Question

Contrast the classification systems that are used in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List, Canada's Species At Risk Act (SARA), and the Manitoba Endangered Species and Ecosystems Act (MESEA).  How do these support biodiversity conservation? please state your reference

Answer 1

Classification systems used in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List, Canada's Species At Risk Act (SARA), and the Manitoba Endangered Species and Ecosystems Act (MESEA) are as follows:

1) IUCN Red List-  It is founded in 1964, it has all global conservation status of biological species. This is at the world level. It uses a set of criteria to evaluate the extinction risk of species present all over the world. The IUCN aims to have the category of every species re-evaluated every five years. Species are classified by the IUCN Red List into nine groups which are based on criteria such as rate of decline, population size and degree of population.

• Extinct (EX) – beyond a reasonable doubt that the species is no longer extant.
• Extinct in the wild (EW) – survives only in captivity.
• Critically endangered (CR) – in an extremely critical state.
• Endangered (EN) – very high risk of extinction in the wild.
• Vulnerable (VU) – meets one of the 5 red list criteria and thus considered to be at high risk of unnatural (human-caused) extinction.
• Near threatened (NT) – close to being at high risk of extinction in the near future.
• Least concern (LC) – unlikely to become extinct in the near future.
• Data deficient (DD)
• Not evaluated (NE)

2) The Species at Risk Act- Species at Risk Act is applied in Canada. The propose of this act is to prevent wildlife species in Canada from disappearing and to manage and provide for the recovery of wildlife species that are extirpated (no longer exist in the wild in Canada), endangered, or threatened as a result of human activity. This is at the country level.

3)  Manitoba Endangered Species and Ecosystems Act (MESEA)- This applies only for Plants and animals native to Manitoba which are designated under the ESEA. In 2013, the ESEA was amended to allow for the designation of ecosystems. There are two ecosystems designated under the act: Alvar (Endangered) and tallgrass prairie (Endangered). This is at the province level.

The difference between MESEA and SARA is that ESEA is provincial legislation, while SARA is federal. many of the species designated under the ESEA are also designated under SARA. SARA does not apply on private land. SARA prohibitions apply to all species on federal land (eg. National Parks), all aquatic species everywhere in Canada.

NOTE- I will provide reference in the comment section and if you have any doubts, please ask in comment.

GOOD LUCK