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Species Found in the Serpentine Wildlife Management Area
The Serpentine Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is a combination of agricultural lands and wetlands. The area consists of freshwater and saltwater but is primarily made up of freshwater marsh, specific vegetation plantings, hedgerows, and old fields. The Serpentine WMA is inhabited by a wide variety of species, including mammal, bird, fish, reptile, and amphibian species. Based on the Government of BC’s Serpentine Wildlife Management Area website, some of the mammal species found in Serpentine WMA are beavers, muskrats, river otters, mink, short-tailed weasel, Eastern Cottontail Rabbit, and Twonsend’s Vole. Coyotes are also included in the many mammal species found in the area. Some fish species listed by Ducks Unlimited Canada are catfish, shiners, Coho salmon, rainbow trout, steelhead, and carp. The area has an overwhelming number of bird species. As shown in Avibase-The World Bird Database, the last modified 2023 data on the number of bird species found in the Serpentine WMA is 212. Waterfowl are part of the many bird species, and they specifically rely on the Serpentine WMA for migration and overwintering.

Endemic Species in the Serpentine Wildlife Management Area
No known species are endemic to the Serpentine Wildlife Management Area (WMA); however, according to Ducks Unlimited Canada, the site is a crucial spot for waterfowls such as Canada geese, mallard, wigeon, coot, pintail. Water birds, shorebirds, and coastal birds rely heavily on the Serpentine WMA. The area is an important habitat for some species at risk, such as Great Blue Heron, a blue-listed species. The Serpentine WMA is Canada’s most densely populated wintering and migrating areas, a habitat extensively used by many bird species, including species at risk.

The Impact of Climate Change on the Serpentine Wildlife Management Area
Sea levels rising, high tides, and extreme weather, like heavy rainfall, have been leaving a global impact, and the Serpentine WMA is also facing the effects. The result of climate change puts the land areas at risk of flooding. To combat this issue, the Serpentine WMA uses the dyke system to help regulate the water levels, which is an installment of walls or barriers that prevent water from flooding over and causing damage. As climate change impacts stay constant, detrimental flooding will increase, and the dyke system will not be a permanent fix. According to the NOAA, issues such as coastal squeeze caused by the artificial walls put up, like the dyke system, will lead to the loss of wetlands. Another issue of channel modifications, like the dyke system that causes changes to the water flow, is the negative influence on species’ food supply and quality. The notable abovementioned variabilities lead to significant impacts such as habitat loss. As Serpentine WMA is one of the vital migration habitats for many species, the various issues relating to climate change will impact species survival and possibly species loss. The issues presented by climate change affect not only the Serpentine WMA but also the whole Fraser River Delta Ramsar site, which the Serpentine WMA is part of.