Threats to Endangered Species in Canada

We quantified the threats facing 488 species in Canada, categorized by COSEWIC (Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada) as extinct, extirpated, endangered, threatened, or of special concern. Habitat loss is the most prevalent threat (84%), followed by overexploitation (32%), native species interactions (31%), natural causes (27%), pollution (26%), and introduced species (22%). Agriculture (46%) and urbanization (44%) are the most common human activities causing habitat loss and pollution. For extant species, the number of threats per species increases with the level of endangerment. The prevalence of threat types varies among major habitats, with overexploitation being particularly important, and introduced species particularly unimportant, for marine species. Introduced species are a much less important threat in Canada than in the United States, but the causes of endangerment are broadly similar for Canadian and globally endangered species.