The Taiga Shield is a haven for ducks, swans, loons, and geese during the spring and summer. Its wetlands attract thousands of birds each year from as far south as Mexico right up to north of the Arctic Circle. Its diverse collection of birds include everything from the majestic Bald Eagle down to the common Blackbird. Gulls, terns, sparrows, and warblers are a common sight in the forests. Canadian Loons and the distinctive Mergansers are seen everywhere around the lakes in the summer. The tapping of the Flicker woodpeckers can be heard, and occasionally a Spruce Grouse will run by. Many species of mammals also inhabit the region. Over 2 million caribou live there in the summer. Another one of Canadas national symbols, the beaver, and its close relative, the muskrat, make the wetlands area their home. The Marten preys on the Red Squirrels and the Snowshoe Hares, if it can catch one. Two of natures most fearsome predators are the wolf and the bear; many species live in the Taiga Shield, including the largest bear- the Grizzly. Fortunately, it eats only the Pike and Trout it finds in the rivers.

Permafrost, long winters, forest fires, and a thin layer of acidic soil make for a very hard time on plants. Most are tough and adaptable trees able to withstand all of these strains, such as the dominant Jack Pine and Black Spruce. Groves of Birch and Trembling Aspen are in seemingly random locations throughout the forests. Countless weeds and wildflowers are interspersed between the shrubs and bushes. Only mosses and lichen are found in the northern reaches, as only they can grow on the permanently frozen ground. Due to the constantly thawing and unstable ground, plants below the treeline often appear to grow at odd angles, and may move as much as 10 feet during their lifetime.