Killing one species of owl to save another

[Rick Smith]

https://www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/environment/wildlife-service-propose-killing-barred-owls-to-save-spotted-owl/article_92f552a5-72da-579e-abfe-d5979d3fe253.html

 

 

 

Bend (OR) Bulletin

Friday, November 17, 2023

 

 

 

Wildlife service propose killing barred owls to save spotted owl

Proposal calls for shooting more than 400,000 barred owls over 30 years

• By DON JENKINS Capital Press

 

 

 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Thursday proposed saving the endangered northern spotted owl by shooting more than 400,000 barred owls in Oregon and Washington over a 30-year period.

More than 20,000 barred owls would be shot the first year, according to fish and wildlife’s plan. Thereafter, 13,400 to 17,400 would be killed each year for 30 years.

Without removing barred owls, the spotted owl may disappear from the Northwest, according to a draft environmental impact statement on the plan.

“Therefore, the management strategy needs to provide for rapid implementation and result in swift reduction in barred owl numbers,” the statement reads.

The northern spotted owl was listed as an endangered species in 1990. To preserve owl habitat, timber harvests were reduced. The barred owl emerged more than a decade ago as another threat.

Barred owls eat more species than spotted owls. With more food available wherever they are, barred owls have greater population densities and crowd out spotted owls.

Barred owls are categorized as an “alien species” because they migrated westward from the Eastern U.S. and were not detected in the Northwest until 1959.

While great lengths have been taken to preserve spotted owls, barred owls are seen as an ecological menace because their wide-ranging appetites could lead to “cascading effects” on food webs, according to the fish and wildlife service.

“This could affect not only spotted owls, but entire ecosystems,” the draft environmental impact statement states. The draft also states the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service does not have sufficient information to verify whether barred owls are effecting specific species.

The service has experimented with shooting barred owls and reports success in at least stabilizing the population of spotted owls in a particular area. The agency now proposes killing barred owls on a bigger scale.

Barred owls would be shot in forests on the Olympic Peninsula, in the Cascade Range, the Oregon Coast range and Northern California, where barred owls are seen as a coming threat to the California spotted owl.

Recordings of the barred owls’ distinctive “who-cooks-for-you” call would be played to lure barred owls within shotgun range.

One to three shots should kill both the male and female in mating pairs, according to the fish and wildlife service.

The agency looked at managing forests to give spotted owls an advantage. “Unfortunately, barred owls can occupy all forest conditions used by spotted owls and displace spotted owls under all conditions,” the draft impact statement states.

Barred owls and spotted owls occasionally mate. The hybrids will be shot, too, as a threat to the spotted owl’s “genetic identity,” according to the draft statement.

The fish and wildlife service last year announced it would develop a plan to kill barred owls and asked for public comments. Most environmental organizations and timber companies embraced the idea.

Some individuals commented that barred owls are beautiful and shouldn’t be slaughtered, and that the agency shouldn’t interfere.

“Leave both species alone and let them work it out,” a woman commented.

 

 

Rick Smith

5264 N. Fort Yuma Trail

Tucson, AZ 85750

505-259-7161

Email: rsmit...@comcast.net

 

[Debbie Bird]

I don’t agree with this at all.  Shooting 400,000 owls? 

Sent from my iPad

On Nov 19, 2023, at 5:59 AM, Rick Smith <rsmit...@comcast.net> wrote:



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[Ed Rizzotto]

I’m in Debbie’s camp.

Is this proposal a back door way to erode support for the Endangered Species Act? What are the alternatives being considered?

I also wonder how this might relate to climate change and science? Is some small or large part of the evolution of barred owl numbers (vs. their northern spotted brethren) at all tied to changing climate, weather favoring one bird versus the other in terms of habitat, prey, shelter, ecosystem or whatever? Are the barred owls just better adapted and/or might the spotted just be happier if they could find a better situation moving north?

We are “losing” our lobsters on Cape Cod (cooler habitat further north is attracting them)and they are being replaced (figuratively) by seals moving in from the south (along with their shark predators). I say figuratively because we haven’t, so far, learned how to make seal salad. : - )

ed rizzotto

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[Denny Huffman]

100,000!!!  Our successful Peregrine Falcon reintroduction at Dinosaur was due "in part" to shooting a limited number of Barred owls.  They were adept predators and sometimes zeroed in on Peregrine chicks while the parent birds were away from the nest.  That said, the sheer number of owls in this proposal is troubling and I believe will result in strong push back.

Denny  

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[Richard Martin]

I’m on the spotted owl side here.  Always loved them at OLYM and MORA.  Shooting 400,000 owls does seem a bit extreme however.  Yes, what are the alternatives, if any?

Dick

Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 19, 2023, at 9:47 AM, Denny Huffman <rapi...@gmail.com> wrote:



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