List of Wildlife Species at Risk (Canada)
The Government of Canada maintains a list of all plant and animal species, or designatable units thereof, federally recognized as special concern, threatened, endangered, extirpated, and extinct in Canada under Schedule I of the Species at Risk Act. This is known as the List of Wildlife Species at Risk.
Species listed on SARA Schedule I receive federal legal protections under the Act, including the protection of individuals, populations, and their habitat from harm. Listing on Schedule I of the act also mandates the formation of a species recovery team and strategy. The addition of species or DUs to Schedule I is done annually by the Minister of the Environment, based on formal assessment recommendations by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, an independent committee of wildlife experts and scientists. COSEWIC assessments and IUCN designations by themselves are not to be confused with actual Schedule I listings as both of the former have no formal legal status in Canada.
The List of Wildlife Species At Risk in Canada is available online at the website. In case of a discrepancy between this article and the website, the Species at Risk Registry is the final authority.
Mammals
Extirpated mammals
- Eschrichtius robustus — grey whale
- Mustela nigripes — black-footed ferret
- Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus — Atlantic walrus
Endangered mammals
- Balaenoptera borealis — sea whale
- Balaenoptera musculus — blue whale
- Balaenoptera musculus — blue whale
- Dipodomys ordii — Ord's kangaroo rat
- Eubalaena glacialis — North Atlantic right whale
- Eubalaena japonica — North Pacific right whale
- Gulo gulo — wolverine
- Hyperoodon ampullatus — northern bottlenose whale
- Marmota vancouverensis — Vancouver Island marmot
- Martes americana atrata — American marten
- Orcinus orca — killer whale
- Rangifer tarandus caribou — woodland caribou
- Scapanus townsendii — Townsend's mole
- Sorex bendirii — Pacific water shrew
- Taxidea taxus jacksoni — American badger, jacksoni subspecies
- Taxidea taxus jeffersonii — American badger, jeffersonii subspecies
- Vulpes velox — swift fox
Threatened mammals
- Antrozous pallidus — pallid bat
- Balaenoptera physalus — fin whale
- Bison bison athabascae — wood bison
- Enhydra lutris — sea otter
- Delphinapterus leucas — beluga whale
- Mustela erminea haidarum — ermine, haidarum subspecies
- Megaptera novaeangliae — humpback whale
- Orcinus orca — killer whale
- Orcinus orca — killer whale
- Rangifer tarandus caribou — woodland caribou
- Rangifer tarandus caribou — woodland caribou
- Urocyon cinereoargenteus — grey fox
Mammals of special concern
- Balaena mysticetus — bowhead whale
- Balaenoptera physalus — fin whale
- Canis lupus lycaon — eastern wolf
- Enhydra lutris — sea otter
- Cynomys ludovicianus — black-tailed prairie dog
- Eschrichtius robustus — grey whale
- Euderma maculatum — spotted bat
- Eumetopias jubatus — Steller sea lion
- Microtus pinetorum — woodland vole
- Orcinus orca — killer whale
- Phocoena phocoena — harbour porpoise
- Rangifer tarandus caribou — woodland caribou
- Scalopus aquaticus — eastern mole
- Sylvilagus nuttallii nuttallii — Nuttall's cottontail, nuttallii subspecies
- Ursus maritimus — polar bear
Birds
Extirpated birds
- Tympanuchus cupido — greater prairie-chicken
Endangered birds
- Ammodramus henslowii — Henslow's sparrow
- Athene cunicularia — burrowing owl
- Centrocercus urophasianus urophasianus — greater sage-grouse, urophasianus subspecies
- Charadrius melodus circumcinctus — piping plover, circumcinctus subspecies
- Charadrius melodus melodus — piping plover, melodus subspecies
- Charadrius montanus — mountain plover
- Colinus virginianus — northern bobwhite
- Dendroica kirtlandii — Kirtland's warbler
- Empidonax virescens — Acadian flycatcher
- Eremophila alpestris strigata — horned lark, strigata subspecies
- Grus americana — whooping crane
- Icteria virens auricollis — yellow-breasted chat, auricollis subspecies
- Lanius ludovicianus migrans — loggerhead shrike, migrans subspecies
- Loxia curvirostra percna — red crossbill, percna subspecies
- Megascops kennicottii macfarlanei — western screech-owl, macfarlanei subspecies
- Numenius borealis — Eskimo curlew
- Oreoscoptes montanus — sage thrasher
- Picoides albolarvatus — white-headed woodpecker
- Pooecetes gramineus affinis — vesper sparrow, affinis subspecies
- Protonotaria citrea — prothonotary warbler
- Rallus elegans — king rail
- Sphyrapicus thyroideus — Williamson's sapsucker
- Sterna dougallii — roseate tern
- Strix occidentalis caurina — spotted owl, caurina subspecies
- Tyto alba — barn owl
Threatened birds
- Accipiter gentilis laingi — northern goshawk, laingi subspecies
- Aegolius acadicus brooksi — northern saw-whet owl, brooksi subspecies
- Anthus spragueii — Sprague's pipit
- Brachyramphus marmoratus — marbled murrelet
- Falco peregrinus anatum — peregrine falcon, anatum subspecies
- Ixobrychus exilis — least bittern
- Lanius ludovicianus excubitorides — loggerhead shrike, excubitorides subspecies
- Phoebastria albatrus — short-tailed albatross
- Puffinus creatopus — pink-footed shearwater
- Rhodostethia rosea — Ross' gull
- Vermivora chrysoptera — golden-winged warbler
- Wilsonia citrina — hooded warbler
Birds of special concern
- Bucephala islandica — Barrow's goldeneye
- Calcarius mccownii — McCown's longspur
- Coturnicops noveboracensis — yellow rail
- Dendroica cerulea — cerulean warbler
- Falco peregrinus pealei — peregrine falcon, pealei subspecies
- Histrionicus histrionicus — harlequin duck
- Icteria virens virens — yellow-breasted chat, virens subspecies
- Megascops kennicottii kennicottii — western screech-owl, kennicottii subspecies
- Melanerpes lewis — Lewis' woodpecker
- Numenius americanus — long-billed curlew
- Otus flammeolus — flammulated owl
- Pagophila eburnea — ivory gull
- Passerculus sandwichensis princeps — Savannah sparrow, princeps subspecies
- Seiurus motacilla — Louisiana waterthrush
- Synthliboramphus antiquus — ancient murrelet
- Tyto alba — barn owl
Reptiles
Extirpated reptiles
- Actinemys marmorata — Pacific pond turtle
- Crotalus horridus — timber rattlesnake
- Phrynosoma douglasii — pygmy short-horned lizard
- Pituophis catenifer catenifer — Pacific gophersnake
Endangered reptiles
- Chrysemys picta bellii — western painted turtle
- Clemmys guttata — spotted turtle
- Coluber constrictor foxii — blue racer
- Contia tenuis — sharp-tailed snake
- Dermochelys coriacea — leatherback seaturtle
- Emydoidea blandingii — Blanding's turtle
- Eumeces septentrionalis — prairie skink
- Hypsiglena torquata — nightsnake
Threatened reptiles
- Apalone spinifera — spiny softshell
- Coluber constrictor flaviventris — eastern yellow-bellied racer
- Crotalus oreganus — western rattlesnake
- Elaphe gloydi — eastern foxsnake
- Elaphe spiloides — grey ratsnake
- Emydoidea blandingii — Blanding's turtle
- Heterodon platirhinos — eastern hog-nosed snake
- Pituophis catenifer deserticola — Great Basin gophersnake
- Regina septemvittata — queen snake
- Sistrurus catenatus — massasauga
- Sternotherus odoratus — stinkpot
- Thamnophis butleri — Butler's gartersnake
- Thamnophis sauritus — eastern ribbonsnake
Reptiles of special concern
- Charina bottae — rubber boa
- Chrysemys picta bellii — western painted turtle
- Coluber constrictor mormon — western yellow-bellied racer
- Eumeces skiltonianus — western skink
- Graptemys geographica — northern map turtle
- Lampropeltis triangulum — milksnake
- Thamnophis sauritus — eastern ribbonsnake
Amphibians
Extirpated amphibians
- Ambystoma tigrinum — tiger salamander
Endangered amphibians
- Acris crepitans — northern cricket frog
- Ambystoma texanum — small-mouthed salamander
- Ambystoma tigrinum — tiger salamander
- Ascaphus montanus — Rocky Mountain tailed frog
- Rana pipiens — northern leopard frog
- Rana pretiosa — Oregon spotted frog
Threatened amphibians
- Ambystoma jeffersonianum — Jefferson salamander
- Bufo fowleri — Fowler's toad
- Desmognathus ochrophaeus — Allegheny Mountain dusky salamander
- Dicamptodon tenebrosus — coastal giant salamander
- Spea intermontana — Great Basin spadefoot
Amphibians of special concern
- Ascaphus truei — coast tailed frog
- Bufo boreas — western toad
- Bufo cognatus — Great Plains toad
- Gyrinophilus porphyriticus — spring salamander
- Plethodon idahoensis — Coeur d'Alene salamander
- Rana aurora — red-legged frog
- Rana pipiens — northern leopard frog
Fish
Extirpated fish
- Erimystax x-punctatus — gravel chub
- Polyodon spathula — paddlefish
Endangered fish
- Acipenser transmontanus — white sturgeon
- Catostomus catostomus subsp. — Salish sucker
- Coregonus huntsmani — Atlantic whitefish
- Coregonus reighardi — shortnose cisco
- Gasterosteus sp. — benthic Enos Lake stickleback
- Gasterosteus sp. — benthic Paxton Lake stickleback
- Gasterosteus sp. — benthic Vananda Creek stickleback
- Gasterosteus sp. — limnetic Enos Lake stickleback
- Gasterosteus sp. — limnetic Paxton Lake stickleback
- Gasterosteus sp. — limnetic Vananda Creek stickleback
- Lampetra richardsoni var. marifuga — Morrison Creek lamprey
- Moxostoma hubbsi — copper redhorse
- Notropis anogenus — pugnose shiner
- Noturus stigmosus — northern madtom
- Rhinichthys cataractae subsp. — Nooksack dace
- Salmo salar — Atlantic salmon
- Salvelinus fontinalis timagamiensis — aurora trout
Threatened fish
- Ammocrypta pellucida — eastern sand darter
- Anarhichas denticulatus — northern wolffish
- Anarhichas minor — spotted wolffish
- Cottus confusus — shorthead sculpin
- Cottus sp. — Cultus pygmy sculpin
- Cottus sp. — eastslope sculpin
- Erimyzon sucetta — lake chubsucker
- Hybognathus argyritis — western silvery minnow
- Lampetra macrostoma — Vancouver lamprey
- Lepisosteus oculatus — spotted gar
- Notropis percobromus — carmine shiner
- Osmerus spectrum — Lake Utopia dwarf smelt
- Percina copelandi — channel darterm
Fish of special concern
- Acipenser medirostris — green sturgeon
- Anarhichas lupus — Atlantic wolffish
- Coregonus kiyi kiyi — Upper Great Lakes kiyi
- Cottus hubbsi — Columbia sculpin
- Esox americanus vermiculatus — grass pickerel
- Fundulus diaphanus — banded killifish
- Fundulus notatus — blackstripe topminnow
- Lepomis gulosus — warmouth
- Macrhybopsis storeriana — silver chub
- Minytrema melanops — spotted sucker
- Moxostoma carinatum — river redhorse
- Myoxocephalus thompsonii — deepwater sculpin
- Notropis bifrenatus — bridle shiner
- Opsopoeodus emiliae — pugnose minnow
Arthropods
Extirpated arthropods
- Callophrys irus — frosted elfin
- Euchloe ausonides — island marble
- Plebejus melissa samuelis — Karner blue
Endangered arthropods
- Apodemia mormo — Mormon metalmark
- Bombus affinis - rusty-patched bumble bee
- Bombus bohemicus - gypsy cuckoo bumble bee
- Brychius hungerfordi - Hungerford's crawling water beetle
- Cicindela patruela - Northern Barrens tiger beetle
- Coenonympha nipisiquit — maritime ringlet
- Copablepharon fuscum — sand-verbena moth
- Erynnis persius persius — eastern Persius duskywing
- Erynnis martialis - mottled duskywing
- Euphydryas editha taylori — Taylor's checkerspot
- Gomphus ventricosus - skillet clubtail
- Hemileuca sp. - bogbean buckmoth
- Hesperia ottoe — Ottoe skipper
- Papaipema aweme — Aweme borer
- Icaricia saepiolus insulanus — island blue
- Prodoxus quinquepunctellus — five-spotted bogus yucca moth
- Satyrium semiluna — half-moon hairstreak
- Schinia avemensis — gold-edged gem
- Schinia bimatris — white flower moth
- Somatochlora hineana - Hine's emerald
- Stylurus amnicola - riverine clubtail
- Stylurus laurae - Laura's clubtail
- Stylurus olivaceus - olive clubtail
- Tegeticula corruptrix — non-pollinating yucca moth
- Tegeticula yuccasella — yucca moth
Threatened arthropods
- Apodemia mormo — Mormon metalmark
- Euphyes vestris — dun skipper
- Hesperia dacotae — Dakota skipper
- Oarisma poweshiek — Poweshiek skipperling
- Satyrium behrii columbia — Behr's hairstreak, columbia subspecies
Arthropods of special concern
- Danaus plexippus — monarch
- Limenitis weidemeyerii — Weidemeyer's admiral
- Polites sonora — Sonora skipper
Molluscs
Extirpated molluscs
- Alasmidonta heterodon — dwarf wedgemussel
- Cryptomastix devia — Puget Oregonian snail
Endangered molluscs
- Allogona townsendiana — Oregon forestsnail
- Epioblasma torulosa rangiana — northern riffleshell
- Epioblasma triquetra — snuffbox
- Haliotis kamtschatkana — northern abalone
- Lampsilis fasciola — wavy-rayed lampmussel
- Obovaria subrotunda — round hickorynut
- Physella johnsoni — Banff Springs snail
- Physella wrighti — hotwater physa
- Pleurobema sintoxia — round pigtoe
- Prophysaon coelureum — blue-grey taildropper slug
- Ptychobranchus fasciolaris — kidneyshell
- Simpsonaias ambigua — mudpuppy mussel
- Villosa fabalis — rayed bean
Threatened molluscs
- Hemphillia dromedarius — dromedary jumping-slug
Molluscs of special concern
- Gonidea angulata — Rocky Mountain ridged mussel
- Lampsilis cariosa — yellow lampmussel
- Nearctula sp. — threaded vertigo
- Ostrea conchaphila — Olympia oyster
Vascular plants
Extirpated vascular plants
- Collinsia verna — spring blue-eyed mary
- Desmodium illinoense — Illinois tick-trefoil
Endangered vascular plants
- Abronia umbellata — pink sand-verbena
- Actaea elata — tall bugbane
- Adiantum capillus-veneris — southern maidenhair fern
- Agalinis aspera — rough agalinis
- Agalinis gattingeri — Gattinger's agalinis
- Agalinis skinneriana — Skinner's agalinis
- Ammannia robusta — scarlet ammannia
- Antennaria flagellaris — stoloniferous pussytoes
- Aristida basiramea — forked three-awned grass
- balsamorhiza deltoidea — deltoid balsamroot
- Betula lenta — cherry birch
- Braya longii — Long's braya
- Buchnera americana — bluehearts
- Camissonia contorta — contorted-pod evening-primrose
- Carex lupuliformis — false hop sedge
- Carex juniperorum — juniper sedge
- Castanea dentata — American chestnut
- Castilleja levisecta — golden paintbrush
- Chimaphila maculata — spotted wintergreen
- Cirsium pitcheri — Pitcher's thistle
- Collomia tenella — slender collomia
- Coreopsis rosea — pink coreopsis
- Cryptantha minima — tiny cryptanthe
- Cypripedium candidum — small white lady's-slipper
- Drosera filiformis — thread-leaved sundew
- Eleocharis equisetoides — horsetail spike-rush
- Epilobium densiflorum — dense spike-primrose
- Epilobium torreyi — brook spike-primrose
- Frasera caroliniensis — American columbo
- Gentiana alba — white prairie gentian
- Geum peckii — eastern mountain avens
- Isoetes engelmannii — Engelmann's quillwort
- Isotria medeoloides — small whorled pogonia
- Isotria verticillata — large whorled pogonia
- Juglans cinerea — butternut
- Juncus kelloggii — Kellogg's rush
- Lespedeza virginica — slender bush-clover
- Liparis liliifolia — purple twayblade
- Lipocarpha micrantha — small-flowered lipocarpha
- Lotus formosissimus — seaside bird's-foot lotus
- Lotus pinnatus — bog bird's-foot trefoil
- Lupinus densiflorus — dense-flowered lupine
- Lupinus lepidus var. lepidus — prairie lupine
- Lupinus rivularis — streambank lupine
- Magnolia acuminata — cucumber tree
- Meconella oregana — white meconella
- Microseris bigelovii — coast microseris
- Minuartia pusilla — dwarf sandwort
- Morus rubra — red mulberry
- Opuntia humifusa — eastern prickly pear cactus
- Orthocarpus barbatus — Grand Coulee owl-clover
- Orthocarpus bracteosus — rosy owl-clover
- Panax quinquefolius — American ginseng
- Pedicularis furbishiae — Furbish's lousewort
- Phacelia ramosissima — branched phacelia
- Plantago cordata — heart-leaved plantain
- Platanthera leucophaea — eastern prairie fringed-orchid
- Platanthera praeclara — western prairie fringed-orchid
- Polygala incarnata — pink milkwort
- Psilocarphus brevissimus — dwarf woolly-heads
- Psilocarphus elatior — tall woolly-heads
- Pycnanthemum incanum — hoary mountain-mint
- Ranunculus alismifolius var. alismifolius — water-plantain buttercup
- Rotala ramosior — toothcup
- Salix jejuna — barrens willow
- Sanicula arctopoides — bear's-foot sanicle
- Silene scouleri grandis — coastal Scouler's catchfly
- Silene spaldingii — Spalding's campion
- Solidago speciosa — showy goldenrod
- Stylophorum diphyllum — wood-poppy
- Symphyotrichum frondosum — short-rayed alkali aster
- Tephrosia virginiana — Virginia goat's-rue
- Tonella tenella — small-flowered tonella
- Trichophorum planifolium — bashful bulrush
- Trillium flexipes — drooping trillium
- Triphora trianthophora — nodding pogonia
- Triphysaria versicolor versicolor — bearded owl-clover
- Tripterocalyx micranthus — small-flowered sand-verbena
- Triteleia howellii — Howell's triteleia
- Viola pedata — bird's-foot violet
- Woodsia obtusa — blunt-lobed woodsia
Threatened vascular plants
- Aletris farinosa — colicroot
- Azolla mexicana — Mexican mosquito-fern
- Bartonia paniculata paniculata — branched bartonia
- Braya fernaldii — Fernald's braya
- Buchloe dactyloides — buffalograss
- Calochortus lyallii — Lyall's mariposa lily
- Camassia scilloides — wild hyacinth
- Carex sabulosa — Baikal sedge
- Castilleja rupicola — cliff paintbrush
- Celtis tenuifolia — dwarf hackberry
- Cephalanthera austiniae — phantom orchid
- Chenopodium subglabrum — smooth goosefoot
- Cirsium hillii — Hill's thistle
- Corydalis scouleri — Scouler's corydalis
- Dalea villosa var. villosa — hairy prairie-clover
- Eleocharis tuberculosa — tubercled spike-rush
- Enemion biternatum — false rue-anemone
- Eurybia divaricata — white wood aster
- Gentianopsis virgata subsp. victorinii — Victorin's gentian
- Gymnocladus dioicus — Kentucky coffee-tree
- Halimolobos virgata — slender mouse-ear-cress
- Hydrastis canadensis — goldenseal
- Hydrocotyle umbellata — water-pennywort
- Hymenoxys herbacea — lakeside daisy
- Iris lacustris — dwarf lake iris
- Iris missouriensis — western blue flag
- Isoetes bolanderi — Bolander's quillwort
- Justicia americana — American water-willow
- Lachananthes caroliniana — redroot
- Liatris spicata — dense blazing star
- Limnanthes macounii — Macoun's meadowfoam
- Lophiola aurea — golden crest
- Phlox speciosa subsp. occidentalis — showy phlox
- Polemonium vanbruntiae — van Brunt's Jacob's-ladder
- Polystichum lemmonii — Lemmon's holly fern
- Polystichum scopulinum — mountain holly fern
- Ptelea trifoliata — common hoptree
- Sabatia kennedyana — Plymouth gentian
- Salix chlorolepis — green-scaled willow
- Sanicula bipinnatifida — purple sanicle
- Sericocarpus rigidus — white-top aster
- Smilax rotundifolia — round-leaved greenbrier
- Symphyotrichum anticostense — Anticosti aster
- Symphyotrichum laurentianum — Gulf of St. Lawrence aster
- Symphyotrichum praealtum — willowleaf aster
- Symphyotrichum prenanthoides — crooked-stem aster
- Symphyotrichum sericeum — western silvery aster
- Tradescantia occidentalis — western spiderwort
- Vaccinium stamineum — deerberry
- Viola praemorsa subsp. praemorsa — yellow montane violet, praemorsa subspecies
- Yucca glauca — soapweed
Vascular plants of special concern
- Achillea millefolium var. megacephalum — large-headed woolly yarrow
- Armeria maritima subsp. interior — Athabasca thrift
- Arnoglossum plantagineum — tuberous Indian-plantain
- Asplenium scolopendrium — American hart's-tongue fern
- Astragalus robbinsii var. fernaldii — Fernald's milk-vetch
- Bidens amplissima — Vancouver Island beggarticks
- Cicuta maculata var. victorinii — Victorin's water-hemlock
- Clethra alnifolia — sweet pepperbush
- Deschampsia mackenzieana — Mackenzie hairgrass
- Dryopteris arguta — coastal wood fern
- Fraxinus quadrangulata — blue ash
- Hibiscus moscheutos — swamp rose-mallow
- Isoetes prototypus — prototype quillwort
- Juncus caesariensis — New Jersey rush
- Lilaeopsis chinensis — eastern lilaeopsis
- Potamogeton hillii — Hill's pondweed
- Psilocarphus brevissimus — dwarf woolly-heads
- Psilocarphus elatior — tall woolly-heads
- Rosa setigera — climbing prairie rose
- Salix brachycarpa var. psammophila — sand dune short-capsuled willow
- Salix silicicola — felt-leaf willow
- Salix turnorii — Turnor's willow
- Solidago houghtonii — Houghton's goldenrod
- Solidago riddellii — Riddell's goldenrod
- Tanacetum huronense var. floccosum — floccose tansy
Mosses
Extirpated mosses
- Ptychomitrium incurvum — incurved grizzled moss
Endangered mosses
- Bartramia stricta — rigid apple moss
- Bryoandersonia illecebra — spoon-leaved moss
- Entosthodon rubiginosus — rusty cord-moss
- Fabronia pusilla — silver hair moss
- Fissidens pauperculus — poor pocket moss
- Scouleria marginata — margined streamside moss
Threatened mosses
- Bartramia halleriana — Haller's apple moss
- Pterygoneurum kozlovii — alkaline wing-nerved moss
Mosses of special concern
- Bryoerythrophyllum columbianum — Columbian carpet moss
- Entosthodon fascicularis — banded cord-moss
- Fissidens exilis — pygmy pocket moss
- Syntrichia laevipila — twisted oak moss
Lichens
Endangered lichens
- Erioderma pedicellatum — boreal felt lichen
- Heterodermia sitchensis — seaside centipede lichen
Threatened lichens
- Leptogium rivulare — flooded jellyskin
Lichens of special concern
- Erioderma pedicellatum — boreal felt lichen
- Nephroma occultum — cryptic paw
- Sclerophora peronella — frosted glass-whiskers