YELLOWNIFE (March 4, 2014) – Environment and Natural Resources Minister J. Michael Miltenberger has listed the polar bear as a species of special concern and the boreal caribou, Peary caribou and the hairy braya as threatened species in the Northwest Territories (NWT).

The four are the first species to be placed on the NWT List of Species at Risk, established under the Species at Risk (NWT) Act.

“Listing a species means a management plan or recovery strategy must be completed to ensure it persists in the Northwest Territories,” said Minister Miltenberger. “Designations of these species are informed by independent assessments done by the NWT Species at Risk Committee (SARC) and follow consensus agreements from the Conference of Management Authorities.”

The Conference of Management Authorities now has two years to complete an NWT Management Plan for polar bears and NWT Recovery Strategies for the other three species.

Management Authorities are the Wildlife Management Advisory Council (NWT), Gwich’in Renewable Resources Board, Sahtu Renewable Resources Board, Wek’èezhìi Renewable Resources Board, Tłįchǫ Government, Government of Canada and Government of the Northwest Territories.

Management Authorities met in January 2014 to develop a process for completing the appropriate plan and strategies.

The term of each listing is 10 years. Species can be re-listed, changed to a different status category or taken off the list at any time during this 10-year period.

For more information:

Judy McLinton
Manager, Public Affairs and Communications
Environment and Natural Resources
Government of the Northwest Territories
Tel: (867) 873-7379
Email: judy_mclinton@gov.nt.ca
Website: www.enr.gov.nt.ca