> Bias cited in endangered species listing
Bias cited in endangered species listing
Contact:
Arne Mooers, (in Germany): 011 49 30 89001-235 (w), -323 (h), arne_mooers@sfu.ca
Note: he is at home # April 16
Marianne Meadahl, PAMR, 604.291.4323
Arne Mooers, (in Germany): 011 49 30 89001-235 (w), -323 (h), arne_mooers@sfu.ca
Note: he is at home # April 16
Marianne Meadahl, PAMR, 604.291.4323
April 16, 2007
A group of Canadian scientists is raising questions about how Canada chooses which endangered species it should protect.
They say deficiencies in how cost-benefit analyses are undertaken may be to blame for many northern mammal species and fish being left off of the legal list of endangered species.
The biologists’ conclusions are being published in this week’s (Apr. 17) edition of the international journal Conservation Biology. See http://www.sfu.ca/~amooers/ConsBiol07/Mooers_etal_ConsBiol07.pdf
Lead author Arne Mooers, a Simon Fraser University biologist, says researchers are calling for a more thorough evaluation of the benefits of saving species from extinction and the costs of letting them go extinct.
Researchers looked at the characteristics of 30 species rejected by the federal government from 2003 – 2006 and compared them with 156 species that were accepted.
They say while all 12 proposed endangered birds were accepted, only one of 11 imperiled marine fish was included.
All 26 at-risk reptiles and amphibians were given legal protection, but 12 of 30 mammals needing help were denied listing, including the Peary caribou, polar bear, wolverine, grizzly bear, several populations of beluga whales and the Atlantic harbour porpoise.
“The decisions make it look as if Canadians value milk snakes and dromedary jumping slugs more than they value polar bears, beluga whales and Coho salmon. That’s hard to believe,” says Mooers. “Listings under the current law seem to discriminate against the fuzzier, tastier endangered species.
“The value of every species should be considered carefully, especially given that we are the ones threatening their very existence.”
Mooers is currently in Germany (reachable there until July) working at the interdisciplinary Institute of Advanced Study in Berlin.
Additional contact details
Lead author:
Arne Mooers, Simon Fraser University, B.C. Fellow, Institute for Advanced Study at Berlin, Germany.
011 49 30 89001 -235 (w), -323 (h); amooers@sfu.ca; http://www.sfu.ca/~amooers/
Laura Prugh, University of British Columbia, B.C. Currently at University of California at Berkeley.
510 643.3918; prugh@nature.berkeley.edu
Marco Festa-Bianchet, University of Sherbrooke, PQ.
(819) 821.8000, ext 62061; Marco.Festa-Bianchet@USherbrooke.ca
http://pages.usherbrooke.ca/mfesta/francais
Individuals who might offer independent and knowledgeable commentary:
John Reynolds, Tom Buell Chair in Aquatic Conservation, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.
604.291.5636; reynolds@sfu.ca; http://www.sfu.ca/biology/faculty/reynolds/
James Cahill, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB. Tel: (EST -2) 780.492.3792; jc.cahill@ualberta.ca; http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/faculty/james_cahill/
Peter J. Ewins, D.Phil., Director, Species Conservation, WWF-Canada.
To contact Dr. Ewins, please call Wendy Douglas, Manager, Communications, WWF-Canada at 416.484.7726.
Dr. Murray A. Rudd, Canada Research Chair in Ecological Economics, Memorial University, NFLD.
709.639.7595; mrudd@swgc.mun.ca; http://www.mun.ca/research/chairs/rudd.php
They say deficiencies in how cost-benefit analyses are undertaken may be to blame for many northern mammal species and fish being left off of the legal list of endangered species.
The biologists’ conclusions are being published in this week’s (Apr. 17) edition of the international journal Conservation Biology. See http://www.sfu.ca/~amooers/ConsBiol07/Mooers_etal_ConsBiol07.pdf
Lead author Arne Mooers, a Simon Fraser University biologist, says researchers are calling for a more thorough evaluation of the benefits of saving species from extinction and the costs of letting them go extinct.
Researchers looked at the characteristics of 30 species rejected by the federal government from 2003 – 2006 and compared them with 156 species that were accepted.
They say while all 12 proposed endangered birds were accepted, only one of 11 imperiled marine fish was included.
All 26 at-risk reptiles and amphibians were given legal protection, but 12 of 30 mammals needing help were denied listing, including the Peary caribou, polar bear, wolverine, grizzly bear, several populations of beluga whales and the Atlantic harbour porpoise.
“The decisions make it look as if Canadians value milk snakes and dromedary jumping slugs more than they value polar bears, beluga whales and Coho salmon. That’s hard to believe,” says Mooers. “Listings under the current law seem to discriminate against the fuzzier, tastier endangered species.
“The value of every species should be considered carefully, especially given that we are the ones threatening their very existence.”
Mooers is currently in Germany (reachable there until July) working at the interdisciplinary Institute of Advanced Study in Berlin.
Additional contact details
Lead author:
Arne Mooers, Simon Fraser University, B.C. Fellow, Institute for Advanced Study at Berlin, Germany.
011 49 30 89001 -235 (w), -323 (h); amooers@sfu.ca; http://www.sfu.ca/~amooers/
Laura Prugh, University of British Columbia, B.C. Currently at University of California at Berkeley.
510 643.3918; prugh@nature.berkeley.edu
Marco Festa-Bianchet, University of Sherbrooke, PQ.
(819) 821.8000, ext 62061; Marco.Festa-Bianchet@USherbrooke.ca
http://pages.usherbrooke.ca/mfesta/francais
Individuals who might offer independent and knowledgeable commentary:
John Reynolds, Tom Buell Chair in Aquatic Conservation, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.
604.291.5636; reynolds@sfu.ca; http://www.sfu.ca/biology/faculty/reynolds/
James Cahill, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB. Tel: (EST -2) 780.492.3792; jc.cahill@ualberta.ca; http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/faculty/james_cahill/
Peter J. Ewins, D.Phil., Director, Species Conservation, WWF-Canada.
To contact Dr. Ewins, please call Wendy Douglas, Manager, Communications, WWF-Canada at 416.484.7726.
Dr. Murray A. Rudd, Canada Research Chair in Ecological Economics, Memorial University, NFLD.
709.639.7595; mrudd@swgc.mun.ca; http://www.mun.ca/research/chairs/rudd.php