The term "endangered species" is commonly used to refer to species that are at some level of risk. But risk can range from low to severe, so the people who work on these species break this risk continuum into specific categories.
In Canada, the categories most widely used are those adopted by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). It is the national body that assesses the situation of species suspected of being at risk.
COSEWIC's categories, from the most to the least serious, are:
- EXTINCT species no longer exist.
- EXTIRPATED species no longer exist in the wild in Canada, but they occur elsewhere.
- ENDANGERED species are facing imminent extinction or extirpation.
- THREATENED species are likely to become endangered in Canada if limiting factors are not reversed.
- SPECIAL CONCERN species are of special concern because of characteristics that make them particularly sensitive to human activities or natural events.
The Committee uses numerical criteria to help place species into these risk categories. “Endangered” is reserved for the species that are most at risk of disappearing but that still exist in the wild in Canada.
A status report is prepared on each species suspected of being at risk and serves as the basis for status assessments. Key information that helps determine how a species is doing includes the current and historic population size and distribution, magnitude of change in these parameters over time, and current and possible future threats to the species and to its habitat.
Status reports are reviewed by experts to ensure their accuracy and completeness, and are then distributed to all COSEWIC members who meet to discuss the reports, assess the species against a set of criteria, and assign status based on the best available information.
In most cases, a species is considered to be at risk if it occurs in small and/or declining numbers that will likely continue to dwindle and eventually disappear if nothing is done to stop or reverse the factors causing the declines. Even if not declining, small populations occupying restricted areas can be at risk as they can be devastated by a single natural or manmade event.
COSEWIC has been assessing species for 25 years. In the past, overhunting posed the most serious risk to species. Today, although this may still be a contributing factor, habitat degradation and loss resulting from a variety of human activities top the list. Industrial, commercial and residential developments eat up huge tracts of land. Forestry and modern agricultural practices can drastically alter landscapes, making them unsuitable for some species. The discharge of environmental contaminants and use of pesticides pose additional threats. Disturbance caused by human activities, even such low-impact activities as outdoor recreation, can be sufficient to harm sensitive species. And recently, factors such as competition from invasive alien species and the effects of climate change, are emerging as important, but often insidious, threats to native species.
The Committee is composed of representatives from museums, universities, non-government organizations, independent scientists and federal, provincial and territorial government agencies responsible for wildlife. You can check the COSEWIC Web site for more details on the Committee's composition and on how it operates.
There is also a search tool that allows you to query the entire list of species that have been assessed by COSEWIC. For each species, there is a link to Environment Canada's Species at Risk Web site which provides a summary on each species and, where applicable, details on what is being done to recover the species.
Related Links:
Endangered Species in Canada - Hinterland Who's Who
Species at Risk Web Site
Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC)
Deltoid Balsamroot Fact Sheet
Related EnviroZine Articles:
A Snail Like No Other
Protecting Burns Bog
Listening To Our Frogs
The Marmot - Canada's Most Endangered Mammal
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