At the federal level, species are assessed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife. This committee has designated two endangered species and six threatened species that occur in the Lower Athabasca.
At the provincial level, the Endangered Species Conservation Committee provides advice to the Minister of Sustainable Resource Development about species at risk. This includes recommendations on legal designations and the implementation of recovery programs.
As of 2007, eight species were legally designated under Alberta's Wildlife Act as threatened or endangered. In addition to these, Alberta has also denoted several species as "May Be at Risk"; these species may face extirpation or extinction and are candidates for detailed risk assessment.
Federally-designated Species at risk that occur in the Lower Athabasca |
Provincially-designated Species at risk that occur in the Lower Athabasca |
Canada Warbler – Threatened |
Northern Leopard Frog – Threatened |
Common Nighthawk – Threatened |
Peregrine Falcon – Threatened |
Olive-sided Flycatcher – Threatened |
Trumpeter Swan – Threatened |
Shortjaw Cisco – Threatened |
Shortjaw Cisco – Threatened |
Wood Bison – Threatened |
Woodland Caribou – Threatened |
Woodland Caribou – Threatened |
Whooping Crane – Endangered |
Whooping Crane – Endangered |
Piping Plover – Endangered |
Piping Plover – Endangered |
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Source: Profile of the Lower Athabasca Region, July 2009, Sustainable Resource Development.