Emergency order for the protection of the Western Chorus Frog (population of the Great Lakes / St Lawrence and the Canadian Shield)

Backgrounder

The Western Chorus Frog

The Western Chorus Frog is a small amphibian present in southern Ontario and in the Montérégie and Outaouais regions in Quebec. It is approximately 2.5 cm long. Its colour varies between brown and olive green and it has three dark stripes on its back. In early spring, during the breeding season, it is recognized by its call, which resembles the sound of running a fingernail along the teeth of a metallic comb. Its eggs and tadpoles develop in temporary ponds, then the young move towards the surrounding terrestrial environment, such as the woods, prairies and pastures. The Chorus Frog flees permanent ponds with many predators such as fish and larger amphibians. It hibernates on the ground, underneath rocks and dead trees, in burrows or buried in the dirt.

State of the population

The Western Chorus Frog population in the Great Lakes / St Lawrence and the Canadian Shield (GLSLCS) has been listed as a threatened species^{Footnote 1} on the List of Wildlife Species at Risk in the Species at Risk Act since 2010. This species has experienced a sharp population decline in both Quebec and Ontario. In the Montérégie region, a reduction of more than 90% of its historical range was noticed in 2009. The greatest loss of habitat in this region occurred in La Prairie, where nearly 60% of its suitable habitat was lost between 1992 and 2013. Habitat loss and degradation, mostly caused by residential and industrial development and by agriculture intensification, are the main threats to the species.

A recovery strategy for the Western Chorus Frog (GLSLCS) was published in the Species at Risk Public Registry (www.registrelep.gc.ca) in December 2015. This document outlines the measures necessary to stop or reverse its decline.

The order

The objective of the emergency order is to address immediate threats to the re-establishment of the species by protecting the metapopulation^{Footnote 2} in La Prairie. It is therefore intended to stabilize the metapopulation and foster the re-establishment of the entire species. The Government of Canada’s goal is to prevent any additional loss or degradation of the habitat necessary for the survival of the metapopulation in La Prairie.

The emergency order will come into effect on July 17, 2016. It will apply to approximately 2 km2 of partially developed land in La Prairie, Candiac and Saint-Philippe. The area covered by the order includes the Smitter’s Marsh conservation park. The annex to the emergency order contains a list of all the lands, lots and parts of lots to which it applies. The emergency order and its annex will be available at www.gazette.gc.ca as of June 29. Detailed maps of the area covered by the order are available at www.registrelep.gc.ca.

Prohibited activities in the area covered by the order include the following:

• Removing, relocating or working the earth
• Removing, pruning, damaging, destroying or introducing vegetation
• Installing, building or carrying out work on infrastructure
• Riding a motorized vehicle (including ATVs and snowmobiles) off roads or paved paths
• Installing or building any structure or barrier preventing the movement of the species

Certain activities carried out outside of the area covered by the order are also forbidden if they contravene the order prohibitions.

The Species at Risk Act

The Species at Risk Act was passed to complement the existing federal, provincial and territorial laws on the protection of plant and animal species and their habitats. The purpose of the Act is to prevent Canadian indigenous species from becoming extirpated or extinct and to provide for the recovery of extirpated, endangered or threatened species. It also provides a framework for the management of species of special concern to prevent them from becoming threatened or endangered.

For more information

A summary of the emergency order is available on the Species at Risk Public Registry at www.registrelep.gc.ca. The complete emergency order will be published in Part II of the Canada Gazette (www.gazette.gc.ca) on June 29, 2016.

For more information on the Western Chorus Frog, species at risk, measures taken by Environment Canada and how to play an active role, visit the Species at Risk Public Registry at www.registrelep.gc.ca.

Related product

• Government of Canada announces emergency measure to protect species at risk

Footnotes

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Hon. Catherine McKenna Environment and Climate Change Canada Nature and Environment