Humans still second to owls

I read with interest the article about the plight of the spotted owl in Northwest forests. (“Spotted owl numbers not only down but also at faster rate.”) It appears that the barred owl is running the spotted owl out of the forest.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants to start shooting barred owls to make more room for the spotted owl. Since the spotted owl was put on the threatened list under the Endangered Species Act in 1990, approximately 36,000 jobs were lost in the timber industry, and mills were closed from Klamath Falls, Oregon, to Port Angeles. Schools were closed, businesses were boarded up and property values declined by an average of 30 percent. Obviously Fish and Wildlife puts a much greater value on owls then homo sapiens.

Go figure.

Dave Page

Edmonds