Special thanks to Mossy Moss for creating this series and allowing us to take them over.
This cache (like all the ones in the series) shows off some of the
amazing wildlife you might see at this amazing lake.
Nestled in between HWY 1 and Lougheed HWY, Burnaby Lake is a truly urban park. Despite this, there are many amazing animals and plants that call this park home.
Neovison vison is the scientific name of the American Mink. These cute creatures are frequenting seen swimming in the water of the lake. They look very much like a small river otter or large ferret (which makes sense because they are related), with very kitten-like faces. Don't let their cute appearance deceive you though, they small creatures are amazing hunters. They frequently take on much larger animals, such as the large carp found in the lake. They have also been known to eat crayfish (like freshwater lobsters with claws) or even snakes! They spend most of their life around water so you might see them swimming across the lake. Look for ripples in the water, with a low dark shape (they all have dark brown fur). They are long and skinny and will have a long furry tail. There are two other mammals frequently seen in the lake which might be confused with a mink: beavers and muskrats. Beavers are much larger, rounder and have a flat paddle like tail. Muskrats are smaller, rounder and have a bare tail without fur.
To reach this cache you require some sort of vessel. Kayaks or canoes would work best. In summer the lake becomes covered with water lilies which might make paddling difficult. In August the water level gets very low and it will be hard to launch from Piper Spit. Paddle very carefully to avoiding getting stuck.
In the center of the lake is a rowing course. It isn't usually busy, but if there are rowers on the lake please take care to stay out of the rowing lanes.
This cache is a small water bottle. It is tied very carefully to prevent it from falling in the water, please do not untie it.
Other caches in the series:
GC2XQRB: Haliaeetus leucocephalus
GC2xQW7: Cyprinus carpio
GC2XQM: Ardea herodias
GC3QYYA: Castor canadensis