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What are Species at Risk

Species at Risk are plants and animals with a low or declining population and are at risk of disappearing. Some may be naturally rare in Alberta, but require special management to ensure their survival.

General Status

Plants and animals in Alberta are assigned a General Status. Species labeled as At Risk, May be at Risk or Sensitive are considered to be Species at Risk.

Species labeled Secure are those with healthy populations.

Species are labeled Undetermined when there is not enough information available to determine status.

 

Examples of General Status in Alberta

At Risk: Ferruginous Hawk; Secure: Prairie Sunflower; Undetermined: Red-tailed Bumblebee

Detailed Status

Species ranked as At Risk or May be at Risk in Alberta are assigned a Detailed Status. A Detailed Status Report is completed for these species to determine if they should be protected by law.

A Detailed Status can be one of the following:

Endangered
Threatened
Special concern
Data deficient
Extinct (no longer exists anywhere)
Extirpated (no longer exists in Alberta, but may exist outside of the province)

 

Examples of Detailed Status in Alberta

ENDANGERED (AT RISK): Ferruginous Hawk; THREATENED (AT RISK): Northern Leopard Frog; SPECIAL CONCERN (AT RISK): Western Blue Frog