Bad news for Snowy(owl) fans

[Overread40]

Snowy Owl faces frosty future: classed as Vulnerable for the first time

They've been added to the IUCN Redlist as Vulnerable after going from around 200,000 individuals down to an estimated 5000 pairs (so around 10,000 birds if one assumes all pairs remain viable). Climate change is listed as one major cause as well as other environmental disruption/damage.

One to keep an eye on if you're photographing them and happen to notice any population fluctuations in your favoured spots/sites. As well as any local initiatives that you could take part in that might help them out (and others in their associated ecosystems)

 

[pjaye]

This makes me incredibly sad. But I knew the classification was coming. I did an educational thing with someone who owned a sanctuary, and he talked about predatory birds that where so affected when the climate changes. Because snowy's nest on the ground, the lack of ice in their area is hurting the population.

 

[Cortian]

Not nearly such bad news as it is for the birds, themselves

 

[Dean_Gretsch]

Terrible news. I hope we can figure something out to help them and other animals impacted. We were given dominion over them and should bear the responsibility that comes with that. Keep your diamonds and gold. Nature itself is our real treasure.

 

[WesternGuy]

Most unfortunate, but it helps me to understand why they haven't seemed as abundant during the winter, in my part of the world, as they were 5 to 10 years ago.

WesternGuy