Sheldon and Justin
In this blog series, we will discuss the process behind the legislation of terrestrial endangered animals in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, and how the effectiveness and efficiency of this listing compares to Canada and the rest of the world when trying to protect and maintain these animals in danger of extinction. In order to see where the province stands nationally and globally in terms of endangered species legislation, it is first necessary to investigate how it goes about determining which species are and are not endangered. As the French philosopher Voltaire said, “judge a man by his questions rather than his answers”. So what kind of questions are the Provincial government asking themselves when designating a species as endangered? What are some of the criteria that need to be met before an endangered species can be considered as such? These questions are asked in the provinces own Endangered Species Act, which describes an endangered species as one that is a risk of impending extinction or extirpation from the province1.
According to this Act, in order for a species to receive any sort of status designation, it must be native or have been naturally introduced to the province. From there, it may receive designation if it has either (or any combination of): 1) received a designated status under another Act indicating its population as being at risk or in jeopardy 2) Been in the province for 50 years or more 3) Been subject to considerable genetic variation since its arrival in Newfoundland and Labrador. Only if it has received a designation under an Act from another jurisdiction that indicates it being at a risk of extinction, or extirpated all together, can a human-introduced species receive designation under the Endangered Species Act of Newfoundland and Labrador1.
In this blog series, we will discuss the process behind the legislation of terrestrial endangered animals in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, and how the effectiveness and efficiency of this listing compares to Canada and the rest of the world when trying to protect and maintain these animals in danger of extinction. In order to see where the province stands nationally and globally in terms of endangered species legislation, it is first necessary to investigate how it goes about determining which species are and are not endangered. As the French philosopher Voltaire said, “judge a man by his questions rather than his answers”. So what kind of questions are the Provincial government asking themselves when designating a species as endangered? What are some of the criteria that need to be met before an endangered species can be considered as such? These questions are asked in the provinces own Endangered Species Act, which describes an endangered species as one that is a risk of impending extinction or extirpation from the province1.
According to this Act, in order for a species to receive any sort of status designation, it must be native or have been naturally introduced to the province. From there, it may receive designation if it has either (or any combination of): 1) received a designated status under another Act indicating its population as being at risk or in jeopardy 2) Been in the province for 50 years or more 3) Been subject to considerable genetic variation since its arrival in Newfoundland and Labrador. Only if it has received a designation under an Act from another jurisdiction that indicates it being at a risk of extinction, or extirpated all together, can a human-introduced species receive designation under the Endangered Species Act of Newfoundland and Labrador1.
From there, an established species status advisory committee generates recommendations for a species to be considered at risk based on the most accurate scientific knowledge at their disposal, concerning the ecology and history of the species. A minister then screens these recommendations, followed by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, before a species is officially designated as either vulnerable, threatened, endangered, extirpated, or extinct under this Endangered Species Act1.
The unveiling of the approach by which the province takes in the legislation of species can act as a springboard in our assessment of how the province ranks compared to the country, and the rest of the planet, in the listing of terrestrial endangered species. What is the rationalization for listing species like the Wolverine as endangered2? Was this justified compared to how species are listed in other parts of the world? We will examine this and more in upcoming posts.
The unveiling of the approach by which the province takes in the legislation of species can act as a springboard in our assessment of how the province ranks compared to the country, and the rest of the planet, in the listing of terrestrial endangered species. What is the rationalization for listing species like the Wolverine as endangered2? Was this justified compared to how species are listed in other parts of the world? We will examine this and more in upcoming posts.
Figure 1: A Wolverine, listed as Endangered under the Endangered Species Act of Newfoundland and Labrador2. Image from Arkive Images of Life on Earth, retrieved at
http://www.arkive.org/wolverine/gulo-gulo/
An official version of the Endangered Species Act may be found here: http://www.assembly.nl.ca/Legislation/sr/statutes/e10-1.htm
An official version of the Endangered Species Act may be found here: http://www.assembly.nl.ca/Legislation/sr/statutes/e10-1.htm
References:
1Endangered Species Act. 2001. Retrieved on February 23rd, 2012, at http://www.assembly.nl.ca/Legislation/sr/statutes/e10-1.htm#3_
2Department of Environment and Conservation. 2011. Mammals. Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Retrieved on February 23rd, 2012, at http://www.env.gov.nl.ca/env/wildlife/endangeredspecies/mammals.html
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