AWA comments on proposed amendments to the List of Species under the Species at Risk Act
May 10, 2024
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Over the last couple of months, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada has sought input to inform the Cabinet’s decision on whether to add, reclassify or remove 13 species on the federal List of Wildlife Species at Risk. This is Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act (SARA).
AWA supplied comments for all species found within Alberta, including the small-flowered sand-verbena (Tripterocalyx micranthus), eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis), hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus) and silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans).
The proposed change to the status of the small-flowered sand-verbena is to downlist the species from endangered to special concern under SARA. Given the severity of threats, predicted habitat declines, current population estimates, and knowledge gaps with respect to the species’ lifecycle, AWA strongly encouraged ECCC to retain the species’ current status as endangered under SARA.
AWA strongly supported listing the three bat species as endangered and encouraged ECCC to swiftly determine and designate their respective critical habitat. AWA emphasized the necessity of the designation because of the important roles bats play within ecosystems, the extent and rate of population declines, the severity of threats, and existing knowledge gaps around habitat use and threat mitigations.
AWA’s full letters can be read below:
