2014 guide to species at risk in the prairie provinces

Official title: Species at Risk - A guide to Canada's species at risk in the Prairie Provinces – March 2014

Cover photo of Species at Risk - A guide to Canada's species at risk in the Prairie Provinces – March 2014
Cover photos: © Nick Saunders, © Candace Neufeld, © Mike Reese.
Artist: Mike Gerencser © Environment Canada

The contents of this booklet pertain to terrestrial species at risk in the Prairie ecozone.

The new federal Species at Risk Act

A young girl in pigtails is kneeling down in the tall grass, smelling a light coloured flower.
Photo: © Gene Fortney

Farmers, ranchers, Aboriginal groups, scientists, and people with an interest in nature have observed the disappearance of plants and animals for decades.

The federal Species at Risk Act, in full effect since June 1, 2004, is designed to work cooperatively with landowners and provincial governments to protect species at risk and their habitats. Under the Species at Risk Act, species that are threatened, endangered and extirpated (extinct in Canada but exist elsewhere), and their residences (e.g. nest or den) and critical habitats receive protection.

The purpose of the Species at Risk Act is:

  • to prevent wildlife species from becoming extinct or extirpated
  • to help recover extirpated, endangered and threatened species
  • to ensure that species of special concern do not become endangered or threatened.

For more information about the Act, visit: Species at Risk Public Registry.

Stewardship and Incentive Programs

Taking voluntary action as a landowner to protect species at risk on your land is imperative to their survival in Canada.

The Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk (HSP) provides funding for projects that conserve and protect species at risk and their habitats. Over the past 13 years, the HSP has supported over 2,100 projects across Canada, contributing over $125 million towards on-theground conservation action by partners and stakeholders. The HSP continues to be available to assist individuals and groups seeking to implement actions for the conservation and protection of this species.

Across the Prairies, numerous organizations have received HSP funding to develop programs and initiatives geared towards educating and enabling landowners to manage species at risk on their land.

In Saskatchewan, landowners have been provided funding for watering systems and fencing to benefit both species at risk and cattle. Alberta based outreach programs have enhanced the protection of the burrowing owl and loggerhead shrike on private land. Manitoba agricultural and livestock producers have benefited from the implementation of twice-over rotational grazing on their native pastures.

Two men are standing talking in a pasture
Photo: G. C. Trottier © Environment Canada, 2014
Long description for photo

Two men are standing talking in a pasture, with grassy hills in the background.

Categories of species at risk

Species at risk are listed in one of five categories:

Extinct:
A wildlife species that no longer exists.
Extirpated:
A wildlife species that no longer exists in the wild in Canada, but exists elsewhere.
Endangered:
A wildlife species that is facing imminent extirpation or extinction.
Threatened:
A wildlife species likely to become an endangered species if nothing is done to reverse the factors leading to its extirpation or extinction.
Special Concern:
A wildlife species that may become a threatened or an endangered species because of a combination of biological characteristics and identified threats.

This guide includes threatened and endangered species found in the Prairie provinces. The Species at Risk Act also provides protection for extirpated species including: the greater prairie chicken and the Prairie population of grizzly bear. There are numerous species of special concern found in the Prairies. Management plans are prepared to conserve these species and if they become threatened or endangered they would also be protected by the Act. For the complete list of species, visit: Species at Risk Public Registry.

How to use this guide

The purpose of this guide is to help you identify the endangered and threatened species on the Prairies listed in the federal Species at Risk Act. This publication will be updated periodically when new endangered or threatened species are designated. For an official current list of species visit: Species at Risk Public Registry.

The range maps show the distribution of each species throughout the Prairie provinces so you can determine at a glance if they may occur in your area.

Some species may also occur in other parts of Canada or in the U.S. but this publication only depicts their range within the Prairie provinces.

A map of the three prairie provinces
Map
Long description for map

This is map of the three prairie provinces showing water bodies/features, main highways and the cities of Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina and Winnipeg. A map similar to this will be used to show the distribution of each species throughout the Prairie provinces in this booklet. The map legend, to the right of the provinces, shows the brown colour that will represent the species distribution in the species specific maps on the following pages.

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