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General Status Rank Table

This is an image of a table that includes the definition of the general status ranks for the assessment of wild species in Canada. The ranks and their definitions are: Extinct - Species that are extirpated worldwide (i.e., they no longer exist anywhere); Extirpated - Species that are no longer present in Ontario, but occur in other areas; At Risk - Species for which a formal, detailed risk assessment (COSEWIC or COSSARO status assessment) has been completed and that has been determined to be Endangered or Threatened; May Be At Risk - Species that may be at risk of extirpation or extinction and are therefore candidates for a detailed risk assessment by COSEWIC or COSSARO; Sensitive - Species that are not believed to be at risk of immediate extirpation or extinction but may require special attention or protection to prevent them from becoming at risk (includes species listed as Special Concern); Secure - Species that are not believed to belong in the categories Extirpated, Extinct, At Risk, May Be At Risk, Sensitive, Accidental or Exotic. This category includes some species that show a trend of decline in numbers in Ontario but remain relatively widespread or abundant; Exotic - Species that have been moved beyond their natural range and are found in Ontario as a result of human activity. Exotic species are excluded from all other categories. Exotic species = alien species that are not native to any Ontario ecosystem; Undetermined - Species for which insufficient data, information, or knowledge is available with which to reliably evaluate their general status; Not Assessed - Species that are known or believed to be present in Ontario, but have not yet been assessed by the general status program; Accidental - Species occurring infrequently and unpredictably, outside their usual range. Species in the first five categories are considered to be species of conservation concern.