From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coordinates: 41°41′N, 82°41′W

Point Pelee National Park
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Location of Point Pelee National Park in Canada
Location	Canada
Nearest city	Leamington, Ontario
Coordinates	41°57′51″N 82°31′4″W / 41.96417, -82.51778
Area	15 km²
Established	1918
Governing body	Parks Canada

Pelee Island location

Point Pelee National Park extends from the mainland of Essex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada. It consists of a peninsula of land, mainly of marsh and woodland habitats, that tapers to a sharp point as it extends into Lake Erie. Middle Island, also part of Point Pelee National Park, was acquired in 2000 and is located just north of the USA-Canada border in Lake Erie; it is actually the most southern parcel of land in Canada.

Point Pelee was made a national park in 1918 at the urging of birders and hunters. Commercial fishing continued in the park until 1969. Point Pelee was the only Canadian national park to allow hunting until duck hunting was ended in 1989. This site was named "Pointe-Pelée" or "bare point" by French explorers because the eastern side was rocky and had no trees.

It forms the southernmost point in mainland Canada (its latitudinal position is the same as the northernmost counties of California) and is part of a bird and butterfly migration corridor over Lake Erie via Point Pelee and the Lake Erie islands. Over 360 bird species have been recorded in the park. The peak time for bird migration is spring, especially May, when tired migrants make first landfall after their journey north across the lake.

Many birdwatchers from North America and abroad visit the park in spring, often staying in the nearby town of Leamington. One attraction, apart from the sheer numbers and variety of bird passing through on migration, is the opportunity to see more northerly breeding species such as Blackpoll Warbler before they move on.

In March of 2006 high winds washed away the sand point and all that remained was a platform.^[1] In October 2007 the level of lake Erie dropped enough to reveal the point again extending at least half a mile out into the water and at least 25 feet wide with a beautiful winding curving shape to it and covered with sand and round rocks of all shapes and colors.^[2]

Point Pelee looking south.

Point Pelee looking north.

Boardwalk across a marsh on the island.

• Canadian National Parks
• List of Canadian national parks
• Long Point

• Point Pelee National Park official website

v • d • e National Parks of Canada
National parks	Aulavik · Auyuittuq · Banff · Bruce Peninsula · Cape Breton Highlands · Elk Island · Forillon · Fundy · Georgian Bay Islands · Glacier · Grasslands · Gros Morne · Ivvavik · Jasper · Kejimkujik · Kluane · Kootenay · Kouchibouguac · La Mauricie · Mount Revelstoke · Point Pelee · Prince Edward Island · Pukaskwa · Prince Albert · Quttinirpaaq · Riding Mountain · Sirmilik · St. Lawrence Islands · Terra Nova · Thaydene Nene · Tuktut Nogait · Ukkusiksalik · Vuntut · Wapusk · Waterton Lakes · Wood Buffalo · Yoho
National Park Reserves	Gulf Islands · Gwaii Haanas · Pacific Rim · Torngat Mountains · Mingan Archipelago · Kluane · Nahanni · Tuktut Nogait
Marine Conservation Areas	Fathom Five · Lake Superior · Saguenay-St. Lawrence
National Landmark	Pingo

v • d • e Parks in Ontario
National parks	Bruce Peninsula · Fathom Five · Georgian Bay Islands · Lake Superior · Point Pelee · Pukaskwa · St. Lawrence Islands
Provincial parks	Algonquin · Bon Echo · French River · Frontenac · Killarney · Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater · Lake Superior · Polar Bear · Quetico · Sandbanks · Sleeping Giant · more...
UNESCO Biosphere Reserves	Georgian Bay Littoral · Long Point · Niagara Escarpment · Thousand Islands - Frontenac Arch · Wasaga Beach
National Historic Sites	Central Experimental Farm · Dundurn Castle · Laurier House · Massey Hall · Montgomery's Tavern · Osgoode Hall · Parliament · Rideau Canal · Rideau Hall · more...