Released on March 3, 1999
Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management Minister Lorne Scotttoday announced the first designation of 15 plants and animals in new
regulations under the species-at-risk provisions of The Wildlife Act.
"These species represent the first priority for listing because they
are currently listed as extirpated (no longer exist in Saskatchewan),
endangered (threatened with immediate extirpation) or threatened
(likely to become endangered) by the Committee on the Status of
Endangered Wildlife in Canada," Scott said.
This action upholds the province's commitment to designate, protect
and recover wild species at risk. Recovery plans will be developed
and implemented for species on the list. Recovery plans will:
collect more information about a species using such methods as
research studies;
establish population goals and objectives;
identify factors limiting species population; and
prepare options to recover populations using habitat protection
and conservation strategies.
Recovery work is currently being done for five species: swift fox,
burrowing owl, whooping crane, piping plover and sage grouse.
The species at-risk designation means that these plants and animals
are protected from being: disturbed, collected, harvested, captured,
killed and exported.
These 15 plants and animals are being designated as
species-at-risk in response to recommendations made by an
independent scientific committee which conducted assessments on
these species. These proposed designations were reviewed by the
Endangered Species Advisory Committee, which was established
under The Wildlife Act. Ongoing scientific review continues on
additional species to assess their level of risk.
"This is a major step toward fulfilling Saskatchewan's commitment
to the Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk in Canada,
which was ratified by provinces, territories and the federal
government in September of 1998," Scott said.
The accord requires all jurisdictions to establish complementary
legislation and programs for the protection of species at risk in
Canada.
The Endangered Species Committee includes representation from:
Nature Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, Ducks
Unlimited, Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan, Watchable
Wildlife Association of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Wheat Pool,
Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association, Saskatchewan Association
of Rural Municipalities, Saskatchewan Council of Forest
Industries, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers and
Saskatchewan Mining Association.
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For more information contact:
Dave Brewster
Manager, Population Management
Fish and Wildlife Branch
Environment and Resource
Management
Regina, Phone: (306) 787-9031
Earl Wiltse
Provincial Endangered Species
Specialist
Fish and Wildlife Branch
Environment and Resource
Management
Regina,
Phone: (306) 787-2889
Species designated and listed in Regulations under The Wildlife Act
Common Name (Scientific Name)Status
Extirpated Animals
Plains Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos)
Black-Footed Ferret (Mustela nigripes)
Greater Prairie Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido)
Eskimo Curlew (Numenius borealis)
Endangered Animals
Swift Fox (Vulpes velox)
Burrowing Owl (Speotypo cunicularia)
Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus)
Whooping Crane (Grus americana)
Sage Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)
Extirpated Plants
Small White Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium candidum)
Endangered Plants
Sand Verbena (Abronia micrantha)Endangered
Western Spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis)
Tiny Cryptanthe (Cryptantha minima)
Hairy Prairie-Clover (Dalea villosa)
Threatened Plants
Slender Mouse-Ear Cress (Halimolobos virgata)