Barred owls are a rival to the threatened spotted owl
(NEWSER) - The Obama administration is trying to save the spotted owl, but bailing out the endangered critter might just involve the premeditated demise of someone sitting on the family tree: The larger barred owl is a rival to the spotted owl, and is often cited as one of the major threats to the survival of the one-pound bird, which has been on the threatened species list since 1990. Despite decades of government attempts to help the spotted owl thrive—including a struggle with the logging industry—its numbers have fallen by 40% over the past 25 years. In addition to cutting down on barred owls, the new plan would designate critical habitat areas for the spotted owl, and would allow logging in order to guard against wildfire—and create jobs. More»
