Issues Update: Species at Risk

Photo: Jennifer Howard

Did you know there are 23 new species proposed to be added to the Species at Risk Act (SARA)? These species were assessed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), an independent scientific advisory body made up of independent specialists, Aboriginal knowledge-holders, government biologists, academics, museum staff and independent biologists. COSEWIC meets twice a year to assess Canadian species that may be at risk.

Once COSEWIC makes its decisions, the assessments are given to the Minister of the Environment, who in turn makes his recommendation to the Governor in Council (GIC). Based on the Minister’s recommendation, the GIC may accept the assessment, adding the species to SARA, decide not to add the species to SARA, or refer the species back to COSEWIC.

The following are the species that have been proposed to be added to SARA: 

If listed as threatened or endangered under SARA, these species will receive protective measures to keep them from becoming extinct or extirpated, as well as receive recovery strategies and action plans. For those species that are listed as being of special concern, management plans will be prepared to prevent them from becoming endangered or threatened.

You can be sure that CWF will be keeping a watchful eye on this situation as the GIC is expected to make its decision on March 12.

SARA is set to undergo its five year parliamentary review. While SARA is a “…commitment to prevent wildlife species from becoming extinct and secure the necessary actions for their recovery,” the Act is falling short on some of its intentions. 

With habitat loss the main reason for many species making their way onto the Species at Risk list, critical habitat is to be identified and protected under the Act. However, habitat identification is being stalled for many reasons, making it difficult to adequately protect many at-risk species.

Additional concerns surround recovery strategies, which are not being produced by legal deadlines, and CWF believes socio-economic factors are preventing some species from being placed on SARA.   

CWF will make these concerns known during the review process. SARA needs to be strengthened to better protect Canada’s wildlife species.