Spotted Owl
Strix occidentalis caurina
Appearance
Range & Habitat
Reciprocal Relationships
Spotted owls have no major predators, but their biggest threat is loss of old-growth forest to logging. There are an estimated 30 individuals in B.C., with fewer than 5 in the wild. Despite these low numbers, many people have been working to protect the last spotted owl habitat. In June 2024, the province of B.C. recognized that ministers cannot delay the urgent protection of the spotted owl and other at-risk species. To bring the spotted owl back from the brink, their old-growth habitats must be protected.
The last wild spotted owl lives in Spôzêm First Nation territory, who consider northern spotted owls as sacred messengers that indicate the health of the whole ecosystem.