How Many Endangered Species Are There?

As of January 23rd, 2015 there were 100 endangered species in Ontario (Mauro, B. 2014). That number however includes plant and lichen species as well as fish and insect species. That is a large number strictly for Ontario and to be endangered when you think of how small Ontario is compared to the rest of Canada. Also what could startle some people before doing endangered species research is the wide variety of endangered species. If a simple plant species is endangered and is relied on heavily by a certain animal it affects the entire food chain in that area. It is very important to keep as many species as healthy as possible because if they continue to die off that means the chances of animals becoming and staying endangered increases immensely.

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If someone were to ask me before doing a bit of research “how many endangered species are there?” I would most likely answer in the thirty-forty range because the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Ontario when it comes to nature is an abundance of animals and plants.  It’s quite shocking to me that 100 endangered species populate our province, especially considering there are more classified under special concern, extirpated and threatened. Each person has a duty to preserve and support our animals’ habitats, and unfortunately it seems as though some generations were not taught the importance of respecting the environment.

Now how do you feel about answering ones question of how many endangered species are there in Ontario?