Prairie and Northern Wildlife Research Centre

The Prairie and Northern Wildlife Research Centre (PNWRC) occupies more than one hectare of land on the University of Saskatchewan campus in Saskatoon, including a two-storey building with offices and 10 laboratories and a large storage compound for fleet vehicles and field equipment. Office space is provided for more than 30 full-time staff, as well as many post doctoral fellows, graduate, undergraduate, and exchange students, and visiting scientists. Science & Technology Branch staff work on migratory bird ecology, ecosystem and wildlife health, and ecotoxicology, often in association with the University of Saskatchewan’s Departments of Biology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, and Toxicology Centre. 

Environmental Stewardship Branch staff at PNWRC work on programs for the recovery and protection of Species at Risk, on monitoring and management of Migratory Birds, and operation of Protected Areas. Wildlife Enforcement Division staff conduct patrols of Protected Areas and are very active during Migratory Bird hunting seasons, in addition to fulfilling regulatory needs under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act.

Facility highlights:

• Wet labs, dry labs, and walk-in freezers for storing and processing animal, plant, water and soil samples from arctic, boreal, oil sands and prairie field sites.
• A level-2 biosafety lab in support of wildlife disease and toxicology research.
• Indoor and outdoor construction and staging areas to build or prepare supplies and research and monitoring equipment for shipping to all parts of the Prairie and Northern Region and further afield.
• Five-minute walk from University of Saskatchewan colleagues and facilities in the Colleges of Agriculture, Veterinary Medicine, and Science; Environment and Climate Change Canada colleagues at the National Hydrology Research Centre; and colleagues and facilities at the Canadian Light Source.
• Proximity to the St. Denis National Wildlife Area, 35 km east, where long-term research began in 1968 to consider how landscape and climate changes impact upland and wetland wildlife habitats, and associated wildlife populations in the Prairie Pothole region.
• Bird Studies Canada is provided with office space at PNWRC, and they contribute to related migratory bird monitoring and research programs.