Editing Bas-Saint-Laurent (section)

=== Fauna ===
[[File:Bambi, Parc du Bic.jpg|thumb|right|[[White-tailed deer]] fawn in [[Bic National Park]]]]
The fauna of Bas-Saint-Laurent is similar to the one found in other parts of Quebec and has a relatively poor diversity in species. The glacial episodes of the [[Pleistocene]] drove away the animals of the ice-covered area and these came back gradually as the [[ice sheet]] melted over the last 18,000 years.{{sfn|Fortin|Lechasseur|1993|pp=52–53}}

The melting of the ice sheet and the flood of the [[sea of Goldthwait]] around the current estuary brought molluscs like [[Mytilida|true mussels]], [[soft-shell clam]]s and [[scallop]]s. [[Beluga whale|belugas]] and other [[whales]] visit it. According to the remains of marine [[mammal]]s found in altitude further inland, [[Narwhal|narvals]], [[walrus]]es and [[earless seal]]s were also present in the region.{{sfn|Fortin|Lechasseur|1993|pp=52–53}}

On land, the [[eider]] appears around 18,000 BP and a mastodon closely related to the [[mammoth]] inhabited the area before disappearing 8000 years ago. Today, the region is dominated by the big game [[Alces alces|moose]], [[white-tailed deer]] and [[American black bear|black bear]]. The small game is composed of the [[ruffed grouse]], the [[spruce grouse]] and [[snowshoe hare]]. The [[muskrat]], [[North American beaver]] and [[red fox]] are also usual sights in the forests of Bas-Saint-Laurent.{{sfn|Fortin|Lechasseur|1993|p=56}}

Many species of birds live along the [[estuary of Saint Lawrence]]. The [[Canada goose]], [[snow goose]] and [[brant (goose)|brant]] do a halt in the [[tidal marsh]]es located along the litoral between [[La Pocatière]] and [[Pointe-au-Père]]. Diverse types of duck are present, like the [[American black duck]], [[Northern pintail]], two types of surface duck. [[Diving duck]]s are represented by the [[common goldeneye]] and [[ring-necked duck]], while [[Mergini|sea ducks]] are represented by the [[common eider]] and [[long-tailed duck]].{{sfn|Fortin|Lechasseur|1993|p=55}}