US Wildlife Officials to Cull 450,000 Barred Owls: A Controversial Plan to Save Spotted Owls
This drastic measure is aimed at saving the imperiled spotted owl, a species on the brink of extinction due to the encroachment of the more aggressive barred owls.
Population of spotted owls has plummeted. According to the USFWS, some regions have seen a decline of more than 75% in spotted owl numbers.
The culling plan involves sending trained shooters using megaphones to broadcast recorded owl calls, and then eliminate them using shotguns.