Why have U.S. Wildlife officials planned to kill half a million barred owls? Know about the controversy

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

wildlife officials have introduced a plan to deploy trained shooters into dense West Coast forests to eliminate nearly half a million barred owls to protect the endangered spotted owl populations in Oregon, Washington, and California. This strategy, detailed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, aims to counter the decline of spotted owls, as barred owls have increasingly crowded out their smaller cousins. Spotted owls struggle to compete with barred owls, which have larger broods and need less space to survive, as per the reports of Yahoo news.

Historical context and new challenges

Previous efforts to protect spotted owls focused on preserving their forest habitats, leading to conflicts over logging but slowing the birds' decline. However, the recent proliferation of barred owls undermines these efforts. According to Fish and Wildlife Service Oregon state supervisor Kessina Lee, without managing barred owls, northern spotted owls could face extinction despite ongoing conservation work.

Divided opinions

The plan to kill one bird species to save another has sparked debate among wildlife advocates and conservationists. Some accept the plan reluctantly, while others, like Wayne Pacelle from Animal Wellness Action, argue it distracts from necessary forest preservation and is unlikely to succeed in preventing barred owl migration into targeted areas. The shootings, set to start next spring, involve using megaphones to lure barred owls and then shooting them with shotguns. Carcasses will be buried on-site.

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