Spectacle Island Game Sanctuary

Spectacle Island Game Sanctuary is a wildlife protection zone centered on a small island near Baddeck, Nova Scotia. The reserve covers both the island itself and the surrounding waters extending about 100 meters (330 feet) from the shoreline, creating a total protected area of about 13 hectares.

Elsie Alexandra Carolyn Grosvenor Myers donated the island to Nova Scotia in 1969, establishing the protected reserve. This gift ensured that the wildlife living here would have permanent safeguards for generations to come.

Locals call this place Toothbrush Island, and it serves as a nesting ground where cormorants and other birds raise their young undisturbed. The protective rules you see in place exist to give these animals the space they need to survive and breed.

Entry is restricted from mid-April through mid-August to protect birds during breeding season. Boats passing through the area must keep speeds below 15 knots to avoid disturbing the wildlife and nesting colonies.

The island itself covers less than one hectare, yet the entire sanctuary extends far beyond its shores into the surrounding waters. This design shows how protecting aquatic zones matters just as much as protecting the land for wildlife survival.

Location: Nova Scotia

GPS coordinates: 46.07914,-60.73490

Latest update: December 14, 2025 09:46