Endemic
/en-DEM-ik/🦋 Ecology●● Intermediate
Also known as: native exclusively
A species or population restricted to a particular geographic region, occurring naturally nowhere else in the world. Endemic species are often found on islands, isolated mountain ranges, or unique habitats. They are typically more vulnerable to extinction because their entire population occupies a limited area. Many endemic species have evolved unique adaptations to their specific environment.
Etymology
Greek endemos (native, dwelling in a place), from en (in) + demos (people)
Example
“The giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) is endemic to a narrow belt on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada in California.”