US Senate Rejects Plan to Kill Hundreds of Thousands of Barred Owls
A contentious US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) plan to cull nearly half a million barred owls in an effort to save their cousin, the northern spotted owl, has been rejected by the US Senate. The proposal, which aimed to reduce competition for the spotted owl's habitat, failed with 25 votes to 72 votes after Senator John Kennedy from Louisiana brought it up for a joint resolution under the Congressional Review Act.
Kennedy argued that killing millions of barred owls was an "ethical dilemma" and questioned whether humans have the right to control nature. He claimed that the plan would only serve to change nature, and accused the FWS of playing "God". The senator's comments sparked controversy, with some Republicans joining animal welfare groups in opposing the proposal.
The plan, which has been met with criticism from experts, was introduced by the FWS during Joe Biden's administration. It aimed to reduce the spotted owl population by removing non-native barred owls that were expanding their habitat west and competing for resources. The plan, however, has raised concerns over animal welfare and conservation.
Despite opposition from some Republicans, officials from the Trump administration had initially urged Kennedy and other lawmakers to support the proposal. However, Kennedy has since claimed that he received a call from the interior secretary, Doug Burgum, urging him not to move forward with the resolution.
Oregon's senators, Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, have expressed support for the FWS plan. They argue that it was developed after a decade of research and consultation with tribes. However, the proposal remains highly contentious, highlighting concerns over government control over wildlife populations and the ethics of intervening in nature.
A contentious US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) plan to cull nearly half a million barred owls in an effort to save their cousin, the northern spotted owl, has been rejected by the US Senate. The proposal, which aimed to reduce competition for the spotted owl's habitat, failed with 25 votes to 72 votes after Senator John Kennedy from Louisiana brought it up for a joint resolution under the Congressional Review Act.
Kennedy argued that killing millions of barred owls was an "ethical dilemma" and questioned whether humans have the right to control nature. He claimed that the plan would only serve to change nature, and accused the FWS of playing "God". The senator's comments sparked controversy, with some Republicans joining animal welfare groups in opposing the proposal.
The plan, which has been met with criticism from experts, was introduced by the FWS during Joe Biden's administration. It aimed to reduce the spotted owl population by removing non-native barred owls that were expanding their habitat west and competing for resources. The plan, however, has raised concerns over animal welfare and conservation.
Despite opposition from some Republicans, officials from the Trump administration had initially urged Kennedy and other lawmakers to support the proposal. However, Kennedy has since claimed that he received a call from the interior secretary, Doug Burgum, urging him not to move forward with the resolution.
Oregon's senators, Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, have expressed support for the FWS plan. They argue that it was developed after a decade of research and consultation with tribes. However, the proposal remains highly contentious, highlighting concerns over government control over wildlife populations and the ethics of intervening in nature.
I'm so glad they didn't go through with this crazy plan 
! I mean, can you imagine killing hundreds of thousands of birds just because some owl is struggling? It's just not right 
. And what's next? Are we gonna start controlling the population of squirrels or something? 
I'm all for conservation and helping out the environment, but this feels like a total overreach 
. And let's be real, it's just a bunch of politics 
. If they really wanted to help the spotted owls, there are way better ways to do it that don't involve killing off other species 
.
I mean, come on... a bunch of senators thinking they're above killing hundreds of thousands of owls just because it goes against their personal views on nature 
. It's like they forgot that there are actual consequences to their actions, not just some feel-good moral high ground. And Kennedy, dude, playing the "God" card? 
plus sen john kennedy is literally speaking truth to power about the whole "playing god" thing 
i mean, who does the fws think they are? controlling nature like that? 
it's all just a big mess and i'm so here for it 
. it's like, aren't we humans supposed to coexist with nature? shouldn't we be trying to find ways to live in harmony with wildlife instead of controlling them? 
and what's up with these politicians playing "god" by deciding who gets to die or not? 
. anyway, i'm glad some people are speaking out against this plan 
, we need more voices for animals and the environment! 
.
. I mean, it's not like he's saying we should just let nature go wild and destroy everything in its path... but maybe we should be more careful about how we're managing wildlife populations 
. I mean, isn't the goal of conservation to help all species thrive in nature? 
. Killing off millions of owls might seem like a good idea at first, but it's just another example of us playing God & messing with the natural balance 
. Where's the clear heading? The concise paragraphs? It's all over the place 
. A little formatting love would go a long way in making this story more readable, you know? 
at least let the barred owls live their best lives, they're not hurting anyone 
that the US Senate rejected this crazy plan to kill hundreds of thousands of barred owls! 
. And what's with the whole "ethical dilemma" thing? 
. It just goes to show that even if you disagree with the proposal, we can still have a civilized conversation about it 
. I'm all for conservation and wildlife preservation, but not at the expense of other species! 
!