Wildlife of Canada
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The wildlife of Canada or biodiversity of Canada consist of over 80,000 classified species,[lower-alpha 1] and an equal number thought yet to be recognized.[3] Known fauna and flora have been identified from five kingdoms:[4] protozoa represent approximately 1% of recorded species; chromist (approximately 4); fungis (approximately 16%); plants (approximately 11%); and animals (approximately 68%).[2][1] Insects account for nearly 70 percent of documented animal species in Canada.[2] More than 300 species are found exclusively in Canada.[5]
There are 20 major ecosystems – ecozones – in Canada: 15 terrestrial and 5 marine.[6] Canada's major biomes are the tundra, boreal forest, grassland, and temperate deciduous forest. Since the end of the last glacial period, Canada has consisted of eight distinct forest regions,[7] with approximately half of its land area covered by forests (roughly 8 percent of the world's forested land).[8]
Due to human activities, invasive species and environmental issues in the country,[9] there are currently more than 800 species at risk of being lost.[10] About 65 percent of Canada's resident species are considered secure.[4] Protected and conservation areas have been established to preserve and restore Canadian flora and fauna species.[11] Approximately 5000 Canadian animal species and 30,000 Canadian plant species are restricted from export for international trade.[12]