Northern spotted owl (strix occidentalis caurina) listed as threatened subspecies

Northern spotted owl (strix occidentalis caurina) listed as threatened subspecies

On June 22, 1990, the Bush administration voted to register the Northern spotted owl as a threatened subspecies on the Endangered Species list. At the time, only 3,000 to 5,000 pairs were extant in the Pacific Northwest. Though a bitter debate raged over whether the owl warranted protection, in truth, the dispute reflected larger issues at stake. The Northern spotted owl symbolized the tension between wilderness and industry, wildlife wellbeing and human jobs, dwindling animal populations and burgeoning metropolises . Not only would the owl's new protection restrict logging on up to 8 million acres of old-growth forest, but it could also destroy 25,000 timber-related Interior jobs over the following decade (according to Interior Department estimates).

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Wikipedia Commons (image)

1990-6