Should We Kill One Kind of Owl To Save Another?
The northern spotted owl is in trouble—per usual. This vanishingly rare subspecies of spotted owl earned its iconic status in the late ’80s and early ’90s, during the height of the Timber Wars in the Pacific Northwest. For forest defenders, the spotted owl is a sacred totem. For loggers, it’s been a pest. In 1990, […]
The northern spotted owl, a rare subspecies, faces extinction due to competition from the barred owl, a more aggressive species. Once protected by federal officials, the spotted owl's numbers declined despite the establishment of the Clinton-era Northwest Forest Plan. The barred owl, which has been expanding westward since the 19th century, preys on the more timid spotted owl's primary food source: tree-dwelling rodents.
Currently, there are only 15,000 northern spotted owls left in North America, while there are an estimated 3.5 million barred owls.
In response, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed a bold plan to shoot up to 15,600 barred owls annually over the next 30 years in Washington, Oregon, and Northern California. This could cost up to $1.35 billion, or around $3,000 per owl. However, this plan has sparked controversy, with animal welfare groups arguing that it's inhumane and unworkable.
Some logging companies, though traditionally adversaries, now support the barred owl culling as it could reopen permits that waive penalties if they accidentally kill spotted owls. The debate over which species should be considered invasive adds another layer to the issue, with some arguing that the barred owl, now found in a human-created environment, is an invasive species.
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