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Two northern spotted owls found dead in B.C. forest, in blow to release program
SPUZZUM, B.C. — Two northern spotted owls that had been released into a British Columbia forest last year have been found dead, potentially reducing the known wild population in the province to a single female.
Spuzzum First Nation Chief James Hobart says in a joint statement issued with the government and Jasmine McCulligh, facility co-ordinator for the Northern Spotted Owl Breeding Program, that the two male birds’ remains were found with their GPS trackers in early May.
Nathan Cullen, minister of water, land and resource stewardship, says the cause of the released birds’ death is unknown, but could include physical injury, predation, disease or starvation.
Hobart calls the deaths “devastating,” and says efforts will be made to retrace the birds’ final days to work out what could have been done differently.