Wild, weird Saskatchewan: Animals that grabbed headlines in 2016

Saskatchewan is wild, from our abundance of natural beauty to our weird, wonderful animal friends who sometimes do unexpected things. 

Here are some of the biggest Saskatchewan animal stories that grabbed headlines in 2016:

Arrow survives

A dog, who was later named Arrow, was found with an arrow stuck in her back on a property about 40 kilometres northeast of Regina.

• Dog recovering after being shot with arrow

Woman fights off black bear

Raschel Zeschuk said it was both her scariest and her luckiest day: She fought off a black bear after it bit her on the leg during an afternoon walk with her two dogs. Zeschuk lives in Paradise Hill, northeast of Lloydminster.

• Woman fights off black bear during routine dog walk

Police escort ducks

Downtown traffic stood still for a few adorable moments in Saskatoon when police escorted a family of ducks to the South Saskatchewan River.

• Police stop traffic to escort family of ducklings to the river

Deer breaks in

A young deer crashed through a window of a home in northwest Regina. It was found hanging out in the master bedroom.

• Deer crashes through window, enters Regina house

Orphaned beaver kits learn to swim

Four orphaned beaver kits learned to swim in a kiddie pool after they arrived at Salthaven West wildlife rehabilitation centre.

• Orphaned beaver kits learn to swim at Salthaven wildlife centre

Pregnant turtle saved

When Sophia the turtle was taken to the Albert North Veterinary Clinic with a cracked shell, it was discovered she was carrying 20 eggs.

• Sophia is saved: Turtle hit by car in Sask. on road to recovery

Moose visits Regina, takes a swim

Moose caught swimming in Regina's Wascana Lake

8 years ago

Duration 0:39

Moose swimming in Regina's artificial lake on July 4

A moose hung around Saskatchewan's capital city for a few days. He went for a swim and eventually paid CBC Saskatchewan a visit on his way out.

• Moose spotted lounging in Regina's Wascana Lake

Most Canadian photo ever?

It's hard to imagine anything more Canadian — or more adorable — than a photo of a Mountie cuddling a baby beaver. Sure enough, it happened at Regina's Salthaven West wildlife rehabilitation centre.

• Mountie + baby beaver = most Canadian photo

Man fights off bear with wine bottle

Jack Ballantyne walked away after he met a bear in a remote area near La Ronge. His sister said Ballantyne met the beat around 4 a.m. CST after an evening of drinking and that he used a wine bottle to fend off the bear. 

The story caught the attention of Jimmy Fallon, too.

• Northern Sask. man fends off bear attack with wine bottle

Bull strolls through Regina

Regina had its own running of the bulls — right on a busy street during rush hour. Reportedly, the animal used the crosswalk.

• Bull disrupts rush hour traffic in Regina

After 27 days in a well, Bruno survives

Bruno, a seven-year-old Labrador retriever, was found curled up at the bottom of a three-metre-deep well near Estevan. The dog made a full recovery.

• Rescued after 27 days in a well, Bruno goes home

Big boar

Pat Martin killed a 200-kilogram wild boar on his family's property east of St. Brieux.

• Monster boar makes big impression on social media

Shocked goose

Rescuers helped a goose they believe was electrically shocked when she tried to clear power lines, damaging her flying feathers. 

• Goose stranded in Regina after electrical shocking rescued by firefighters 

Hitchhiking cat

Tiger, nicknamed Q199 by CN conductor Brad Slater, almost froze to death stealing a ride on a train engine in Wainwright, Alta.

He was rescued and welcomed to a Slater's home in Edmonton before making his way back to Saskatchewan.

• Riding the rails back home: Cold kitty stowaway returns to Saskatchewan