Last Mountain Lake

<body background="../_themes/mbs/piebkgnd.jpg" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000" link="#996633" vlink="#999966" alink="#CC9966"><font face="Arial, Arial, Helvetica"> <p align="center"><font size="2">This page uses frames.  To view properly, download a browser which supports frames.</font></p> <a name="top"></a> <h1 align="center"><font face="Times New Roman, Times New Roman, Times" color="#996633"><font color="#336600" size="7">Last Mountain Lake</font></font></h1> <p align="center"><img src="../_themes/mbs/apierule.gif" width="600" height="10"></p> <p align="center"><script language="JavaScript"></script><script language="JavaScript"></script><a href="../index.htm" language="JavaScript" onmouseover="if(MSFPhover) document['MSFPnav1'].src=MSFPnav1h.src" onmouseout="if(MSFPhover) document['MSFPnav1'].src=MSFPnav1n.src"><img src="../_derived/home_cmp_mbs010_hbtn.gif" width="140" height="60" border="0" alt="Canada" align="middle" name="MSFPnav1"></a> <script 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border="0" alt="NWT/Nunavut" align="middle" name="MSFPnav4"></a> <script language="JavaScript"></script><a href="../mbsa.htm" language="JavaScript" onmouseover="if(MSFPhover) document['MSFPnav5'].src=MSFPnav5h.src" onmouseout="if(MSFPhover) document['MSFPnav5'].src=MSFPnav5n.src"><img src="../_derived/mbsa.htm_cmp_mbs010_hbtn.gif" width="140" height="60" border="0" alt="MBS Act" align="middle" name="MSFPnav5"></a> </p> <p align="center"><img src="../_themes/mbs/apierule.gif" width="600" height="10"></p> <p align="center"><i>Go to the <a href="#bottom">bottom</a> to view the map!</i></p> <p><font color="#800000" size="5" face="Arial">About The Sanctuary</font></p> <font SIZE="2"> <p>   Last Mountain Lake was the first federal bird sanctuary in North America and was established  in 1887.  Recently, <a href="http://www.bsc-eoc.org/Iba/ibasites/Sk001.html" target="_blank"> Last Mountain Lake National Wildlife Area</a> has been designated as a "Wetland of International Importance".  It is an important stopover site for hundreds of thousands of birds traveling across the Great Plains.  The reasons for the success of this sanctuary is good habitat and location.  The sanctuary is located in-between the northern breeding grounds and the Southern wintering grounds.</p> <p>    There is a higher-than-average use of this area due to  the quality and diversity of the habitats.  The land mostly consists of wetlands (21%) and grasslands (50%).  The remaining 25% of the area has been altered by agricultural activities, however it still attracts many species of wildlife.</p> <p>  Wetlands are the most productive habitat which results in a high duck population.  Grass lands are attractive to many forms of wildlife, from nesting ducks, cranes, and longspurs, to gophers, badgers, and deer.  This lake is one of the few remaining havens of native mixed-grass prairie in Canada.</p> <p>    Over 280 species have been recorded at Last Mountain Lake during migration.  There can be up to 50,000 cranes, 450,000 geese, and several hundred thousand ducks.  Many shorebirds, songbirds, and birds of prey spend from a few days to weeks here every year.</p> <p>    The NWA is important for at least 100 birds including up to 9 species of shorebirds, 43 species of songbirds, and 13 species of ducks.  Some of the most spectacular breeders include the Western Grebe, the American White Pelican, the American Avocet and the Wilson's Phalarope.</p> <p>    There are 9 species of Canada's birds here which are vulnerable, threatened, or endangered birds.  They include the Peregrine Falcon, the Piping Plover, the Whooping Crane, the Burrowing Owl, the Ferruginous Hawk, the Loggerhead Shrike, the Baird's Sparrow, the Caspian Tern, and the Cooper's Hawk.  Colonial nesters are also particularly dependant upon the statutory protection afforded by t he NWA.  These birds nest in mixed colonies on the islands or on floating platforms in the marsh and are very sensitive to disturbance during the breeding season.</p> <p>   The sanctuary was established in 1887 by the Canadian Government to prevent the loss of valuable wildlife on the North end of the lake.  In the early days of the sanctuary, the Department of the Interior employed a federal game warden to ensure the game and sanctuary regulations were followed.  In 1966, the Canadian Wildlife Service negotiated with the Province of Saskatchewan to form Canada's first cooperative wildlife area at Last Mountain Lake.  In 1997, 1025 hectares were protected, today over 15,600 hectares are protected.   The lake is protected by the Wildlife Area Regulations set by the Canada Wildlife Act.</p> </font> <a name="bottom"></a> <p align="center"><img border="2" src="images/LASTMOUNTAINMAP.gif" width="277" height="410" alt="Last Mountain Lake Migratory Bird Sanctuary"></p> <p align="center"><a href="#top">Top</a></p> </font></body>