The Cast

When Sénéchal isn’t hosting and narrating the Hinterland Who’s Who (HWW) television vignettes, he works for the National Capital Commission as interpretation, information and marketing manager in Gatineau Park. He also spent more than 14 years at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa.

“I’m very lucky to be working in an environment where the audience is already interested in wildlife,” says Sénéchal. He particularly enjoys the variety of work he does with HWW. “I get to gain some great experiences while educating people about nature.”

For actor Bihui Zhou, playing the role of Jenny in the Hinterland Who's WhoTube webisodes gave her the chance to build acting experience and learn more about wildlife.

"Being involved in this project has been a fun way to learn about wildlife and the environment. It's been very educational for me."

From discovering how to pick up a snapping turtle properly to laughing while crew members attempted to get a dog and a skunk to cooperate with each other, Bihui had a great time filming the webisodes, especially "Get Out."

"In 'Get Out' we encountered the most wildlife, including a salamander and a groundhog. And there was the star-gazing scene, which was the part I enjoyed the most out of the whole trip. You definitely can't see the stars like that in the city."

When not acting, you can find Bihui swimming, drawing or working as an assistant teacher on the weekends. Her love for wildlife has also prompted her to consider pursuing a veterinary career.

Hayden McGowan is an aspiring young actor who has previously performed in school plays and internet commercials. The Hinterland Who's WhoTube webisodes seemed like a great way to gain some fun acting experience and to get up-close-and-personal with wildlife.

Hayden has a deep appreciation for wildlife and cares for his own dog, Quincy. He also enjoys taking in the natural environment with his father and has participated in outdoor projects with him, such as videotaping a river otter near the Muskoka Wildlife Centre.

The WhoTube project was a great opportunity for Hayden to further his knowledge about the natural world and meet some cool people at the same time.

"I got to work with a lot of different people and it was a great chance to make some new friends. I also learned a lot about nature while on the set, like that spiders usually live in curled up crumpled leaves."

When Hayden isn't hanging out with skunks on a movie set, you can find him playing hockey or guitar. Hayden plans to continue his acting career and wants to start a band someday.

Jenny loves acting. And she's wild about wildlife. How appropriate that she's been able to combine both passions in her first on-camera experience for Hinterland Who's Who WhoTube.

With two school plays under her belt and a bit of prodding from her dad, Jenny confidently set out to become an integral member of our troupe. She's fitting in perfectly. Her favourite webisode is the one called "Get Out." Her favourite moment was when she got to dress up as an insect. And her favourite thing about working on the webisodes is the chance to meet new people and forge new friendships.

While many of us have only a vague notion about when we became interested in wildlife, Jenny can remember the exact moment she became smitten. While visiting a zoo with her family, seven-year old Jenny saw a small monkey. "He was so cute," she told us, "using his charm to mooch cookies and candies from people. Of course they didn't give him any. But he sure was funny."

Shopping with friends and watching TV are two activities that Jenny enjoys between schoolwork and acting. And, every now and then, she can't help thinking about that little monkey.

When Philippe was informed about the Hinterland Who's WhoTube project from a former colleague of his, he jumped at another chance to express himself through acting. With six years' acting experience under his belt (including a part in the play Les Misérables) and a love for nature, Philippe's involvement in the webisodes was a perfect fit.

One of Philippe's favourite aspects about working on the webisodes was forming friendships with other team members, including those from the animal kingdom.

"The skunk we worked with was my absolute favourite. Skunks are very affectionate creatures and are always trying to snuggle."

And even though Philippe initially got a scare from one of the snakes on the set when it climbed into his sweater, since working on the WhoTube webisodes he has grown to learn more about snakes and now has a better understanding of these creatures.

At home, Philippe takes care of his dog, Cédric, who is almost completely deaf and can be called for supper only with loud, high-pitched yelling. Philippe also enjoys playing soccer in his spare time.

The ruby-throated hummingbird is the most common and widely distributed of the hummingbirds in Canada. Its rapid wing motion produces a distinct hum—hence the bird's name—which rises and falls according to the wing speed. At great accelerations the hum sometimes turns into a continuous high note, similar to that produced by arrows or bullets in flight.

Hummingbirds are known to aggressively defend their food supply and the surrounding territory against intruders. This territorial nature often results in hummingbirds chasing intruders in swift pursuit and sometimes fighting.