Key Words
Wildlife- Undomesticated animals living in the wild, including those hunted for food, sport or profit.
Native wildlife- a naturally occurring species; indigenous.
For this course, “native” relates to Ontario.
Exotic wildlife- species that are not native (natural) to an area are also known as non-native species,
introduced species, non-indigenous species, alien species and invasive species.
Species Status
Extinct- no longer in existence; a species that has died out.
Extirpate- elimination of a species from a given area; local extinction
Endangered- species in danger of extinction or extirpation if the harmful factors affecting their
populations continue to operate.
Threatened- A designation given to species that are likely to become endangered in the foreseeable
future if current trends continue.
Wildlife Environment
Habitat- the place or environment where an animal or plant naturally or normally lives and raises young.
Range- the geographic are or areas normally inhabited by a species.
Niche- that part of a habitat particularly suited to the requirements of a given species; the unique role
an animal or plant plays in its ecosystem.
Population- the number of a particular species in a defined area.
Carrying capacity- the number of wildlife species that a given unit of habitat will support without
damage to the habitat.
Wildlife Health
Anatomy- the study of animal forms and the structure of the body
Food chain- a sequence of feeding types, on successive levels within a community through which energy
and biomass is transferred (e.g. plants are eaten by rodents that are eaten by snakes that are eaten by
hawks).
Survivability- a wild animal’s ability to acquire food, escape from predators and do other normal
behaviours such as migration
Keystone species- a species that other species depend upon for survival; a species that plays a critical
role in the maintaining the structure of an ecological community and whose impact on the community is
greater than would be expected based on its relative abundance of total biomass.
Wildlife- Undomesticated animals living in the wild, including those hunted for food, sport or profit.
Native wildlife- a naturally occurring species; indigenous.
For this course, “native” relates to Ontario.
Exotic wildlife- species that are not native (natural) to an area are also known as non-native species,
introduced species, non-indigenous species, alien species and invasive species.
Species Status
Extinct- no longer in existence; a species that has died out.
Extirpate- elimination of a species from a given area; local extinction
Endangered- species in danger of extinction or extirpation if the harmful factors affecting their
populations continue to operate.
Threatened- A designation given to species that are likely to become endangered in the foreseeable
future if current trends continue.
Wildlife Environment
Habitat- the place or environment where an animal or plant naturally or normally lives and raises young.
Range- the geographic are or areas normally inhabited by a species.
Niche- that part of a habitat particularly suited to the requirements of a given species; the unique role
an animal or plant plays in its ecosystem.
Population- the number of a particular species in a defined area.
Carrying capacity- the number of wildlife species that a given unit of habitat will support without
damage to the habitat.
Wildlife Health
Anatomy- the study of animal forms and the structure of the body
Food chain- a sequence of feeding types, on successive levels within a community through which energy
and biomass is transferred (e.g. plants are eaten by rodents that are eaten by snakes that are eaten by
hawks).
Survivability- a wild animal’s ability to acquire food, escape from predators and do other normal
behaviours such as migration
Keystone species- a species that other species depend upon for survival; a species that plays a critical
role in the maintaining the structure of an ecological community and whose impact on the community is
greater than would be expected based on its relative abundance of total biomass.
