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Habitat Protection Areas
Tsâwnjik Chu (Nordenskiold) Wetland /Yukon Government Photo
A Habitat Protection Area (HPA) is an area identified as requiring special protection under Yukon's Wildlife Act. HPAs are one of the ways in which the Yukon government can preserve habitat, practice conservation and safeguard traditional First Nation harvesting practices.
HPAs can protect areas where a wildlife species is concentrated at certain times of year, a habitat type that is rare in the Yukon or a site that is particularly fragile.
Seven HPAs have been designated in Yukon, protecting about 577,000 hectares of exceptional habitat. Work is underway on four more: Ddah Ghro, Lewes Marsh, Pickhandle Lakes and Tagish Narrows.
- Big Island
- Devil's Elbow
- Horseshoe Slough
- Lhutsaw Wetlands
- Ni'iinlii'Njik (Fishing Branch)
- Old Crow Flats (Van Tat K'atr'anahtii)
- Ts'alwnjik Chu (Nordenskiold) Wetland
- Contact Us
Big Island
The Big Island HPA is 7.6 km2 in size and lies about 5 km upstream of Mayo, in the Stewart River. This lowland habitat is heavily used by moose and many other species of wildlife. Moose concentrate in this area in late winter, and use it for calving.
A management plan will provide guidelines for the long-term management of fish and wildlife, and their habitats, while allowing for traditional use of the HPA by Northern Tutchone people and the general public.
The density of moose in the lower Stewart River valley is above the Yukon average; this HPA is also significant for birds, particularly waterfowl and shorebirds. The Yukon government designated this area as a HPA in August, 2011; the area has been withdrawn from mineral staking.
Map 
1.05 MB
Devil's Elbow
The Devil’s Elbow HPA (locally referred to as 17 Mile) lies between Stewart Crossing and Mayo, along the Stewart River. This lowland habitat is heavily used by moose and many other species of wildlife. Moose concentrate in this area in late winter, and use it for calving.
This area was and is important to Northern Tutchone people for procuring wood, meat and fish. A management plan for the area will provide guidelines for the long-term management of fish and wildlife, and their habitats, while allowing for traditional use of the 75.1 km2 HPA by Northern Tutchone people and the general public.
Devil’s Elbow was named by the riverboat captains and pilots who had to “jack-knife” their boats and barges to make their way around the bend. The Yukon government designated this area as a HPA in August, 2011; the area has been withdrawn from mineral staking.
Map 1.05 MB
Horseshoe Slough
Horseshoe Slough is an important waterfowl breeding and staging area in the Traditional Territory of the Nacho Nyak Dun First Nation in the central Yukon. The 79 square kilometre slough is a side channel of the Stewart River at the mouth of No Gold Creek, about 80 km upstream of Mayo.
Horseshoe Slough has been designated a Habitat Protection Area under the Yukon Wildlife Act as described in the Na-cho Nyäk Dun Final Agreement.
Horseshoe Slough Management Plan 1.09 MB
(2002, 20 p. booklet)
A detailed plan for managing the Horseshoe Slough Habitat Protection Area. Includes map.
Lhutsaw Wetland
(formerly Von Wilczek Lakes)
Lhutsaw Wetland is an important wetland complex covering 31 square kilometres along the North Klondike Highway south of Pelly Crossing. It was identified as a Special Management Area under the Selkirk First Nation Final Agreement.
Lhutsaw Wetland Habitat Protection Area Management Plan
965 KB
(2006, 39 p. booklet)
A management plan for the Lhutsaw Wetland Habitat Protection Area. Includes maps
Ni'iinlii'Njik (Fishing Branch)
Management of human activities in the 978 km2 Ni'iinlii'Njik (Fishing Branch) Habitat Protection Area, along with the adjacent Wilderness Preserve and Ecological Reserve, helps protect the watershed’s integrity and maintain the natural processes unique to this area – especially the grizzly bear-salmon interaction.
The Porcupine Caribou herd migrate through the area which is home to many other species of wildlife, including Dall’s sheep and moose. The HPA is accessible by helicopter, foot, snowmobile or boat (during high water conditions) from Old Crow.
Ni'iinlii'Njik (Fishing Branch) Wilderness Preserve & Habitat Protection Area Management Plan 
785 KB
(2004, updated 2010 36 p. booklet)
Old Crow Flats (Van Tat K’atr’anahtii)
The Old Crow Flats (Van Tat K’atr’anahtii) wetland complex is located on the Old Crow River system north of the Arctic Circle. The 12,100-square-kilometre HPA contains more than 2,000 ponds and marshes and is an important breeding and moulting ground for half-a-million water birds. It was identified as a Special Management Area under the Vuntut Gwitchin Final Agreement and formally established as a Habitat Protection Area in June 2009.
Old Crow Flats Management Plan
(2006, 64 p. booklet)
Management Plan Without Maps 3.8 MB
Management Plan With Maps 17 MB
Tsâwnjik Chu (Nordenskiold) Wetland
The Nordenskiold River valley south of Carmacks is a major wetland complex and an important waterfowl staging area. About 78 square kilometres of the complex was identified as a Special Management Area under the Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation Final Agreement.
The Yukon government designated this parcel of land as a Habitat Protection Area in July 2010.
Tsâwnjjik Chu Nordenskiold HPA Management Plan
(2010, 28 p. booklet)
Management Plan 
1.6 MB
Map of
Tsâwnjik Chu (Nordenskiold) Wetland 
Contact Fish & Wildlife - Habitat Management Environment Yukon Government of Yukon Box 2703 (V-5R) Phone: 867-667-3645
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