The wildlife of Canada or biodiversity of Canada consist of over 80,000 classified species, with an equal number thought yet to be recognized. Known fauna and flora have been identified from five different kingdoms:

protozoa Protozoa (singular: protozoan or protozoon; alternative plural: protozoans) are a group of single-celled eukaryotes, either free-living or parasitic, that feed on organic matter such as other microorganisms or organic tissues and debris. Histo ...

(approximately 1% of recorded species);

chromist Chromista is a biological kingdom consisting of single-celled and multicellular eukaryotic species that share similar features in their photosynthetic organelles (plastids). It includes all protists whose plastids contain chlorophyll ''c'', such ...

(approximately 4% of recorded species); fungis (approximately 16% of recorded species); plants (approximately 11% of recorded species); and animals (approximately 68% of recorded species). Insects account for nearly 70 percent of recorded animal species in Canada. There are 20 major ecosystems -- ecozones -- in Canada: 15 terrestrial ecozones and 5 marine ecozones. Canada's major biomes are the tundra, boreal forest, grassland, and temperate deciduous forest. Since the end of the last glacial period, Canada has consisted of eight distinct forest regions, with approximately half of its land area covered by forests (roughly 8 percent of the world's forested land). Due to human activities, invasive species and environmental issues in the country, there are currently more than 800 species at risk of being lost. About 65 percent of Canada’s resident species are considered "Secure". Protected and conservation areas have been established to preserve and restore Canadian flora and fauna species. Approximately 5000 Canadian animal species and 30,000 Canadian plant species are restricted from export for international trade.

Biodiversity

Habitat

Terrestrial ecozones and ecoprovinces of Canada, 2017

Canada is divided into fifteen terrestrial and five marine ecozones, such as the forests of British Columbia and

Central Canada Central Canada (french: Centre du Canada, sometimes the Central provinces) is a region consisting of Canada's two largest and most populous provinces: Ontario and Quebec. Geographically, they are not at the centre of Canada but instead overlap w ...

, the prairies of Western Canada, the tundra of

Northern Canada Northern Canada, colloquially the North or the Territories, is the vast northernmost region of Canada variously defined by geography and politics. Politically, the term refers to the three Provinces_and_territories_of_Canada#Territories, territor ...

, and the marine ecosystems of the Arctic,

Atlantic Canada Atlantic Canada, also called the Atlantic provinces (french: provinces de l'Atlantique), is the region of Eastern Canada comprising the provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec. The four provinces are New Brunswick, Newfoundlan ...

and

Pacific coast Pacific coast may be used to reference any coastline that borders the Pacific Ocean. Geography Americas Countries on the western side of the Americas have a Pacific coast as their western or southwestern border, except for Panama, where the Pac ...

. The largest marine ecozone is the

Arctic Archipelago The Arctic Archipelago, also known as the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, is an archipelago lying to the north of the Canadian continental mainland, excluding Greenland (an autonomous territory of Denmark). Situated in the northern extremity of No ...

(which covers about 15 percent of Canada, or 1.5 million km2), whereas the largest terrestrial ecozone is the Boreal Shield (covering 20 percent of Canada, or 1.9 million km2). Canada's major biomes are the tundra, boreal forest, grassland, and temperate deciduous forest. British Columbia has a multitude of smaller biomes, including: a subalpine forest which extends into Alberta, a temperate rainforest along the coast, a semi arid desert located in the Okanagan Valley and

alpine tundra Alpine tundra is a type of natural region or biome that does not contain trees because it is at high elevation, with an associated alpine climate, harsh climate. As the latitude of a location approaches the poles, the threshold elevation for alp ...

in the higher mountainous regions. Over half of Canada’s landscape is intact and relatively free of human development. The boreal forest of Canada is considered to be the largest intact forest on earth, with around undisturbed by roads, cities or industry. The

Canadian Arctic tundra The Canadian Arctic tundra is a biogeography, biogeographic designation for Northern Canada's terrain generally lying north of the tree line or Taiga, boreal forest, that corresponds with the Scandinavian Montane Birch forest and grasslands, Scan ...

is the second-largest vegetation region in the country consisting of dwarf shrubs, sedges and grasses,

moss Mosses are small, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic division Bryophyta (, ) '' sensu stricto''. Bryophyta (''sensu lato'', Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryophytes, which comprise liverworts, mosses, and hor ...

es and

lichen A lichen ( , ) is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among filaments of multiple fungi species in a mutualistic relationship. The Canadian Prairies a temperate grassland with

shrubland Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity. It m ...

and

northern mixed grasslands The Northern Mixed Grasslands is one of 867 terrestrial ecoregions defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature. This ecoregion includes parts of the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, north-central and eastern (except extrem ...

are used for rearing livestock and cultivating crops. Only seven percent of Canada’s land is suitable for large scale agricultural production. Canada has over 2,000,000 lakes—563 greater than —which is more than any other country hosting a multitude of unique ecosystems. Canada is home to about twenty five percent (134.6 million ha) of the world's

wetlands A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...

that support a vast array of local ecosystems. Canada's waterways have their own ecosystems; with the two longest rivers being the Mackenzie River, that begins at Great Slave Lake and ends in the Arctic Ocean, with its drainage basin covering a large part of northwestern Canada, and the Saint Lawrence River, which drains the Great Lakes into the

Gulf of St. Lawrence The Gulf of St. Lawrence () is the outlet of the North American Great Lakes via the St. Lawrence River into the Atlantic Ocean. The gulf is a semi-enclosed sea, covering an area of about and containing about of water, at an average depth of . ...

ending in the Atlantic Ocean. The Mackenzie, including its tributaries is over in length and lies within the second largest drainage basin of North America, while the St. Lawrence in length, drains the world's largest system of freshwater lakes.

Fauna

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. Invertebrates present include 55,000 species of insects and 11,000 species of mites and spiders. The Great Lakes region is home to the black bear, Virginia opossum, red squirrels, North American beaver, and

striped skunk The striped skunk (''Mephitis mephitis'') is a skunk of the genus '' Mephitis'' that occurs across much of North America, including southern Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico. It is currently listed as least concern by the IUCN on ac ...

s; birds include eastern bluebird, red-winged blackbird,

robin Robin may refer to: Animals * Australasian robins, red-breasted songbirds of the family Petroicidae * Many members of the subfamily Saxicolinae (Old World chats), including: **European robin (''Erithacus rubecula'') **Bush-robin **Forest rob ...

, wood thrush, woodpecker,

oriole Oriole or Orioles may refer to: Animals * Old World oriole, colorful passerine birds in the family Oriolidae * New World oriole, a group of birds in the family Icteridae Music * The Orioles, an R&B and doo-wop group of the late 1940s and earl ...

, bobolink, crow,

hawk Hawks are bird of prey, birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are widely distributed and are found on all continents except Antarctica. * The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks and others. Th ...

, bittern,

heron The herons are long-legged, long-necked, freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 72 recognised species, some of which are referred to as egrets or bitterns rather than herons. Members of the genera ''Botaurus'' and ''Ixobrychus ...

, black duck, and

loon Loons (North American English) or divers (British / Irish English) are a group of aquatic birds found in much of North America and northern Eurasia. All living species of loons are members of the genus ''Gavia'', family Gaviidae and order Gavi ...

. The boreal forest region contains moose,

caribou Reindeer (in North American English, known as caribou if wild and ''reindeer'' if domesticated) are deer in the genus ''Rangifer''. For the last few decades, reindeer were assigned to one species, ''Rangifer tarandus'', with about 10 subspe ...

Canadian lynx The Canada lynx (''Lynx canadensis''), or Canadian lynx, is a medium-sized North American lynx that ranges across Alaska, Canada, and northern areas of the contiguous United States. It is characterized by its long, dense fur, triangular ears w ...

, timber wolf,

marten A marten is a weasel-like mammal in the genus ''Martes'' within the subfamily Guloninae, in the family Mustelidae. They have bushy tails and large paws with partially retractile claws. The fur varies from yellowish to dark brown, depending on t ...

porcupine Porcupines are large rodents with coats of sharp spines, or quills, that protect them against predation. The term covers two families of animals: the Old World porcupines of family Hystricidae, and the New World porcupines of family, Erethizont ...

snowshoe rabbit The snowshoe hare (''Lepus americanus''), also called the varying hare or snowshoe rabbit, is a species of hare found in North America. It has the name "snowshoe" because of the large size of its hind feet. The animal's feet prevent it from sink ...

, and chipmunk. The

Rocky Mountain region The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico in ...

fauna included the

grizzly bear The grizzly bear (''Ursus arctos horribilis''), also known as the North American brown bear or simply grizzly, is a population or subspecies of the brown bear inhabiting North America. In addition to the mainland grizzly (''Ursus arctos horri ...

, mountain goat, bighorn sheep,

elk The elk (''Cervus canadensis''), also known as the wapiti, is one of the largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia. The common ...

cougar The cougar (''Puma concolor'') is a large Felidae, cat native to the Americas. Its Species distribution, range spans from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes in South America and is the most widespread of any large wild terrestrial mamm ...

, and

flying squirrel Flying squirrels (scientifically known as Pteromyini or Petauristini) are a tribe of 50 species of squirrels in the family Sciuridae. Despite their name, they are not in fact capable of full flight in the same way as birds or bats, but they ar ...

. The Pacific ecozone is home to the Cascade mountain goat,

mountain beaver The mountain beaver (''Aplodontia rufa'')Other names include mountain boomer, ground bear, giant mole, gehalis, lesser sasquatch, sewellel, suwellel, showhurll, showtl, and showte, as well as a number of Chinookan and other Native American terms ...

, a vast variety of

mice A mouse ( : mice) is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (''Mus musculus' ...

, and puget striped skunk; birds include northern pigmy-owl,

band-tailed pigeon The band-tailed pigeon (''Patagioenas fasciata'') is a medium-sized bird of the Americas. Its closest relatives are the Chilean pigeon and the ring-tailed pigeon, which form a clade of ''Patagioenas'' with a terminal tail band and iridescent pl ...

black swift The American black swift, or more simply black swift (''Cypseloides niger''), is a species of bird that is found from northern British Columbia in Canada through the United States and Mexico to Costa Rica and Brazil. They are also found in the Ca ...

northern flicker The northern flicker or common flicker (''Colaptes auratus'') is a medium-sized bird of the woodpecker family. It is native to most of North America, parts of Central America, Cuba, and the Cayman Islands, and is one of the few woodpecker spec ...

, crow, rufous-sided towhee, and black brant. Residence species of the

Great Plains ecoregion The ecology of the Great Plains is diverse, largely owing to their great size. Differences in rainfall, elevation, and latitude create a variety of habitats including short grass, mixed grass, and tall-grass prairies, and riparian ecosystems. Th ...

includes the desert cottontail, deer mouse

gophers Pocket gophers, commonly referred to simply as gophers, are burrowing rodents of the family Geomyidae. The roughly 41 speciesSearch results for "Geomyidae" on thASM Mammal Diversity Database are all endemic to North and Central America. They are ...

, plains bison, and several types of prairie dogs ( black-tailed, white-tailed, and gunnison's), alongside many prairie birds. The Arctic expanse includes fauna such as the musk ox and reindeer,

polar bear The polar bear (''Ursus maritimus'') is a hypercarnivorous bear whose native range lies largely within the Arctic Circle, encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the largest extant bear specie ...

, white and blue fox, arctic hare, and lemming; with birds such as the snowy owl, willow ptarmigan, snow bunting and

arctic tern The Arctic tern (''Sterna paradisaea'') is a tern in the family Laridae. This bird has a circumpolar breeding distribution covering the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of Europe (as far south as Brittany), Asia, and North America (as far south a ...

. Walrus, dolphins, seals, sea turtles, whales and sharks inhabit Canada's coastal waters. Seal species include harbor seal, harp seal, hooded seal, grey seal,

bearded seal The bearded seal (''Erignathus barbatus''), also called the square flipper seal, is a medium-sized pinniped that is found in and near to the Arctic Ocean. It gets its generic name from two Greek words (''eri'' and ''gnathos'') that refer to its h ...

, Northern fur seal, Northern elephant seal, ringed seal,

Steller sea lion The Steller sea lion (''Eumetopias jubatus''), also known as the Steller's sea lion and northern sea lion, is a near-threatened species of sea lion in the northern Pacific. It is the sole member of the genus ''Eumetopias'' and the largest of t ...

, and California sea lion among others. Salt-water fish including the Atlantic cod, Pacific salmon, hake, haddock and halibut; alongside crustaceans such as

lobster Lobsters are a family (biology), family (Nephropidae, Synonym (taxonomy), synonym Homaridae) of marine crustaceans. They have long bodies with muscular tails and live in crevices or burrows on the sea floor. Three of their five pairs of legs ...

, snow crab and

shrimp Shrimp are crustaceans (a form of shellfish) with elongated bodies and a primarily swimming mode of locomotion – most commonly Caridea and Dendrobranchiata of the decapod order, although some crustaceans outside of this order are refer ...

are the primary commercial species. Walleye (AKA pickerel), northern pike,

rainbow trout The rainbow trout (''Oncorhynchus mykiss'') is a species of trout native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead (sometimes called "steelhead trout") is an anadromous (sea-run) form of the coasta ...

, largemouth bass and the

black crappie The black crappie (''Pomoxis nigromaculatus'') is a freshwater fish found in North America, one of the two types of crappies. It is very similar to the white crappie in size, shape, and habits, except that it is darker, with a pattern of black sp ...

are common fresh-water fish species found throughout the country. Canada hosts many

amphibian Amphibians are tetrapod, four-limbed and ectothermic vertebrates of the Class (biology), class Amphibia. All living amphibians belong to the group Lissamphibia. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living within terres ...

, including salamanders as well as frogs and toads and many species of

reptile Reptiles, as most commonly defined are the animals in the class Reptilia ( ), a paraphyletic grouping comprising all sauropsids except birds. Living reptiles comprise turtles, crocodilians, squamates (lizards and snakes) and rhynchocephalians ( ...

, including turtles,

lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...

s, and snakes. Many of North America’s migratory birds, including songbirds, waterfowl and

shorebirds 245px, A flock of Dunlins and Red knots">Red_knot.html" ;"title="Dunlins and Red knot">Dunlins and Red knots Waders or shorebirds are birds of the order Charadriiformes commonly found wikt:wade#Etymology 1, wading along shorelines and mudflat ...

, take up residence in Canada during the spring and summer. 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 The house mouse (''Mus musculus'') is a small mammal of the order Rodentia, characteristically having a pointed snout, large rounded ears, and a long and almost hairless tail. It is one of the most abundant species of the genus '' Mus''. Althoug ...

Flora

According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, the nation hosts approximately 17,000 identified species of trees, flowers, herbs, ferns, mosses and other flora. Approximately 95 percent of the vascular plants in Canada are of the flowering variety. Roughly half of Canada is covered by forest, totaling around . Over 90% of Canada's forests are owned by the public (

Crown land Crown land (sometimes spelled crownland), also known as royal domain, is a territorial area belonging to the monarch, who personifies the Crown. It is the equivalent of an entailed estate and passes with the monarchy, being inseparable from it. ...

, and the majority being

Provincial forest A provincial forest is a type of government-owned land in Canada, controlled by one of Canada's ten provinces. The nature of their management varies between the provinces. Provincial control of forest lands The largest class of landowners in Ca ...

s). About half of the forests are allocated for

logging Logging is the process of cutting, processing, and moving trees to a location for transport. It may include skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks or skeleton cars. Logging is the beginning of a supply chain ...

. The great Lakes region flora includes white pine, hemlock and red maples, yellow birch, and

beech trees Beech (''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America. Recent classifications recognize 10 to 13 species in two distinct subgenera, ''Engleriana'' and ''Fagus''. The ''Engl ...

. The Maritime region is dominated by the red spruce, while the

black spruce ''Picea mariana'', the black spruce, is a North American species of spruce tree in the pine family. It is widespread across Canada, found in all 10 provinces and all 3 territories. It is the official tree of the province of Newfoundland and Labra ...

is prevalent in the eastern Laurentian, with

spruce A spruce is a tree of the genus ''Picea'' (), a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal (taiga) regions of the Earth. ''Picea'' is the sole genus in the subfami ...

in the western Laurentian. The balsam fir,

white cedar White cedar may refer to several different trees: * Bignoniaceae ** ''Tabebuia heterophylla'' - native to Caribbean islands and also cultivated as an ornamental tree * Cupressaceae: ** ''Chamaecyparis thyoides'' – Atlantic white cypress ** ''Cup ...

tamarack ''Larix laricina'', commonly known as the tamarack, hackmatack, eastern larch, black larch, red larch, or American larch, is a species of larch native to Canada, from eastern Yukon and Inuvik, Northwest Territories east to Newfoundland, and als ...

, white birch, and aspen and jack pine are also found in the eastern portion of the country. The tundra is home to the aspen, bur oak, balm of Gilead, cottonwood and balsam poplar. The west coast has the western hemlock, red cedar,

douglas fir The Douglas fir (''Pseudotsuga menziesii'') is an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. It is native to western North America and is also known as Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Oregon pine, and Columbian pine. There are three va ...

sitka spruce ''Picea sitchensis'', the Sitka spruce, is a large, coniferous, evergreen tree growing to almost tall, with a trunk diameter at breast height that can exceed 5 m (16 ft). It is by far the largest species of spruce and the fifth-larg ...

, and western white pine being dominate. The Rocky Mountain region consistent of

alpine fir Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to: Places Europe * Alps, a European mountain range ** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range Australia * Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village * Alpine National Pa ...

, engelmann spruce, lodgepole pine and mountain hemlock. Other native plants seen across Canada include; American Ginseng,

trillium cernuum ''Trillium cernuum'' is a species of flowering plant in the bunchflower family Melanthiaceae. The specific epithet ''cernuum'' means "drooping, curving forwards, facing downwards", a distinctive habit of its flower. It is commonly called noddi ...

, red bearberry,

bog Labrador tea ''Rhododendron groenlandicum'' (bog Labrador tea, muskeg tea, swamp tea, or in northern Canada, Hudson's Bay tea; formerly ''Ledum groenlandicum'' or ''Ledum latifolium'') is a flowering shrub with white flowers and evergreen leaves that is used ...

, purple prairie clover, sand cherry,

pallas' wallflower ''Erysimum redowskii'', Synonym (taxonomy), synonym ''Erysimum pallasii'', known as Pallas' wallflower, is a low shrub or mid shrub species from the Arctic. It has purple flowers that do not reflect UV. Taxonomy ''Erysimum redowskii'' was first ...

, little evening primrose,

showy orchis ''Galearis spectabilis'', commonly known as showy orchis or showy orchid, is an orchid species of the genus ''Galearis''. It is native to eastern Canada (Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick) and much of the eastern half of the United States (from ...

and common eelgrass.

Species at risk

Canada's Species at Risk Act (SARA) is the federal government legislation to prevent wildlife species from becoming extinct. The goal of the ''Act'' is to protect endangered or threatened organisms and their habitats. Provinces, territories and large municipalities also have their own species and habitat conservation regulations. Although Canada has a low percentage of endemic species compared to other countries; pollution, loss of biodiversity, over-exploitation of commercial species, invasive species and habitat loss have threatened many species. More than 800 species are listed as being at risk of extinction, including 363 classified as

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...

, —190 threatened species, —235 special concern, and 22 extirpated (no longer found in the wild). Species at risk include the Canada lynx,

sea otter The sea otter (''Enhydra lutris'') is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Adult sea otters typically weigh between , making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the small ...

, wolverine,

black-footed ferret The black-footed ferret (''Mustela nigripes''), also known as the American polecatHeptner, V. G. (Vladimir Georgievich); Nasimovich, A. A; Bannikov, Andrei Grigorovich; Hoffmann, Robert S. (2001)''Mammals of the Soviet Union''Volume: v. 2, pt. 1 ...

, northern fur seal,

steller sea lion The Steller sea lion (''Eumetopias jubatus''), also known as the Steller's sea lion and northern sea lion, is a near-threatened species of sea lion in the northern Pacific. It is the sole member of the genus ''Eumetopias'' and the largest of t ...

, hooded seal, North Atlantic right whale,

sei whale The sei whale ( , ; ''Balaenoptera borealis'') is a baleen whale, the third-largest rorqual after the blue whale and the fin whale. It inhabits most oceans and adjoining seas, and prefers deep offshore waters. It avoids polar and tropical ...

and whooping crane. In addition to the extirpated species, at least 19 have become completely extinct, meaning more than 30 species of plants and animals have disappeared from Canada since the arrival of European settlers in the 16th century. These include the

dawson's caribou The Queen Charlotte Islands caribou or Dawson's caribou (''Rangifer arcticus dawsoni'') is an extinct subspecies of the Arctic caribou (''R. arcticus'') that once lived on Graham Island, the largest of the islands of Haida Gwaii in British Colu ...

, sea mink,

great auk The great auk (''Pinguinus impennis'') is a species of flightless alcid that became extinct in the mid-19th century. It was the only modern species in the genus ''Pinguinus''. It is not closely related to the birds now known as penguins, wh ...

, Labrador duck, passenger pigeon,

deepwater cisco The deepwater cisco (''Coregonus johannae'') was one of the largest ciscoes in the Great Lakes. Its average length was 30 cm (12 inches) and it was about 1.0 kilogram (2.2 pounds) in weight. Occurring only in Lakes Huron and Michigan, and in ...

longjaw cisco The longjaw cisco (''Coregonus alpenae'') was a deep-water cisco or chub, usually caught at depths of 100 metres () or more from Lakes Huron, Michigan, and Erie. Its Latin name was derived from Alpena, a city in Michigan. Silver colored and growi ...

Banff longnose dace The Banff longnose dace (''Rhinichthys cataractae smithi'') was a diminutive (about five cm. long) version of the eastern longnose dace, its range restricted to a small marsh fed by two hot springs on Sulphur Mountain in Banff National Park i ...

, and blue walleye.

Invasive species

Over 1400

invasive species An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species ad ...

of fish, plants, insects and invertebrates have been introduced to Canada through intentional and unintentional means. Over 450 invasive flora and over 400 invasive insects have been identified. The Great Lakes region ( Laurentia bioregion) is home to nearly 200 invasive species, making it one of Canada’s most heavily affected ecosystems. Freshwater ecosystems are disproportionately more imperilled compared to terrestrial ecosystems. Invasive species such as the sea lamprey, zebra mussels,

European green crab European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe a ...

, the mountain pine beetle,

round goby The round goby (''Neogobius melanostomus'') is a fish. Defined as a euryhaline bottom-dwelling goby of the family Gobiidae, it is native to Central Eurasia, including the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. Round gobies have established large non-nat ...

Asian long-horned beetle The Asian long-horned beetle (''Anoplophora glabripennis''), also known as the starry sky, sky beetle, or ALB, is native to eastern China, and Korea. This species has now been accidentally introduced into the United States, where it was first di ...

, emerald ash borer,

didymo ''Didymosphenia geminata'', commonly known as didymo or rock snot, is a species of diatom that produces nuisance growths in freshwater rivers and streams with consistently cold water temperatures and low nutrient levels. It is native to the nort ...

, gypsy moth, and Asian carp have altered local habitats and caused essential ecosystems to decline or fail, driving native species towards extinction. The most invasive flora species are the purple loosestrife, yellow iris, dog-strangling vine,

knapweed ''Centaurea'' () is a genus of over 700 species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Members of the genus are found only north of the equator, mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere; the Middle East and surrounding reg ...

, and

leafy spurge Leafy spurge may refer to several species of plant in the genus ''Euphorbia'', including: * '' Euphorbia esula'', native to central and southern Europe * ''Euphorbia virgata ''Euphorbia virgata'', commonly known as leafy spurge, wolf's milk leaf ...

. The fungi causing Dutch elm disease is another notable invasive. These species can spread aggressively, outcompete native wild vegetation and overwhelm agricultural crops. 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 to $35 billion. The economic cost to agricultural crops and forestry alone is estimated at $7.5 billion.

Conservation

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

conservation areas Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...

, including 11.4 percent designated as protected areas. Approximately 13.8 percent of Canada's territorial waters are conserved, including 8.9 percent designated as protected areas. Terrestrial areas conserved have increased by 65 percent in the 21st century, while marine areas conserved have increased by more than 3,800 percent. 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. 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

Dominion Parks Branch Parks Canada (PC; french: Parcs Canada),Parks Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Parks Canada Agency (). is the agency of the Government of Canada which manages the country's 48 National Parks, th ...

now

Parks Canada Parks Canada (PC; french: Parcs Canada),Parks Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Parks Canada Agency (). is the agency of the Government of Canada which manages the country's 48 National Parks, th ...

in 1911. In 1916, Canada and the United States signed the Migratory Birds Convention, which regulates the hunting of transcontinental migratory birds under the Migratory Birds Convention Act. The Canada Wildlife Act of 1973 goal is research on wildlife with a focus on larger species. The 1985

Fisheries Act Fisheries Act (with its variations) is a stock short title used for legislation in multiple countries relating to fisheries. The Bill for an Act with this short title will have been known as a Fisheries Bill during its passage through Parliament. ...

regulates fishing, including the conservation and protection of fish and their spawning grounds. The National Marine Conservation Areas Act established a system of national marine conservation areas in 2002. The primary focus of the Canadian national parks system is to preserve ecological integrity. National Marine Conservation Areas, while also under federal control, do not afford the same level of protection. The Canadian Wildlife Service, a division of Environment and Climate Change Canada, manages the National Wildlife Areas,

Marine Wildlife Area A Marine Wildlife Area is a conservation designation for a marine geographical region of Canada that restricts most human activities on that region. It protects marine areas extending from the edge of territorial waters to the boundary defined by ...

s, and Migratory Bird Sanctuaries for the protection of wildlife. Provincial and territorial governments also protect areas within their boundaries.

Urban parks in Canada Urban parks in Canada are areas for public recreation and enjoyment or natural preservation in cities in Canada. They are often owned and operated by municipal governments and so are usually called 'municipal parks', and sometimes 'regional parks ...

are operated by municipal governments for public recreation and foliage preservation in cities. Some areas such as the

Polar Bear Pass Polar Bear Pass (Inuktitut: ''Nanuit Itillinga/Kitturajaaq''), is a 262,400 hectare wetland and mountain pass on Bathurst Island within the Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada. The pass is on federal Crown land. Fauna and flora The wetland exist ...

, are co-managed and overseen by government and local indigenous agencies. Canada's 18 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves covers a total area of . Canada's first National Park,

Banff National Park Banff National Park is Canada's oldest National Parks of Canada, national park, established in 1885 as Rocky Mountains Park. Located in Alberta's Rockies, Alberta's Rocky Mountains, west of Calgary, Banff encompasses of mountainous terrain, wi ...

established in 1885, spans of mountainous terrain, with many glaciers and ice fields, dense

coniferous Conifers are a group of cone-bearing seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single extant class, Pinopsida. All extant ...

forest, and alpine landscapes. Canada's oldest provincial park, Algonquin Provincial Park established in 1893, covers an area of is dominated by

old-growth forest An old-growth forestalso termed primary forest, virgin forest, late seral forest, primeval forest, or first-growth forestis a forest that has attained great age without significant disturbance, and thereby exhibits unique ecological featur ...

with over 2,400 lakes and 1,200 kilometers of streams and rivers.

Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area (french: Aire marine nationale de conservation du Lac-Supérieur) is a National Marine Conservation Area (NMCA) on the north shore of Lake Superior in Ontario, and is a unit of the national park sys ...

is the world's largest freshwater protected area spanning roughly of lakebed, its overlaying freshwater, and associated shoreline on of islands and mainland's. Canada's largest national wildlife region is the

Scott Islands Marine National Wildlife Area Scott Islands Marine National Wildlife Area is a National Wildlife Area off the northwestern tip of Vancouver Island in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Covering an area of , it is the second largest protected area in British Columb ...

, which spans , protects critical breeding and nesting habitat for over 40 percent of British Columbia's seabirds.

National wildlife symbols

Canada does not have a floral emblem or bird emblem at the national level.

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.

Notes

References

External links

- Government of Canada
Ecosystem Status and Trends 2010
- Government of Canada
Species at Risk Public Registry
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Canadian Wildlife Federation The Canadian Wildlife Federation () is a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to wildlife conservation. History and mission The Canadian Wildlife Federation was founded in 1961 and chartered in 1962. The Canadian Wildlife Federation is de ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wildlife Of Canada Canada