As the significance of biodiversity loss becomes better understood, positive steps to stem the tide of the sixth extinction have been proposed and, adopted. Several nations have enacted laws protecting endangered wildlife. An international treaty known as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora went into effect in 1975 to outlaw the trade of endangered animals and animal parts. In the United States, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was enacted in 1973 to protect endangered or threatened species and their habitats. The Convention on Biological Diversity, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992 and ratified by more than 160 countries, obligates governments to take action to protect plant and animal species. By looking at these reactions to the extinction of animals and plants, it is evident throughout the world, that the preservation of endangered species has become a major controversy that can not go ignored.
The spotted owl; native to the old-growth forests of British Columbia, the Pacific Northwest, and south through central Mexico has been the focus of this recent controversy throughout North America. Listed as a threatened species in 1990; the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has taken many steps in preserving this threatened creature. Many environmental conflicts have arisen due to the protection of this species. .
Throughout all of North America, the spotted owl can range from 42 to 48 centimeters in length. The three subspecies of this owl are the northern, California, and Mexican spotted owls and they are identified by the dark brown plumage and spots of white on the chest. Both male and female spotted owls are similar in appearance with the exception that the female is larger than the male. The spotted owl has a puffy round head and face with large dark eyes and they feed mainly on rodents and other small mammals, such as rabbits and bats and also eat some birds, reptiles, and insects.
