pstrongSeptember 30, 2013–/strongFriends of Animals filednbsp;a href=”https://friendsofanimals.org/sites/default/files/kcfinder/files/Complaint%20Barred%20Owl-%20Final.pdf” target=”_blank”suit against the U.S. Fish Wildlife Service/anbsp;challenging their plan to kill over 3,600 Barred Owls in the Pacific Northwest. nbsp;/ppThe Northern spotted owl population in the United States has been in decline for more than 40 years.nbsp; Since being listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act in 1990, habitat destruction, primarily due to logging of old growth forest in California, Oregon and Washington, has been recognized as the primary threat to the Northern spotted owl.nbsp;/ppimg alt=”” src=”/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/barredowl2_0.jpg” style=”width: 300px; height: 200px; float: right; margin-left: 1px; margin-right: 1px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid;” //ppIn approving the Barred Owl Removal Plan, the Federal Defendants identified a new threat to the Northern spotted owl: the Barred owl. The Barred Owl Removal Plan does nothing to protect Northern spotted owls, but instead attempts to divert focus on protection of Northern spotted owl habitat by scapegoating Barred owls. Not only, however, is the Barred Owl Removal plan immoral, unethical and cruel, it is illegal./ppIn issuing a scientific collecting permit under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (ldquo;MBTArdquo;), 16 U.S.C. sect;sect; 703-712, FWS fails to identify nbsp; nbsp;any legitimate reason why the action would help science better understand and conserve the Barred owl.nbsp; Because the permit is really to allow indiscriminate killing of the owl, it is inconsistent with the intent of the MBTA and the international conventions behind to protect species like the Barred owl, not kill them./ppnbsp;/ppUpdate: Our lawsuit has been generating some attention and was a href=”http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Group-files-suit-to-stop-barred-owl-shooting-4864193.php” target=”_blank”written about in a Seattle newspaper./a/p