NWT Species at Risk

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

Dolphin and Union caribou was up-listed to Endangered on the NWT List of Species at Risk in July 2024.

American white pelican was not added to the NWT List of Species at Risk.

Overview

The public is invited to comment on the proposed up-listing of Dolphin and Union caribou and the proposed addition of American white pelican to the NWT List of Species at Risk.

Comments were due by October 31, 2023.

Listing proposals

Dolphin and Union caribou are proposed for up-listing on the NWT List of Species at Risk. They are currently listed as a species of Special Concern. Dolphin and Union caribou were reassessed as Endangered in April 2023, which means they could disappear within our lifetime.

American white pelican is identified for listing on the NWT List of Species at Risk. This species was assessed for the first time in April 2023 as a species of Special Concern, which means they are at risk of becoming Threatened or Endangered.

• Fact sheets:
  • Dolphin and Union caribou (English) (French)
  • American white pelican (English) (French)

Please consider the following questions when providing comments:

Dolphin and Union caribou

• Should Dolphin and Union caribou be listed as Endangered on the NWT List of Species at Risk (meaning the species could disappear within our lifetimes)? Why or why not?
• Dolphin and Union caribou were listed as a species of Special Concern in the NWT in 2015 and a management plan was completed in 2018. Would up-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 reports for this species? If so, can you provide it to us or tell us where to find it?

American white pelican

• Should American white pelican 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 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 Dolphin and Union caribou and American white pelican 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).

• Engagement Survey – Dolphin and Union Caribou (English) (French)
• Engagement Survey – American White Pelican (English) (French)

Species at Risk Secretariat 
PO Box 1320 
Yellowknife, NT, X1A 2L9 
Toll-free: 1 (855) 783-4301 
Fax: (867) 873-0293
Email: sara@gov.nt.ca

Next steps

The Conference of Management Authorities will meet in December 2023 and February 2024 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 Dolphin and Union caribou and American white pelican are expected by July 2024.

Links

DOLPHIN AND UNION CARIBOU

• About Dolphin and Union caribou
• Survey - Dolphin and Union caribou listing (English)
• Survey - Dolphin and Union caribou listing (French)
• Status Report and Reassessment of Dolphin and Union Caribou in the NWT / French Summary (2023)

AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN

• About American white pelican
• Survey - American white pelican listing (English)
• Survey - American white pelican listing (French)
• Status Report and Reassessment of American White Pelican in the NWT / French Summary (2023)

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

The species status report for hairy braya was finalized in April 2024. Read it here.  

The NWT Species at Risk Committee (SARC) has released the draft Species Status Report for Hairy Braya (Braya pilosa) 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 hairy braya in the NWT, as well as existing and potential threats and positive influences. The report was prepared in advance of the scheduled 2024 reassessment of hairy braya in the NWT.

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 December 15, 2023.

Comments can be submitted via email (SARA@gov.nt.ca), fax (867-873-0293), 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.

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

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The public was invited to comment on the proposed re-listing of Peary caribou and boreal caribou on the NWT List of Species at Risk as Threatened species
Both species are currently listed as Threatened in the NWT. The listing extension would add 10 years to the current listing term.

• Fact sheets:
  • Peary caribou (English) (French)
  • Boreal caribou (English) (French)

Respondents were asked to consider the following questions when providing comments:

• Should Peary caribou and/or boreal caribou remain listed as Threatened species on the NWT List of Species at Risk? Why or why not?
• Both species were listed as Threatened in the NWT in 2014. How has the listing of these species 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 status reports for these species? If so, can you provide it to us or tell us where to find it?

Comments on the reassessments and potential re-listing of Peary caribou and boreal caribou were submitted by completing a survey (links below) or by sending your comments to the Species at Risk Secretariat by October 31, 2022.

Contact

Species at Risk Secretariat
PO Box 1320
Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9
Phone (toll-free): 1 (855) 783-4301
Fax: (867) 873-0293
Email: sara@gov.nt.ca

Next steps

The Conference of Management Authorities will meet in December 2022 to consider all comments received. A summary of the information used by each Management Authority to make its decision can be found in the consensus agreement on re-listing.

Listing decisions for Peary caribou and boreal caribou are expected by July 2023.

Links

Peary caribou

• About Peary caribou
• Public engagement survey - Peary caribou re-listing (English)
• Public engagement survey - Peary caribou re-listing (French)
• Status Report and Reassessment of Peary Caribou in the NWT (2022)
• Réévaluation du caribou de Peary aux Territoires du Nord-Ouest (2022)

Boreal caribou

• About boreal caribou
• Public engagement survey - Boreal caribou re-listing (English)
• Public engagement survey - Boreal caribou re-listing (French)
• Status Report and Reassessment of Boreal Caribou in the NWT (2022)
• Réévaluation du caribou boréal aux Territoires du Nord-Ouest (2022)

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

The species status report for boreal caribou was finalized in May 2022.

• Read the species status report here

The NWT Species at Risk Committee (SARC) has released the draft Species Status Report for Boreal Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) 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 boreal caribou in the NWT, as well as existing and potential threats and positive influences. The report was prepared in advance of the scheduled 2022 re-assessment of boreal caribou in the NWT and updates the information available in the previous (2012) status report for boreal caribou in the NWT.

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 7, 2022 (commenting on this document is now closed).

Comments can be submitted via email (sara@gov.nt.ca), fax (867-873-0293), or via standard mail at the address below:

Species at Risk Secretariat
SC6, c/o Environment and Natural Resources
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.

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

Barren-ground caribou and two bat species (little brown myotis and northern myotis) have been added to the NWT List of Species at Risk.

The public is invited to comment on the potential addition of the following species to the Northwest Territories (NWT) List of Species at Risk. Comments were due by July 29, 2017.

Barren-ground caribou - proposed listing as Threatened:

• NWT status report and assessment

Grizzly bear - proposed listing as Special Concern:

• NWT status report and assessment

Little brown myotis (a bat) - proposed listing as Special Concern:

• NWT status report and assessment

Northern myotis (a bat) - proposed listing as Special Concern:

• NWT status report and assessment

Please consider the following questions when providing comments:

• Should the species be added to the NWT List of Species at Risk? Why or why not?
• Do you think that the status should be something other than proposed? If so, why?
• If the species were added to the List, do you think there would be any negative impacts from the listing? If so, what?
• Is there new or missing information that was not considered in the status report? If so, can you provide it or tell us where to find it?

Send your comments on the assessment and potential listing of these species to:
Environment and Natural Resources
Government of the Northwest Territories
Box 1320, Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9
Phone: (867) 767-9237 ext. 53214
Fax: (867) 873-0293
Email:   sara@gov.nt.ca

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

The Inuvialuit Settlement Region Polar Bear Joint Management Plan and the Framework for Action for Management of Polar Bears in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region were released in 2017.

Photo: GNWT 

The public is invited to comment on the draft co-management plan for polar bears in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region and the accompanying framework for action. Comments are due by September 2, 2016.

Materials:

• Fact sheet   
• Inuvialuit Settlement Region Polar Bear Co-Management Plan
• Framework for Action for Management of Polar Bears                 

Please consider the following questions in providing comments:

• Do you have suggestions to improve the draft management plan or framework for action?
• What actions to you think should be taken to manage and conserve polar bears in the Invuvialuit Settlement Region?

Send your comments to:

Environment and Natural Resources
Government of the Northwest Territories
Box 1320, Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9
Phone: (867) 767-9237 ext. 53214
Fax: (867) 873-0293
Email:   sara@gov.nt.ca

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

A Management Plan for Amphibians in the NWT was finalized in 2016 and released in 2017.

Photo: Western toad - Floyd Bertrand/ENR

Materials:

• Draft Management Plan for Amphibians in the Northwest Territories      
• Fact sheet

Please consider the following questions in providing comments:

• Do you have suggestions to improve the draft management plan?
• What actions to you think should be taken to manage and conserve amphibians in the Northwest Territories?

Send your comments to:

Environment and Natural Resources
Government of the Northwest Territories
Box 1320, Yellowknife, NT X1A 2L9
Phone: (867) 767-9237 ext. 53214
Fax: (867) 873-0293
Email:   sara@gov.nt.ca