Species At Risk

Question 1

Give four reasons why the Ord’s kangaroo rat is at risk

Answer 1

• Limited availability of their preferred habitat
• Parasitism from living in different habitats
• Increased access for predators in unknown habitats
• artificial light causes rat to stay burrowed instead of finding food and building fat. This kills them because they have a low winter survival rate

Question 2

Why is the Ord’s kangaroo rat’s preferred habitat (sparse vegetation, sandy soils) diminishing?

Answer 2

• Eroding sand stabilizes due to encroachment of vegetation
• bison and fire usually counteract encroachment, but the suppression of fire and human settlement means less of that.
• eroding is discouraged around roads and agricultural land

Question 3

What management efforts are in place to save the Ord’s kangaroo rat?

Answer 3

• Alberta Ord’s Kangaroo Rat Recovery Plan 2013-2018: ensure a stable, self sustaining population to make sure they are no longer at risk of extinction.
• Increased population monitoring
• mark-recapture
• experimental translocation study
• habitat improvements in certain areas
• protective notations

Question 4

Why are grizzly bears at risk?

Answer 4

• human caused mortality (roads, railways, getting shot from intruding human areas)
• Habitat fragmentation from development, unrestricted road access and conflicts with humans

Question 5

What management efforts are in place to save the grizzly bears?

Answer 5

• building of wildlife corridors in Banff to increase their habitat and avoid the danger of roads.
• restrictions on hunting
• public awareness ex. bear smart program
• habitat mapping

Question 6

Why are burrowing owls at risk?

Answer 6

• habitat loss (agriculture, oil and gas developments, road building etc.)
• predation on breeding grounds (Avian predators have enhanced habitat from fences, trees, artificial nests. Are susceptible to attacks from ground predators ex. badgers due to underground nesting)
• Low productivity (low breeding rates due to high hatching mortality, nest failure, predation. Habitat fragmentation, weather, pesticides, parasites, diseases)

Question 7

What management efforts are in place to save the burrowing owls?

Answer 7

• October 2014: provincial recovery goal set to increase the population to a viable, naturally self sustaining levels, with good distribution throughout its range.
• Habitat management and protection
• population conservation and management
• Information outreach
• research