Number of species in Canada

How many species are there in Canada ?

Canada has around 80,000 wild species (not including viruses and bacteria)

Why are there so many different species?

The diversity of habitats in Canada, such as deciduous forests, boreal forests, tundra and ocean regions, supports a large variety of species.

These species are divided into 5 kingdoms. Of the known, or identified, species in Canada, approximately: 

1. 68% are animals
2. 16% are fungi
3. 11% are plants
4. 4% are chromists
5. 1% are protozoa

Within each of these kingdoms, organisms are divided into a multitude of species groups.

A kingdom is part of the classification system of living organisms.

Did you know? Insects are the most diverse group of organisms, accounting for nearly 70% of all known animal species in Canada. 

Have all of Canada's 80,000 wild species been studied?

No, not yet. Scientists are working hard to establish a conservation status for every species found in Canada. Over 50,000 wild species have been studied.

Did you know? Fungi are not plants! They have their own kingdom.

What about unknown species?

There are potentially many unknown species in Canada. Some may be completely new to scientists, while others may be known, but have not been recorded in Canada yet.

The estimate of the number of species in Canada is likely to continue to rise as these unrecorded species are discovered.  

Action alerts

#1: Help scientists discover new species in Canada by taking photos of any organism you see in the wild. Upload that photo to the iNaturalist application on your mobile device. 

#2: Help identify species in your community by participating in a BioBlitz, which is an intensive plant and animal inventory.

#3: Consult the Wild Species 2020 report for an overview of the status of different Canadian species