Canada’s Endangered Species

Indeed, many conclude that Canada is improving their protection of the endangered species but can still do much more. It is well said by the words of many protectors of the endangered species. “Canada is failing its duty of care toward the nation’s wildlife. We want Canada to take the Species at Risk Act seriously.”- Julie Gelfand, President of Nature Canada. Another important quote that was asked by Devon Page, Sierra Legal Lawyer, is said, “When is a law not a law… When it’s a national law to protect the environment.” He referred upon the fact that the government had a law active for years allowing the federal government to protect the environment, but never enforced it! From Joe Scott of Washington – based Conversation Northwest, “From where we’re standing it looks like the trade agreements are failing the environment…. Most Americans see Canada as a vast wilderness teaming with wildlife, but unless Canada protects its wilderness areas, the perspective is going to change.” Finally, Rachel Plotkin of the Sierra Club of Canada announced, “Both the past and current governments have failed to use the Species at Risk Act to protect our country’s endangered animals. The current government talks about replacing talk with action but the only actions that we’re seeing is them walk away from the owl and other wildlife species. ” (Source nine)

The Species at Risk Act has greatly helped with the to increase the population of endangered animals over the past few years. One endangered species that they have helped immensely is the whooping crane. The whooping crane species were almost extinct in the 1940’s with only sixteen of these birds left. But since the Species at Risk Act organization became involved in protecting the threatened and endangered species of Canada, the number of whooping cranes has increased to approximately three hundred! The endangerment of the whooping crane species is not just a result of people setting traps or accidentally shooting them; They also face the problems of diminishing wetlands, colliding with power lines, suffering from fires and cold springs where the chicks have little time to grow up and be strong enough to survive the winter. Most of these dilemmas when at the arrival of the whooping crane migration. (Source page 13 from source ten and fifteen)

Even though Canada and its government have worked hard in the last few years to improve upon their methods of protecting the endangered animals there is still lots to be done.

We should be more cautious in our interactions with all Canada’s endangered animal species, and be respectful of their habitat. We should not continue ignoring their plight as former generations have done. Putting that aside, I am proud to be Canadian and I hope to see a better future for Canada’s endangered animal species. I look forward to what the government, and you and I, will do to protect them.