Until now, this designation under the Wildlife Act could only be applied to an entire species. But by the time a species is threatened, a number of its populations may have vanished. After a population has been designated Specially Protected Wildlife, regulations can be put in place under the Wildlife Act to protect it. Regulations could control hunting and other human activities that disturb the animals or damage their habitat. When populations are eligible for special protection, species are less likely to become endangered.
Government can now act early to protect the separate populations that make up a species.
Different populations of the same species may have different management needs. The Yukon government can now treat each population separately when it comes to special protection. Wildlife management is more effective when a wide range of actions are available to managers. This change provides one more tool for managing wildlife populations at risk. Species and Populations To understand what has changed in the Wildlife Act you need to know the difference between a wildlife species and a population.