SHAPE of Nature: Endemic Species
Wildlife Conservation Society Canada [WCS Canada]
This evaluation tracks the number and status of nationally endemic species in Canada. These are species that have only been documented from Canada and occur nowhere else in the world.
Key points
- Fewer than 20% of endemic species in Canada are currently listed under the Species at Risk Act.
- Nationally endemic species occur across Canada, with the highest numbers in British Columbia, Quebec, and the Yukon.
- There are 27 concentrations of endemic species across Canada. Many of these will trigger the identification of Key Biodiversity Areas.
Abstract
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Over 90% of recent human-caused extinctions are species known from only one nation.
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Nationally endemic species represent the greatest global conservation responsibility for any country.
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There are 308 species, subspecies and varieties that have only been documented from Canada.
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Nationally endemic species occur across Canada, with the highest numbers in British Columbia, Quebec, and Yukon.
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There are 27 concentrations of endemic species across Canada, many of which are associated with islands, coasts or areas that were unglaciated. These include the Hudson Bay Coast, the Beringia region of Yukon, and Southwest Newfoundland.
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Currently only about 10% of Canada’s endemic species are not considered to be at risk of extinction.
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Fewer than 20% of endemic species in Canada are currently listed under the Species at Risk Act and only ten of are on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
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Many endemic species in Canada are globally threatened or occur in small ranges and will trigger the identification of Key Biodiversity Areas.
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Protecting nationally endemic species in Canada is critical to maintain species diversity nationally and globally and integral to national and international commitments to protect nature through the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Recommended citation
Wildlife Conservation Society Canada [WCS Canada] (2022). SHAPE of Nature: Endemic Species. Wildlife Conservation Society Canada [WCS Canada]. https://wcscanada.org/resources/shape-of-nature-endemic-species/
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Metadata
- Title
- SHAPE of Nature: Endemic Species
- URL
- https://wcscanada.org/resources/shape-of-nature-endemic-species/
- Published
- 2022-12-31
- Author(s)
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada [WCS Canada]
- Publisher
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada [WCS Canada]
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