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Conservation Policy > Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) > Flashcards

Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) Flashcards

1
Q

What are the three probabilities of extinction across species in Canada?

A
  • Shallow gradient= no clear conservation priorities, none ‘stable’
  • Steep gradient = greater proportion critical, but still many ‘stable’
  • Extreme gradient = some highly critical spp., but most ‘stable’
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2
Q

How do we assess the probability of extinction and ranking conservation status?

A
  1. Qualitative criteria relying on best available evidence and expert opinion (many countries)
  2. Point scoring approaches utilize attributes that are scored and summed to indicate conservation priority
  3. Specific rules with quantitative thresholds to designate risk categories: measure the symptoms of extinction risk based on population attributes.

**As you move from 1 to three, reliability and consistency + resources required (assessment time and cost), increase

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3
Q

How do we assess and protect species with greatest probability of extinction?

A
  • characteristics of species and their threats
  • focus on pop characteristics of the species ex: pop size, trends and geographic distribution aka known characteristics that lea to a low persistence
  • use existing science or undertake new science to inform the probability of extinction
  • determine risk tolerance (at what probability of extinction is legislated action required.
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4
Q

What is NatureServe?

A
  • not for profit natural heritage branch of the Nature Conservancy
  • release status assessments based on quantitative and qualitative info
  • criteria for assigning ranks serve as guidelines rather than arithmetic rules
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5
Q

What are the NatureServe Global Rank (G-Rank) categories?

A

G1: Critically imperiled
L> at v high risk of extinction bc of extreme rarity (5 or fewer populations), very steep declines or other factors

G2: Imperilled
L> at high risk of extinction bc of restricted range, very few pops (often 20 or fewer, steep declines, or other factors

G3: Vulnerable
L> at moderate risk of extinction due to a restricted range, relatively few populations (80 or fewer), recent and widespread declines or other factors

G4: Apparently Secure
L> Uncommon but not rare, some cause for long term concern due to declines or other factors

G5: Secure
L> common, widespread and abundant

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6
Q

What does the IUCN stand for and what is it?

A
  • IUCN = International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
  • established under UNESCO in 1948
  • Science based info for govs about conservation (compile, analyze and distribute info - unique aspect of NGO)
  • they created the World Wildlife Fund for Nature
  • Also involved in the creation of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora)

**they recognize internationally threatened sp not just local

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7
Q

What are the overarching goals of the IUCN?

A
  • provide global index of state go degeneration of biodiversity
    2. identify and document sp most in need of conservation attention if global extinction rates are to be reduced
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8
Q

What are the requirements of species classification for IUCN?

A
  • applicable to a variety of sp and habitats
  • standardized to provide consistent results independent of the assessor
  • accessible to allow a variety of experts to use it
  • scientifically defensible
  • reasonably rigours (it should be hard to classify species in inappropriately)
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9
Q

What does COSEWIC stand for?

A
  • Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada
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10
Q

What is COSEWIC?

A
  • an arms length division of Environment Canada
  • Species at risk are identified by scientific assessment by COSEWIC ( Species at Risk Act, 2002)
  • COSEWIC was first established in 1976 by the Canadian Nature Federation and WWF well before SARA recognized it
  • They assess the conservation status of candidate species
  • Many species specialist subcommittees (SSCs)
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11
Q

What are two key points about COSEWIC?

A
  1. Assessment process and designations based on IUCN criteria
  2. Pseudo-independent science body that provides recommendation to Minister of Environment to support listing under SARA
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12
Q

What is SARA and how is it linked to COSEWIC?

A
  • SARA= Species at Risk Act, 2002
  • Established COSEWIC an (a) assess the status of each wildlife species considered by COSEWIC to be at risk and as part of the assessment, identify existing and potential threats to the species and classify the species as extinct, extirpated, endangered, threatened or of special concern (ii) indicate that COSEWIC does not have sufficient information to classify the species, or (iii) indicate that the species is not currently at risk
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13
Q

Who makes up COSEWIC?

A
  • 31 members total
  • 13 prov/territorial gov wildlife agencies
  • 4 federal agencies (Environmental Canada, Parks Canada, DFO, Canadian Museum of Nature)
  • 3 non government science members
  • 10 co-chairs of the species specialist subcommittees (SSC)
  • 1 co-chair from the ATK subcommittee
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14
Q

What are the COSEWIC Risk Categories?

A
  • Extinct
  • Extirpated
  • Endangered
  • Threatened
  • Special Concern
  • Not at Risk
  • Data deficient
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15
Q

COSEWIC Risk Categories:

  • Extinct?
A
  • wildlife sp that no longer exists
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16
Q

COSEWIC Risk Categories:

  • Extirpated?
A
  • a wildlife sp that no longer exists in the wild in Canada but does elsewhere
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17
Q

COSEWIC Risk Categories:

  • Endangered
A
  • a wildlife sp facing imminent extirpation
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18
Q

COSEWIC Risk Categories:

  • Threatened
A
  • a wildlife sp that is likely to become endangered if nothing is done to reverse the factors leading to its extirpation or extinction
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19
Q

COSEWIC Risk Categories:

  • Special Concern
A
  • A wildlife sp that may become threatened or endangered because of a combination of biological characteristics and identified threats
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20
Q

COSEWIC Risk Categories:

  • Not at Risk
A
  • A wildlife species that has been evaluated and found to be not at risk of extinction given the current circumstances
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21
Q

COSEWIC Risk Categories:

  • Data deficient
A
  • A category that applies when the available to information is insufficient (a) to resolve a wildlife species’ eligibility for assessment or (b) to permit an assessment of the wildlife species’ risk of extinction
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22
Q

What happens if COSEWIC recommendation is accepted by the Canadian government?

A
  • SARA automatically prohibitions apply and critical habitat is identified and protected.
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23
Q

List the steps involved for when COSEWIC is assessing a candidate wildlife species.

A
  1. SSC identifies Candidate species
  2. Eligibility of Candidate species determined via table 1
  3. Relative priority of SSC Candidate species assessed with coarse filter
24
Q

List the steps involved for when COSEWIC is creating a status report.

A
  1. Highest priority species placed on COSEWIC Candidate List. Status reports comissioned (Updated for existing COSEWIC spp)
  2. Draft Status Report reviewed by SSC, externally, and by jurisdictions. Based on draft status report, SSC assigns ‘interim designation’ via table 2. Interim report distributed to jurisdictions prior to wildlife species assessment meeting; interim report forms basis of COSEWIC assessment.
25
Q

List the steps for COSEWIC Status Assessment and Designation.

A
  1. Deliberation by COSEWIC at Wildlife Species Assessment Meeting to ensure consistency w/definitions and assessment criteria. SSC (staff sub committee) co-chairs incorporate final comments (if any), COSEWIC Assessment and Status Report (Final) produced. Uploaded to SARA registry.
  2. Final COSEWIC status designation; submitted under SARA.
26
Q

COSEWIC Process: Candidate Wildlife Species:

Step1 - SSC Idneitifies Candidate Species.
L> What are the two mechanisms?

A
  1. Primarily existing knowledge and information obtained by SSC
  2. Secondarily, Monitoring the General Status of Wildlife Species in Canada Program.
27
Q

COSEWIC Process: Candidate Wildlife Species:

Step1 - SSC Idneitifies Candidate Species.
L> Explain the Monitoring the General Status of Wild Species in Canada Program.

A
  • It is a national program with federal ministries: PC, EC, DFO and provincial representatives.
  • Committed to the moniroign , assessing and reporting on the status of wildlife as required under the Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk (precursor to SARA)
  • ## Best avail info related to criteria based (loosely) on IUCN, CITES and NatureServe: 7 factors (pop size, # occurrences, Geographic Distribution, trend in population, trend in distribution, threats to population and threats to habitat )
28
Q

COSEWIC Process: Candidate Wildlife Species:

Step1 - SSC Idneitifies Candidate Species.
L> COSEWIC Assessment Criteria only applies to what?

A
  • Threatened and Endangered categories.
29
Q

COSEWIC Process: Candidate Wildlife Species:

Step1 - SSC Idneitifies Candidate Species.
L> What are the COSEWIC Assessment criteria for threatened and endangered categories?

A
  1. Population decline (A)
  2. Small distribution and decline or fluctuation (B)
  3. Small population size and decline (C)
  4. Very small or restricted population (D)
  5. Quantitative analysis (E)

** these feed into the status

30
Q

COSEWIC Process: Candidate Wildlife Species:

Step2 - Eligibility of Candidate Species Determined via Table 1. What is Table 1 ?

A
  • Table 1The different criteria and assessment categories used by COSEWIC for wildlife within the Canadian Range.
- Categories are: 
A. Taxonomic Validity 
B. Native Wildlife Species 
C. Regularity of Occurrence 
D. Special Cases
31
Q

COSEWIC Process: Candidate Wildlife Species:

Step2 - Eligibility of Candidate Species Determined via Table 1.
L> What is Taxonomic Validity?

A
  • COSEWIC only considers sp and subspecies that are established in published literature by taxonomic experts. They normally will not consider DU unless they are shown to be genetically distinct, separated by major range disjunction or biogeographically distinct. Justification for using DU must be provided.
32
Q

COSEWIC Process: Candidate Wildlife Species:

Step2 - Eligibility of Candidate Species Determined via Table 1.
L> What are Native Wildlife Species?

A
  • wildlife that occurs in Canada naturally, or has expanded its range into Canada without human intervention from a region where it naturally occurred, has produced viable pops and has persisted in Canada for 50 years min (stated by SARA)
  • COSEWIC only considers native wildlife in their assessments
33
Q

COSEWIC Process: Candidate Wildlife Species:

Step2 - Eligibility of Candidate Species Determined via Table 1.
L> What does regularity of occurrence mean?

A
  • COSEWIC would normally only consider wildlife sp which occur or formerly have occurred regularly in Canada, including regular or seasonal migrants but excluding vagrants
34
Q

COSEWIC Process: Candidate Wildlife Species:

Step2 - Eligibility of Candidate Species Determined via Table 1.
L> What special cases are there?

A
  • A taxon could be eligible if there is a clear conservation reason for consideration (like high extinction risk). In particular, a sp which does not meet the eligibility criteria but is at risk in its primary range outside of Canada could be considered for designation.
35
Q

COSEWIC Process: Candidate Wildlife Species:

Step3 - Coarse Filter
L> explain this step

A

-Taxonomic distinctiveness, global distribution, proportion of range within Canada to group wildlife species.

  • Three groups:
    Group 1 Wildlife Species have highest priority for COSEWIC assessment. Wildlife sp suspected to be extirpated from Canada would also be included in this group.

Group 2 and 3 wildlife sp have medium and lower priority for COSEWIC

36
Q

COSEWIC Process: Candidate Wildlife Species:

Step3 - Coarse Filter
L> Explain the criteria for Group 1 Wildlife Species

A
  • Taxonomic level
    L> greater priority to full sp vs sub species
  • Portion of Global range in Canada
    L> endemic to Canada or v small global range OR >50% of range / pop in Canada
  • Existing global conservation status
    L> IUCN, NatureServe
  • Population size and trends
    L> Very small pop size and severe decline (>70%) or decline (>50% but <70%) or suspected decline or less than 50% decline. Decline over 3 generations or 10 years, whatever is longer, in pop number or inferred by decline in habitat or # of locations
  • Threats
    L> Either ongoing or likely to occur, that are likely to affect a large percentage of pop (>50%)
  • Small extent of occurrence or (index of) area of occupancy
    L> identified threat and very small extent of occurrence or (index of) area of occupancy, or all individuals in 5 or fewer subpopulations.
37
Q

COSEWIC Process: Status Report:

Step4 - Status Report Commissioned. Explain this step.

A
  • For effective assessment, the status report must include distribution, extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, abundance (including population estimates or number of occurrences, where avail), pop and habitat trends, and factors or threats limiting the wildlife species.
38
Q

COSEWIC Process: Status Report:

Step 5 - Interim Designation assigned by SSC via Table 2. Explain what table 2 is.

A
  • Based on info from general status program there stablish initial categories which inform a second assessment.
  • Indicators:
    A. Decline in total number of mature individuals
    B. Small distribution range and decline or fluctuation
    D. Very small or restricted total population
    E. Quantitative Analysis
39
Q

COSEWIC Process: Status Report:

Step 5 - Interim Designation assigned by SSC via Table 2.
L> Explain Indicator A: Decline in Total Number of mature individuals

A
  • endangered = reduction of >/ 70%
  • threatened = reduction of >/50%
  • over the last 10 y or 3 generations
  • assess the reversibility of the decline via: direct observation, an index of abundance appropriate to the taxon, decline in index of area of occupancy, extent of occurrence and or quality of habitat, actual or potential levels of exploitation and the effects of introduced taxa, hybridization, pathogens, pollutants, competitors or parasites
40
Q

COSEWIC Process: Status Report:

Step 5 - Interim Designation assigned by SSC via Table 2.
L> Explain indicator B: Small Distribution Range and Decline or Fluctuation.

A
  • extent of occurrence estimated to be
    L> endangered : <5,000km2; threatened: <20,000km2

and / or

  • index of area of occupancy estimated to be
    L> endangered: <500km2; threatened: <2,000km2
  • and (for either B or B2) estimates indicating at least two of a-c:
    a. Severely fragmented or known to exist at: <5 locations (endangered); <10 locations (threatened)
    b. Continuing decline, observed, inferred or projected in : extent of occurrence; index of area of occupancy; area, extent and or/quality of habitat; number of locations or subpopulations; number of mature individuals
    c. Extreme fluctuations in any of : extent of occurrence; index of area of occupancy; number of locations or subpopulations; number of mature individuals.
41
Q

COSEWIC Process: Status Report:

Step 5 - Interim Designation assigned by SSC via Table 2.
L> Explain indicator C: Small and declining number of mature individuals

A
  • total number of mature individuals estimated to be: <2500 (endangered) ; <10,000 (threatened)
  • and one of either C1 or C2:

C1. An estimated continuing decline in total number of mature individuals of at least: 20% within 5 years or two generations, whichever is longer, up to a max of 100 years (endangered) ; 10% within 10 years or three generations, whichever is longer, up to a amax of 100 years in future (threatened)

C2. A continuing decline, observed, projected, or inferred, in numbers of mature individuals

42
Q

COSEWIC Process: Status Report:

Step 5 - Interim Designation assigned by SSC via Table 2.
L> Explain indicator D: Very small or restricted total canadian population.

A
  • total number of mature individuals very small or restricted in the form of either of the following:

D1. Population estimated to have either <250 mature individuals (endangered) or <1000 mature individuals (threatened)

D2. For threatened only: Canadian pop with a very restricted index of occupancy, or number of locations, such that it is prone to the effects of human activities or stochastic events within very short time frame in an uncertain future, and thus capable of becoming endangered or extinct in a v short time period.
L> index of area of occupancy <20km2 or <5 locations = threatened.

43
Q

COSEWIC Process: Status Report:

Step 5 - Interim Designation assigned by SSC via Table 2.
L> Explain indicator E: Quantitative Analysis.

A
  • quantitative analysis (pop protections) showing the probability of extinction or extirpation int he wild is at least: 20% within 20 years or 5 generations, whichever is longer, up to a max of 100 years (endangered); 10% within 100 years (threatened)
44
Q

What is a rescue effect?

A
  • immigration of gametes or individuals that have a high probability of reproducing successfully, such that extirpation or decline of a wildlife sp can be mitigated. If the potential for reduce is high, the risk of extirpation may be reduced.

** potential for rescue effect of international populations informs the rank listing in COSEWIC

45
Q

COSEWIC Process: Satus Assessment and Designation:

  • Step 7: Explain the process of final COSEWIC Status designation submitted under SARA.
A
  1. Is there sufficient info pretend in the report to determine wildlife sp eligibility
  2. given sufficient info, is the wildlife sp eligible for assessment?
  3. Is the status report adequate and a acceptable for assessment purposes?
  4. What status is suggested by application of approved COSEWIC quantitative assessment criteria and guidelines (ie rescue effect)?
  5. Does the suggest stats inform to the COSEWIC definition for the proposed status category?
46
Q

Briefly explain COSEWIC Polar Bear Assessment History.

A
  • has been assessed numerous times
  • 2003: Special Concern suggestion was rejected by Minister of Environment in 2005, so no formal plan was developed
  • 2005: Minister of Env sends report back to COSEWIC for further information n or consideration, arcing the report didn’t include ATK info for sp abundance.
  • 2008: After an open call for status report to global polar bear specialists, COSEWIC concluding that polar bear is a species at risk in Canada, advising the federal government it should be special concern.
47
Q

What 3 threats did COSEWIC identify for polar bears?

A
  1. reduction in sea ice , esp for sub pops in southern part of range
  2. overhunting of subpopulations shared by Canada and Greenland
  3. habitat threats from industrial development
48
Q

How can a wildlife species be considered special concern by COSEWIC under SARA?

A
  1. species has been declining to a level of abundance at which its persistence is increasing threatened by genetic, demographic or environmental stochasticity but the decline is not sufficient to qualify as threatened ; OR
  2. wildlife sp may become threatened if factors suspected of negatively influencing the persistence of the wildlife sp are neither reversed nor managed with demonstrable effectiveness; OR
  3. wildlife sp is near to qualifying as threatened; OR
  4. wildlife sp qualifies for threatened status but there is clear indication of rescue effect from extra-liminal sub pops.

**Ex: seabird pops near oil tanker route (sp susceptible to a catastrophic event); specialist sp, with threats to habitat or forage have been identified; recovering sp

49
Q

What is included in Schedule 1 of SARA?

A
  • official list of wildlife sp at risk in Canada
  • includes extirpated sp (extinct in Canada), endangered, threatened and special concern.
  • Once a species is on Schedule 1, protection and recovery measures are developed and implemented
50
Q

What criteria are used to determine DU by COSEWIC?

A
  1. evidence that the sub pop is discrete as a result of unique life history leading to genetic distinctiveness, barriers within natural range to encourage local adaptation, occupation of different biogeographic zones or some combo of these.
  2. Evidence that diff between DUs are evolutionarily distinct
51
Q

What differences between assessments of Polar Bear, prompted some NGOs and scientists to question the credibility of COSEWIC?

A
  • IUCN and ESA in US assessed the polar bear around the same time as COSEWIC
  • US determined them to be threatened in 2008
  • IUCN determined them to be vulnerable in 2005 and reaffirmed this in 2008. Vulnerable in IUCN = threatened in COSEWIC e
  • appears like Canada is not providing adequate protection for PBs
52
Q

What are the four important listing differences by COSEWIC for Polar Bears vs IUCN and USA?

A
  1. Range of categories
    L> Canada has three categories (endangered, threatened, special concern). US has two: endangered, threatened. Threatened is the lowest at risk status at which PB could be assessed as in US.
  2. Status category definitions
    L> In Canada, threatened sp refers to sp likely to be imminently lost throughout its entire range if nothing is done to address threats. In the US, threatened means one that is at risk of being lost in the foreseeable future, throughout all or a sig portion of its range but not necessarily its entire range.
    L> Endangered in Canada means a sp facing imminent extirpation or extinction BUT in US it means one in danger of extinction throughout all or a sig portion of its range
  3. COSEWIC bases assessments on quantitative criteria very similar to those developed by IUCN vs USA which are based on qualitative definitions of endangered and threatened, including subjective interpretations
53
Q

How are the IUCN and COSEWIC different in their assessments?

A
  • IUCN is more about increasing awareness…so a weak empirical basis for inferring >30% decline night be acceptable since it has no direct legislative consequence
  • COSEWIC’s responsibilities are recognized by legislation and its assessments trigger a variety of government actions. COSEWIC must establish an empirical basis for it s assessments, given the legislate consequences that its advice, if accepted by government can have on limiting human actives that threaten the species
54
Q

What are the main points of Favaro et al. 2014?

A
  • they analyzed species assessed by COSEWIC, recording the SARA outcome (listed at recommendation, not listed, up or down listed), categorized results across taxa
  • recored the change in ranking (end, the, sc, nar) across time
    L> if it was SARA listed they recorded whether a recovery strategy was completed and if critical habitat was identified
  • majority= no change in ranking over time
  • there was an increase in sampling methods over time
  • bulk of the species remained int he category they were initially assigned
  • portion fo sp whose ciritcal habitat was fully idneitifed remained low, and varied sig across taxa suggesting that there are diff between protection that sp should receive under SARA , and what is actually reached
  • for species initially classified as not at risk , endangered, or extirpated, the most common outcome was to remain the same. BUT sp initially classified as special concern or threatened, deterioration in status was the most common outcome.
  • full recovery to not at risk was rare
55
Q

What are some key critiques of Favaro et al 2014?

A

-species status as moving targets
- SARA was not fully in force until 2004
L> short term recovery aiming at 2010, long term aimed at 2020
L> remaining the same status should be considered a win since no new neg trend BUT paper also stresses no change shouldn’t be considered a complete win

56
Q

Explain Taylor and Pinkus 2013.

A
  • In 2007 there was group of NGOs that filed a law suit against the federal government for identifying critical habitat of an endangered fish species based on the failure of the fed government to identify it. Huge drop in productivity of listing / identifying in general post law suit. Influx of critical habitat identification post judgement

Conservation Policy (11 decks)

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