Via Tidepool, some incredibly disappointing news.
Endangered spotted owls in British Columbia have fallen to such critically low levels that the provincial government has been advised to capture all the remaining birds in “a triage approach to conservation,” so that a zoo-based breeding program can be started.
BC does a lot of things right, in our view. But apparently, protecting owl habitat ain’t one of them.
Dan
IIRC, back in the ’80s the field biologists looking at this issue were pessimistic about saving the population, for a number of reasons. Let us also remember the barred owl is now firmly ensconced in the spotted owl habitat (due to man, BTW), is a direct competitor, and is a much better predator than the spotted owl.One can make all the efforts one wants, but the barred owl cares not for these efforts.