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The story in this book represents the process, under the
Species at Risk (NWT) Act
, used for identifying species
at risk and for taking actions, when necessary, to address the problems species are facing. This process is
explained briefly below.
First, a species is identified as one that needs to be studied. These species can be identified by the Species at
Risk Committee (SARC), the Conference of Management Authorities (CMA) or people of the NWT.
The species is referred to SARC. An assessment of that species is done by pulling together all of the existing
traditional, community, and scientific knowledge. The assessment is SARC’s recommendation about what the
status of the species should be, and whether they feel the species is at risk and should be added to the NWT
List of Species at Risk.
This assessment goes to the CMA, which is made up of representatives from the groups responsible for
managing wildlife in each of the regions of the NWT. The CMA then does community consultations to ask
people what they think should be done. After this, the CMA decides on the status of the species, and whether
or not the species should be added to the NWT List of Species at Risk.
If the species is given the status ‘Special Concern’, a management plan is developed to ensure their numbers do
not decrease.
If the species is given the status ‘Endangered’, ‘Threatened’, or ‘Extirpated in the NWT’, then a recovery strategy
is developed to help their numbers increase.
In the NWT, at the time of writing this book, four species have been put on the NWT list of species at risk:
boreal caribou, Peary caribou, polar bear and hairy braya (a plant).
The assessment process is ongoing and the assessment schedule is revised each year. The following section lists
species in the NWT that have been assessed or that are scheduled for assessment. To learn more visit
About Species at Risk
Species on the NWT List of Species at Risk Status
Hairy Braya
(
Braya Pilosa
)
Threatened in the NWT
Peary Caribou
(
Rangifer tarandus pearyi
)
Threatened in the NWT
Polar Bear
(
Ursus maritimus
)
Special Concern in the NWT
Woodland Caribou boreal population (
Rangifer tarandus caribou
)
Threatened in the NWT
