Oregon begins program of killing Barred Owls this week
I have a few questions:
If there were only 3 Spotted Owls detected in the last survey in this region, how likely is killing many Barred Owls over years going to help recover this species?
How much does devaluing and removing Barred Owls from old growth forest benefit the Spotted Owl for recovery, and how much will it potentially benefit the timber industry?
Is this not a serious ethical matter and potential slippery slope, killing animals as a solution to human driven issues (deforestation, climate) as well as sacrificing one species for another and people being complicit with mass killing?
The Barred Owl is being called invasive, but is this an accurate portrayal when they’ve gradually migrated east to west over the last century?
Anyone else concerned about this direction of conservation?
These animals don’t have a voice or way to protect themselves. It’s up to us humans as stewards of the land to make the best decisions and do the right things.
The science and evidence just doesn’t seem strong enough for many to believe that killing so many Barred Owls will actually save the Spotted Owl. And, for any positive impact, it sounds like it will have to continue as an ongoing war against these owls endlessly.
What are we doing?