[Notice to readers: Some of the posts at this blog are satirical. And this one sounds so much like a joke that it could easily be mistaken for one. It's not, it's real. Follow the links to see for yourself.]
When the government takes aim at something, duck. In this case, it's the spotted owl which has been a protected bird for quite some time. And efforts to save it have been attributed to the demise of the timber industry in certain parts of the country. But it hasn't worked. The spotted owl keeps heading down that path mother nature designed to insure survival of the fittest.
Now that the timber industry has been eliminated as a danger to the spotted owl, the next target is a natural competitor, the barred owl. The barred owl got his name from the lines on his chest - see photo on the right. But he competes with the spotted owl for food, and the spotted owl is losing.
What's the solution? Kill off the barred owls. Yeah, I know it sounds like a joke. But click the link and see for yourself: BLM news release of 2/28/2012:
Barred Owl Control
A draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) also announced today outlines options for experimental removal of barred owls from certain areas throughout the spotted owl’s range to test the effect of such removal on spotted owl population trends. The Service is considering combinations of both lethal and non-lethal (capturing and relocating or placing in permanent captivity) methods for removing barred owls.
“We can’t ignore the mounting evidence that competition from barred owls is a major factor in the spotted owl’s decline, and we have a clear obligation to do all we can to prevent the spotted owl’s extinction and help it rebound,” said Ashe.
If the barred owl removal experiment proceeds and the effects of removal are positive, the Service may consider the feasibility and efficacy of barred owl removal on a broader scale. This action would involve a separate National Environmental Policy Act process. For more information about the barred owl draft EIS, click here.
From Fish and Wildlife:
Removal methods: In the Draft EIS, we will evaluate lethal removal (killing), non‐lethal removal (capture and placement in captivity or release in historic range), and a combination of these methods. Our goal is to accomplish removal, lethal or non‐lethal, in the most humane way possible for the barred owls.
They explain "lethal" with the parenthetical definer so the reader will know it means "termination with prejudice, extreme prejudice."
But it's not yet a done deal. They will be taking public comments before they start annihilating the little hooters. Defenders of the barred owl have taken notice. And a petition drive is under way at SaveTheBarredOwl.com. Actually, they are not so much defenders of the barred owl as they are critics of government overreach. But with a slogan like"Give a hoot, don't shoot," you know they are on the side of the angels.
Related links: Obama's spotted owl plan targets rival bird via Greenie Watch.