Environmental Trends 2002

Species at Risk

What are the Threats to Species at Risk?

Relative Importance of Threats to Red Listed Animals

SOURCE: BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, Wildlife Branch, 2002. NOTES: This analysis includes terrestrial and marine mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, fresh water fish, butterflies and dragonflies. Environmental contamination includes any chemical introduced to the environment that affects species at risk; intentional & accidental mortality includes illegal or intentional killing, road kill, pest control, mortality of prey species, and incidental take in fish nets; human disturbance includes intentional or deliberate disturbance to animals; and water development includes the diversion of water for agriculture, livestock, residential use, industry use, dams, reservoirs, and barriers to flow.

What are the threats to species at risk?

• The largest threat to species at risk in British Columbia is habitat loss. Urban development, agriculture, timber management, livestock grazing and water development result in the destruction, modification and fragmentation of natural habitats upon which many species at risk depend.

• The increased relative importance of environmental contamination and alien species since the last edition of Environmental Trends, reflects the inclusion of butterflies and dragonflies in this analysis. Butterflies are threatened by pesticide applications and displacement of native plants by alien invasive species.

• Environmental contamination also includes threats to marine mammals from bioaccumulation of persistent chemicals
  in the marine environment.

• Introduction of alien (non-native) fish species to freshwater environments poses a significant threat to amphibians and many freshwater fish.

For detailed information, including graph data, see In-Depth report [pdf].