Recovering species at risk in Grasslands National Park

Parks Canada's report on conservation from 2018 to 2023

Conservation priority: Restoration and recovery
Location: Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan

Grasslands National Park is critical habitat for over 30 species at risk. Many different conservation efforts are taking place to protect these species, including iconic species like the Black-tailed Prairie Dog and the Greater Sage-grouse.

Project highlights

1750 hectares of prairie dog colonies received mitigation actions for sylvatic plague
793 hectares of high-quality critical habitat for Greater Sage-grouse restored through infrastructure removal and mitigation
25 hectares of Greater Sage-grouse habitat is being restored through vegetation restoration

Emily Hall, in uniform and blue medical gloves, holds a plumbing snake and testing kit, and kneels on grassland beside a prairie dog burrow. — Emily Hall, Resource Conservation student, collects fleas from Black-tailed Prairie Dog burrows in Grasslands National Park, to be sent away to be lab-tested for bacterium responsible for sylvatic plague. Photo: Parks Canada

Protecting black-tailed prairie dog

A group of four prairie dogs stand on their hind legs by their burrow. They are alert, with their heads turned in different directions. — A family of Black-tailed Prairie Dogs are on alert and communicating to their neighbours on a colony in Grasslands National Park. Photo: Johane Janelle/Parks Canada

The only population of the Black-tailed Prairie Dog in Canada lives in and around Grasslands National Park. The primary threats to Black-tailed Prairie Dogs are drought and sylvatic plague, a disease that is deadly for prairie dogs and can cause full colony die-offs or local extinction. These threats are expected to occur more frequently due to climate change.

Under an umbrella on the grasslands, Lukas Peta and Cole Tomlinson gently work on a sedated prairie dog in a plastic container on a table. — Lukas Peta, Resource Management Officer, and Cole Tomlinson, Resource Management Technician, have anesthetized a Black-tailed Prairie Dog to collect its fleas as a part of a greater research project to test products which will help reduce flea loads, and the impact of sylvatic plague. Photo: Parks Canada

As of 2023, work is ongoing to monitor sylvatic plague in the Black-tailed Prairie Dog population and reduce outbreaks. Immunity-boosting vaccines are being delivered using inoculated baits that get eaten by prairie dogs. Since sylvatic plague is transmitted by fleas, the dusting of prairie dogs’ burrows with pesticide is being used and proving to be successful in preventing outbreaks and the spread of the disease to other species. In collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Geological Survey, Parks Canada is also participating in an experimental study to test the efficacy of a different oral bait containing the insecticide fipronil as another potential management tool to reduce plague outbreaks.

Restoration work that began in 2015 on 50 hectares of prairie dog habitat to enhance the connectivity between two prairie dog colonies is showing success. The work is converting non-native plant communities back to native plants that are part of a better prairie dog habitat. Monitoring of the two colonies was completed every two years, and in the fall of 2023 showed that the colonies have moved into the restored area. This successful joining of the two colonies will increase the amount of suitable habitat for prairie dogs in Grasslands National Park.

Protecting the greater sage-grouse

A large grouse stands on the grasslands, wings spread and tail feathers fanned, displaying his white breast and inflated yellow air sacs. — A male Endangered Greater Sage-grouse at Grasslands National Park (photographed using a remote wildlife camera) is seen displaying on a lek, or mating grounds, in the spring. Photo: Parks Canada

In Canada, the Greater Sage-grouse can only be found in southeast Alberta, in Grasslands National Park and neighboring ranch lands in southwest Saskatchewan. Evidence suggests that avian predators like hawks and owls are using human-built structures such as outbuildings, overhead power lines, and fences, as perching spots for hunting Greater Sage-grouse. Corvids, like crows, are also using these perches to locate and raid Greater Sage-grouse nests.

A heavy piece of construction equipment removes a power line pole from the grasslands. — A collaboration with SaskPower removes above ground power lines in Grasslands National Park. Photo: Parks Canada

White plastic hangs loosely on barbed wire strung between fence posts on the grasslands. People work on the fence in the background. — Marking fences in the park makes them more visible to flying Greater Sage-grouse. Photo: Laura Gardiner/Parks Canada

Chris Reed in a hi-vis vest, stands on a ladder, installing a pointed cone on the top of a signpost in the grasslands. — Chris Reed, Resource Management Technician, installs a perch deterrent on park signage to reduce perches to avian predators. Photo: Parks Canada

In areas of critical habitat for the Greater Sage-grouse in the greater Grasslands National Park ecosystem, Parks Canada is collaborating with SaskPower and Environment and Climate Change Canada to bury power lines and remove human-built structures. Additionally, 72.45 km of fencing was made safer with visibility markers. The markers prevent flying sage grouse from colliding with the fences. These actions are being paired with the installation of perch deterrents on signposts and other structures to help reduce predation.

Recovering greater sage-grouse habitat

A tractor pulls seeding equipment and a barrel shaped roller across an open grassy plain, under a clear sky. — As part of the process of replanting key native species found in Greater Sage-grouse habitat, the ground is packed with a land roller to make sure the planted seeds make contact with the soil and remain in place. Photo: Heather Facette/Parks Canada

Prior to the park establishment, over 900 hectares of potential Greater Sage-grouse habitat were lost to hayfield conversion. To reverse this impact, 25 hectares are now being restored by replanting key native species found in Greater Sage-grouse habitat. To achieve this, approximately 250 kg of native seeds were collected from the park, purchased, or collected from a Parks Canada nursery. In the fall of 2024, after five years of completed site preparations, these native seeds will be sowed to restore the grouse habitat.

Laura Gardiner, in uniform, smiles at the camera as she places a small plant into a hole recently dug in the grasslands. — Laura Gardiner, Wildlife Ecologist, plants a silver sagebrush plug, to augment cover in important Greater Sage-grouse habitat. Photo: Justin Crowe/Parks Canada

An expanse of grasslands with small shrubs growing on the right side and only grasses on the left. Fluffy clouds fill the sky. — The field on the left side of the photo was seeded with silver sagebrush in 2009, and on the right in 2010. The photo shows how weather conditions of the year the fields were seeded influences how the plant germinates and establishes. Photo: Heather Facette/Parks Canada

Invasive plant monitoring and management is preventing further habitat loss for Greater Sage-grouse and attempting to improve overall cover of native plants as the threat of new invasive species or expanding infestations continues. Several invasive non-native species are managed, but special attention is given to Canada Thistle, Leafy Spurge, Field Bindweed, Yellow Sweet Clover and Absinth Wormwood. These plants need to be managed, as they degrade and alter high-quality Greater Sage-grouse habitat, and they spread rapidly through a variety of activities like visitation, road maintenance, grazing, or natural processes such as wind or wildlife movement.

“It is so rewarding every time we are able to do a management action that reduces predation or increases survival of sage grouse because it helps take the pressure off of our remaining population. It makes me think that maybe one more sage grouse hen will successfully rear a brood this year as a result of our actions.”

—Julia Put, Resource Management Officer, Parks Canada

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