More Canadian species at risk says report

The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) has released a report that reveals more species are becoming at risk.

The report includes the decline in Atlantic cod (pictured left) and bumble bee numbers and federal committee believes they should now be added to the endangered species list.

COSEWIC, who track hundreds of endangered species in Canada, believe that unsustainable harvesting in some areas has caused a rapid decline of up to 90% since the 1960s for some cod species. Scientists believe the cod population is at it's lowest in Canadian history.

Committee chair Jeff Hutchings said "there are populations that are continuing to decline in the absence of fishing and that's mainly because we had previously knocked the populations down so far that other factors in the ecosystems are taking over."

The committee, which met last month, assessed 51 at risk species including the rusty-patched bumble bee (pictured right). The reason for their rapid decline remains a mystery but pesticides, disease and loss of habitat are thought to be contributing factors.

Other species the committee thought should be listed were 11 species of freshwater mussel, two forms of threespine stickleback fish and the flammulated owl which is being viewed on with special concern.

The report did bring some good news with the whooping crane. In the 1930's only 14 were believed to exist but now numbers are no fewer than 250.