The Northwest Territories (NWT) Conference of Management Authorities (CMA), established under the Species at Risk (NWT) Act, reached consensus to add two species to the NWT List of Species at Risk.
Northern leopard frog will be added to the NWT List of Species at Risk as a Threatened species. Dolphin and Union caribou will be added as a species of Special Concern.
A listing of Threatened means the species is likely to become Endangered if nothing is done. A listing of Special Concern means the species may become Endangered or Threatened because of threats and biological factors.
The signed consensus agreements will be provided to the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) on December 19, 2014. The Minister is responsible for ensuring their placement on the NWT List of Species at Risk within three months of receiving the signed agreements.
The CMA is responsible for developing a recovery strategy for northern leopard frog and a management plan for Dolphin and Union caribou in the next two years.
The consensus agreements were informed by species status reports, the NWT Species at Risk Committee's species assessments and reasons for assessment, additional clarification on the assessment from the Species at Risk Committee, public input, and the results of Crown consultation.
Additional species information, the completed species status reports, the Species at Risk Committee's assessments and reasons for assessment, and copies of the consensus agreements will be available at www.nwtspeciesatrisk.ca as of December 19, 2014.