Canada is home to more than 300 different plant and animal species which live nowhere else on Earth.
That is according to a new report co-authored by the Nature Conservancy of Canada and NatureServe Canada.
Kathryn Morse, a spokesperson for the Nature Conservancy, describes the report as an important first for groups like hers.
“This is the first time we’ve actually identified across the country the species that only occur in Canada and that are really Canada’s responsibility to protect,” said Morse.
The highest numbers of plants and animals that are unique to Canada are found in British Columbia, Quebec, Alberta and Yukon. New Brunswick is home to 17 of Canada’s endemic species, Nova Scotia has 28 and Prince Edward Island has seven.
The report also identifies 27 key concentrations of endemic species that occur in every province and territories.
Morse said they also found hotspots across the country where there are more endemic species than in other areas.
“By identifying the hotspots across the country, it helps organizations like ours set priorities for conservation in the future,” she said.
Mammals listed include the eastern wolf, which lives in Algonquin Park in Ontario, and the high Arctic’s Peary caribou.
Birds include a unique subspecies of northern saw-whet owl that lives in British Columbia and Harris’s sparrow, the only songbird that breeds exclusively in Canada.
Invertebrates, such as the tiny Maritime ringlet butterfly, make up almost half of the species listed in the report. A variety of flowering plants are also included, such as Gulf of St. Lawrence aster and Lake Louise arnica.
According to the report, many of the plant and animal species identified are already at risk nationally and of global conservation concern.
“Unfortunately, with the human population doubling since 1970, it means a lot of wildlife are being pushed out of where they live. It’s really an important wake-up call that we need to find room for all the wildlife that we have in Canada and find special ways to ensure everyone can thrive and survive,” said Morse.
“By protecting these species, we’re actually doing a lot for ourselves because each of these species is an important part of the biodiversity for the various provinces where they’re found,” she said.
Morse said she hopes the report will be a valuable resource for conservation groups like hers across the country.
