphibians

  1. Pacific chorus frog Pseudacris regilla35
  2. Northern Red-legged Frog Rana aurora7
  3. Rough-skinned Newt Taricha granulosa6

Fish

  1. Shiner Surfperch Cymatogaster aggregata16
  2. Tidepool Sculpin Oligocottus maculosus12
  3. Blackeye Goby Rhinogobiops nicholsii12
  4. Pacific Staghorn Sculpin Leptocottus armatus10
  5. Pacific Sand Lance Ammodytes personatus10
  6. Threespine Stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus9
  7. Pacific Herring Clupea pallasii9
  8. Saddleback Gunnel Pholis ornata8
  9. High Cockscomb Anoplarchus purpurescens7
  10. Northern Clingfish Gobiesox maeandricus7

Mollusks

  1. Pacific Banana Slug Ariolimax columbianus83
  2. Frilled Dogwinkle Nucella lamellosa53
  3. Nuttall's Cockle Clinocardium nuttallii50
  4. Pacific Sideband Monadenia fidelis48
  5. Purple Mahogany Clam Nuttallia obscurata48
  6. Barnacle-eating dorid Onchidoris bilamellata25
  7. Pacific Oyster Magallana gigas19
  8. Butter Clam Saxidomus gigantea18
  9. Green Falsejingle Pododesmus macrochisma12
  10. Mossy Chiton Mopalia muscosa12

How a trip works

A trip has its own trail of lessons: meet six species, match them to new photos, then practice with four choices. Species you learn go into your Fieldbook, and starting a trip earns its Passport stamp. Your home place stays as it is.

Start this trip in KnowKi →

Species lists and counts from research-grade observations on iNaturalist, as of October 2026. Parks outside the U.S. are from the World Database on Protected Areas (UNEP-WCMC and IUCN, Protected Planet). KnowKi is not affiliated with the National Park Service or any park's managers. Free, with no ads, no account, and no purchases.