Spotted Owls

Why are Northern Spotted Owls at risk?

The Northern Spotted Owl has a very restricted range within British Columbia. It is at risk in this province because much of its habitat has been adversely affected by logging or
lost due to land development.

The Northern Spotted Owl – the subspecies of Spotted Owl found on the Pacific coast – evolved for thousands of years in the old-growth forests that dominated this area. It is dependent on the features of old-growth forest stands for its nest sites, roosts, cover and prey.

The kinds of forest preferred by the Northern Spotted Owl are also those of greatest value to the forest industry. Little old-growth remains in the Northern Spotted Owl’s range within Washington and Oregon, and populations there are declining. The total known range of the Northern Spotted Owl in British Columbia is approximately two percent of the provincial area. Within that area, only about 30 percent of the original low-elevation old-growth remains and the total
owl population is estimated to be about 100 breeding pairs.