EDMONTON — Twelve environmental groups are calling on the federal government to protect Alberta’s few surviving sage grouse, birds they say have been pushed out of their natural habitat by oil and gas development in the southeast corner of the province.

In a letter written to federal Environment Minister Peter Kent on Wednesday, Vancouver-based Ecojustice — the environmental law organization representing the groups — asks the minister to issue an emergency protection order under the federal Species at Risk Act. Failure to meet their demands by Jan. 16 will result in court action, said Ecojustice lawyer Sean Nixon, who hopes a judge would compel the federal government to issue the order.

There are only 13 male sage grouse left in Alberta, suggesting a population of between 30 and 40 birds. In 1991, Alberta was home to 241 male sage grouse, and in 1994, 70.

“We’re hopeful that there’s still time, and with actual on-the-ground legislation or management provisions, I think we can save the sage grouse,” said Madeline Wilson, a conservationist with the Alberta Wilderness Association.

The Calgary-based conservation group made its campaign for sage grouse public in September, with billboards in Edmonton and Calgary. It was also among the 12 signatories to the petition.

In recent years, the province has tried to boost the sage grouse population by bringing in birds from Montana. However, environmental groups argue more land needs to be protected for the species, which is why they have appealed to the federal government to intervene.

“The sage grouse isn’t necessarily the most iconic species compared to the grizzly bear or the woodland caribou, but it is an amazing bird,” Wilson said. “It’s important as a precedent-setting case as well, because this is a case where the provincial government has allowed rampant energy development to destroy practically all of the habitat that sage grouse has left in Alberta. So I think at some point you need to step in and say enough is enough.”

To date, the government has not issued emergency protection orders under the Species at Risk law.

On Wednesday, the federal government did not discuss a timeline for fully assessing and rolling out a recovery strategy for the birds.

“The Government of Canada is well aware of the conservation concerns related to the sage grouse, in Alberta and also in Saskatchewan,” said David Ingstrup, the regional director for the Canadian Wildlife Service. “We’re continuing to work with the province and other jurisdictions to find what we think are some appropriate solutions for the conservation of this bird.”

Ingstrup said the federal environment department will review the request for a protection order, and continue its own studies to identify critical habitat for the sage grouse. The protection order would have to be recommended by Kent himself.

“Our next step is to ensure that the minister of environment (has) all the information needed to respond,” Ingstrup said.