Mantario Hills (SK047)
Mantario, Saskatchewan
Site Description
This site is located west of Mantario along the Alberta border. It consists of a large Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA) pasture, a Wildlife Management Unit, and the surrounding lands and Cabri Lake. Sandy soils in this hilly region of southwestern Saskatchewan limit agricultural activity. Native grassland interspersed with some crested wheatgrass covers the hills within the PFRA pasture. Outside of the PFRA, most of the land is cultivated and is interspersed with crested wheatgrass and native grassland pastures. Cabri Lake, located in the southeast corner of this area, is a large saline lake that is often dry. When this lake is dry, it is often cultivated and used for growing crops.
Birds
At least 6,000 (and possibly many more) Short-grass Prairie Canada Geese stage in the Mantario Hills region during the fall migration. This represents over 1% of this population. Other waterfowl recorded at this site during fall migration include a few thousand ducks.
Additionally, approximately 35 nests of Ferruginous Hawks (nationally vulnerable) have been recorded at this site. This represents just under 1% of the estimated Canadian population, since only about half of these nests are active in any one year.
Conservation Issues
Increased oil exploration in southwestern Saskatchewan can be considered a major threat. Drought may be harmful to the primary production of grasses and can lead to increased salinity, thereby limiting the usage of these lakes by migrating waterfowl.
IBA Criteria Habitats Land Uses Potential or Ongoing Threats Conservation Status
