Fisheries biologists are unsure whether these fish were introduced. Pine marten, fisher and lynx are uncommon. Like woodland caribou, they are unlisted because they exist elsewhere. Caribou vanished from our mainland by 1905 and from Cape Breton by 1912. Whether eastern cougar exist here remains a subject of hot debate.
Birds are a particular problem.
Their mobility means that many could be listed, because faraway species stray into Nova Scotia. Birds on this list fall into several categories. Breeding may even occur, but these species have never been abundant here. A host of other birds qualifies for this category, and could be added to the table, producing a very different looking situation on paper. The Ipswich sparrow, once considered a separate species, is now classified as a lighter coloured race of the savannah sparrow.