are encouraged to use only lead-free tackle when fishing within the park. Hunting or molesting wildlife, or possession of a firearm or fireworks is not allowed. Geology and drainage Quetico is near the southern edge of the Canadian Shield, an exposed 1000-mile expanse of ancient Precambrian rock, some of which is among the oldest exposed rock in the world. The park contains numerous "young" lakes (only tens of thousands of years old) that are held by this ancient bedrock. Due to its proximity to the Laurentian Divide, the park can be considered to be in the headwaters of the Hudson Bay watershed. It and the adjacent Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in the United States comprise the most popular canoeing area in the world. The southern part of the park is drained by the Basswood River, the central and eastern parts of the park by the Maligne River, and the northern part of the park by the Quetico River. All of these rivers flow into the Namakan River west of the park. It flows into the Rainy River, Winnipeg River, Nelson River and finally into Hudson Bay. Nature and ecology Quetico Provincial Park is home to many different species of animals. Because of Quetico's strict regulations for keeping the habitat of these animals unchanged, there are a wide variety of animals that will be seen during a visit to Quetico. A majority of the animals include small mammals. These small mammals include, squirrels, chipmunks, raccoon's, groundhogs, rabbits, minks, gophers, weasels, and porcupines. Other small animals that live in Quetico are otters, muskrats, beavers, and fishers. Besides small mammals, the wildlife in Quetico makes a perfect home for larger mammals. While visiting, one may see moose, wolves, coyotes, lynxes, bobcats, cougars, white-tailed deer, foxes, and black bears. Due to the risk of bear attacks, it is important to see how to handle bear encounters. There are also a wide variety of birds living in the park. Some of the common birds seen in Quetico include common loons, bald eagles, herring gulls, Canada geese and red-tailed hawks. Quetico is known for its excellent fishing. The four most popular fish in Quetico's water are smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye and lake trout. White pine is a common tree in the area, these trees are home to bald eagles and other large birds. Another tree that can be found is the red pine. Red