The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released a final plan to cull up to 450,000 barred owls over 30 years in an effort to save the threatened spotted owl which faces competition from the larger and faster-reproducing barred owl. This plan has faced opposition from animal welfare activists and Washington state officials due to concerns about the cost and potential unintended consequences of the culling program. The agency believes that removing barred owls will allow spotted owls to rebound slowly, as evidenced by a study showing a 10% increase in spotted owl survival in areas where barred owls were removed. However, critics argue that killing hundreds of thousands of barred owls is a cruel and senseless management proposal, and that legal action may be taken to challenge the plan. The cost estimate for the program is approximately $235 million over 30 years, with concerns raised about the feasibility and effectiveness of such a large-scale wildlife-control program. Despite the controversy, the USFWS is moving forward with the plan, with a formal record of decision expected in the near future. The management plan aims to strike a balance between protecting the spotted owl and managing the barred owl population to prevent further decline in the spotted owl population in the forests along the west coast.
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Federal agency intends to reduce barred owl population by 450,000 in order to promote the growth of a different species
