Canada’s Endangered Species

Canada’s endangered species

There are more than 256 species of plants and animals at various degrees of risk and 13 species are already extinct.

Classification of At-Risk Species

EXTINCT: a species that is no longer found anywhere– Ex: Blue walleye,

the last fish of this species was taken from Lake Erie in 1965

Classification of At-Risk Species

ENDANGERED: a species that is close to extinction in all parts of Canada or in a significantly large location– Ex: Whooping crane

Classification of At-Risk Species

EXTIRPATED: any species that is no longer existing in the wild in Canada, but can be found elsewhere in the world– Ex: Grizzly bear, no

longer found in Manitoba and Saskatchewan but still found in the mountains of Alberta and British Columbia

Classification of At-Risk Species

THREATENED: any species that is likely to become endangered if factors that make it vulnerable are not reversed– Ex: wood bison, their

number is small and recently tuberculosis has become a problem

Classification of At-Risk Species

VULNERABLE: any species that is at risk because of low or declining numbers at the fringe of its range or in some restricted area– Ex: grey fox is

beginning to return to southern Ontario, but needs woodlands

Causes of extinction

Climate changes and the pressure of competition from other species

Humans have had a profound effect, extinction rates are increasing as the human population increases - Human activities are the major causes of extinction

Top Endangered Species

Javan Rhino, Black Rhino and Sumatran Rhino

Western Lowland and Mountain Gorilla

Amur Leopard

Hawksbill Turtle and Leatherback Sea Turtle

Soala

Sumatran Orangutan

Sumatran Elephant

Siberian Tiger, South China Tiger and Sumatran Tiger

Vaquita

Northern Sportive Lemur

Greater Bamboo Lemur

Yangtze Finless Porpoise

Hawaiian Monk Seal

North Atlantic Right Whale

Blue-throated Macaw

Iberian Lynx

Kihansi spray toad

Kakapo

Chinese Giant Salamander

Ivory-Billed Woodpecker

Pangolin