The Barred Owl, a native species to the U.S., is encroaching on the habitat of the Spotted Owl in the Pacific Northwest endangering the native species.  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service intend to kill up to 500,000 Barred Owls by 2055 in an attempt to restore the balance between the species.

Eighty-five organizations including the Audubon Society have expressed opposition to the proposal.  Killing a vast quantity of Barred Owls that closely resemble the species they wish to preserve will inevitably result in misidentification in depopulation.  The Agency is urged to either find an alternative solution to protect Spotted Owls or as the Los Angeles Times editorialized “Let nature take its course and leave it to the owls.”  The editorial also questioned the ethics and justification of conserving one species by the killing of another.