The General Status of Alberta Wild Species 2005 Species at Risk Original Online Report: 2005; Archived: Mar 31, 2011 PDF Version Created: Feb 25, 2013 ESRD/The General Status of Alberta Wild Species 2005 Preface General Status of Alberta Wild Species 2005 Alberta has long enjoyed the legacy of abundant wild species. These same species are important environmental indicators. Their populations reflect the health and diversity of the environment. Alberta Sustainable Resource Development has designated the promotion of fish and wildlife conservation as one of its core business goals. The status of wild species is one of the performance measures against which the department determines the effectiveness of its policies and service delivery. Central to achieving this goal is the accurate determination of the general status of wild species in the province. This exercise, which is conducted every five years, assists the provincial government in determining the need for, and direction of, sound management and habitat conservation programs. In 1996 and 2000, the provincial government published reports on the general status of wild species in Alberta. The 2005 general status assessments are now available through this online searchable database. The General Status of Alberta Wild Species 2005 uses a system for evaluating the general status of all wild species in Alberta—one that is identical to that used in the General Status of Alberta Wild Species 2000. It is also identical to that used by other provinces and territories throughout Canada. General status determination is the first step in a continuing process of evaluating and reporting on the biological status of Alberta’s wild species. Those species that “May Be At Risk” receive a detailed status assessment and will go on to receive much more detailed evaluation. The general status exercise, and the resulting species status listing, is designed to achieve four objectives: 1. To provide information on, and raise awareness of, the current status of wild species in Alberta 2. To stimulate broad public input in more clearly defining the status of individual species 3. To produce a list of candidate species for more detailed status evaluations 4. To provide a reference for provincial government agencies in the development of wild species conservation and management programs The 2005 edition of the General Status of Alberta Wild Species represents a substantial improvement in the knowledge base of wild species in Alberta. Status assessments were prepared for 2,814 species of birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, freshwater fish, gastropods, bivalves, odonates (dragonflies and damselflies), butterflies, and vascular plants in the province. Alberta, along with all other provinces and territories, agreed to assist Environment Canada in preparing national general status ranks for species in several of these groups (see Background of the Present General Status Evaluation Exercise). These groups include the birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, freshwater fish, butterflies, odonates, freshwater mussels, and vascular plants. Alberta Sustainable Resource Development will continue to evaluate the status of wild species on an ongoing basis. In the future, the general status of other species groups will be included. The status evaluation process may be refined and improved, but it will continue to be compatible with Original Online Report: 2005 Species at Risk – General Status of Alberta Wild Species 2005 Page 2 of 97 PDF version created: Feb 25, 2013 © 2013 Government of Alberta ESRD/The General Status of Alberta Wild Species 2005 that used by other provinces and territories. If all jurisdictions continue to use the same method of evaluation, it will be possible to compare status ranks among provinces and territories, and between years, to gain a national perspective of how well any particular species is doing. Thank you for your interest in Alberta’s wild species. Original Online Report: 2005 Species at Risk – General Status of Alberta Wild Species 2005 Page 3 of 97 PDF version created: Feb 25, 2013 © 2013 Government of Alberta ESRD/The General Status of Alberta Wild Species 2005 Table of Contents General Status of Alberta Wild Species 2005 Acknowledgements 5 Introduction 8 Past Status 9 Background 10 Status Ranks 16 Related Information and Resources 96 Figure Index Figure 1: The Status Designation Process in Alberta 8 Figure 2: The Proportion of Alberta’s Birds in Each Status Category 16 Figure 3: The Proportion of Alberta’s Mammals in Each Status Category 17 Figure 4: The Proportion of Alberta’s Amphibians in Each Status Category 17 Figure 5: The Proportion of Alberta’s Reptiles in Each Status Category 17 Figure 6: The Proportion of Alberta’s Freshwater Fish in Each Status Category 18 Figure 7: The Proportion of Alberta’s Gastropods in Each Status Category 18 Figure 8: The Proportion of Alberta’s Bivalves in Each Status Category 18 Figure 9: The Proportion of Alberta’s Odonates in Each Status Category 19 Figure 10: The Proportion of Alberta’s Butterflies in Each Status Category 19 Figure 11: The Proportion of Alberta’s Vascular Plants in Each Status Category 19 Table Index Table 1: Definitions of General Status Categories 10 Table 2: Criteria and Rating Scale for Ranking the General Status of All Wild Species 13 Table 3: Summary of Criteria 13 Table 4: Alberta Wild Species General Status Listing 2005 20 Original Online Report: 2005 Species at Risk – General Status of Alberta Wild Species 2005 Page 4 of 97 PDF version created: Feb 25, 2013 © 2013 Government of Alberta ESRD/The General Status of Alberta Wild Species 2005 Acknowledgements General Status of Alberta Wild Species 2005 The Alberta general status exercise has been refined since it was launched in 1996, and is now the same as that done by other provinces and territories in Canada. Using methods that were standardized in 2000, the 2005 status evaluations were carried out on 2,811 species from 10 taxonomic groups, including birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, freshwater fish, gastropods, bivalves, odonates, butterflies, and vascular plants. Draft status scores were compiled by the staff of the Fish and Wildlife Division, Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, in Edmonton; data and expertise for status scores for vascular plants were provided to Alberta Fish and Wildlife by the Alberta Natural Heritage Information Centre, Parks and Protected Areas, Alberta Community Development, also in Edmonton. For the purposes of this assessment, draft documents were sent to professional biologists from academia, government, and industry, along with wild species experts from the natural history community. The comments and suggestions made by these individuals were compiled and discussed. The final scores and rankings, however, remain the sole responsibility of the Fish and Wildlife Division, Alberta Sustainable Resource Development. The Division is grateful to the following individuals who participated in the process: Sean Abbott John Acorn Cameron Aldridge Jim Allen Paul Anderson Marilyn Anions Mairi Babey Ursula Banasch Reid Barcaly Robert Barclay Lloyd Bennett Carita Bergman Dave Berry Matt Besko Gerard Beyersbergen C. D. Bird Dawn Birn Ron Bjorge Rick Bonar Kerry Brewin Ernie Brodo Eldon Bruns Vance Buchwald Kathleen Capels Harold Carr Jim Case Richard Casey Richard Chabaylo P. Chakravarty Terry Clayton Hugh Clifford Doug Collister Beth Cornish D. Coxon Gavin Craig Ray Cromie Brenda Dale Jennifer Doubt Brian Eaton Gary Erickson Ernie Ewaschuk Dorothy Fabijan Dan Farr Jan Ficht Chris Fisher Lorne Fitch John Folinsbee Robert Forsyth Sandra Foss Christine Found Sherri Fownes Bill Glasgow Joanne Golden Trevor Goward Bruce Greenfield Graeme Greenlee Dave Gummer Grant Gunderson Robin Gutsell Kevin Hannah Su san Hannon Roxanne Hastings Mark Heckbert Margot Hervieux Dave Hervieux L.V. Hills Dave Hobson Ed Hofman Geoff Holroyd Phil Horch Janice James Edgar Jones Jon Jorgenson Kris Kendall Joan Kerr Richard Klauke Norbert Kondla Floyd Kunnas Jane Lancaster Rick Lauzon Olivia Lee Jacquie Lee Dwayne Lepitzki Trevor Lumley Ken Lungle Beth MacCallum Bill MacKay Dick Mann Pat Marklevitz Janet Marsh Pam Martin Dave Mayhood Murray McKay Dave Moore Richard Moses Dave Moyles Andy Murphy Joe Nelson Layla Neufeld Original Online Report: 2005 Species at Risk – General Status of Alberta Wild Species 2005 Page 5 of 97 PDF version created: Feb 25, 2013 © 2013 Government of Alberta ESRD/The General Status of Alberta Wild Species 2005 Joel Nicholson Mike Norton Myrna Pearman Sue Peters Harold Pinel Eva Pip Hardy Pletz Jim Potter Larry Powell Dave Prescott Paul Pryor Margo Pybus Richard Quinlan Andy Raniseth Larry Rhude Christine Rice Blair Rippin Brian Ritchie Wayne Roberts Petra Rowell Anthony Russel Jeff Saarela Tom Sadler Jim Schieck Roy Schmelzeisen Chris Schmidt Fiona Schmiegelow Tim Schowalter Mike Shchepanek J. Sheard Landon Shepherd Dave Sheppard Allen Shostak Bonnie Smith Galen Smith Hugh Smith Jeanne Smith Wayne Smith Samantha Song Mark Steinhilber Jim Stelfox Dave Stepnisky George Sterling Lisa Takats-Priestley John Thomson Arlen Todd Marc-André Villard Marten Vonhof Drajs Vujnovic Cliff Wallis Brian Walsh Robin Walsh Cleve Wershler C. Wetmore Trevor Wiens John H. Wiersema Bill Wishart Hugh Wollis Lisa Wilkinson Organizations The Fish and Wildlife Division, Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, is grateful to the following organizations for providing input from their members or staff, and/or access to their collections: Agriculture and Agrifood Canada,