Species At Risk
Manitoba Conservation has made significant contributions to the conservation of
Manitoba's biological diversity through its traditional programs for species at risk and
non-game species.
The Wildlife and Ecosystem Protection Branch is responsible for the administration of The Endangered Species Act. Populations of
species listed under the Act are monitored
by the Branch and it's partners to better understand their current population status and
threats to their habitat.
Detailed records on Manitoba's animals, plants, and plant communities at risk, together
with their known location, are maintained in the Biological Conservation Data system
of the Wildlife and Ecosystem Protection Branch. The information is used to assess the conservation status of each
species, predict the impacts of projects on species and their habitat, assist in
conservation or development planning, support ecological research and monitoring, and for
education purposes.
The Wildlife and Ecosystem Protection Branch also represents wildlife interests in national, and international
initiatives for species at risk. In 1977, Manitoba signed on to the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The signing
parties act by banning commercial international trade in an agreed list of endangered
species and by regulating and monitoring trade in others that might become endangered. The
Wildlife branch is authorized to issue CITES export permits.
In 1978, Manitoba joined with the federal and the other provincial and territorial
governments as well as three non-governmental organizations to establish the Committee on
the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) as an
independent body of scientific experts to help identify species at risk. The Branch
currently acts as a scientific advisor for the committee.
In 1988, Manitoba signed on to the committee on the Recovery of Nationally Endangered
Wildlife's (RENEW)
strategy. By doing so, Manitoba engaged in the protection and the recovery of species at
risk in the province.
In 1994, the federal government initiated the development of a national endangered
species legislation, which resulted in an extensive intergovernmental and public
stakeholder consultative process. Manitoba subsequently signed a federal provincial Accord
for the Protection of Species at Risk in Canada (the
Accord) on October 2, 1996. With its accompanying Framework for the Conservation of
Species at Risk, the Accord established a mechanism for co-operation among federal,
provincial and territorial governments to ensure that species at risk are protected
throughout Canada. RENEW's mandate is currently being redesigned to meet the requirements
of the Accord.
The federal government proclaimed the Species at Risk Act (SARA)
in June 2003, resulting in the listing of a number of Manitoba
species at the federal level. The implications
of the Accord and SARA are significant to Manitoba. There is an increased obligation for
Manitoba and other jurisdictions to develop programs for the monitoring and recovery of
Species at Risk. The Wildlife and Ecosystem Protection Branch will play the lead role in coordinating Manitoba's
input into the implementation of SARA.
For more information, please view the An Overview - Manitoba's
Species at Risk brochure (PDF document 242 KB). |
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