Environmental Trends 2002

Species at Risk

Species on the British Columbia Red List (as percentage of known species)

SOURCE: Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management, 2001. Conservation Data Centre. NOTES: The total threatened or endangered species /native species in each group is: reptiles 5/16; freshwater fish 24/80; amphibians 5/19; terrestrial mammals 11/104; marine mammals 3/29, vascular plants 257/2333; dragonflies 9/87; birds 35/465; butterflies 12/187. “Plants” are restricted to vascular plants. All species reported here are legally designated as endangered (facing imminent extinction or extirpation), threatened (likely to become endangered if factors affecting their vulnerability are not reversed), or candidates for such designation. Totals may exclude listed subspecies or populations depending on the overall status of the species in the province.

Status of species at risk

• The province maintains lists of species grouped according to their conservation risk. "Red" list species have been legally designated as Endangered or Threatened under the Wildlife Act, or have been listed as candidates for either status by the Conservation Data Centre; extirpated species are also included. "Blue" list species are those of Special Concern.
• In British Columbia, 84 species of native vertebrate animals (16% of provincial total), 9 dragonfly species (10%), 12 butterfly species (7%), and 257 vascular plant species (11%) on the provincial Red list.
• An additional 97 vertebrate animals, 339 vascular plants and 46 invertebrate species are classified on the provincial Blue list. These include the White Glacier Lily and Grizzly Bear.
• Since 1999, five species of freshwater fish including the Green Sturgeon, five birds including the Double-crested Cormorant, three mammals including two newly discovered species of shrew, and 19 vascular plants have been added to the Red and Blue lists. In that time, one bird (Black-throated Green Warbler), one amphibian (Coeur d’Alene Salamander) and 14 vascular plants have been redesignated from Red to Blue, or removed altogether.
• Recently Red and Blue lists have been expanded to include 67 butterfly and dragonfly species, 359 moss species and 195 plant communities (unique ecosystems categorized by their species composition). Only butterflies and dragonflies have been added to the 2002 indicator.

Why is it important?

• Biodiversity represents the biological portion of natural resources on which economic and social well-being depends. This is particularly true in British Columbia, where important aspects of our economy draw directly from our natural capital.
• The proportion of species at risk is used internationally as an indicator of the status of biodiversity. Global concern for biodiversity stems from evidence that the current rate of extinctions is higher than would be expected naturally.

What Is Being Done?

• British Columbia has committed to the National Accord for the Protection of Species At Risk. All provinces and territories have agreed to protect species and their habitats and develop recovery plans for designated species. The National Accord emphasizes preventative measures, stewardship initiatives and the need for partnerships on both public and private lands. The goal of the National Accord is to prevent species from becoming at risk in Canada.

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