The Night Owls

For over ten years, biologist Mark Higley has been stalking the forests of the Hoopa Valley Reservation with a shotgun. His mission? To save the northern spotted owl. The threat? The more aggressive barred owl, which has spread from eastern forests into the Pacific Northwest. The federal government plans to scale up these efforts and kill hundreds of thousands of barred owls across multiple states. But can the plan really save the northern spotted owl? And is the barred owl really “invasive”… or just expanding its range?  In this episode, Nate Hegyi dons a headlamp and heads into the forest with Mark Higley to catch a glimpse of these two rivals, and find out what it takes to kill these charismatic raptors, night after night, in the name of conservation. Featuring Mark Higley, Tom Wheeler, and Wayne Pacelle.    SUPPORT Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In.  Follow Outside/In on Instagram or join our private discussion group on Facebook.   LINKS The federal government’s barred owl management plan is very long but they have a helpful list of frequently asked questions. Check out some beautiful photos of Mark Higley’s work in this Audubon magazine story from a few years ago.  Curious about the timber wars? Oregon Public Broadcasting has an excellent podcast miniseries you should listen to.    CREDITS Host: Nate Hegyi Reported and produced by Nate Hegyi Mixed by Nate Hegyi Editing by Taylor Quimby Our staff includes Justine Paradis, Felix Poon, Marina Henke, and Kate Dario Executive producer: Taylor Quimby Rebecca Lavoie is NHPR’s Director of On-Demand Audio Music by Blue Dot Sessions Outside/In is a production of New Hampshire Public Radio   Submit a question to the “Outside/Inbox.” We answer queries about the natural world, climate change, sustainability, and human evolution. You can send a voice memo to [email protected] or leave a message on our hotline, 1-844-GO-OTTER (844-466-8837). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices