Archived News Releases

Conservation Minister Stan Struthers announced today that four species have been declared as threatened and an additional species declared as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

 

The Sprague’s pipit, hairy prairie-clover, buffalo grass and hackberry have been confirmed as threatened and the Ross’s gull has officially been declared as endangered.  These species require this level of protection because of limited distribution, low numbers or their dependence on specialized habitats.

 

“This protection helps to ensure the many species that make Manitoba home are given every opportunity to survive and thrive,” Struthers said.

 

Canada Post today also presented Struthers with a framed endangered species stamp set to recognize his contributions to the environment. 

 

 

The Endangered Species Act protects animals, plants and habitats to:

·         ensure the protection and enhance the survival of threatened and endangered species in Manitoba;

·         enable reintroduction of extirpated (locally extinct) species into the province; and

·         designate species as threatened, endangered extirpated or extinct.

 

The legislation may be applied to any mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish or plant, living or dead.  A species is not protected until it has been declared by regulation under the act to be threatened, endangered extirpated or extinct. Once declared, it is unlawful to kill, injure, possess, disturb or interfere with the species; destroy, disturb or interfere with the habitat of the species; or damage, destroy, obstruct or remove a natural resource on which the species depends for its life and propagation.

Four of the five new species that have been listed are also listed under the federal Species at Risk Act.  The fifth species, hackberry, is not considered rare in Canada as a whole.  Manitoba Conservation has the lead role in co-ordinating the monitoring and recovery efforts for all of Manitoba’s listed species.

 

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