Status Report


A status report is a comprehensive technical document that compiles and analyzes the best available information on a wildlife species' status in Canada.

Wildlife species assessment


List of wildlife species, upcoming assessments, most recent assessment results.

News and events


Calls for expression of interest, calls for bids, upcoming meetings, press releases, response to referrals.

Aboriginal traditional knowledge: protocols resources

Appendix 2: Examples of Aboriginal protocols resources

Alberta Traditional Knowledge Handbook

West Kitikmeot/Slave Study (WKSS)
A set of guidelines for researching Aboriginal Knowledge was developed by the study for these projects: Tuktu & Nogak Project, Caribou Migration and the State of their Habitat, The Habitat of Dogrib Traditional Territory: Place names as Indicators of Biogeographical Knowledge and TK Study on Community Health.

The Convention on Biological Diversity - source for multiple documents on guidelines and protocol development

Government of Northwest Territories (GNWT) Traditional Knowledge policy

Gwich'in Social and Cultural Institute (GSCI) - Gwich'in Traditional Knowledge Policy and Research Guidelines and a Research Agreement Framework

Building Relations with First Nations: A Handbook for Local Governments – by the Union of BC Municipalities and the Lower Mainland Treaty Advisory Committee (PDF)

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (PDF)

Mackenzie Valley Impact Review Board (PDF)

Gwich'in Environmental Knowledge Project

The Inuit Bowhead Knowledge Study - by Nunavut Wildlife Management Board

Links to international sites for policy development (see Australia and New Zealand, etc.) – by the Panel on Research Ethics

Mi’kmaw Research Principles & Protocols – by the Mi'kmaq College Institute of Cape Breton University

Akwesasne Task Force on the Environment, (1996) . Protocol For Review of Environmental and Scientific Research Proposals

Protocols and Principles for Conducting Research in an Indigenous Context. University of Victoria, Faculty of Human and Social Development

Emery, A.R., 2000. Guidelines: Integrating Indigenous Knowledge in Project Planning and Implementation. Prepared by KIVU Inc. for the World Bank and the Canadian International Development Agency.

Management of Social Transformation Programme and Centre for International Research and Advisory Networks Best Practices on Indigenous Knowledge.

Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Industry Canada Intellectual Property and Aboriginal People: A Working Paper. (PDF)

Hansen, S.A. and J.W. Van Fleet, 2003. Traditional Knowledge and Intellectual Property: A Handbook on Issues and Options for Traditional Knowledge Holders in Protecting their Intellectual Property and Maintaining Biological Diversity. Prepared for the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Marles, R. J., C. Clavelle, L. Monteleone, N. Tays and D. Burns. 2000. Aboriginal Plant Use in Canada’s Northwest Boreal Forest. Natural Resources Canada. 368 pp.
Note: This is a book that summarizes the uses of plants in the Northwest; it is useful because it provides a detailed introduction on the collection of ATK (in the broader sense) from Aboriginal Groups and demonstrates one way to handle “verifiability” of the individuals that communicated the information.

BC Metis Assembly of Natural Resources. 2009. Metis Nation British Columbia Consultation Guidebook. (PDF)

Assembly of First Nations. 2007. OCAP - Ownership, Control, Access and Possession, First Nations Inherent Right to Govern First Nations data (PDF)

Assembly of First Nations. 2009. Environmental Stewardship Unit. Ethics in First Nations Research. (PDF)

About us

The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) is an independent advisory panel to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada that meets twice a year to assess the status of wildlife species at risk of extinction. Members are wildlife biology experts from academia, government, non-governmental organizations and the private sector responsible for designating wildlife species in danger of disappearing from Canada.

COSEWIC secretariat

Canadian Wildlife Service
Environment and Climate Change Canada
351 St. Joseph Blvd, 14th floor
Gatineau QC K1A 0H3

Email: cosewic-cosepac@ec.gc.ca


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