By: Jacob T.

Jacob T. — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 04:26:11 +0000

Thanks for this honest and nuanced piece, Mitch. The moral weight of removing barred owls is real, but so is the urgency to give spotted owls a chance, especially with their numbers continuing to decline despite habitat protections. I’ve spent a lot of time researching this issue myself, and I appreciate how you acknowledge both the science and the sorrow of the situation. I do wonder if we should be talking more about long-term strategies beyond removals; like genetic rescue or even understanding the ecological role of “sparred” hybrids. Frankly, barred-spotted interbreeding alters a lot of our conservation assumptions. Thanks for putting this complex issue into perspective.

By: Terry

Terry — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 17:28:40 +0000

I think that “culling” any wildlife should be the very last resort, I am sure arrangements can be made with other countries around the world example Australia and some African / Sub-Saharan countries and Caribbean countries (just to name a few) who have a huge mice and rat problem as to consider taking some barred owls as a conservation effort for their countries, the cycle of life will continue, I see killing these animals as a cop-out to even trying to save them but as to have these animals as shooting target practice for some willing humans.

Comments on: Must we kill one species to save another?

By: Jacob T.

By: Terry