Quebec Terrestrial And Freshwater Species Distribution Maps

Government and Municipalities of Québec provides distribution maps for 225 species across four taxonomic groups. The dataset includes 21 amphibian, 69 terrestrial mammal, 118 freshwater fish, and 17 reptile species ranges. Ranges were validated by provincial wildlife directorates and are provided in multiple geospatial formats.

Use Cases

• Analyze spatial overlap between terrestrial mammal and reptile species ranges to model habitat competition.
• Map freshwater fish species distribution against watershed data to assess conservation priorities for 118 species.
• Validate amphibian species presence indicators using the small-scale distribution areas for 21 species.
• Compare reptile distribution maps with current field survey data to identify potential range shifts.

Strengths

• Contains validated distribution data for 225 total species.
• Ranges were established and reviewed by three provincial wildlife expertise directorates (DPEFT, DPEMV, DPEFA).
• Data available in six geospatial formats (HTML, GEOJSON, SHP, GPKG, FGDB/GDB, SQLITE) for interoperability.

Limitations

• Distribution maps are produced at a small scale and provide only indicative presence information.
• The dataset explicitly excludes marine mammals that frequent Quebec's coasts, limiting marine biodiversity analysis.
• Ranges may differ from current spatial distribution as noted in the source description.

Provenance

Source

Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks (MELCCFP).

Collection Method

Ranges established from various information sources and validated by provincial wildlife expertise directorates.

Time Range

null

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03 25.

Geography

Province of Quebec, Canada.