10 SPECIES AT-RISK

Ten endangered species on Canada’s ‘at-risk’ list, which also includes ‘threatened’ and other classifications:

1 Rusty-patched bumblebee

The rusty-patched bumblebee, among many struggling wild bee species in Canada, hasn’t been glimpsed in this country since 2009.

2 Burrowing owl

Populations of burrowing owls, which make their homes in the abandoned burrows of prairie dogs and ground squirrels, are dwindling for reasons that remain unclear.

3 Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly

The Taylor’s checkerspot was thought to have completely vanished from Canada before it was rediscovered in the Northern Gulf Islands of British Columbia.

4 Blanding’s turtle

The endangered Blanding’s turtle, recognizable by its bright yellow chin and throat, was the chief concern in a recent court case that stopped a major wind farm project in Ontario.

5 Wolverine (Eastern Population)

The wolverine is a trickster in First Nations mythology, but its value as a frost-free fur for parka linings has meant trouble for its populations in Eastern Canada.

6 Greater sage-grouse

The Greater sage-grouse, found in dwindling numbers in Alberta and Saskatchewan, is known for its spectacular courtship displays.

7 Whooping crane

Majestic whooping cranes, for decades an icon of conservation, now number in the hundreds after declining to less than two dozen birds toward the end of the Second World War.

8 White sturgeon

The white sturgeon, which can grow to the length of a mini bus, is struggling today even though its ancestors thrived for almost 200 million years.

9 Butternut

Butternut, a tree found throughout Eastern Canada, is being decimated by a disease known as the butternut canker.

10 Eastern prickly pear cactus

This low cactus living in southwestern Ontario has been under pressure from collectors among other threats.