The Species at Risk Act (SARA) came into effect in 2002 in order to protect endangered or threatened wildlife and their habitat. It also assists with the recovery of wildlife species that are extirpated (no longer exist in the wild in Canada), and manage species of special concern that are at risk of becoming endangered or threatened. SARA also provides a series of protection measures for the species and guidelines for governments, organizations and individuals on how to work together for the protection and recovery of species at risk.
In 2002, SARA established the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), an independent committee of wildlife experts and scientists, as an advisory body to identify and assess species at risk in Canada.
For more information, please visit the Species at Risk Public Registry.