Fauna of Saskatchewan - Protected Species

Protected Species

The burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) is an endangered species.

They inhabit holes created by other animals such as Richardson's Ground Squirrel (gopher), prairie dog, fox, coyote, and badger. Their decline is due to habitat loss due to agricultural, residential and highway lands, and pesticide spraying. Another endangered species, the swift fox (Vulpes velox), has been bred in captivity and re-introduced into protected habitat areas. Lake sturgeon is a Species at Risk in the prairie provinces.

In 1691 the buffalo (bison bison) roamed the prairies by the thousands. "The Buffalo (were) so numerous (that the riders were) obliged to make them sheer out of our way." -Henday Bone beds have been uncovered showing mass kills of bison herds at the base of buffalo jumps and within wood and stone corrals. Habitat destruction from homesteaders breaking the land combined with hunting practices brought the huge population to near extinction. Similarly, vast flights of passenger pigeons (Ectopistes migratorius) were reported by Peter Fidler in the early 19th century. The sky darkened for hours as flocks of migrating pigeons passed. Forest habitat destruction and wholesale hunting brought the passenger pigeon to extinction. The eskimo curlew (Numenius borealis), a shorebird who was also seen historically in great numbers met a similar extinction due to changing habitats and diminishing numbers from hunting.

Associated with the irradication program of the prairie dog (gopher) in the 1930s was the dramatic decline in population of the black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) which relied on the prairie dog as its main source of food. The lowered population was hastened as the natural habitat of the ferret was also being taken over by agricultural machinery and practices.