How many endemic species are in the US?

The United States is home to numerous endemic species, with estimates ranging from thousands to tens of thousands, depending on the taxonomic group and the definition of endemism used. The exact number is difficult to determine due to ongoing taxonomic revisions, but some well-known examples of US endemic species include:

- The giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum), a massive tree species found in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California

- The Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia), a distinctive tree-like succulent found in the Mojave Desert

- The Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus), a large marine mammal found in the North Pacific around Alaska and California

- The black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes), a critically endangered mammal once thought extinct, now found only in a few select locations in the western US

- The California condor (Gymnogyps californianus), a large scavenging bird found in coastal and mountainous regions of California and adjacent states.

These are just a few examples, and the actual number of endemic species in the US is much higher. Each region within the country, from the lush forests of the Pacific Northwest to the arid deserts of the Southwest, harbors its own unique assemblage of endemic species that have adapted to the specific environmental conditions of their habitats.