Table 5. COSEWIC status categories

Extinct (X)
A Wildlife Species that no longer exists.
Extirpated (XT)
A Wildlife Species that no longer exists in the wild in Canada, but exists elsewhere.
Endangered (E)
A Wildlife Species facing imminent extirpation or extinction.
Threatened (T)
A Wildlife Species that is likely to become an endangered if nothing is done to reverse the factors leading to its extirpation or extinction.
Special Concern (SC)
A Wildlife Species that may become threatened or endangered because of a combination of biological characteristics and identified threats.
Data Deficient (DD)
A category that applies when the available information is insufficient (a) to resolve a Wildlife Species' eligibility for assessment or (b) to permit an assessment of the Wildlife Species' risk of extinction.
Not At Risk (NAR)
A Wildlife Species that has been evaluated and found to be not at risk of extinction given the current circumstances.

About us

The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) is an independent advisory panel to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada that meets twice a year to assess the status of wildlife species at risk of extinction. Members are wildlife biology experts from academia, government, non-governmental organizations and the private sector responsible for designating wildlife species in danger of disappearing from Canada.

COSEWIC secretariat

Canadian Wildlife Service
Environment and Climate Change Canada
351 St. Joseph Blvd, 14th floor
Gatineau QC K1A 0H3

Email: cosewic-cosepac@ec.gc.ca


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