By Outreach Assistant Sydney Taplin
In Alberta, we are lucky enough to have a wide variety of plant and animal species that roam our landscape. Some of these species are of particular interest because their life history and human impacts make them vulnerable to becoming endangered or threatened.
What is a Species at Risk?
There are six categories of species at risk that the Government of Alberta uses, and it is the same system that is used by COSEWIC (Committee on the Status on the Endangered Wildlife in Canada). These categories are Extinct, Extirpated, Endangered, Threatened, Species of Special Concern, and Data Deficient. Species that fall under these categories are also included in the Alberta Wildlife Act. These species are assessed by the Endangered Species Conservation Committee (ESCC) at different stages of the Species at Risk Cycle. This allows biologists to create a management plan, and species can re-enter this cycle when new information becomes available. A species may also have different statuses given to them by different organizations, and different provinces.
Species at Risk Cycle from the Government of Alberta (https://www.alberta.ca/albertas-species-at-risk-strategies.aspx)
Here is a selection of some of the species at risk that call the headwaters of the Oldman watershed home:
Harlequin Duck
(Histrionicus histrionicus)
Description: The Harlequin duck is a small, colourful, diving marine duck. It spends the winter near marine environments, and in the summer during the breeding season, it nests along fast-moving creeks and rivers. It gets its name from characters in Italian comedy that wear colourful painted costumes.
Harlequin duck male and female on a rock near a river. Image source: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/assets/og/75228401-1200px.jpg
In the watershed: Harlequin ducks are only found in Alberta during the summer, which is their breeding season. They concentrate in areas with high elevations in Alberta mountains and foothills, and lay their eggs near a clear, fast-moving mountain river that has adequate cover by vegetation (ASRD, 2010). They have been found to breed in eight streams in the Oldman watershed: Blakiston Creek, Carbondale River, Castle River, Lynx Creek, North Belly River, Oldman River, Racehorse Creek and West Castle River.
Threats: The harlequin duck is listed as Sensitive in Alberta and has been since 2005. It is also listed as a Species of Special Concern under the Alberta Wildlife Act. The main threats to the harlequin duck are human disturbance and habitat loss. Loss of riparian (the transition zone of wet to dry soils along waterbodies) vegetation is detrimental to nest success, resulting from increased recreational activities. Female harlequin ducks have a late reproductive maturity and do not breed successfully until five years of age, and they have a high mortality rate during the summer months. They also do not breed every year, which makes their productivity very low.
Conservation: During the spring, when harlequin ducks are nesting on mountain streams in our headwaters, it would be best to avoid the area altogether. If not, watch where you step when fishing, hiking, or swimming to ensure you don’t step on a nest! These nests can be in trees, on the ground, or on a cliff, and are usually made of conifer needles, rocks, and maybe lined with feathers. Additionally, the population of this species is relatively unknown, so if you do see a Harlequin duck, it would be beneficial to document the sighting on eBird.
Limber Pine (Pinus flexilis)
Description: Limber pine is a relatively small tree that is often bent and twisted. The needles are in groups of five. The cones are large and cylindrical in shape and yellow-brown. Its bark is greyish on young trees, and as they get older, the bark gets thick and rough and is split into wide, scaly plates.
In the Watershed: The limber pine is one of the five species of pine trees found in Alberta, and they prefer montane areas, particularly the headwaters of the Oldman River in the Porcupine Hills. In this area, limber pine can be found growing on rocky outcroppings with shallow soil. They are usually found on the south and west-facing slopes where they are exposed to warm and drying winds of chinooks and increased sunlight (ASRD and ACA, 2007). They are essential food sources for bears, small mammals, and birds (COSEWIC, 2014).
Threats: Limber pine is listed as Endangered under the Alberta Wildlife Act. White pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola) is an invasive fungus that infects the tree and destroys connective tissue in the branches and bark, resulting in death. A majority of limber pine trees found in Alberta are infected with this fungus, and there is no known treatment for the blister rust. Mountain pine beetles are also a threat to the species; once infected by the insect, the tree typically dies.
Conservation: White pine blister rust is a significant cause of mortality of Limber pine in Alberta, and monitoring of the Limber pine should be conducted frequently. A comprehensive understanding of the genetics of the Limber pine would be beneficial to determine populations that can be used for conservation (ASRD and ACA, 2007).
Limber pine in the Oldman watershed. Photo by Debbie Jo Webster.
Western Toad (Anaxyrus boreas)
Description: Western toads vary in colour from green to light brown, grey, or almost black. Typically they present a light brown line down the center of their back. In addition, they will have warts on their backs, and an oval-shaped poison gland behind their eyes, on their cheeks.
Western toad. Photo by Brandon Regier.
In the watershed: Western toads are typically found in wetlands and upland areas. They breed in shallow wetlands, and the adults will forage in riparian habitats. During the winter, they hibernate in burrows that were created by small mammals (COSEWIC, 2012). Western toads are an essential food source for larger mammal and bird species, and they are also indicators of habitat quality since they require high dissolved oxygen for tadpoles (ECCC, 2016).
Threats: The western toad is listed as a Species of Special Concern by COSEWIC. Threats to this species include habitat loss and degradation from human developments such as agriculture, roads, and infrastructure. They are also affected by infectious diseases such as chytrid fungus (ECCC, 2016). These toads use a wide variety of habitats throughout their life cycles, and they also require connectivity to travel in between these habitats.
Conservation: Since little is known about the current status of this population, the Alberta Volunteer Amphibian Monitoring Program (AVAMP) was developed to determine the status of the populations. More research is needed and promoting awareness of the species is very important and can be done through outreach and stewardship.
Wolverine (Gulo gulo)
Wolverine in winter. Photo credit: Geoffrey Kuchera, ABMI.
Description: Wolverines are medium-sized mammals and the largest in the weasel family. They can weigh up to 40 pounds, have a very large range, and prefer to be far away from human disturbance. They have long hair that can vary from dark brown to blonde. Their backs are typically lighter in colour than their legs and head. They feed on rodents but will also scavenge and eat the carcasses of large mammals (National Wildlife Federation, 2021).
In the watershed: Wolverines prefer forests, tundra, and alpine areas. They will stay away from open areas and will typically follow food sources. Therefore, wolverines are indicators of low human presence in our watershed. Since they tend to stay far away from humans, if there is excessive human disturbance in our watershed, we will have few wolverines present in the area.
Threats: Their population sizes are unknown and listed as Data Deficient and May Be at Risk in the Alberta Wildlife Act because of their obscure nature. Threats to this species include forest fragmentation, loss of habitat, and trapping. Climate change is another threat, since female wolverines use deep snow as dens to rear their young (ABMI, 2021). Human encroachment through oil and gas, agriculture, forestry, and recreation poses yet another significant threat. Disturbance makes habitat less suitable for wolverines and can increase mortality (ASRD and ACA, 2003).
Conservation: Since there is little knowledge about wolverine populations in Alberta, more research is needed, and the public can contribute to this if a wolverine is seen. Report any wolverine sightings to Fish and Wildlife (ASRD and ACA, 2003).
Westslope Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi)
Description: The westslope cutthroat trout is a trout that is adequately named for its red slash under its jaw. It will also have black spots on its back and tail that do not have any halos.
Westslope cutthroat trout are catch-and-release only!
In the watershed: Westslope cutthroat trout are present in the headwaters of our Oldman watershed and need cold, clean mountain water to survive. In our watershed, their range is limited to the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains. They spawn in the spring, and in high-elevation streams they can spawn as late as July (Government of Alberta, 2021). Westslope cutthroat trout are the “canary in the coalmine” in the Oldman watershed since they require high-quality water. If they are no longer present in streams that have historically had populations, then we can speculate that the water quality in that area has been altered and requires further investigation.
Threats: These fish are listed as Threatened under Alberta’s Wildlife Act, and they are catch- and-release only (Government of Alberta, 2021). The main threats to the westslope cutthroat trout are hybridization since they may breed with non-native species such as rainbow trout, which reduces the purity of their genetics. Non-native trout can also compete for food and habitat that westslope cutthroat trout would otherwise utilize. In the past, these fish populations have been overharvested. Catch and release fishing of the species can still affect their populations, as accidental mortality may occur. Changes to their habitat from industry on the land alters the quality and quantity of the water and affects various life stages of the species. Stream fragmentation, increase in sediment, and reduction of riparian cover can also affect the populations. All of these actions are usually happening at the same time, and the cumulative effects are detrimental.
Photo by Jonny Armstrong.
Conservation: Restoration work has been coordinated by many organizations, including the Oldman Watershed Council, Cows and Fish, and Trout Unlimited Canada. Constructing bridges, improving trails, stabilizing stream banks, and much more has been done in the watershed to preserve this species. Many of these events require volunteers - sign up to be added to our volunteer email list! Keeping wheels (and therefore sediment) out of water, as well as steering clear of streams and restoration sites, are also big helps!
At Home in the Headwaters…
How can we help?
The Oldman watershed is so much more than just water or land - it includes the people, plants, and animals that live here. A multitude of different species call our watershed home, some of which have unfortunately been classified as Species at Risk. This makes our watershed and our headwaters critical habitat, meaning it is necessary for their survival. Without our watershed, we would not have the abundance and diversity of plants and animals today.
Planting limber pine seedlings in Castle Provincial Park, 2019.
By conducting restoration and stewardship events in the Oldman watershed, we help conserve all these species and many more. By providing information to the public about watershed issues, we create awareness and promote a healthy watershed. OWC has organized many events, such as willow staking to increase bank stabilization and reduce the amount of sediment that enters the water. In 2019 OWC also assisted Alberta Environment and Parks and Alberta Agriculture and Forestry in planting limber pine in Castle Provincial Park. The Outreach Assistants spend their summers educating the public and promoting a healthy watershed. Taken together, all of these actions help conserve the species at risk that are found in our watershed. Check out our website and follow us on social media to learn about all the events occurring and how you can help protect these rare species too!
