Baby grizzly bears are born inside their mother's den whilst their mothers are still hibernating.
Who will save Canada's imperiled burrowing owls?
Who will save Canada's imperiled burrowing owls? The burrowing owl is close to extinction and it is
believed that as few as 1,000 pairs are left in Canada. Wildlife
biologists say that the burrowing owl population is shrinking as
fast as by 16 per cent per year due to destruction of their prairie
habitat, pesticides and increased levels of pollution. Burrowing
owls breed in southern Saskatchewan and Alberta in the summer and
lay their eggs in holes in the ground which have been dug by other
animals. Operation Burrowing Owl was started in the mid-1980s by
the World Wildlife Fund and involves approximately 700 landowners
in southern Saskatchewan and Alberta. The farmers agree to conserve
grasslands in exchange for $200 a year in compensation. Environment
minister Christine Stewart is preparing an environmental protection
bill to present to the House of Commons, but it will not protect
most of the country's endangered species. It is also clear that
Ottawa will not risk alienating Quebec, who will not support any
steps that will restrict land control. Stewart is petitioning the
government for funds to encourage citizens to help conserve species
on their own lands and in their areas. Pete Ewins, Program Director
at the World Wildlife Fund, believes that it would be better to
wait than to introduce a bill with no funds. He believes that a new
bill without funding will alienate those who wish to protect the
vulnerable species. To date, $1.6 million has been spent on saving
the burrowing owl and yet the species continues to decline. It is
estimated that $4-5 million dollars is spent annually on the
recovery of vulnerable species within Canada. Ewins believes that
it will cost as much as $100 million a year to restore healthy
populations of the 120 species listed as endangered in
Canada. 13 MARCH 1999
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