Greater Sage-Grouse

Our work

Between 2014 and 2024, the Wilder Institute, together with Environment and Climate Change Canada and Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (AEPA), led a conservation breeding and translocation program for greater sage-grouse. The conservation breeding program celebrated its first successful breeding in 2017 and began releasing juveniles into the wild in Alberta and Saskatchewan in 2018.  The Wilder Institute made the difficult decision to cease our current role in conservation breeding and translocation activities at the end of 2024.  

Due to the natural history of this lekking species, special considerations and resources are required to sustainably manage and breed this species under human care. The Wilder Institute was able to successfully produce and raise chicks and maintain a flock capable of contributing to wild sage-grouse population. The team has obtained valuable insight and knowledge into best management and veterinary care practices to support optimal welfare and breeding outcomes. The Wilder Institute will share learnings and recommendations with the wider sage-grouse conservation community to inform future greater sage-grouse conservation breeding programs, if deemed feasible. 

Greater sage-grouse raised under human care and released to the wild were documented joining wild flocks, attending wild leks and attempting nests post release. Some hens survived > 2 breeding seasons and successfully raised a brood. However, post-release survival has been very low, with fewer than 1% of birds released during the program to date surviving to reach the following breeding season. Multiple factors likely contribute to this low survival rate. 

The greater sage-grouse flock remains under the expert care of the Wilder Institute Animal Care, Health & Welfare team. Next steps in the future of the greater sage-grouse program in Canada and this flock will be determined collaboratively with government partners.   

Our conservation impact

The Wilder Institute developed Canada’s first conservation breeding and translocation program for greater sage-grouse. Over a decade, the program established a population of sage-grouse under human care and developed breeding, husbandry, veterinary care and facility design knowledge required to support this species under human care. These advances provide a foundation for any future conservation breeding initiatives. 

Find out more about these insights here: https://wilderinstitute.org/conservation/publications/  

Through extensive post-release monitoring, the program provided critical insights into the behaviour and ecology of released birds. This included evaluating transmitter attachment methods, testing release strategies, analyzing habitat use and spatial mortality risk, and identifying predators using molecular techniques. The program clarified the key challenges that must be addressed for future conservation breeding and translocation efforts and provided evidence needed to assess when and how conservation breeding can be an effective tool for species recovery.  

Conservation biobanking 

Conservation biobanking of greater sage-grouse acts as a genetic safety net. Small or declining populations face heightened risks of inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity, which reduces genetic health and adaptability.  Biobanked genetic material acts as a long-term safeguard, preserving options for restoring genetically healthy populations should numbers decline further or disappear locally. As part of a growing global network led by the IUCN’s Animal Biobanking for Conservation Specialist Group, biobanking complements, rather than replaces habitat protection or other population recovery efforts. It ensures that vital genetic resources are preserved today so that conservationists have the tools to restore and protect species like the greater sage-grouse for generations to come. 

Biobanking is an increasingly powerful tool in the conservation toolbox. It involves collecting, processing, and cryopreserving biological material, such as reproductive cells, embryos, DNA, and tissues, for long-term storage and potential future use. For conservation, this means we can safeguard the genetic diversity of a species and potentially restore it when conditions allow. 

Genetic material from our greater sage-grouse flock is sent to our partners at the Toronto Zoo. Cells from eggs, feathers and other tissues are stored at -196°C in Toronto Zoo’s wildlife cryobank. This marks the first time greater sage-grouse have been represented in the cryobank, an important milestone for collaborative conservation efforts. 

Clutch and Brood Augmentation  

Following encouraging results of a clutch augmentation pilot project last year, fertilized eggs are being transferred to Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (AEPA) to support further nest and brood augmentation trials. In clutch augmentation, eggs laid under human care are added to the nest of a wild hen. During trials last year, eggs placed into wild nests hatched and chicks were successfully fledged.  To address this challenge, brood augmentation, where chicks are hatched under human care and then introduced to a wild brood, is being trialed. The AEPA team will monitor to assess chick survival and evaluate the effectiveness of this method as a tool to support sage-grouse recovery. 

Together, these efforts allow the greater sage-grouse to continue contributing to recovery efforts as government partners explore the most effective paths forward. 

Additional Conservation Activities 

Greater sage-grouse recovery in Alberta and across the broader range involves a wide network of government agencies, land managers, and conservation partners. Several significant initiatives are currently underway that complement grassland stewardship efforts. 

Habitat restoration through oil and gas reclamation 

AEPA is restoring sage-grouse habitat on former oil and gas well sites and monitoring how birds respond to this reclamation work. 

Wild-to-wild translocations 

To boost Alberta’s small and isolated population, birds have been translocated from Montana. This cross-border effort brings new genetic diversity and individuals to support population recovery. 

Infrastructure improvements and grassland restoration 

At Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan, Parks Canada has been removing powerlines, restoring native grassland, marking fences to reduce collision risk, and installing perch deterrents to discourage raptor predation near nesting areas. 

These efforts reflect a broader, coordinated approach to sage-grouse recovery across their Canadian range. For more on the species’ status and recovery planning, visit Canada’s Species at Risk Public Registry. 

Grazing management for the benefit of sage-grouse habitat has been performed by many members of the ranching community with support from federal and provincial governments. Learn more about The Species at Risk Partnership on Agricultural Lands (SARPAL) and Multiple Species at Risk (MULTISAR).