The Protection of Biodiversity - Essay Example

These are just some of the species that are listed as endangered and many Canadian environmentalists argue that there are many more. These species face many threats ranging from climatic changes to human-induced activities. The population of the polar bear for instance is on a declining trend because of climatic changes and increased hunting and persecution by men in Canada.  Similar threats face other endangered species and to reverse the situation, the Canadian government has enforced multi-prong approaches to preserve and conserve the species.

The first approach is listing and identification of the endangered species, recovery strategies, action planning, and protection of their habitats in addition to identifying safety nets for protection.  Two agencies namely the Committee on the Status of the Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and the federal government through SARA (Species at Risk Act) are responsible for listing and identifying the endangered species.  This is followed by identifying the habitat of the endangered species with the objective of preserving it from being lost. Venter, et al (2006)   identified habitat loss as the main factor that has contributed to declining of species in the country. Action planning in Canada entails the enforcement of cost-effective and efficient measures to recover the species and the habitats in the country. To ensure that these measures are adhered to, the ministry responsible undertakes constant supervision of the endangered species and their habitats.  In addition to addressing the aforementioned aspects, this approach also deals with protecting habitats that are not under federal government jurisdiction. However, the main shortcoming of this strategy is that it does not cover all habitats, and this exposes the endangered species to greater risks because they are not constrained within the stipulated boundaries (Canada Species at Risk Act, 2006).

The main challenges and pressure of the Canadian approach of protecting the endangered species is political interference and the need to implement wide-ranging environmental reforms to protect the habitats. Human activities are some of the factors that have resulted in the decline of the species and efforts to address these issues are subject to political debates that eventually compromise on the conservation efforts (Venter, et al 2006). Addressing climatic factors such as global warming and greenhouse gas emissions is important in order to preserve the habitats and the endangered species in the country. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, for instance, requires enforcement of appropriate legislation in all sectors of the Canadian economy and across international borders. This presents one of the most formidable challenges in the country and the neighboring states in coming up with a common approach to addressing the issue of endangered species and their habitats.