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Lesser Snow Geese nest in colonies in the Arctic. There are three populations of Lesser Snow Geese: the Mid-continent Population, the Western Arctic Population and the Wrangel Island population. Lesser Snow Geese populations have increased dramatically since the 1970s and the populations are now subject to special conservation measure to control their numbers. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.
Snow Goose populations have become so large since the 1970s that, in some areas, they are affecting the plant communities at staging areas and Arctic breeding grounds on which they and other species rely (Ankey 1996). These geese have the potential to alter Arctic habitats during spring and summer, cause crop depredation during fall and winter, and create potential dangers to other species and their habitats. Population increases are strongly believed to be tied to large-scale changes in land use, mainly involving the conversion of much of the North American landscape into agricultural crop land. Spillage from mechanized harvesting results in millions of bushels of waste grain lying on the ground, and geese are one group of birds that have greatly benefited from this superabundant food source. Harvest of Lesser Snow Goose increased following the implementation of special measures in 1999 but has stabilised during recent years (Alisauskas et al. 2011).
Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:
Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.