Controversy Over Proposal to Cull Barred Owls to Protect Spotted Owls

SOURCE npr.org
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed culling roughly half a million barred owls to protect the northern spotted owl, a threatened species facing extinction due to competition from the more aggressive barred owl. Conservationists and animal welfare advocates are debating the moral implications of killing one species to save another.

Key Points

  • Competition from barred owls threatens the survival of the northern spotted owl
  • Barred owl management is seen as a necessary but difficult solution to a human-created problem
  • Conservationists are divided on the proposal, with some supporting it as a last resort measure

Pros

  • Protecting the northern spotted owl from extinction
  • Preventing declines in the California spotted owl population

Cons

  • Controversy over the morality of killing one species to save another
  • Concerns about the sustainability and effectiveness of the proposed culling program