Percentage of Species at Risk: More about the Data

The data used to develop this indicator (and sub-indicators) is based upon the Species at Risk assessments done by Alberta Sustainable Resource Development. This work is part of Canada's national strategy on Species at Risk (General Status of Wild Species in Canada). Every five years, an inventory of the assessments is conducted to arrive at a new overall assessment of Species at Risk. Eight groups of organisms are included in the assessment process: amphibians, freshwater fish, orchids, ferns, mammals, butterflies, reptiles, and birds. A series of criteria is used to evaluate the risk of extinction or extirpation (extinction in Alberta or extinction within a confined area). The criteria include: population size, number of occurrences, distribution, population trend, distribution trend, threats to population, and threats to habitat.

The assessment uses the criteria rating for each species to assign it to a status category: Extirpated/Extinct, At Risk, May Be At Risk, Sensitive, Secure, Undetermined, Not Assessed, Exotic, or Accidental/Vagrant.

Preliminary status evaluations have been carried out on over 4700 species of 12 species groups in Alberta, however only 8 species groups were included in the Year 2000 analysis (General Status of Alberta Wild Species 2000).