Alberta Wildlife Status Reports

In 1997, Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) began producing Alberta Wildlife Status Reports for wild species believed to be declining in Alberta. Between 1998 and 2020, ACA and AEP co-produced this ongoing report series. These reports are the essential first step for a species to have its status assessed, and they play a key role in identifying Endangered and Threatened species that need legal protection and recovery actions to keep them from becoming extinct in Alberta. Each status report summarizes the information needed for assessing a species’ status—where it lives, the specific habitat it requires, its population size and whether it is stable/increasing/declining, factors preventing the species from thriving in Alberta, and what work has been done or is ongoing to manage the species in Alberta. A committee of Alberta-based scientists compares the information in each status report to internationally set thresholds (e.g., for population size) and recommends a status for the species. Using international criteria and thresholds ensures the status assessment process is as unbiased as possible. The status recommended by the scientists is subsequently scrutinized by an Alberta-based multi-stakeholder committee (the Endangered Species Conservation Committee [ESCC]). Composed of land managers, academic institutions, conservation groups, and industry, the committee provides its recommendation on a species’ status to the Minister of AEP. The ultimate decision on status designation (e.g., Endangered, Threatened) is made by the Minister. ACA continues to play a role in assessing the status of Alberta’s species at risk through ongoing data collection for many species, as well as our representation on the ESCC.

Partnerships

Alberta Environment and Parks

Annual Summaries

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