Results of call for proposals: 16th Conference of the Parties

Environment Canada received one recommendation for consideration: to de-list wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) from the CITES Appendices. Wood bison is currently listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).  

In consultation with federal and provincial and territorial governments and experts, the current knowledge of the species, its current use and trade, and existing management and trade controls were evaluated.  In Canada, the wood bison is considered a threatened species under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA) and a recovery plan is required.  As the wood bison has been downlisted from endangered to threatened under the United States' Endangered Species Act, trade patterns may change.  Updated information on the status of the wood bison (population size, trends, threats and other information) and on the recovery goals is expected to be available by fall 2013 through the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and the Wildlife Directors responsible for the wood bison recovery strategy.  Together, these factors led to the decision not to propose removing wood bison from the CITES Appendices until changes in trade patterns are understood.