Thousands of endangered species in British Columbia are not receiving the help they need to survive, according to new Simon Fraser University research.
B.C. is Canada's most biodiverse province, but analysis of nearly 20 years of data indicates that very few of its threatened species are showing signs of recovery, largely due to a lack of legislative protection.
"We're surrounded by an extraordinary wealth of biodiversity, but we're not taking meaningful steps to protect it for future generations," says Peter Thompson, a postdoctoral fellow in the School of Environmental Science.
"Nothing is changing, nothing is getting better, we are not doing enough."
Researchers looked at data from the BC Conservation Data Centre, between 2008-2025, to gauge the changing status of at-risk plant and animal species.
They found that only 14 species have undergone genuine improvements since 2008, such as: the hairy woodpecker, the western pondhawk dragonfly and the humpback whale.
The province is home to 493 red-listed species (critically imperilled), and 1,233 blue-listed species (vulnerable) - a 25 per cent increase from 2008. This increase is largely due to the addition of species, rather than species shifting categories.
The study, published in Facets, also found that 14 species have changed for the worse, such as: the monarch butterfly, the kildeer, the bobolink and the horned lark.
"Without any formal legislation to protect these species and their habitats, this list is simply an admission that highly endangered species exist in B.C.," says Thompson, the study's lead author.
"The overwhelming majority of species that were at risk 18 or more years ago remain at risk. There is a clear gap in legal protections, which must be resolved by a dedicated provincial law.
"Otherwise, this list risks becoming a historic document of the biodiversity that B.C. used to possess."
Experts also found that more than 900 species are known to be at-risk in B.C., but are yet to be officially reviewed. The vast majority of these so-called "ghost species" are arthropods, such as spiders.
"Insects are a group that is criminally understudied and often disliked by people, but they are vital for the ecosystem," says Thompson.
"There are thousands of species of insects found in B.C., that's way more than birds or mammals. So they are deserving of far more attention that they're currently getting."
Case studies
Improving
Three dragonfly species, the blue dasher, western pondhawk, and black saddlebags, have all undergone range expansions and population increases in B.C. according to a 2023 reassessment. All three species have been observed more frequently in Canada in recent years, likely confirming the increase in range, with warming temperatures appearing to be the primary driver of range expansion.
Getting worse
The Bobolink is a medium-sized migratory songbird that breeds across southern Canada in various grassland habitats. Breeding habitat for grassland birds is disappearing rapidly across Canada, including in B.C. In 2022, the Bobolink was moved to a more imperilled status, changing from blue to red, based on population declines and increasing threats.
AVAILABLE EXPERTS
PETER THOMPSON, postdoctoral fellow, School of Environmental Science, Faculty of Environment
Contact
SAM SMITH, SFU Communication & Marketing
236.880.3297 | [email protected]
Communications & Marketing | SFU Media Experts Directory
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