B.C.'s War on Extinction

There are more than 1,300 endangered and threatened species in B.C.

On the top of that list -- and the public consciousness -- are killer whales, spirit bears and spotted owls.

There's been some progress.

Southern resident killer whales continue to struggle, even with federal Species at Risk Act protection. The spirit bear won limited protection in 2006 with a series of conservancies along the coast. The imminent extinction of B.C.'s spotted owls has prompted environmental groups to take legal action forcing Ottawa to protects the owls under the act.

But there are dozens of other rare and beautiful B.C. species that aren't getting the same attention.

The lack of action strikes some environmentalists as surprising, given B.C.'s status as Canada's biological hotbed -- with 76 per cent of the nation's bird species, 70 per cent of its freshwater fish species and 60 per cent of its conifer species.

None of that ecological splendour has stand-alone endangered-species legislation to protect it.

"There is a mishmash of ineffective legislation that not only doesn't effectively protect endangered species, but in some cases hinders protection," says Rob Duncan, who speaks for the Sierra Club. "We really don't have much endangered-species protection."

Critics also say that existing laws dilute accountability across provincial ministries and make effective action difficult.

As a result, B.C.'s environmental army -- including the Sierra Club, the David Suzuki Foundation and the Western Canada Wilderness Committee -- is left fighting a losing battle against forestry, mining and urban sprawl.

They note that some logging companies, such as Tembec Inc., have voluntarily pulled out of sensitive areas to give the government time to sort out what to do, but balancing the ecology and economy is impossible without government regulation, they add.

Their final message? Only the acts of citizens can lead to effective change.

Here are just a few of B.C.'s endangered animals -- and, if you'd like to do something about their predicament, some ways in which you could make a difference.

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ENDANGERED SPECIES

THE SPECIES:

LIMNETIC ENOS LAKE STICKLEBACK

This fish is found only in tiny Enos Lake on Vancouver Island.

The Threat: These little fish and hundreds of others freshwater species, including the Cultus pygmy sculpin, shortface lanx and Rocky Mountain ridged mussel, are fast disappearing from B.C.'s lakes. The stickleback is threatened by exotic species, development and pollution.

The Effort: The stickleback is listed under the federal Species at Risk Act and a recovery strategy is in place. It will try to control exotic species, such as catfish, that threaten sticklebacks and address development and pollution issues.

What you can do: Freshwater fish are sensitive. Keep your garbage, fertilizers and motor oil well away from the shore. If you get tired of your pet fish, don't put it in the lake.

THE SPECIES: MOUNTAIN CARIBOU

This subspecies is only found in B.C.'s interior mountains. With wide snowshoe-like feet, the mountain caribou climbs uphill in winter when all of its deer cousins go down.

The Threat: The mountain caribou relies on old-growth forests for the tree lichens it eats in winter. Logging, noisy snowmobilers and hungry carnivores are its main threats. Its population has dropped 40 per cent in the last decade.

The Effort: A number of groups are working to protect the caribou's turf. The provncial government is due to release an updated recovery strategy.

What you can do: Lawrence Redfern with the Mountain Caribou project says people "simply have to let the politicians know they value wildlife." Make a call or write a letter to Premier Gordon Campbell.

THE SPECIES: THE VANCOUVER ISLAND MARMOT

These rugged rodents on Vancouver Island are the most endangered species in Canada.

The Threat: There are only 250 or so marmots left, and 180 of them live in captivity. "The biggest problem with their survival in the wild right now is predation," says Viki Jackson with the Marmot Recovery Foundation. Broken habitat is also a factor, she said.

The Effort: A captive breeding program is keeping the marmot around, but it gets expensive.

What you can do: Make a one-time donation or lend continued support to the foundation by adopting a marmot. Visit www.marmots.org for information.

THE SPECIES: BASKING SHARK

These massive, toothless sharks can grow to the size of a bus. They swim with their mouths open to filter-feed zooplankton and small fish.

The Threat: Basking sharks are on the verge of local extinction. They were considered a pest because they can get tangled in fish nets, so the Department of Fisheries waged war on them in the '50s. Air force bombers even used them for target practice.

The Effort: We couldn't find any effort to help bring back the sharks.

What you can do: Check out Basking Sharks: The Slaughter of B.C.'s Gentle Giants when the libraries reopen and start telling your friends about B.C.'s shark. This shark needs some advocates.

THE SPECIES: MARBLED MURRELET

This sea bird has the unusual habit of breeding in old-growth coastal forests.

The Threat: Unfortunately for the murrelet, those forests are disappearing. Estimates say 70 per cent of the murrelet's habitat has been logged, taking the murrelets with it.

The Effort: The marbled murrelet is one of the species central in the effort to protect old-growth forests. Groups like the Western Canada Wilderness Committee are trying to protect murrelet habitat.

What you can do: Learn about the importance of B.C.'s remaining old-growth forests -- and then tell a politician.

INVASIVE SPECIES

Alien invaders are one of the greatest threats to B.C.'s environment. Habitat snatchers such as English ivy, purple loosestrife and knapweed have moved in and are crowding out our native species.

"There [are] a lot of species in B.C. that arrived with human assistance," says Laura Friis, a B.C. government biologist.

Sometimes a favourite garden plant breaks into the wild, or a pet is let loose and breeds like the bunnies that hop around the University of Victoria. Some species seemed like a good idea at the time.

The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada estimates a quarter of B.C.'s endangered species are being hurt by invasives.

Gary Caine, a senior biologist with the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, says it's hard to predict what invasive species will do.

"They can come in and lie low for years and then suddenly the climatic conditions or the feed conditions or whatever are just right and their populations explode."

Toss global warming into the mix and things get even more unpredictable, he says.

"Once you've got an invasive species it is difficult, next to impossible, to completely eradicate it," Caine says. Methods like poisons and introducing predators pose as many problems as they solve. A third option -- physically removing the invader -- is virtually impossible once the species is established.

The best solution: an ounce of prevention.

THE SPECIES: LARGE AND SMALLMOUTH BASS

The popular sports fish have made it into B.C. lakes.

The Threat: Bass eat the food and young of native species, putting strained fish like sockeye salmon at risk. Global warming could further hurt native species and encourage the growth of these southern swimmers.

The Effort: Officials are keeping a close eye on these species.

What you can do: "People are stocking these fish into these lakes for angling opportunities," says biologist Caine. Don't be one of them. And if you catch one, eat it.

THE SPECIES: GIANT HOGWEED

This cow parsnip look-a-like can produce 50,000 seeds and grow to five metres.

The Threat: This garden plant has escapted to the wild and is shading out native species. "It's an example of ornamentals gone wild," explains Gail Wailin with the Invasive Plant Council. Small hairs on its stems contain a poisonous sap that intensifies UV rays and causes severe burns and blistering.

The Effort: The province is working on a strategy to deal with invasive plants, which includes a lot of research. Beyond that, the main effort is to raise awareness to stop the spread.

What you can do: If you spot the hogweed put on some gloves, long sleeves and eye protection and shovel-cut the tap root 15 centimetres below the dirt. Bag the whole thing. You can also use an injector gun to get herbicide right inside the hollow stem. Just don't spray within two metres of a creek.

THE SPECIES: AMERICAN BULLFROG

This guy can get as big as a chicken and eat a snake. It was brought into B.C. by an entrepreneur who wanted to start cooking up the legs, but that didn't pan out so he released them.

The Threat: This American eats just about anything, and a lot of it. "They will out-compete and prey upon native frogs," says Mike Dodd with the University of Victoria. That includes B.C.'S endangered red-legged frog.

The Effort: Besides some physical removal programs, the focus is to keep this pest from spreading. The Bullfrog Project at UVic is trying to raise awareness that people shouldn't move bullfrogs around.

What you can do: Join volunteer efforts to track and eradicate the bullfrog. Visit BullfrogControl.com or call 250-388-5831.

THE SPECIES: EURASIAN WATERMILFOIL

This water plant has been creeping out swimmers in B.C. lakes since 1970.

The Threat: The plant spreads quickly and takes the fun out of lakes by getting in the way of swimmers, boaters and fishers. The mass of decomposing watermilfoil decreases overall oxygen in the lake and affects the entire ecosystem.

The Effort: The main effort is to stop its spread. In some places the plant is pulled up by its root, but in others, the plant is cosmetically controlled by cutting it below the water surface.

What you can do: Clean any watermilfoil off your boat or Jet Ski before launching in another lake.

THE SPECIES: EUROPEAN GREEN CRAB

This cannibal crab is eats native crab species and is known as the "cockroach of the sea."

The Threat: The European green crab invaded the east coast in the '50s and is putting Atlantic clam, mussel and oyster industries at risk. Now it's been found off Vancouver Island.

The Effort: Provincial biologist Gary Caine says these crabs aren't spreading yet, so there isn't much being done to get rid of them, but "it's important that we keep monitoring these invaders."

What you can do: Don't transport these crabs. Tell the Department of Fisheries and Oceans if you spot any.