Species at risk public registry
In this registry you will find documents relating to the administration of the Species at Risk Act (SARA). The act is part of Canada’s strategy to protect hundreds of wild plants and animal species from becoming extinct, and to help in their recovery. Please visit the species at risk sub-topic page to read more about species at risk and the act, the accord and the funding program, and visit our education centre. Help navigating the Species at Risk Public Registry.
Species
Species
Search species list by range, taxonomy group, risk category or schedule.
Schedule 1 - List of wildlife species at Risk
Access the official lists of wildlife species at risk (schedules 1, 2 and 3).
Species listing process under the Species at Risk Act
Species at Risk Act (SARA) instruments
The following sections provide information relating to SARA instruments and the implementation of the Act.
- Regulations
- Orders
- Permits and agreements
- Policies and guidelines
- Round table reports and Minister's response
- Environmental Assessment Best Practice Guide for Wildlife at Risk in Canada
- Species at Risk Program: Results-Based Management and Accountability Framework and Risk-Based Audit Framework
Parliamentary review
Section 129 of the Species at Risk Act requires Parliament to review the Act five years after that section comes into force.
Status reports
Status reports
Recovery
Recovery strategies
A recovery strategy is a planning document that identifies what needs to be done to stop or reverse the decline of a species.
Action plans
Action plans identify the measures to take to implement the recovery strategy for threatened, endangered and extirpated species.
Management plans
Management plans include measures for the conservation of species of special concern and their habitat.
Residence descriptions / rationales
Residence descriptions and rationales describe the dwelling-place such as a den, nest or other similar area or place that is occupied by a species.
Critical habitat orders, reports and statements
Documents on the identification and protection of habitat that is necessary for the survival or recovery of a species.
List of recovery team chairs
Recovery team chairs, alphabetically listed by species.
Recovery guidance handbook (ROMAN) [archived]
Current best practices for recovery.
Saving the wild; an opportunity to participate in species at risk recovery in Canada
This publication celebrates the tens of thousands of Canadians from all walks of life who are striving to save the wild in Canada.
Identification of critical habitat
Critical habitat identification toolbox
Under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA), critical habitat (CH) is the habitat that is necessary for the survival or recovery of listed extirpated, endangered, or threatened species, and that is identified as CH in a recovery strategy or action plan. This CH Identification Toolbox is intended to be used by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) recovery practitioners and those who work with ECCC in the development of recovery documents where CH identification is required.
ECCC invites you to familiarize yourself with the process by which ECCC identifies critical habitat for endangered and threatened species.
Recovery document posting plans
Documents detailing multi-year plans for posting recovery documents by Environment Canada, Parks Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Permits
Permits
A permit may be required to conduct an activity that could affect a species listed under SARA, or its habitat.
Find a document
Find a document
A requirement of SARA is the establishment of this registry for the purpose of providing easy access to documents relating to matters under the act.
In addition to the documents listed in the previous tabs, this registry contains thousands of documents in 40 categories.
Latest publications and news
Publications
March 2021
- 2021-03-06 Description of Red-headed Woodpecker critical habitat in the Long Point National Wildlife Area and Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area
- 2021-03-05 Action Plan for the North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena glacialis) in Canada [Final Version]
- 2021-03-04 Notice of Opportunity for Ministerial Appointment National Aboriginal Council on Species at Risk (NACOSAR)
- 2021-03-04 Recovery Strategy for the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) Eastern Population in Canada [Final version]
- 2021-03-02 Species at Risk Policy on Recovery and Survival [Final Version]
February 2021
- 2021-02-27 Description of critical habitat of Wood Turtle in Kouchibouguac National Park of Canada and La Mauricie National Park of Canada
- 2021-02-25 Imminent Threat for Assessment for Wood Bison (Bison bison athabascae)
- 2021-02-25 Recovery Strategy for the Fascicled Ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata) in Canada [Proposed]
- 2021-02-22 Report on the Progress of Recovery Strategy Implementation for the Westslope Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi) Alberta Population (also known as the Saskatchewan-Nelson Rivers Populations) in Canada for the Period 2014 to 2019
- 2021-02-20 Critical Habitat of the Copper Redhorse (Moxostoma hubbsi) Order
- 2021-02-20 Description of critical habitat of the Gray Ratsnake (Great Lakes/St. Lawrence population) in Thousand Islands National Park of Canada
- 2021-02-20 Order Amending Schedule 1 to the Species at Risk Act (Volume 155, Number 8)
- 2021-02-18 Recovery Strategy for the Skillet Clubtail (Gomphus ventricosus) in Canada [Revised Proposed]
- 2021-02-17 Critical Habitat of the Fernald's Braya (Braya fernaldii) Order
- 2021-02-17 Order Acknowledging Receipt of the Assessments Done Pursuant to Subsection 23(1) of the Act
- 2021-02-16 Management Plan for the Bigmouth Buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinellus) in Canada (Saskatchewan-Nelson River populations) Final Version
- 2021-02-11 Management Plan for the Mountain Sucker (Catostomus platyrhynchus), Pacific populations, in Canada
- 2021-02-11 Management Plan for the Rocky Mountain Sculpin (Cottus sp.), Westslope populations, in Canada
- 2021-02-01 Legal Protection Statement for the Critical Habitat of Sharp-tailed Snake (Contia tenuis) in Gulf Islands National Park Reserve of Canada
January 2021
- 2021-01-29 Management Plan for the Georgia Basin Bog Spider (Gnaphosa snohomish) in Canada [Proposed]
- 2021-01-29 Management Plan for the Peacock Vinyl Lichen (Leptogium polycarpum) in Canada [Proposed]
- 2021-01-29 Management Plan for the Wandering Salamander (Aneides vagrans) in Canada [Proposed]
- 2021-01-29 Management Plan for the Western Waterfan (Peltigera gowardii) in Canada [Proposed]
- 2021-01-29 Management Plan for the Yelloweye Rockfish (Sebastes ruberrimus) in Canada [Final Version]
- 2021-01-20 Recovery strategy and action plan for Pugnose Minnow (Opsopoeodus emiliae) in Canada [Proposed]
- 2021-01-20 Recovery Strategy and Action Plan for the Silver Shiner (Notropis photogenis) in Canada [Proposed]
- 2021-01-19 Polar Bear Species at Risk Act (SARA) management plan progress report (revised January 19, 2021)
- 2021-01-19 Recovery Strategy for the Hine's Emerald (Somatochlora hineana) in Canada [Final version]
- 2021-01-19 Recovery Strategy for the Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) in Canada [Final version]
- 2021-01-08 Recovery Strategy and Action Plan for the Eastern Waterfan (Peltigera hydrothyria) in Canada [Proposed Version]
- 2021-01-07 Management Plan for the Eastern Wolf (Canis lupus lycaon) in Canada [Final version]
News
2020
2018
- 2018-08-28 Summary of the Imminent Threat Assessment for the Southern Resident Killer Whale
- 2018-08-28 Summary of the imminent threat analysis for southern mountain caribou
- 2018-08-28 Minister’s response statement to the emergency assessment of Steelhead Trout, Chilcotin River population
- 2018-08-28 Minister’s response statement to the emergency assessment of Steelhead Trout, Thompson River population
- 2018-08-28 Action Plan for the Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), Boreal Population, in Canada - Federal Actions
- 2018-08-28 Consultation on Amending the List of Species under the Species at Risk Act: Terrestrial Species January 2018
- 2018-08-28 The governments of Canada and British Columbia reach a draft conservation agreement for southern mountain caribou
- 2018-08-28 Fisheries and Oceans Canada Species at Risk Act Listing Policy and Directive for "Do Not List" Advice
- 2018-06-21 Conservation commitment on the boreal caribou: Val-d'Or population
2016 to 2017
- 2017-12-11 Letter from COSEWIC to Minister McKenna regarding an upcoming Emergency Assessment
- 2016-07-15 Emergency Order for the Protection of the Western Chorus Frog (Great Lakes / St. Lawrence - Canadian Shield Population)
- 2016-05-03 Recovery Document Posting Plans
- 2016-12-22 Bats and White-nose Syndrome in Canada
Consultations
Consultations
Search current and past public consultations.
E-mail newsletter
Subscribe to our e-mail newsletter and receive periodical updates on new items that were added to the public Registry.
Contact us
Report a problem or mistake on this page
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