A Guide to Species at Risk on Land in the Nuu‑Chah‑Nulth Territories
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Species at Risk A guide to species at risk on land in the Nuu-chah-nulth Territories Published in partnership with: Uu-a-thluk Aboriginal Funds for Species at Risk 1 Table of Contents Introduction ..........................2 SLUGS Dromedary Jumping-slug ...... 25 MA mm ALS Warty Jumping-slug .............. 26 Vancouver Island Marmot ........6 Vancouver Island Wolverine .....7 BUTTERFLIES Keen’s Long-eared Myotis .........8 Dun Skipper ........................ 27 Townsend’s Big-eared Bat .........9 Roosevelt Elk ....................... 10 PLANTS Vancouver Island Water Shrew 11 Pink Sand-verbena ................ 28 Vancouver Island Ermine ....... 12 Vancouver Island Beggarticks .. 29 Paintbrush Owl-clover ........... 30 BIRDS Graceful Arrow-grass ............. 31 Marbled Murrelet ................ 13 Dwarf Trillium ..................... 32 Peregrine Falcon ................... 14 White Meconella .................. 33 Northern Goshawk ................ 15 White-top Aster .................... 34 Western Screech-owl .............. 16 Corrupt Spleenwort............... 35 Northern Pygmy-owl ............. 17 Redwood Sorrel .................... 36 Common Night Hawk ............ 18 California Wax-myrtle ........... 37 Band-tailed Pigeon................ 19 Oregon Selaginella ................ 38 Red Knot ............................. 20 Great Blue Heron .................. 21 LICHENS White-tailed Ptarmigan ......... 22 Seaside Centipede ................. 39 Old Growth Specklebelly ....... 40 AM PHI B IANS Red-legged Frog ................... 23 More information ................. 41 Western Toad ....................... 24 2 A Field Guide for Nuu-chah-nulth © Barb Beasley You’ve probably heard about species going extinct on the news. Over 15,000 species face a high risk of disappearing in the near future. In most cases, human activity is responsible. It doesn’t only happen in the tropics or other parts of the world. Can you name one species that has gone extinct on the west coast of Vancouver Island? How about species that have declined over the last 100 years? Which plants and animals living in your backyard are on the brink of extinction? As Nuu-chah-nulth communities expand and undergo economic development, other species will be affected. Hishuk ish ts’awalk. Knowing how to identify species and their habitats will help ensure the survival of species-at-risk within Nuu-chah-nulth territories. We have a responsibility to protect each and every living thing from extinction so that the seven generations after us can enjoy, learn from, and 3 live amongst the same plants and animals as ourselves and our ancestors have. Helping Species at Risk What can you do to help species at risk recover? Learn as much as you can: C Be able to identify species at risk. C Find out where they live. C Report unusual sightings on the internet. Reduce your impact on the planet: C Put garbage where it belongs, not in our oceans, rivers, lakes or forests. C Avoid spilling oil. C Keep wildlife and their natural habitats from harm. Practice Hishuk ish ts’awalk (everything is one) and Iisaak (respect with caring): C Talk to your elders. C Learn songs and dances. C Go for a walk in the forest, along a stream, to a wetland. Watch and listen. © Barb Beasley 4 Canada’s Species At Risk Act protects wildlife and their critical Howhabitats Areon federal Species lands and waters. Protected It also includes by “safety Law? net provisions” that enable it to protect species and habitats on provincial and private lands. The British Columbia Wildlife Act protects vertebrate animals from direct harm, except as allowed by regulation (e.g., hunting or trapping). It provides year round protection to the nests and nest trees of eagles, peregrine falcons, gyrfalcons, ospreys, herons and burrowing owls. The Forest and Range Practices Act of B.C. may establish special management guidelines and reserve areas called Wildlife Habitat Areas (WHAs) to protect species at risk. For example, WHAs for the Northern Goshawk and Marbled Murrelet are hundreds of hectares in size and designed to minimize disturbance or alteration to the habitat. Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations share their lands and waters with many species that are at risk. Kyuquot/Checklesaht Ehattesaht Nuchatlaht Mowachaht/Muchalaht Hesquiaht Ahousaht Tseshaht Tla-o-qui-aht Uchucklesaht Ucluelet Hupacasath Toquaht Huu-ay-aht Ditidaht Pacheedaht Makah 5 The purpose of this guide is to help you identify species at risk in Nuu-chah- nulth territories by Howproviding to pictures, Use descriptions, This andGuide maps showing where they are known to occur on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. All maps were produced using the Conservation Data Centre Mapping Service, www.env.gov.bc.ca/atrisk/ims.htm. The maps reflect information in the Conservation Data Centre (CDC) database at the time of their production (February 2008) and should not be interpreted as a comprehensive or definitive list of species at risk within an area. The maps may include only a portion of the historic and current locations that are known. For updated information and to contribute new sightings of species, visit: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/cdc. Species are listed in one of five categories: Extinct No longer exists anywhere in the world. Extirpated No longer exists in the wild in Canada, but occurs elsewhere. Endangered Facing imminent extirpation or extinction. Threatened Likely to become endangered if limiting factors are not reversed. Special Concern Particularly sensitive to human activities or natural events but not endangered or threatened. This guidebook includes species currently (as of February 2008) protected by the Species at Risk Act as well as species that are considered Threatened (red-listed) or of Special Concern (blue-listed) within the Province of British Columbia. As new information becomes available, the status of species may change, and new species may be designated. For current lists of species visit www.sararegistry.gc.ca, and www.env.gov.bc.ca/atrisk. t’it’iitl’u@a Marmota vancouverensis 6 Vancouver Island Marmots are Vancouverchocolate brown with Island a white muzzle Marmot and white streak along the chest and ENDANGEREDbelly. They live in lush sub-alpine meadows with scattered boulders near steep slopes. They come out of © Robert Milko their burrows to feed on grasses and Length: up to 71 cm wildflowers. They hibernate from Weight: up to 3.5 kg mid-September to May. C Populations dropped when marmots started dispersing to nearby logged areas, instead of going farther to avalanche chutes and meadows. Recent clearcuts have large openings with lots of food, but before long, the trees grow back. They shade out the grass and wildflowers, and allow preda- Didtors you to sneakknow? up close without being seen. C Predation by wolves, cougars and golden eagles is the highest cause of death. Mammals C A captive breeding program is in place and marmots are being reintro- duced to the wild. Vancouver Island Marmots live on only a few mountains on Vancouver Island. Kyuquot Campbell River Gold River Parksville Port Alberni Tofino Ucluelet Lake Cowichan c^`ih=aa (wild animal) Gulo gulo vancouverensis The Vancouver Island Wolverine has 7 long,Vancouver thick brown fur Islandwith pale stripes Wolverine on the side. It is a powerful animal with SPECIALlong curved claws.CONCERN It lives in wooded and mountainous areas where is scavenges from wolf kills and hunts small mammals © Eric Lofroth and birds. Individuals travel up to 40 km a Length: up to 1 m day while hunting. Weight: 12–18 kg C There have been only four sightings of Vancouver Island Wolverines since 1980 and the last one was in 1992. C Populations have suffered because their habitats have been altered by Mammals Didlogging, you know? mining, road-building and human settlement. Historic records of Vancouver Island Wolverines are sparsely spread down the island. Kyuquot Campbell River Gold River Parksville Port Alberni Tofino Ucluelet Lake Cowichan mappiis (bat) Myotis keenii 8 Keen’sThe Keen’s Long-earedLong-eared Myotis has a Myotis dark brown back and buffy front. SPECIALIt is the size ofCONCERN a small mouse with wings. It catches insects, using radar, by flying over estuaries and streams Kaaremaa © Mark at night. Females gather in colonies inside tree cavities or caves and give Length: 8 cm Wing span: 24 cm birth in May. Young stay home, hang- Weight: 4–7 g ing upside-down while mothers go for food. Young are ready to fly by September. C The oldest recaptured individual was almost 13 years old. C Populations are small and occur at only 25 locations in Canada, all along the west coast of Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii. Did you know? Mammals The only known breeding area for this species within Nuu-chah-nulth territory occurs near Tahsis. © Barb Beasley %e%iih%im> mappiis (bat with big ears) Corynorhinus townsendii 9 Townsend’s Big-eared Bats Big-eared are grayish- Bat brown and have exceptionally long ears. B.C.They live BLUE in dry LIST forest types, like the Douglas-fir forests in Port Alberni. They feed on moths, flies and other insects Chatwin Trudy © in open areas and meadows. They use caves and old mine shafts for roosting Length: 10 cm Wing span: 29 cm and hibernating. The average lifespan is Weight: 7–12 g 16 years and some live up to 30 years. C During hibernation, individuals huddle close together, with their large ears rolled up and laid back against their necks to keep warm. They lose Mammals more than half their weight over winter. CDid They you are know? sensitive to human contact when roosting so it is best to stay away from caves and mine shafts when bats occupy them, especially in winter. Within Nuu-chah-nulth territories, this species is most likely to be encountered near Port Alberni. © Barb Beasley +`uunum Cervus canadensis roosevelti 10 RooseveltRoosevelt Elks have Elk a brown coat with a dark mane and white rump B.C.patch. TheBLUE bulls LIST have large forked antlers with up to six points or tines and these are shed every year, before © Don Doyle summer.