Spotted Owl

In Canada, the endangered northern spotted owl is found only in the southwestern corner of British Columbia. This handsome medium sized owl, with its unusual dark-brown eyes, relies on old-growth forests to roost, nest and forage.

Due to ongoing logging of in the ancient forests of southwestern British Columbia scientists estimate that just 8 pairs of owls now remain. The historic population of spotted owls in Canada is estimated to have been 500 pairs.

Because of the declining numbers of the northern spotted owls, the Wilderness Committee is asking for:

The recovery of spotted owls to 250 birds as recommended by the Spotted Owl Recovery Team.
The protection of all occupied and unoccupied intact spotted owl habitat.
The recovery of fragmented spotted owl habitat.
A total of enough protected habitat to accommodate 250 spotted owls.

Download the Wilderness Committee's map of Spotted Owl Management Areas that have been recommended by the spotted owl recovery team for full protection from resource extraction. Learn more

Recent Developments

Chainsaws out of the Cathedrals

20 weeks 1 day ago

I’ve spent many a day (and some nights, too) bushwhacking through BC’s old growth forests. Every time I have entered one of these amazing places, I have never failed to be awed, delighted – and sometimes a little terrified.

Walking into one of BC’s ancient tall tree forests is like entering a building, where everything is just a little surreal. One’s senses are treated to a different kind of light, different smells, tastes, sounds and colours. Even time seems to roll out strangely as each ancient tree, river-polished stone, or mossy nurse log reminds you of your own too-short life span on this Earth. Spend more than a few days and nights backpacking in an ancient forest and even your dreams change. Lamp-posts morph into tree trunks, roads become animal trails, rooms become dark forest glades. It’s pretty cool.

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The Search for Spotted Owls and Private Power in the Lower Fraser

41 weeks 2 days ago

I was recently contracted by the Wilderness Committee to take their ancient beast of a truck out into the field to investigate logging and IPP (Run of River Hydro) developments in areas managed for the protection of the most endangered animal in Canada, the spotted owl.

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Spotted Owl meeting with BC officials reveals improved planning coming - but still not enough for survival of species

1 year 8 weeks ago

A long awaited meeting with BC officials working to save the spotted owl from being wiped out in Canada reveiled some strong improvments in habitat protection. The officials proposed makeing most of the spotted owl management areas 100% off-limits to logging - except some logging would be allowed to "improve" habitat. While we are encouraged that this plan, if adopted would be a significant improvment on the current situation, we believe that the BC government is not going far enough to create the conditions for spotted owl survival in Canada.

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Take Action

Save the Northern Spotted Owl - Write a letter

One of the most effective ways to effect change is to write a letter. Although it takes a little more time, a simple typed or handwritten letter is considered to represent 500 like-minded citizens. If you are concerned about the imminent extinction of the Northern spotted owl in Canada please contact the BC Premier and say that you want an immediate moratorium on logging in spotted owl habitat.

If you do not have time to write a letter, take five minutes to phone, fax or email premier@gov.bc.ca

Write: Honourable Gordon Campbell, Premier of British Columbia

Room 156, Parliament Buildings, Victoria, BC V8V 1X4

Ph: 250-387-1715 Fax: 250-387-0087