Rare spotted owls released into protected habitat in 1st stage of recovery program

The effort to revive one of Canada's most endangered species has taken flight.

There is only one known northern spotted owl in the wild, according to the B.C. government — but three birds released into a protected habitat in B.C.'s Fraser Canyon on Friday bring the total to four.

The birds were bred and raised by the Northern Spotted Owl Breeding Program (NSOBP) at a facility in Langley, B.C. The program is supported by the provincial government and incorporates Indigenous knowledge and consultation.

Spanning more than 2,800 square kilometres, the protected habitat in the Cascade region was where the last known spotted owl in B.C. was identified in the wild and where their ancestors congregated, according to the province.

As many as 1,000 resided within Canada in pre-colonial times, but that number has dwindled due to human-induced loss of their old-growth forest habitat, and competition with barred owls. 

NSOBP started in 2007 with a founding population of six owls. There are now 30 owls in the facility, following the recent release of the three birds.

Kristina Lensky, a manager of resource stewardship for the provincial government, told CBC News that the three released owls were born in the facility between 2020 and 2021.

"They're still young enough that they hadn't been super habituated into the breeding program and their particular genetic makeup made them better candidates for release options," said Lensky.

The owls also needed to demonstrate the ability to capture prey and maintain a healthy body weight, she said.

Before the birds' release, the program assessed their health, confirmed there were no wildfires in the area, and ensured no barred owls were around to compete.

The province says it will monitor the released owls, including an assessment of the owls' ability to breed in the wild, using radio telemetry, GPS tags, visual checks and acoustic recording to track their movements and health. 

Indigenous knowledge

Lensky says Spuzzum First Nation knowledge was incorporated in all areas of planning, including discussions on specific knowledge of localized sites and offering a cultural blessing for the birds. 

"They are the messengers to our spirit world and of our physical world. They are species that are indicative of the health of an environment," said Spuzzum First Nation Chief James Hobart in a statement.

In a statement, the B.C. government said the release was an important move "that meant the return of Spuzzum's beloved relatives to their inherent skies."

Lensky says she hopes the owls' release would remind people of their connection to the land. 

"One day, you could be hiking or camping and see the spotted owl. That would blow my mind," she said. 

The province hopes to eventually release as many as 20 birds per year, depending on the success of the breeding program and how well the owls transition to the wild.

It intends for the Cascades habitat to eventually support 250 owls.