What does this mean for Canadian biodiversity?
In 1997, the government of P.E.I. made the decision that every ten years, an assessment of the state and well-being of their wildlife should be conducted in order to protect biodiversity within the province. The most recent of these reports revealed significant species loss on the island, with several plants and animals no longer able to be found within the region. The “General Status of Species in Canada” report constitutes an effort to monitor changes within various regional ecosystems, in order to conserve the province’s environment. Within this report, wildlife can be defined as including both plants and animals, and researchers sought to determine the populations, as well as the prosperity of these species. The first of these reports was released in 2007, sharing 10 years of research, while the second report was completed in 2020, with its results only being published on the province’s website on Sept. 26, 2025. This analysis assessed the well-being of 5641 total different species found in P.E.I.
According to the 2020 report, at least 23 species are presumed to have disappeared from the island (10 plants, three insects, five birds and five mammals). This means although they may not be globally extinct, they can no longer be found within the region. The report said, “as unfortunate as this is, little, if anything, can be done to rectify their status; this is especially true for mammals, like lynx and woodland caribou.” The disappearance of these species can be linked to several factors, but can largely be explained by habitat loss as a result of industrialization and agricultural expansion, leading to the destruction of ecosystems. As described in the report, “in the 1700s, P.E.I.’s landscape consisted almost entirely of forests, wetlands, and sand dunes. By 1900, only 30 per cent of the original forest remained, and many wetlands had been converted or altered for agriculture.” The province’s growing economic prosperity has come at the cost of biodiversity, as the development of farms, communities, and the tourism industry has contributed to significant deforestation and habitat destruction. The report also revealed approximately 40 per cent of the species found in P.E.I are labelled as being of higher concern, suggesting the need for significant intervention to ensure their protection.
Similar disappearances have been witnessed in various provinces, such as the decline in population of Quebec’s provincial bird, the snowy owl, which, according to a 2025 report by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, has declined around 40 per cent in population over the last 24 years. A larger-scale report was conducted by The World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF-Canada), similarly tracking the populations of varying species across the country over the last two decades. This 2025 study, the “Living Planet Report Canada,” revealed “more than half (52 per cent) of the species studied are decreasing in abundance. On average, every species group included — birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians — is trending in the wrong direction.”
There are several problems facing Canada’s ecosystems impacting these population trends: habitat loss and degradation from industrial development and agriculture, overharvesting, environmental contamination and climate change. The reduction in available resources and secure habitats has increased competition amongst species, often forcing wildlife outside of their natural habitats in order to seek food and suitable environmental conditions. Although significant damage has already been done to our ecosystems and climate over the last several decades, there is no better time to take action than now. Vice-President of WWF-Canada, Megan Leslie, gave this statement regarding the gravity of the reports. “The findings of the Living Planet Report Canada are nature’s warning light, and it’s telling us wildlife and their habitats are threatened.” This is not to say, however, the situation is without hope. Leslie continues, “This warning also gives us an opportunity to turn things around before it’s too late. It is imperative that we act now to protect and restore the nature that not only sustains wildlife, but also the heart of our economies.” Through collective action such as regulating our consumption, advocating for protective environmental legislation, and prioritizing the restoration and protection of habitats over destructive development, these at-risk populations have a chance of recovering and thriving within their natural environments.