2. Bald Eagle  Common in 1700s and 1800s  1900s- decline in population  Farmers  Toxic chemical waste  Health of top-level carnivores indicates whether toxins are entering an ecosystem

3. COSEWIC  Committee On the Status of Endangered Wildlife In Canada  Assesses and designates which wild species are in danger of disappearing  http://canadianbiodiversity.mcgill.ca/english/ species/endangered/extinct.htm http://canadianbiodiversity.mcgill.ca/english/ species/endangered/extinct.htm

4. Classifying Species at Risk  Extinct  Extirpated  Endangered  Threatened  Special Concern

5. Extinct  Species that is no longer found anywhere  Example: Great Auk  QC, NB, NS, NL  Over-hunting  Extinct since 1844

6. Extirpated  Species that no longer exists in one area but can be found in others (Locally extinct)  Example: Grizzly Bear  No longer found in the Canadian prairies  Hunting and habitat destruction

7. Endangered  Species that is close to extinction in a significantly large location  Example: Beluga Whale  Arctic and Atlantic Ocean  Over-hunting  Habitat Degradation

8. Threatened  Any species that is likely to become endangered if things are not reversed  Example: Killer Whale  Pacific Ocean  Decrease in prey (salmon)  Physical and Accoustical Disturbances  Oil spills and contaminants

9. Special Concern  Species that are particularly sensitive to human activities or natural events and could become endangered or threatened  Example: Polar Bear  YT, NT, NU, MB, ON, QC, NL, Arctic Ocean  Overharvest  Climate Change

10. SARA  Species at Risk Act  Established in 2003  Purpose is to protect wildlife species at risk in Canada.  Government must legally protect species designated by COSEWIC.

11. Extinction in Modern World  Extinction rates are increasing  Causes?????  Mostly human activities  Mass extinction occurred before humans  Caused by major catastrophes  Example: Yucatan Peninsula- Asteroid

12. Effects of Extinction  Biodiversity- number of species in an ecosystem  “Domino Effect”- Removal of one part can cause the collapse of the entire food chain.  Example: over-hunting of sea otters  Sea urchin population increased  led to destruction of kelp beds

13. What is our role? Restoring the Balance Once an ecosystem is damaged, should it be fixed?  Example: Petitcodiac River  Example: Wolves of Yellowstone National Park  Example: Peregrine Falcons in NB