The Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) is a government agency devoted to safeguarding nature and motivating people to appreciate it. Our mission is to accomplish conservation outcomes for habitats, wildlife, and their ecosystems, particularly for migratory birds and species at risk. We strive to make sure that Canadians can enjoy the outdoors and all it has to offer, from gardening and hiking to fishing, canoeing, camping, bird watching, swimming, and wildlife photography. The CWS works in close collaboration with the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC).
This independent advisory panel of the Canadian Minister of Environment and Climate Change meets twice a year to assess the status of endangered wildlife species. COSEWIC utilizes the best available information to evaluate the danger of extinction or extirpation of a species, which can come from any reliable source. The committee also creates a priority list of wildlife species that need to be evaluated, produces reports on the status of wildlife species, and holds meetings to assign species to risk categories. The World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF) is another significant partner of the CWS.
Established in 1967, WWF is the country's largest international conservation organization with hundreds of thousands of Canadians actively supporting its work. WWF works with COSEWIC to determine the national status of Canadian species, subspecies, varieties, or other designable wild units suspected of being at risk of extinction or extirpation. At the CWS, we are devoted to protecting nature and inspiring people to value it. We are proud to collaborate with our partners COSEWIC and WWF to guarantee that Canada's wildlife and wild places are preserved for future generations.
