The U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration recently finalized a rule that narrows what qualifies as “harm” under the Endangered Species Act. Under the new definition of harm, only actions that directly harm or kill endangered species will be prohibited. Until recently, the definition of harm also included damaging the habitat endangered wildlife depend on for […]
Tag: Spotted Owl
Indigenous nations fought for a new national monument. Will it survive Trump?
In northeastern California, the Upper Pit River undulates through evergreen forests, wet meadows and rugged mountains. It’s part of the snow-fed headwaters of the Sacramento River, the largest river in the state. The Sacramento flows some 611 kilometers (380 miles) to the San Francisco Bay, supporting diverse and unique ecosystems and carrying water to cities […]
Owl Rescued from Truck Grill After Virginia Driver Flags Down Officer
A quick-thinking animal control officer in Virginia has been praised for saving an injured owl after a roadside accident. According to WAVY-TV, Jessica Brock of Isle of Wight County Animal Services was flagged down by a concerned driver who had accidentally struck an owl, leaving the bird trapped in the front grill of their truck. […]
Protected areas help Mexican spotted owls
Designated protected areas are likely helping a spotted owl subspecies persist in the southwestern U.S. The Mexican spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida), which lives in Mexico and the southwestern U.S., is listed as threatened in both countries. The spotted owl subspecies faces threats of logging, habitat loss and increasing wildfires. Biologists use Protected Activity Centers—or […]
A ‘recipe for extinction’: can the US’s envied nature protections survive Trump and his ‘God squad’?
Donald Trump has already begun dismantling parts of the envied US endangered species protections in his quest to boost oil and gas drilling, in part using a panel with an ominous name: the God squad. A slew of early actions by the Trump administration has set about throwing open more land and waters for the […]
Incoming LOLZ: The Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards will put a smile on your face
The results are in and the winner of this year’s funniest wildlife photo goes to Milko Marchetti for his very chuckle-worthy shot of a red squirrel with its head firmly embedded in a tree. Marchetti’s shot was selected as the overall winner and winner of the Mammal category in the 2024 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards […]
Petition: Tell Authorities to Explore Non-lethal Alternatives to Manage the Barred Owl Population
A controversial plan by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service aims to cull up to 452,000 barred owls to protect the northern spotted owl populations on the West Coast. This drastic measure has sparked significant opposition due to its potential impact on barred owls, risk to spotted owls and local wildlife, and the environment. Sign […]
US Agency May Start Luring Half A Million Owls to Their Deaths Next Spring
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) plans to begin culling up to about 450,000 barred owls from California forests next spring should it approve a new proposal later this year. A federal effort to preserve the northern spotted owls and California spotted owls, two native owl species declining in California, has been ongoing for […]