Collaborating to save at risk snakes

Posted onApril 8, 2021byWildlife Preservation Canada|Conservation Planning, News and Events, Species at Risk

What is the Reptile and Amphibian Initiative? No other class of wildlife in Canada faces greater risk of extinction than reptile and amphibians. According to the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), more than 40 amphibian and reptile species are currently threatened or endangered. More than a third of these species need some form of hands-on intervention to survive. Our national reptile and amphibian program develops and promotes best practices for four key conservation techniques: translocation, headstarting, conservation breeding and in-situ interventions. We will maximize the impact of groups across the continent that are working to protect these highly threatened species.⁠

In March, the Canadian Species Initiative (CSI), co-founded by WPC and African Lion Safari, in partnership with the IUCN Species Survival Commission Conservation Planning Specialist Group successfully hosted their first integrated species conservation planning workshop. An amazing group of over 60 experts including zoo staff, government and First Nations representatives, academics and other species experts from across Canada, the United States, and Mexico came together virtually for three days to discuss the ex situ conservation options for all snakes in Canada.

An Integrated Collection Assessment and Planning (ICAP) workshop brings in situ and ex situ communities together to apply the decision-making process of the IUCN Guidelines for the Use of Ex Situ Management for Species Conservation. In a rapid species-by-species approach, the process identifies priorities for ex situ conservation activities by evaluating the conservation value, feasibility, and risk of potential ex situ roles. This was the first time that an ICAP workshop was hosted virtually and aside from a few, very minor issues (you know the usual tornado warnings, school suspensions, and, of course, computer crashes) we managed to pull it off!

Hands-on conservation-based education, training, and research actions were identified as priorities for almost all Canadian snakes, while in-depth ex situ conservation programs, for example population reinforcement, were identified for several highly at-risk species. Actions identified in the workshop will complement in situ conservation efforts and CSI is looking forward to continuing to work with the Canadian herpetological community to move these efforts forward. The final workshop report will be released this summer and updates on CSI’s activities will be posted to the Canadian Species Initiative website.

Stephanie Winton

Canada’s New Noah and Species Conservation Planning Assistant – Canadian Species Initiative

Stephanie is the 31st Canada’s New Noah and is currently assisting the Canadian Species Initiative to build capacity for species conservation planning in Canada. Stephanie holds a master’s degree in conservation biology from Thompson Rivers University where she studied the impacts of road mortality on a threatened rattlesnake species. She has extensive experience working in conservation and research for species at risk reptiles, amphibians, mammals and birds in Western Canada.