Banks Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary No. 2

Banks Island, Northwest Territories, is the fourth largest and the most western of the Canadian Arctic Islands. Two migratory bird sanctuaries have been established on this island and Banks Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary No. 2 is located in the north-central portion. This sanctuary was established in 1961 to protect the estimated 25 000 lesser snow geese that moult in the Thomsen River valley and adjacent wetlands. Observations indicate that most of these birds are likely non-breeders from the nesting colony at Egg River in Banks Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary No. 1. Bank Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary No. 2 also provides habitat for moulting black brant that make their way to the sanctuary from other areas of Banks Island as well as several islands to the north and the Northwest Territories mainland. The number of brant found here varies from year to year, however up to 5000 birds have been recorded and the highest concentrations of birds are generally at the lower end of the Thomsen River and in Castel Bay. These brant usually begin to depart the sanctuary in early to mid-August.

Species of Concern: black brant

Restrictions

The primary purpose of Migratory Bird Sanctuaries is the protection of migratory birds from killing, harm and harassment during a critical part of their life cycle, such as breeding, nesting, moulting, or staging and stopover during their migration. Unless a permit has been issued by the Minister of the Environment authorizing such activity, the Regulations prohibit the following activities in a Migratory Bird Sanctuary:
1. no person shall hunt migratory birds;
2. no person shall disturb, destroy or take the nests of migratory birds;
3. no person shall have in their possession a live migratory bird, or a carcass, skin, nest or egg of a migratory bird (a resident of a Migratory Bird Sanctuary may have in their possession migratory birds lawfully killed outside a Migratory Bird Sanctuary);
4.no person shall have in their possession in a Migratory Bird Sanctuary any firearm; or any hunting appliance except as otherwise provided in these Regulations (does not apply to residents of a Migratory Bird Sanctuary);
5. no person shall permit a dog or cat to run at large in a Migratory Bird Sanctuary;
6. no person shall carry on any activity that is harmful to migratory birds or the eggs, nests or habitat of migratory birds, except under the authority of a permit for those Migratory Bird Sanctuaries on provincial, territorial and federal lands.

Allowed

1. First Nations have a right to access and hunt within the sanctuary.