Red Knot and Four Species Listing Changes

Summary#

This is the Order Amending Schedule 1 to the Species at Risk Act (Certain Wildlife Species of Red Knot and Four Other Wildlife Species) under the Species at Risk Act. It updates the federal list of at‑risk species by removing, renaming, or changing the risk status of nine named species or population units. The Order came into force on the day it was registered (July 30, 2025) and was published in the Canada Gazette on August 13, 2025.

What it does#

• It reorganizes and renames some Red Knot population units so the bird’s listings match recent science. In practical terms this separates the old “roselaari type” into a distinct roselaari unit and creates three distinct rufa wintering populations.
  • One newly defined rufa wintering population (Northeastern South America) is downlisted from threatened to special concern.
  • One newly defined rufa wintering population (Southeastern United States / Gulf of Mexico / Caribbean) is uplisted to endangered.
  • One rufa population (Tierra del Fuego / Patagonia) is renamed (status remains endangered).
  • The roselaari population remains listed as threatened; the former “roselaari type” is split into these new units.
• It removes two species from Schedule 1:
  • The Aweme Borer (previously listed as endangered) is struck from the list after being reassessed as data deficient.
  • The Red Knot islandica subspecies (previously special concern) is delisted after being found not at risk.
• It changes status for other species:
  • The Cobblestone Tiger Beetle is reclassified from endangered to special concern.
  • The Lakeside Daisy is reclassified from threatened to special concern.
  • The Seaside Centipede Lichen is reclassified from endangered to threatened.
• Because these species were already on the list, this Order mainly updates legal names, groupings, and risk categories. It does not create brand‑new listings.

Who's affected#

• People and groups most likely to notice:
  • Land users, landowners and businesses with activities on federal lands where these species occur.
  • Researchers, conservation groups and wildlife managers working on shorebirds and the named species.
  • Indigenous communities whose traditional territories overlap the ranges of these species.
  • Federal agencies involved in species protection and permitting, including Environment and Climate Change Canada and Parks Canada.
• What changes in practice:
  • Species moved to “special concern” or delisted are no longer covered by SARA’s automatic prohibitions (for example, the Northeastern South America rufa was downlisted to special concern).
  • Species listed as endangered or threatened keep the SARA prohibitions and recovery obligations (timelines and documents may be updated to reflect new population units).
• If it is unclear who is affected in a particular area, local conservation authorities or the Species at Risk Public Registry can clarify whether a given species occurs on a given property.

Why it matters#

• Legal protections and planning change. Moving a species between categories or removing it from Schedule 1 changes whether the automatic SARA prohibitions apply and what recovery or management planning is required. That can affect land use on federal lands, permit needs, and conservation actions.
• Recovery work and funding priorities may shift. Downlisting or delisting can free up resources for other species, while splitting populations can focus recovery measures on specific wintering areas.
• The government’s cost estimates for implementing these updates over 10 years are concrete:
  • Total implementation costs to the federal government are estimated at $310,000 (undiscounted).
  • Avoided costs from delisting/downlisting are estimated at $75,000, giving a net incremental cost of $235,000.
  • Expected permit‑related costs (not incremental to this Order) are estimated at $18,500 for applicants and $35,000 for the federal government over the period considered.
• The Order implements recent scientific assessments by COSEWIC, so it aligns federal listings with those assessments. That alignment matters for clear, science‑based conservation planning and for people and communities whose activities intersect these species’ habitats.