Wildlife of Canada

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Common North American beaver, official national symbol and one of the most iconic species of Canada's fauna.

The wildlife of Canada or biodiversity of Canada consist of over 80,000 classified species,

animals (approximately 68%).[2][1] Insects account for nearly 70 percent of documented animal species in Canada.[2] More than 300 species are found exclusively in Canada.[5]

boreal forest, grassland, and temperate deciduous forest. Since the end of the last glacial period, Canada has consisted of eight distinct forest regions,[7] with approximately half of its land area covered by forests (roughly 8 percent of the world's forested land).[8]

Due to human activities, invasive species and environmental issues in the country,[9] there are currently more than 800 species at risk of being lost.[10] About 65 percent of Canada's resident species are considered secure.[4] Protected and conservation areas have been established to preserve and restore Canadian flora and fauna species.[11] Approximately 5000 Canadian animal species and 30,000 Canadian plant species are restricted from export for international trade.[12]

Biodiversity

Habitat

Canada's 15 terrestrial ecozones are further subdivided into 53 ecoprovinces, 194 ecoregions, and 1,027 ecodistricts.[13]

Canada is characterized by a wide range of both

Boreal Shield (covering 20 percent of Canada, or 1.9 million km2).[15]

Canada's major biomes are the

Okanagan Valley and alpine tundra in the higher mountainous regions.[16]

Over half of Canada's landscape is intact and relatively free of human development.

northern mixed grasslands are used for rearing livestock and cultivating crops.[20] Only seven percent of Canada's land is suitable for large scale agricultural production.[21]

Saint Lawrence River, which drains the Great Lakes into the Gulf of St. Lawrence ending in the Atlantic Ocean. The Mackenzie, including its tributaries is over 4,200 square kilometres (1,600 sq mi) in length and lies within the second largest drainage basin of North America, while the St. Lawrence 3,058 square kilometres (1,181 sq mi) in length, drains the world's largest system of freshwater lakes.[24]

Fauna

tree line, and in the Rocky Mountains subalpine zone
.

There are approximately 200 mammal species, over 460 bird species, over 40 amphibian species, over 40 reptile species, and over 1,200 fish species in Canada.[3] Invertebrates present include 55,000 species of insects and 11,000 species of mites and spiders.[25]

The

Rocky Mountain region fauna included the grizzly bear, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, elk, cougar, and flying squirrel.[26]

The

snow crab and shrimp are the primary commercial species.[27] Walleye (AKA pickerel), northern pike, rainbow trout, largemouth bass and the black crappie are common fresh-water fish species found throughout the country.[28] Canada hosts many amphibian, including salamanders as well as frogs and toads and many species of reptile, including turtles, lizards, and snakes.[26]

Many of North America's migratory birds, including

shorebirds, take up residence in Canada during the spring and summer.[29] In addition to native and migratory mammals, many Eurasian mammals were introduced to Canada either intentionally or accidentally. Among them are domestic mammals, such as the horse, pig, sheep, dog, cat, and cattle, and wild mammals, such as the brown rat and the house mouse.[26]

Flora

Canadian bunchberry is found in montane ecosystems and boreal forests
, where it grows along the margins of moist woods.

Since the end of the last glacial period, Canada has consisted of eight distinct forest regions.[30] According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, the nation hosts approximately 17,000 identified species of trees, flowers, herbs, ferns, mosses and other flora.[31] Approximately 95 percent of the vascular plants in Canada are of the flowering variety.[32] Roughly half of Canada is covered by forest, totalling around 2.4 millionkm2 (0.93 millionsq mi).[33] Over 90% of Canada's forests are owned by the public (crown land, and the majority being provincial forests).[34] About half of the forests are allocated for logging.[35]

The Great Lakes region flora includes

balsam poplar.[36]

The west coast has the

Species at risk

endangered primarily as a result of decreases in prairie dog populations and sylvatic plague
.

Canada's Species at Risk Act (SARA) is the federal government legislation to prevent wildlife species from becoming extinct.[38] The goal of the act is to protect endangered or threatened organisms and their habitats.[39] Provinces, territories and large municipalities also have their own species and habitat conservation regulations.[40]

Although Canada has a low percentage of

loss of biodiversity, over-exploitation of commercial species, invasive species and habitat loss have threatened many species.[41] More than 800 species are listed as being at risk of extinction, including 363 classified as endangered species, —190 threatened species, —235 special concern, and 22 extirpated (no longer found in the wild).[10][42]

In addition to the extirpated species, at least 19 have become completely extinct,

Species at risk include the Canada lynx, polar bear, sea otter, wolverine, black-footed ferret, northern fur seal, steller sea lion, hooded seal, North Atlantic right whale, sei whale and whooping crane.[10]

Invasive species

Lake St. Clair
.

Over 1400

Laurentia bioregion) is home to nearly 200 invasive species, making it one of Canada's most heavily affected ecosystems.[47] Freshwater ecosystems are disproportionately more imperilled compared to terrestrial ecosystems.[48]

Invasive species such as the

spongy moth, and Asian carp have altered local habitats and caused essential ecosystems to decline or fail,[49] driving native species towards extinction.[50]

The most invasive flora species are the

knapweed, and leafy spurge.[49] The fungi causing Dutch elm disease is another notable invasive.[49] These species can spread aggressively, outcompete native wild vegetation and overwhelm agricultural crops.[49]

Invasive species cost billions of dollars each year from the loss of economic value of crops, forests and fisheries. According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, in 2004 the estimated annual lost revenue caused by the top 16 invasive species was between $13 and $35 billion.[51] The economic cost to agricultural crops and forestry alone is estimated at $7.5 billion.[51]

Conservation

Approximately 12.1 percent of the nation's landmass and freshwater are considered

protected areas.[52] Approximately 13.8 percent of Canada's territorial waters are conserved, including 8.9 percent designated as protected areas.[52] Terrestrial areas conserved have increased by 65 percent in the 21st century, while marine areas conserved have increased by more than 3,800 percent.[52] Conservation and protected areas have different mandates depending on the organization which manages them, with some areas having a greater focus on ecological integrity, historical preservation, public usage, scientific research, or a combination of usages.[53] Some regions within Canada's largest conserved areas are heavily commercialized featuring grand buildings such as the Banff Springs Hotel and Chateau Lake Louise
.

Canada established the world's first national park management agency the

Migratory Birds Convention, which regulates the hunting of transcontinental migratory birds under the Migratory Birds Convention Act.[55] The Canada Wildlife Act of 1973 goal is research on wildlife with a focus on larger species.[56] The 1985 Fisheries Act regulates fishing, including the conservation and protection of fish and their spawning grounds.[57] The National Marine Conservation Areas Act established a system of national marine conservation areas in 2002.[58]

The primary focus of the Canadian national parks system is to preserve ecological integrity.

Migratory Bird Sanctuaries for the protection of wildlife.[61][62] Provincial and territorial governments also protect areas within their boundaries.[63] Urban parks in Canada are operated by municipal governments for public recreation and foliage preservation in cities.[64] Some areas such as the Polar Bear Pass, are co-managed and overseen by government and local indigenous agencies.[65]

Canada's 18

National wildlife symbols

Canada does not have a

floral emblem or bird emblem at the national level.[73][74]

Symbol Image Notes
Maple leaf
Maple leaf
Perhaps the most prominent symbol of Canada has been a de facto symbol since the 1700s[75]
National flag Official symbol as of February 15, 1965 features a stylized, red, 11-pointed maple leaf charged in the centre.[76]
National tree
Maple
Official symbol since 1996.[76]
National animals
Beaver
Official symbol since 1975.[76]

Canadian horse
Official symbol since 2002.[76]

Provincial and territorial wildlife symbols

Canadian provinces and territories have a variety of official fauna, flora and organic matter based on the biodiversity of the area.[77]

Flower Area Plant Tree Mammal Bird Fish Other
Alberta[78] Prickly wild rose (Rosa acicularis)
Lodgepole pine
Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep
Great horned owl Bull trout
Rough fescue
(grass)
British Columbia[79]
Pacific dogwood
(Cornus nuttallii)
Western red cedar
(Thuja plicata)
Spirit bear (Kermode bear, Ursus americanus kermodei) Steller's jay (Cyanacitta dtelleri)
Pacific salmon
Manitoba[80]
Prairie crocus
(Pulsatilla patens)
White spruce (Picea glauca) American bison (Bison bison)
Great gray owl
(Strix nebulosa)
Walleye
Big bluestem
(grass)
Newfoundland and Labrador[81] Purple pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea)
Black spruce
Newfoundland dog Atlantic puffin
Nova Scotia[82] Mayflower (Epigaea repens) Red spruce (Picea rubens) Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever dog


Provincial horse: Sable Island horse

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) Wild blueberry
New Brunswick[83]
Purple violet
Balsam fir
Black-capped chickadee Holmesville Soil
Ontario[84] Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)
Eastern white pine
(Pinus strobus linnaeus)
Common loon (Gavia immer)
Prince Edward Island[85] Lady's slipper (Cypripedium acaule) Red oak (Quercus rubra) Blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata) Charlottetown soil
Quebec[86] Blue flag iris
Yellow birch
Snowy owl
Saskatchewan[87]
Western red lily
White birch
White-tailed deer Sharp-tailed grouse Walleye
Needle-and-thread grass

Saskatoon berry

Northwest Territories[88] Mountain avens
Tamarack
(Larix laricina)
Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus)
Nunavut[89]
Purple saxifrage
Canadian Inuit Dog
Rock ptarmigan
Yukon[90]
Fireweed
(Epilobium angustifolium)
Subalpine fir
(Abies lasiocarpa)
Raven (Corvus corax)

See also

Overlapping ecosystems

Notes

  1. ^ "80,000 known species in Canada, excluding viruses and bacteria"[1][2]

References

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  3. ^ a b "Canada Animals | Canadian Animals | Canada Wildlife | AZ Animals". A-Z Animals.
  4. ^ a b "Wild Species 2000: The General Status of Species in Canada". Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada. Conservation Council (CESCC). 2001.
  5. ^ Hayward, Abi (2020-06-05). "Ours to save: the species that can only be found in Canada". Canadian Geographic. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
  6. ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2018-01-10). "Introduction to the Ecological Land Classification (ELC) 2017". www.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
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  10. ^ a b c "COSEWIC Annual Report". Species at Risk Public Registry. 2019.
  11. ^ "What Are Protected Areas?". Nature Canada. 2022-04-13. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
  12. ^ Canada, Environment and Climate Change (May 19, 2017). "Endangered species list". aem.
  13. . Retrieved 2023-02-13.
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  15. ^ Wiken, Ed. "Casting the bottom line on the blue planet". Natural Resources Canada. Archived from the original on 2008-06-12. Retrieved 2008-02-13.
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  36. ^ a b "Native Plant Encyclopedia". cwf-fcf.org.
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  38. .
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  65. .
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  68. .
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Further reading

External links