Proposed changes to the NWT List of Species at Risk

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engagement_graphic_-_amphibians.jpg

This engagement opportunity is now closed. Thank you for your comments! 

Decisions on up-listing northern leopard frog and extending the listing of western toad are expected by August 2026.

Photos: (Left) Northern leopard frog, Kris Kendell; (Right) Western toad, Yannick Letailleur

Listing proposals

Northern leopard frog is being considered for up-listing to Endangered on the NWT List of Species at Risk. It is currently listed as a Threatened species but was reassessed as Endangered in April 2025. Endangered means the species could disappear from the NWT in the near future.

Western toad is being considered for re-listing as Threatened on the NWT List of Species at Risk. This species is currently listed as Threatened and was reassessed in April 2025 with no change in status. Threatened means it could become Endangered if nothing is done to reverse the factors putting it at risk.

Please consider the following questions when providing comments:

Northern leopard frog

  • Should northern leopard frog be up-listed to Endangered on the NWT List of Species at Risk? Why or why not?
  • Northern leopard frog has been listed as a Threatened species in the NWT since 2015. A management plan for amphibians was completed in 2017. How has the listing affected you or your community? Would the up-listing have positive or negative impacts? What would they be?
  • Is there new or missing information that was not considered in the status reports for this species? If so, can you provide it to us or tell us where to find it?

Western toad

  • Should western toad continue to be listed as Threatened on the NWT List of Species at Risk? Why or why not?
  • Western toad has been listed as a Threatened species in the NWT since 2016. A management plan for amphibians was completed in 2017. How has the listing affected you or your community? Would extending the listing for this species for another 10 years have positive or negative impacts? What would they be?
  • Is there new or missing information that was not considered in the status reports for this species? If so, can you provide it to us or tell us where to find it?

Have your say!

Comments on the assessments and potential listing of northern leopard frog and western toad can be submitted by completing a survey (English and French links below) or by sending your comments to the Species at Risk Secretariat (address below).

Species at Risk Secretariat

PO Box 1320

Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9

Phone (toll-free): 1-855-783-4301

Fax: 1-867-873-0221

Email: SARA@gov.nt.ca

Next steps

The Conference of Management Authorities will meet in December 2025 and February 2026 to consider all comments received and decide on the listings. A summary of the information used by each Management Authority to make its decision will be found in the consensus agreement on listing for each species.

Listing decisions for northern leopard frog and western toad are expected by August 2026.

Links

NORTHERN LEOPARD FROG

WESTERN TOAD

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Engagement Opportunities

NWT Species at Risk Listing Decisions

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2024 SARC Assessments

The Conference of Management Authorities (CMA), established under the Species at Risk (NWT) Act to manage and recover species at risk in the Northwest Territories (NWT), has reached consensus on two species proposed for the NWT List of Species at Risk: hairy braya and red-sided garter snake.

Rare plant to remain on the NWT List of Species at Risk

Hairy braya, the only plant on the Northwest Territories (NWT) List of Species at Risk, will remain on the list for another ten years.

Hairy braya is a rare flowering plant found only in a remote part of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region. It has been listed as Threatened in the NWT since 2014.

Last year, the NWT Species at Risk Committee recommended the species remain listed as Threatened—mainly because it is so rare and its coastal habitat is quickly eroding. On August 2, hairy braya’s Threatened status on the NWT List of Species at Risk will be officially extended to 2036.

Red-sided garter snake not listed

A second species assessed by the NWT Species at Risk Committee has not been listed.

Red-sided garter snake was assessed in 2024 as a species of Special Concern in the NWT, which means it could become Threatened or Endangered due to a combination of biological characteristics and identified threats. The snakes hibernate in specific, small areas—therefore, a single threatening event could negatively impact many of the NWT’s snakes at once.

Although red-sided garter snakes in the NWT are at the northern limit of their range in North America, they are part of a much larger population that extends across central Canada and the United States. The CMA believes there are enough snakes in neighbouring provinces to repopulate the NWT in the event of a population decline. There are already measures in place to protect many of the places snakes hibernate in the NWT.

While the CMA recognizes red-sided garter snakes are an important part of the NWT’s biodiversity and a valued species for many NWT residents, adding red-sided garter snake to the NWT List of Species at Risk would not add significant conservation benefit to the species at this time. The CMA supports the ongoing work to conserve red-sided garter snake and their habitat in the NWT, including current research on the impacts of recent wildfires.

Additional species information and supporting documents, including the status reports, assessments and consensus agreements, are available at www.nwtspeciesatrisk.ca.

For more information contact:

Jody Pellissey, Chairperson

Conference of Management Authorities

Phone: (867) 767-9237 ext. 53215

Email: SARA@gov.nt.ca

Quick facts:

  • The Conference of Management Authorities (CMA) is the group of wildlife co-management boards and governments that share management responsibility for the conservation and recovery of species at risk in the NWT. All CMA decisions are made by consensus of the Management Authorities.
Hairy braya
  • Hairy braya (Braya pilosa) is a small perennial plant in the mustard family that grows only on Cape Bathurst peninsula and Baillie Island, NWT.
  • The plants are known to grow in 17 locations. Threats include rapid erosion of coastline habitat and sea level increase.
  • The management authorities for hairy braya are the Wildlife Management Advisory Council (NWT) and the Government of the Northwest Territories.
  • The listing will not change rules for harvesting, land use or activities allowed in hairy braya habitat.
  • A recovery strategy for hairy braya in the NWT was completed in 2015. The CMA released a progress report on actions taken under the strategy in 2021. Management partners will continue to implement the recovery strategy under the extended listing.
  • Under the federal Species at Risk Act, hairy braya is currently listed as Endangered in Canada.
Red-sided garter snake
  • Red-sided garter snakes occur largely in the southern NWT near Fort Smith. They are a subspecies of the common garter snake, and are found across western Canada and the northern U.S.
  • Road mortality is a threat to this species, especially when snakes are emerging from hibernation in the spring. They can travel great distances, often crossing roads, including Highway 5 near Fort Smith.
  • In recent years, severe wildfire and drought have impacted the habitat of red-sided garter snakes.
  • The red-sided garter snake has not been assessed by the federal Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and is not listed under the federal Species at Risk Act.
  • The management authority for red-sided garter snake in the NWT is the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Links

Draft Species Status Report for Wood Bison in the NWT

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Wood Bison Credit: Pierre-Emmanuel Chaillon

This engagement opportunity is now closed. Thank you for your comments! 

The species status report for wood bison was finalized in April 2026.

The NWT Species at Risk Committee (SARC) has released the draft Species Status Report for Wood Bison (Bison bison athabascae) in the NWT for review. The species status report is a comprehensive report that compiles and analyzes the best available Indigenous, community, and scientific information on the biological status of wood bison in the NWT, as well as existing and potential threats and positive influences. The report was prepared in advance of the scheduled 2026 assessment of wood bison in the NWT.

  • Fact sheet on the wood bison status report and assessment

If you are interested in reviewing the report and submitting comments, please use the following questions to guide your review:

  • Has the report fully investigated the best available sources of information?
  • Is the information from those sources portrayed accurately?

Comments on the draft report must be submitted to the Species at Risk Secretariat by no later than January 9, 2026.

Comments can be submitted via email (SARA@gov.nt.ca), fax (867-873-0221), or via standard mail at the address below:

Species at Risk Secretariat
SC6, c/o Environment and Climate Change
Government of the Northwest Territories
PO Box 1320
Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9

Please note that the report is a draft and is not to be cited without permission of the Species at Risk Committee Chairperson. If you have any questions about reviewing draft status reports, or if you require the report in a different format, please contact the Species at Risk Secretariat.

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Engagement Opportunities

Draft Species Status Report for Common Muskrat in the NWT

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Muskrat Credit: Liam Cowan

This engagement opportunity is now closed. Thank you for your comments! 

The species status report for common muskrat was finalized in April 2026.

The NWT Species at Risk Committee (SARC) has released the draft Species Status Report for Common Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) in the NWT for review. The species status report is a comprehensive report that compiles and analyzes the best available Indigenous, community, and scientific information on the biological status of muskrat in the NWT, as well as existing and potential threats and positive influences. The report was prepared in advance of the scheduled 2026 assessment of muskrat in the NWT.

  • Fact sheet on the common muskrat status report and assessment

 If you are interested in reviewing the report and submitting comments, please use the following questions to guide your review:

  • Has the report fully investigated the best available sources of information?
  • Is the information from those sources portrayed accurately?

Comments on the draft report must be submitted to the Species at Risk Secretariat by no later than January 9, 2026.

Comments can be submitted via email (SARA@gov.nt.ca), fax (867-873-0221), or via standard mail at the address below:

Species at Risk Secretariat
SC6, c/o Environment and Climate Change
Government of the Northwest Territories
PO Box 1320
Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9

Please note that the report is a draft and is not to be cited without permission of the Species at Risk Committee Chairperson. If you have any questions about reviewing draft status reports, or if you require the report in a different format, please contact the Species at Risk Secretariat.

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Engagement Opportunities

Proposed Changes to the NWT List of Species at Risk – Hairy Braya and Snake

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2024 SARC Assessments

This engagement opportunity is now closed. Thank you for your comments! 

  • The listing term for hairy braya was extended in August 2025. This species will remain on the NWT List of Species at Risk as a Threatened species for another 10 years.
  • Red-sided garter snake has not been added to the NWT List of Species at Risk.

Listing proposals

Hairy braya is identified for re-listing as Threatened on the NWT List of Species at Risk. This plant species was reassessed in April 2024. A status of Threatened means it could become Endangered if nothing is done.

Red-sided garter snake is identified for listing on the NWT List of Species at Risk. This species was assessed for the first time in April 2024 as a species of Special Concern, which means it is at risk of becoming Threatened or Endangered.

Please consider the following questions when providing comments:

Hairy braya

  • Should hairy braya continue to be listed as Threatened on the NWT List of Species at Risk? Why or why not?
  • Hairy braya was first listed as a Threatened species in the NWT in 2014 and a recovery strategy was completed in 2016. How has the listing affected you or your community? Would the re-listing have positive or negative impacts? What would they be?
  • Is there new or missing information that was not considered in the latest status report for this species? If so, can you provide it to us or tell us where to find it?

Red-sided garter snake

  • Should red-sided garter snake be added to the NWT List of Species at Risk as a species of Special Concern? Why or why not?
  • Would listing this species have positive or negative impacts for you and your community? What would they be?
  • Is there new or missing information that was not considered in the status report for this species? If so, can you provide it to us or tell us where to find it?

How can I share my comments?

All NWT residents are invited to submit comments on the assessments and potential listing of hairy braya and red-sided garter snake by November 1, 2024.

You can also reach the Conference of Management Authorities by contacting:

NWT Species at Risk Secretariat
PO Box 1320
Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9
Phone (toll-free): 1-855-783-4301
Fax: 1-867-669-0905
Email: SARA@gov.nt.ca

Next steps

The Conference of Management Authorities will meet in December 2024 and February 2025 to consider all comments received. A summary of the information used by each Management Authority to make its decision will be found in the consensus agreement on listing for each species.

Listing decisions for hairy braya and red-sided garter snake are expected by July 2025.

Links

Hairy braya

Red-sided garter snake

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Engagement Opportunities

Species at Risk Committee assesses biological status of two NWT amphibians

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Amphibians news

The Northwest Territories (NWT) Species at Risk Committee (SARC) has reassessed the biological status of two amphibian species in the NWT. Northern leopard frog was assessed as Endangered and western toad was assessed as Threatened under the Species at Risk (NWT) Act.

SARC conducts detailed status assessments to determine if species are in danger of disappearing from the NWT. SARC previously assessed northern leopard frog and western toad in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

The 2025 status assessments for the two species highlighted the small area of the NWT where these species occur and the sensitivity of these species to increasing threats from disease, habitat loss from drought and wildfire, and human disturbances such as hydro development and road mortality. On a global scale, 41% of amphibian species were listed as Threatened or Endangered in 2023 by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

status_table.jpg

Like most amphibians in the NWT, northern leopard frogs and western toads are at the northern limit of their range. Northern leopard frogs are uncommon in the NWT, and have only been found near the Slave, Taltson and Tethul rivers in the southern NWT. These frogs are part of a small population of northern leopard frogs that is isolated from other populations in North America.

In the NWT, western toads are only found in the Liard River basin of the Dehcho region. These toads are at the northern edge of a larger population.

A third amphibian species, Canadian toad, was also scheduled for assessment in 2025. However, all confirmed observations of Canadian toad occur within Wood Buffalo National Park. National Park lands are under the jurisdiction of the Government of Canada and, therefore, responsibility of the Canadian toad does not fall to the Conference of Management Authorities. As a result, Canadian toad was not assessed but will be reconsidered if there are observations outside of Wood Buffalo National Park.

Following the review of the status report and recent assessments of western toad and northern leopard frog, SARC has made several recommendations, including:

  • Promote research, including documentation of Indigenous and community knowledge, to fill knowledge gaps on all aspects of amphibian breeding sites, population trends, habitat and threats. Although there was some new information available for this assessment, there are still large gaps in knowledge.
  • Investigate Canadian toad occurrences beyond the boundary of Wood Buffalo National Park, along Highway 5 towards Fort Smith.
  • Encourage continued implementation of best practices for studying/researching amphibians to avoid disease transmission.
  • Implement and enforce protection for known breeding sites.
  • Ensure that information and advice regarding important amphibian habitat is provided for consideration in the regulatory process, as appropriate.
  • Continue to educate the public to raise awareness of amphibians, their habitat, and the threats they face.
  • Encourage people to share observations of amphibians on iNaturalist.ca or report observations to WildlifeObs@gov.nt.ca.

SARC presented its assessments and recommendations to the Conference of Management Authorities (CMA) on May 21, 2025. The CMA will now engage with NWT communities and decide if northern leopard frog should be listed as Endangered on the NWT List of Species at Risk and whether western toad should continue to be listed as a Threatened species.

The full 2025 assessments with recommendations can be found here:

For more information contact:

Species at Risk Committee

PO Box 1320, Yellowknife, NT  X1A 2L9

Email: SARA@gov.nt.ca

Toll-free: 1 (855) 783-4301

Toward Recovery: First NWT Progress Report on Wood Bison

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Wood Bison - Terry Armstrong - GNWT

The Progress Report on the Recovery of Wood Bison in the Northwest Territories (2020-2024) was released today by the Conference of Management Authorities in coordination with the Mackenzie, Nahanni and Slave River Lowlands bison working groups.

The report details key actions taken across the NWT to implement the Recovery Strategy for Wood Bison (Bison bison athabascae) in the Northwest Territories, including regular population surveys, ongoing harvest management, anthrax surveillance and response, maintenance of a Bison Control Area to prevent the spread of disease, and efforts to reduce the number of road collisions with bison.

Wood bison are currently listed as a Threatened species in both the NWT and Canada. Wood bison in the NWT are scheduled for reassessment by the Species at Risk Committee in 2026.

Progress reporting is required every five years for species listed under the Species at Risk (NWT) Act. This is the first progress report for wood bison in the Northwest Territories.

The full progress report and additional information on wood bison and other NWT species at risk are available at: www.nwtspeciesatrisk.ca.

For more information contact:

Jody Pellissey, Chairperson

Conference of Management Authorities

c/o NWT Species at Risk Secretariat

Phone: (867) 767-9237 ext. 53215

Email: SARA@gov.nt.ca

Photo: Terry Armstrong, GNWT

BACKGROUND:

  • There are three free-ranging wood bison populations in the NWT: the Mackenzie population, the Nahanni population and the Greater Wood Buffalo metapopulation (which includes bison in the Slave River Lowlands). Both the Mackenzie and Nahanni bison populations were introduced to the NWT as part of efforts to re-establish wood bison on their historic range.
  • Wood bison were listed as Threatened under the federal Species at Risk Act in 2003 and under the Species at Risk (NWT) Act in 2017. In the NWT, the relatively small population size and declines were factors in the assessment and listing decision.
  • The Recovery Strategy for Wood Bison in the Northwest Territories was completed in 2019 to guide the overall conservation and recovery of wood bison in the NWT.
  • The Conference of Management Authorities (CMA) is the group of wildlife co-management boards and governments that share management responsibility for the conservation and recovery of species at risk in the NWT.
  • Three working groups established to develop population-specific management plans for Mackenzie, Nahanni and Slave River Lowlands bison play a crucial role in implementing management actions, as well as bringing their organizations’ perspectives into decision-making about wood bison.
  • The 2020-2024 progress report includes nearly 60 actions and approaches taken over five years to support the recovery of NWT wood bison.
  • Wood bison are one of twelve species identified as “at risk” of disappearing from the NWT and legally listed under the Species at Risk (NWT) Act. The NWT List of Species at Risk includes one Endangered species, seven Threatened species, and four species identified as SpecialConcern.

LINKS:

NWT wildlife management authorities identify actions to support Peary caribou recovery

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Peary caribou - John Nagy

The Conference of Management Authorities, established under the Species at Risk (NWT) Act to manage and recover species at risk in the Northwest Territories (NWT), has reached agreement on the implementation of the Recovery Strategy for Peary Caribou in the Northwest Territories.

Peary caribou are listed as a Threatened species in both the NWT and in Canada. The NWT recovery strategy, released in July 2024, is the result of a collaborative effort by wildlife management authorities responsible for Peary caribou in the NWT. It is based on Canada’s national recovery strategy for Peary caribou (2022) and shares the same population and distribution objectives as the national strategy. The NWT strategy also points to updated information available in the 2022 NWT species status report and highlights work that is already underway to conserve Peary caribou in the NWT.

The implementation agreement identifies the actions the Wildlife Management Advisory Council (NWT) and the Government of the Northwest Territories intend to take to put the recovery strategy into action. Successful conservation of Peary caribou in the NWT will depend on the commitment and cooperation of the many different groups with responsibility for wildlife management in the NWT, together with residents and visitors. Progress on implementation will be reported on every five years, as required under the Species at Risk (NWT) Act.

Additional species information and supporting documents, including status reports, assessments and consensus agreements, are available at www.nwtspeciesatrisk.ca.

For more information contact:

Jody Pellissey, Chairperson

Conference of Management Authorities

c/o NWT Species at Risk Secretariat

Phone: (867) 767-9237 ext. 53215

Email: SARA@gov.nt.ca

Photo: John Nagy, GNWT

BACKGROUND:

  • Peary caribou live in small groups on the Arctic islands of the NWT and Nunavut. Populations declined steeply between the 1960s and the 1990s. The decline was followed by a period of sustained low numbers; however, there is recent evidence of an increase.
  • The Recovery Strategy for Peary Caribou in the Northwest Territories provides guidance on the conservation and long-term recovery of Peary caribou in the NWT.
  • The NWT recovery strategy includes the national recovery strategy (2022) and an NWT addition developed by the Conference of Management Authorities on Species at Risk (CMA). Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations as well as NWT residents were invited to provide input on the NWT recovery strategy.
  • The CMA is made up of the wildlife co-management boards and governments that share responsibility for wildlife in the NWT. Management authorities for Peary caribou in the NWT are the Wildlife Management Advisory Council (NWT) and the Government of the Northwest Territories. 
  • There are no automatic prohibitions or protections for Peary caribou, or its habitat, associated with the implementation of the recovery strategy. The recovery strategy does not change quotas, by-laws or regulations already in place.
  • Implementation of the recovery strategy is subject to appropriations, priorities and budgetary constraints of the management authorities.

LINKS:

Species at risk funding now available!

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SCARF graphic

The NWT Species Conservation and Recovery Fund provides funding for projects that support the long-term conservation, recovery and protection of species that are at risk in the NWT.

Applications for funding for 2025-2026 projects (beginning April 1, 2025) are being accepted from January 15 to March 1, 2025.

Please submit your completed application form if you have an idea for a project that:

  • Addresses threats to species, habitats, landscapes, or ecosystems
  • Fills knowledge gaps related to species, habitats, or threats
  • Contributes to outreach, education, and awareness about species

Apply now! The application package is available here (also available in French).

For more information, please see the NWT Species Conservation and Recovery Fund web page or read the brochure.

Photo: Northern leopard frog, Leslie Bol

American white pelican not listed as a species at risk in the NWT

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American White Pelican - John David McKinnon

The Conference of Management Authorities, established under the Species at Risk (NWT) Act to manage and recover species at risk in the Northwest Territories (NWT), has decided not to add American white pelican to the NWT List of Species at Risk.

In 2023, the Species at Risk Committee assessed American white pelican as a species of Special Concern in the NWT. This means the species may become Threatened or Endangered because of a combination of biological characteristics and identified threats. Although white pelican populations are increasing in the NWT and across Canada, the Committee found the species to be at risk in the NWT due to its very small area of occupancy (currently only one known nesting location) and vulnerability to disease and parasite outbreaks.

The Conference of Management Authorities (CMA) recognizes that American white pelican is a valued species for many NWT residents and an important part of the NWT’s biodiversity. The CMA supports local efforts to monitor and conserve pelicans.

However, the CMA found there is insufficient information to conclude that diseases are a priority driver of vulnerability for American white pelicans in the NWT. Additionally, given that the Slave River colony nests outside of the NWT in Alberta, listing the species under the Species at Risk (NWT) Act would not enable conservation measures or management planning for the population’s nesting area.

 The Conference of Management Authorities encourages partners in the NWT and Alberta to continue their important and collaborative work to conserve and raise awareness of the American white pelican and reduce the threats of human disturbance.

Photo: John David Mackinnon

Quick facts

  • American white pelicans occur largely in the southern NWT near Fort Smith. They are part of the Slave River colony, which nests in northern Alberta at the very northern edge of the species’ global range.
  • The Conference of Management Authorities (CMA) is the group of wildlife co-management boards and governments that share management responsibility for the conservation and recovery of species at risk in the NWT. All CMA decisions are made by consensus of the Management Authorities.
  • The management authority for American white pelican in the NWT is the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Links

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