In light of their falling numbers, the northern spotted owl may soon gain more protections, federal biologists announced Wednesday.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) will use scientific data to determine whether or not to upgrade the currently threatened species to an "endangered" listing in accordance with the Endangered Species Act. They will debate its status for the next two years before reaching a decision.
Since 1990, when the northern spotted owl was first listed as threatened, it has been a symbol for Endangered Species Act protections that harm local economies. Conservationists wanting to protect the species from habitat loss won out against the logging industry, and logging cutbacks to protect owl habitat put many Northwest timber towns into an economic tailspin.
However, even today, despite logging cutbacks of about 90 percent on federal lands in Washington, Oregon and Northern California, the spotted owl population has continued to decline due to habitat loss.
According to the FWS in Oregon, the northern spotted owl is believed to have historically inhabited most forests throughout southwestern British Columbia, western Washington and Oregon, and northwestern California. And over the last 190 years, its habitat has been reduced by over 60 percent.
What's more, past trends suggest that much of the remaining unprotected habitat could disappear in 10 to 30 years, despite its threatened status and designation of critical habitat.
Unfortunately, that isn't the only threat to this species. The incursion of the more-aggressive barred owl also poses a danger, as it competes with the spotted owl for territory, nesting grounds and food sources.
"The bad news is that the spotted owl population has continued to decline," Paul Henson, supervisor for FWS in Oregon, told The Associated Press (AP). "The good news is we know why it is declining."
The spotted owl is estimated to number less than 4,000. The FWS typically reviews the status of protected species every five years, and the last time the bird's situation was revisited was in 2011. However, at that time the agency felt it still warranted protection as a threatened species.
Now, the review has been petitioned by the conservation group Environmental Protection Information Center in Arcata, Calif. The review is set to be finished by September 2017, when the spotted owl may possibly gain endangered status, hopefully helping to boost its numbers once again.
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