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25 Eddy Street
Gatineau, Quebec
Canada
K1A 0M5
Email:
information@pc.gc.ca
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Species at Risk
Glossary
Acoustic Tag
underwater sound transmitter used to track fish
Action plan
an action plan is a document that defines the projects or activities
required to meet the goals and objectives outlined in the recovery
strategy for a wildlife species
Aquaculture
fish farming
At risk
extinct, extirpated, endangered, threatened, special concern
or data deficient species.
Biodiversity
the variety of life, from genes and species to communities, ecosystems,
functions, and processes
Carnivore
animal which eats other animals
Coniferous
cone-bearing trees that keep their leaves throughout the year
Conservation
the practice of protecting the natural environment - including
wildlife, habitat, and the ecosystems they are a part of from loss
or damage.
COSEWIC
the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada,
which determines the detailed national status of wild Canadian species,
subspecies, and separate populations suspected of being at risk.
Critical habitat
the habitat that is necessary for the survival or recovery of
a listed wildlife species and that is identified as the species
critical habitat in the recovery strategy or in an action plan for
the species.
Data deficient
a species for which there is not enough scientific information
to support status designation.
Deciduous
trees that lose their leaves at the end of the growing season
Ecological integrity
is a term used to describe ecosystems that are self-sustaining and
self-regulating.
Ecology
the science of the relationships between living organisms and
their environments.
Ecosystem
a community of organisms interacting with each other and with
their physical environment.
Endemic species
a species native and restricted to a certain region; having comparatively
restricted distribution.
Environment
The complex of physical, chemical, and biological factors in
which a living organism or community exists.
Endangered
a species facing imminent extirpation or extinction.
Endangered spaces
coined by environmental groups to refer to threatened natural
areas, such as tall- grass prairie, old growth forests and wetlands.
ESRF
the Endangered Species Recovery Fund, which supports scientific,
conservation, and education projects that aid in the recovery of
species at risk.
Exotic species
a species that did not originally occur in the areas in which
it is now found, but that arrived as a direct or indirect result
of human activity.
Exitu conservation
the conservation of components of biological diversity outside
their natural habitats.
Extinct
a species that no longer exists.
Extirpated
a species that no longer exists in the wild in Canada, but occurs
elsewhere
Feral species
domestic species that have "gone wild.
Habitat
the area or region where an organism lives and grows
Habitat fragmentation
the process of dividing a continuous habitat into non-continuous,
smaller subunits.
Herbivore
animal that eats plants
Historic range
those geographic areas the species was known or believed to occupy
in the past.
HSP
the Habitat Stewardship Program, a program that encourages land
and resource uses that support the conservation of habitat vital
to the survival of species at risk.
Indicator species
a species whose progress is monitored by people as an indication
of what is happening to the environment as a whole
Indigenous or native species
a species native to Canada
In Situ conservation
the conservation of ecosystems and natural habitats and the maintenance
and recovery of viable populations of species in their natural surroundings.
Invertebrate
an organism without a backbone.
Invasive species
a species that has moved into an area and reproduced so aggressively
that it has replaced some of the original species
Migration
the seasonal movements of animals
Niche
the "place occupied by a species in its habitat, including the
particular set of circumstances (chemical, physical and biological)
that enable it to survive.
Nocturnal
when an organism is more active at night than during the day.
Not at risk
species that has been evaluated and found to be not at risk.
Organism
any individual living creature, either unicellular (eg, bacteria)
or multicellular (eg, fungi, plants, animals).
Population
a group of individuals of one species, occupying a defined area
and usually isolated from other groups of the same species.
Predator
an animal that kills and eats other animals.
Prey
an animal that is killed and eaten by a predator.
Range
the geographical limits of a species or group; a migratory species
usually has both a breeding range and a wintering range.
Recovery
actions undertaken to bring a species back from the risk of extinction
to a self-sustainable population level.
Recovery strategy
a document that outlines the long-term goals and short-term objectives
for recovering a species at risk, based on the best available scientific
information.
RENEW
the Recovery of Nationally Endangered Wildlife, a strategy under
which teams of experts develop recovery plans for species at risk.
Residence
the specific place that is occupied or habitually occupied by
one or more individuals during all or part of their life cycles,
including breeding, rearing, staging, wintering, feeding, or hibernating.
Restoration
returning a degraded ecosystem or population to its original
condition.
Spawn
to breed; especially, to breed by releasing eggs and sperm into
the water
Special concern
a species of special concern because of characteristics that
make it particularly sensitive to human activities or natural events.
Species
a group of closely related organisms which are potentially capable
of interbreeding, and which are reproductively isolated from other
groups of organisms; the basic unit of biological classification.
Stewardship
taking care of the land, air, water, plants, animals and culture
in such a way that they can be passed on to future generations.
Subspecies
a geographically limited subdivision of a species that is taxonomically
different from other such subdivisions of the same species.
Sustainable use
the use of components of biological diversity in a way and at
a rate that does not lead to the long-term decline of biological
diversity, thereby maintaining its potential to meet the needs and
aspirations of present and future generations.
Telemetry
tracking system using transmitters and tracking receivers
Threatened
a species that is likely to become endangered if nothing is done
to reverse the factors leading to its extirpation or extinction.
Vertebrate
an organism with a backbone.
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