Meet some of Nova Scotia's endangered species - threatened by loss of habitat caused by clearcutting
Adam J Malcolm, member of the Stop Clearcutting Unama'ki (Cape Breton) facebook group, put a file together of a dozen species in
Nova Scotia "whose declining fortunes are due, at least in part, to declining forest health."
"Vulnerable to habitat fragmentation"
Visit & join
Species at Risk facebook group
The flying squirrel habitat is becoming increasingly fragmented and degraded by industrial clearcutting,
which spells trouble for these little nighttime wonders.
Video 1:20
Nova Scotia Species-at-Risk
The Pine, or American Marten is struggling in Nova Scotia due to loss of habitat.
Raising awareness about the species we're losing in Nova Scotia and beyond
Follow on NSspecies@risk at instagram
Photo: American marten (Martes americana), juvenile female, Lassen National Forest, Northern CA (2) by Tatiana Gettelman is licensed under
CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 / Cropped for Facebook, enhanced in photos
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/legalcode
The adapted image is shared under the same terms.
The Gift that Keeps Giving!
One-fifth of all animal and plant species -
about 6,000 in all - depend on dead wood.
Removing dead wood destroys valuable habitats.
Live wood is of no use to organisms that live in dead wood.
The Hidden Life of Trees
Forester & Author, Peter Wohlleben
In Nova Scotia only about 40 breeding pairs of Piping Plovers remain. These birds are dispersed around the province on 17
sand beaches. Despite concerted conservation efforts here and elsewhere in North America, the numbers of this species remain low.
The main reasons for this include: deterioration of marginal nesting habitat due to natural events (storms, vegetation succession),
human alteration of beach habitat, human disturbance during nesting and predation by birds and mammals on eggs and young.
Click for more Nova Scotia details:
Legally Listed Endangered Species
Photo by Mark Elderkin
Biologist, Species at Risk
Wildlife Division
NS Department of Lands and Forestry
Mainland Moose
Conservation Status in Nova Scotia: Critically endangered
Habitat:
Unfragmented forests of various ages.
Ecosystem services:
Shapes ecosystems through selective browsing; traditional subsistence food source
Reasons for decline:
Habitat loss and fragmentation; disease; logging road building to clearcuts leading to increased disturbance and poaching.
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Letter to: Derek Mombourquette, Minister of the Department of Lands & Forestry.
From: Bob Bancroft, President of Nature Nova Scotia.
Also a map
of collected observations and data to determine which areas should be protected
as core
habitat for Mainland Moose: Map & letter
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Nova Scotia Government info: Mainland Moose FAQs
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Provincial government notes:
". . . the loss of mature forests due to harvesting and development can be detrimental to moose if there are not adequate
stands of various age forest communities to provide food, shelter, security and connectivity of these various habitat components.
In the winter when the snow is deep, mature forests are an essential component of moose habitat. These forest types provide
shelter and reduce snow levels beneath a closed canopy forest, allowing the moose to travel more easily and expend less energy
while searching for food.
Another problem with forest harvesting is that more road access is created, which allows for greater disturbance of moose by
recreationists.
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Extinction Rebellion Nova Scotia are taking action for the 2nd year in a row. On December 2, 2021 they set up the Last Hope Wildlife Corridor Camp.
On-the-Ground Reports from South Mountain, Nova Scotia
Resources on Nova Scotia's Endangered Mainland Moose:
US Fish & Wildlife photo
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Canada Lynx
Conservation Status in Nova Scotia: Endangered
Habitat:
Coniferous forest with abundant Snowshoe Hare.
Ecosystem services:
Compete with Coyote for Snowshoe Hare
Reasons for decline:
Habitat destruction and fragmentation; trapping; disease.
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Tatiana Gettelman photo
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American Marten
Conservation Status in Nova Scotia: Critically endangered
Habitat:
Mature forest.
Ecosystem services:
Consumes mice and voles, keeping numbers in check
Reasons for decline:
Habitat destruction and degradation. There are likely fewer than 50 in the province.
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DaveInman photo
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Rusty Blackbird
Conservation Status in Nova Scotia: Endangered
Habitat:
Wet, coniferous forests and bogs.
Ecosystem services:
Rusty blackbirds consume flies, ants and wasps, helping to keep numbers in check.
Reasons for decline:
Habitat loss and deliberate poisoning.
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KP McFarland photo
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Bicknell's Thrush
Conservation Status in Nova Scotia: Endangered
Habitat:
Upland coniferous forest
Ecosystem services:
Consumes ants and flies, helping to keep numbers in check; disseminate wild fruit seeds
Reasons for decline:
Habitat loss and degradation; air pollution.
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Kelly Colgan Azar photo
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Canada Warbler
Conservation Status in Nova Scotia: Endangered
Habitat:
Mixed coniferous and deciduous forests with shrubby, mossy understory.
Ecosystem services:
Consumes insects and spiders, keeping numbers in check
Reasons for decline:
Habitat loss and degradation.
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eschipul photo
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Chimney Swift
Conservation Status in Nova Scotia: Critically endangered
Habitat:
Large hollow trees and chimneys
Ecosystem services:
Consumes flies, ants, wasps, aphids, helping to keep numbers in check
Reasons for decline:
Loss of Old Growth Forests, with suitable nesting sites; pesticides.
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Shawn McCready photo
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Bank Swallow
Conservation Status in Nova Scotia: Critically endangered
Habitat:
Brook and river banks; lake and ocean bluffs.
Ecosystem services:
Consume and enourmous amount of flies, ants and wasps, helping to keep their numbers in check.
Reasons for decline:
Road building and pesticide use.
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#BanGlyphosate #StopClearcuttingNow