Killing One Owl to Save Another Owl? | National Geographic

I was shaking and I had to steady myself

I was shaking and I had to steady myself I wasn’t sure I could actually do it

I wasn’t sure I could actually do it

I wasn’t sure I could actually do it there was just something in me that

there was just something in me that

there was just something in me that seemed like this was so wrong here’s two

seemed like this was so wrong here’s two

seemed like this was so wrong here’s two birds they’re closely related they look

birds they’re closely related they look

birds they’re closely related they look similar they’re both beautiful birds and

similar they’re both beautiful birds and

similar they’re both beautiful birds and then to go out and decide I’m going to

then to go out and decide I’m going to

then to go out and decide I’m going to I’m going to kill one of these birds I’m

I’m going to kill one of these birds I’m

I’m going to kill one of these birds I’m going to remove them it’s a really

going to remove them it’s a really

going to remove them it’s a really difficult thing to do that’s the female

difficult thing to do that’s the female

difficult thing to do that’s the female that’s the male over there in the early

that’s the male over there in the early

that’s the male over there in the early 1990s we started hearing some Bardell

1990s we started hearing some Bardell

1990s we started hearing some Bardell around 2000 the barred owl numbers

around 2000 the barred owl numbers

around 2000 the barred owl numbers suddenly started going up our our

suddenly started going up our our

suddenly started going up our our habitat models indicated that there’s

habitat models indicated that there’s

habitat models indicated that there’s good habitat out there but despite that

good habitat out there but despite that

good habitat out there but despite that our spotted owl numbers started going

our spotted owl numbers started going

our spotted owl numbers started going downhill we soon recognized that this

downhill we soon recognized that this

downhill we soon recognized that this was going to be a problem of wandering

was going to be a problem of wandering

was going to be a problem of wandering what are we going to do about it and it

what are we going to do about it and it

what are we going to do about it and it it seemed like the only feasible thing

it seemed like the only feasible thing

it seemed like the only feasible thing probably was going to be lethal removal

probably was going to be lethal removal

probably was going to be lethal removal of barn owls because they’re difficult

of barn owls because they’re difficult

of barn owls because they’re difficult to capture but even if you can cap from

to capture but even if you can cap from

to capture but even if you can cap from the issue is what would you do with them

when I first started working on spot

when I first started working on spot elves that was very little-known I mean

elves that was very little-known I mean

elves that was very little-known I mean we we knew that they were out there in

we we knew that they were out there in

we we knew that they were out there in old forests because there were some

old forests because there were some

old forests because there were some historical records but we really had no

historical records but we really had no

historical records but we really had no information on how abundant they were we

information on how abundant they were we

information on how abundant they were we didn’t know what their total

didn’t know what their total

didn’t know what their total distribution was there were just a whole

distribution was there were just a whole

distribution was there were just a whole lot of unknowns starting in the late 80s

lot of unknowns starting in the late 80s

lot of unknowns starting in the late 80s and early 90s we initiated some

and early 90s we initiated some

and early 90s we initiated some long-term demography studies which are

long-term demography studies which are

long-term demography studies which are studies that are designed to track the

studies that are designed to track the

studies that are designed to track the population and we use banded birds to do

population and we use banded birds to do

population and we use banded birds to do that so we go out and we mark all the

that so we go out and we mark all the

that so we go out and we mark all the birds and follow them every year – so

birds and follow them every year – so

birds and follow them every year – so right here’s Wooden’s to count so far

right here’s Wooden’s to count so far

right here’s Wooden’s to count so far keep about an eighth of an inch sticking

keep about an eighth of an inch sticking

keep about an eighth of an inch sticking out ok good what the data suggest from

out ok good what the data suggest from

out ok good what the data suggest from all those study area is it that the

all those study area is it that the

all those study area is it that the populations are gradually declining in

populations are gradually declining in

populations are gradually declining in the northern part of the range in

the northern part of the range in

the northern part of the range in Washington whether we’re estimating

Washington whether we’re estimating

Washington whether we’re estimating about seven or eight percent decline per

about seven or eight percent decline per

about seven or eight percent decline per year which is really a pretty it’s a

year which is really a pretty it’s a

year which is really a pretty it’s a crash basically we thought that if we

crash basically we thought that if we

crash basically we thought that if we just did a good job of protecting

just did a good job of protecting

just did a good job of protecting habitat that the spotted owl population

habitat that the spotted owl population

habitat that the spotted owl population would eventually reach equilibrium or

would eventually reach equilibrium or

would eventually reach equilibrium or even increase and everything would be

even increase and everything would be

even increase and everything would be fine we’re seeing a continued decline

fine we’re seeing a continued decline

fine we’re seeing a continued decline and all the evidence suggests is that’s

and all the evidence suggests is that’s

and all the evidence suggests is that’s due to the invasion of this whole area

due to the invasion of this whole area

due to the invasion of this whole area by the barred owl mardell’s come into a

by the barred owl mardell’s come into a

by the barred owl mardell’s come into a spot on territory and chase them around

spot on territory and chase them around

spot on territory and chase them around and physically hit them if they can and

and physically hit them if they can and

and physically hit them if they can and basically chase them out we basically

basically chase them out we basically

basically chase them out we basically have two choices one is to do nothing

have two choices one is to do nothing

have two choices one is to do nothing and spotted owls slowly go extinct or we

and spotted owls slowly go extinct or we

and spotted owls slowly go extinct or we try to control barred owls at least in

try to control barred owls at least in

try to control barred owls at least in some areas so that the two species can

some areas so that the two species can

some areas so that the two species can coexist

coexist

coexist the results have been in my opinion

the results have been in my opinion

the results have been in my opinion quite profound in the sense that the

quite profound in the sense that the

quite profound in the sense that the spotted owl population which was going

spotted owl population which was going

spotted owl population which was going in this direction as soon as we started

in this direction as soon as we started

in this direction as soon as we started the removal immediately started going in

the removal immediately started going in

the removal immediately started going in the other direction in terms of the

the other direction in terms of the

the other direction in terms of the number of occupied sites I guess I would

number of occupied sites I guess I would

number of occupied sites I guess I would say I can’t be a hundred percent

say I can’t be a hundred percent

say I can’t be a hundred percent confident that it’s going to work in the

confident that it’s going to work in the

confident that it’s going to work in the long term but I’m quite confident that

long term but I’m quite confident that

long term but I’m quite confident that if we don’t do anything that that the

if we don’t do anything that that the

if we don’t do anything that that the spotted owl is is headed towards

spotted owl is is headed towards

spotted owl is is headed towards extinction I think the idea of doing an

extinction I think the idea of doing an

extinction I think the idea of doing an experimental removal of barred owls is

experimental removal of barred owls is

experimental removal of barred owls is to measure the effect on spotted owls

to measure the effect on spotted owls

to measure the effect on spotted owls makes sense from a scientific

makes sense from a scientific

makes sense from a scientific perspective but it’ll help us to

perspective but it’ll help us to

perspective but it’ll help us to understand you know is it feasible

understand you know is it feasible

understand you know is it feasible personally I kind of think about all we

personally I kind of think about all we

personally I kind of think about all we can do is do our best to manage habitat

can do is do our best to manage habitat

can do is do our best to manage habitat for spotted owls and other species that

for spotted owls and other species that

for spotted owls and other species that occur an OLE for us and kind of let the

occur an OLE for us and kind of let the

occur an OLE for us and kind of let the two species work it out I personally

two species work it out I personally

two species work it out I personally don’t think we can ever manage barred

don’t think we can ever manage barred

don’t think we can ever manage barred owls in the long run to me I mean I

owls in the long run to me I mean I

owls in the long run to me I mean I spent my life trying to protect and save

spent my life trying to protect and save

spent my life trying to protect and save this species we’ve done I think an

this species we’ve done I think an

this species we’ve done I think an incredible job of protecting habitat and

incredible job of protecting habitat and

incredible job of protecting habitat and yet we’re still seeing the population

yet we’re still seeing the population

yet we’re still seeing the population declining and that’s read disheartening

declining and that’s read disheartening

declining and that’s read disheartening for me what makes life interesting on

for me what makes life interesting on

for me what makes life interesting on this planet is the incredible

this planet is the incredible

this planet is the incredible biodiversity that that surrounds us it’s

biodiversity that that surrounds us it’s

biodiversity that that surrounds us it’s what that’s what I live for I mean I

what that’s what I live for I mean I

what that’s what I live for I mean I think this is the only chance we get and

think this is the only chance we get and

think this is the only chance we get and I think it’s incredibly important that

I think it’s incredibly important that

I think it’s incredibly important that we try to protect that biodiversity for

we try to protect that biodiversity for

we try to protect that biodiversity for future generations because this place we

future generations because this place we

future generations because this place we live in is amazing the spotted owl is

live in is amazing the spotted owl is

live in is amazing the spotted owl is just one little piece of that incredible

just one little piece of that incredible

just one little piece of that incredible biodiversity it’s a piece that I happen

biodiversity it’s a piece that I happen

biodiversity it’s a piece that I happen to get focused on for most of my life

to get focused on for most of my life

to get focused on for most of my life but it’s what makes life worth living

but it’s what makes life worth living

but it’s what makes life worth living for me