Progress status
Not available

This indicator corresponds to the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators Canadian species index.

Sub-categories

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Headline data

Canadian species index
Year Value Series
1970 0.0 By species group
1971 1.45 By species group
1972 2.66 By species group
1973 3.52 By species group
1974 3.98 By species group
1975 4.53 By species group
1976 4.85 By species group
1977 5.03 By species group
1978 5.59 By species group
1979 6.34 By species group
1980 7.25 By species group
1981 8.03 By species group
1982 8.01 By species group
1983 8.11 By species group
1984 8.97 By species group
1985 9.7 By species group
1986 10.02 By species group
1987 8.85 By species group
1988 8.06 By species group
1989 7.23 By species group
1990 6.96 By species group
1991 6.58 By species group
1992 6.3 By species group
1993 6.5 By species group
1994 7.07 By species group
1995 7.15 By species group
1996 6.95 By species group
1997 6.52 By species group
1998 5.27 By species group
1999 4.17 By species group
2000 3.31 By species group
2001 2.77 By species group
2002 2.07 By species group
2003 1.59 By species group
2004 1.07 By species group
2005 1.17 By species group
2006 1.32 By species group
2007 1.17 By species group
2008 0.43 By species group
2009 -0.14 By species group
2010 -0.76 By species group
2011 -1.28 By species group
2012 -2.59 By species group
2013 -4.32 By species group
2014 -5.86 By species group
2015 -6.61 By species group
2016 -6.44 By species group
2017 -7.48 By species group
2018 -7.43 By species group
1970 0.0 By system
1971 1.45 By system
1972 2.66 By system
1973 3.52 By system
1974 3.98 By system
1975 4.53 By system
1976 4.85 By system
1977 5.03 By system
1978 5.59 By system
1979 6.34 By system
1980 7.25 By system
1981 8.03 By system
1982 8.01 By system
1983 8.11 By system
1984 8.97 By system
1985 9.7 By system
1986 10.02 By system
1987 8.85 By system
1988 8.06 By system
1989 7.23 By system
1990 6.96 By system
1991 6.58 By system
1992 6.3 By system
1993 6.5 By system
1994 7.07 By system
1995 7.15 By system
1996 6.95 By system
1997 6.52 By system
1998 5.27 By system
1999 4.17 By system
2000 3.31 By system
2001 2.77 By system
2002 2.07 By system
2003 1.59 By system
2004 1.07 By system
2005 1.17 By system
2006 1.32 By system
2007 1.17 By system
2008 0.43 By system
2009 -0.14 By system
2010 -0.76 By system
2011 -1.28 By system
2012 -2.59 By system
2013 -4.32 By system
2014 -5.86 By system
2015 -6.61 By system
2016 -6.44 By system
2017 -7.48 By system
2018 -7.43 By system

Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada

Geographical Area: Canada

Unit of Measurement: Cumulative percentage change since 1970

The table below contains more information regarding the indicator.

Indicator name

Canadian species index
Target

No specific target
Indicator description

The Canadian species index represents the average percent change in the abundances of Canadian vertebrate species' populations since 1970. The index is an "average of trends", rather than a measure of change in the total number of animals: each species, whether it is common or rare, has the same effect on the index.

Animal wildlife populations depend on healthy habitats and can be negatively impacted by threats, such as pollution, habitat degradation or overhunting. Trends in animal populations can provide an indication of the health of biodiversity and ecosystems in Canada. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)
Geographical coverage

Canada
Unit of measurement

Cumulative percentage change since 1970
Calculations

The national index includes 928 species of birds, fish, mammals, amphibians and reptiles. The number of species represents 52% of the 1 798 native vertebrate species that regularly occur in Canada. Birds are the best represented species group, with about 89% of all bird species regularly occurring in Canada represented. 35% of native fish species as well as 55% of native mammal species are represented. Amphibians and reptiles are the least represented species group, as the data for the species regularly occurring in Canada have poor geographical coverage across the reporting period. (ECCC)
Comments and limitations

The national trend is the average rate of change across all monitored vertebrate species. The indices may reflect changes in data availability. Data are not available for all species and do not always cover the geographic range of each species or the whole time period reported. While large scale trends broadly reflect environmental change, smaller scale subindices can be subject to change if species with a different trajectory are added. The index should be interpreted with these limitations in mind. (ECCC)
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