Endangered Species
1. Find another example for each classification. Search http://naturecanada.ca and follow the
appropriate links.
Classification
Description
Example
extinct
a species that is no longer found
anywhere
blue walleye,
endangered
a species that is close to extinction
in all parts of Canada or in a
significantly large location
eastern cougar,
extirpated
any species that no longer exists in
one part of Canada, but can be
found in others
grizzly bear,
threatened
any species that is likely to become
endangered if factors that make it
vulnerable are not reversed
wood bison,
vulnerable
any species that is at risk because
of low or declining numbers at the
fringe of its range or in some
restricted area
grey fox,
2. Using the criteria above, classify each of the following species as extinct, endangered,
extirpated, threatened, or vulnerable. Explain your classification.
a) The wood turtle is found in pockets throughout southern Ontario, southern Quebec, New
Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. The number of wood turtles in Canada seems to be stable, but in
the United States their numbers are decreasing as many are being taken from the wild into
homes as pets.
_______________________________
b) Furbish’s lousewort is a tall herb that grows on riverbanks. In Canada, it grows only on a
200-km stretch of the Saint John River in New Brunswick. Forestry, farming, and flooding
caused by hydroelectric dams all affect the area in which it lives.
_______________________________
c) The greater prairie chicken has not been seen in Ontario, Manitoba, or Alberta for many
years. It was last seen in Saskatchewan in 1977. It can still be found in the prairie states of the
U.S.
_______________________________
3.
Choose one of the at-risk species listed in the table above and do further research.
Make notes here:
Species: ______________________________
Where is the species located?
Why is the species at risk?
Are there any initiatives underway to
improve the status of the species?
What could you do to help?
Add your own question here.
Use your notes to write a paragraph or two about the endangered species.
Find an image and label a map for location(s) of your species. Store in your pictures folder for
your magazine. Use Google Maps to place data on a map.