Government of Alberta drops Protections of Endangered Greater Sage-Grouse
News Release: Government of Alberta drops protections of Endangered Greater Sage-Grouse – Alberta Wilderness Association
The Government of Alberta drops protections of endangered Greater Sage-Grouse, opening core habitat for development.
Without announcement or public consultation, the Government of Alberta has removed provincial habitat protections for the Endangered Greater Sage-Grouse. These protections previously restricted development in their Core Areas and Recovery Zones.
Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocerus urophasianus urophasianus) reside in southeastern Alberta and depend upon silver sagebrush grasslands for their survival.
The Government of Alberta has removed provincial habitat protections for the endangered Greater Sage-Grouse without any public consultation or official announcement. The Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus urophasianus) occupies silver sagebrush grassland in southeastern Alberta. The species is listed as Endangered under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) and under the Alberta Wildlife Act because their population has declined precipitously. The severity of their status is such that in 2014, a federal Emergency Protection Order came into effect to address imminent threats to their survival and recovery (i.e., to prevent extinction) in Canada. Greater Sage-Grouse used to number in the thousands in Alberta as recently as the 1960s, but today their population is fewer than 100 individuals. The most recent publicly available census in 2023, conducted by the Government of Alberta, estimated there were as few as 54 individuals. Their distinctive habitat requirements and sensitivity to human disturbance make them extremely vulnerable to both habitat degradation and noise, and their current distribution is less than 10% of their historical range due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
Radio Active with Jessica Ng, Min Dhariwal Video – Oct. 21, 2026: We’ll learn all about the greater sage-grouse and how its future is at risk. View here: Greater Sage-grouse its future is at risk