...It goes without saying that human beings find beauty in all things rare. We covet uniqueness, scarcity and anything special. This does not exclude the many threatened and endangered species in the U.S. The Northern spotted owl is one of those precious gems. As its population declines due to deforestation, conservationists fight the timber industry. However, pointing fingers at Pacific Northwest loggers, Americans who work hard for their families, doesn’t seem to be solving the crisis. Spotted owls make their homes within the old-growth forests of the Pacific Northwest. Massive trees, (cedars, firs, hemlocks and spruces to name a few), sink their roots deep into the soil. These aging trees serve to prevent landslides, erosion and give homes to the many forest creatures. 150 years of logging has left a mere ten percent of these forests. Fewer trees mean fewer spotted owls. Forced to live in “cluster habitats”, or small pieces of protected forest, young owls have little territory to disperse to and their survival rate has dropped. “If habitat destruction is halted soon, there will therefore be some owls left after 100 or even 200 years, barring other catastrophes ( Doak, 1989.)” Throughout Washington and Oregon about 2,500 to 3,000 pairs of Northern spotted owls still reside in old growth. Their numbers continue to plummet. The Pacific Northwest depends greatly upon independent and large timber companies. As a whole, the multi-billion dollar industry eradicates 125,000 acres...
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...Northern spotted owl vs. Logging interest in the Pacific Northwest The rich ecosystem of the old growth forest provides a home for the Northern spotted owl, and a habitat for the owl’s primary prey. However, these same towering trees of cedars and firs which serve as the owls’ habitat, is also the primary source of a multi-billion dollar logging industry. However, if the forest is destroyed due to logging, the Northern spotted owl will lose its habitat. The Northern spotted owl has been on the rapid decline, with over half of the population being wiped out. The old growth forest, the home of the spotted owl, has become a huge income earning logging industry that has created jobs for thousands of workers. As a result of logging, approximately only 10% of the original forest remains intact leaving limited space for the already dwindling number of the owls in the region. In response to this decline, environmentalist petitioned the US Fish and Wildlife Service to place the owl on the endangered species list, arguing that as an indicator species, the northern spotted owl is a gauge of the health of the forest that provides its habitat. Since the main threat to the spotted owl is habitat loss due to logging, the US government declared the owl as a threatened species in 1990, a move which was vehemently opposed by the timber industry, as millions of acres of Pacific Northwest forest was protected to help slow or even reverse the decline in owl numbers...
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...Betty Bates AC1300186 Introduction to Ecology Assignment 8 The Northern Spotted Owl Habitat vs. Logging Interests in the Pacific Northwest The Northern Spotted Owl (Strix Occidentalis Courina) likes to live in older forest growths. It is often thought of as the medium sized owl, but in reality, it is the largest owl in North America. Spotted owls do their hunting at night. The spotted owl’s diet consists mainly of small rodents, other birds and reptiles, but have been seen feeding on cairns, and insects. Owls are usually found in California and the Pacific North West in the United States, where they live in old forest growths. (The Defenders of Wild Life). They will not tolerate habitat “disturbance” and are very protective of their territory in which they live, and hunt. Owls prefer tall trees with broken tops where they can fly under and past these broken tops, where they like to nest and raise their young. The Northern spotted owl is a protected species. Due to extensive logging, the owls and their habitat is swiftly declining at an alarming rate; they were added to the endangered species list in the early “1990s” (The Defenders of Wildlife). Unfortunately, the habitat they prefer is a direct target for the logging industry the cutting of trees in their habitat, conversion of land, wind storms, and wildfires have decreased their numbers“( example: 100 pair in British Columbia, 1200 pair in Oregon, 560 pair in Northern California, and 500 pair...
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...The move to classify the Northern Spotted Owl as an endangered species in light of the critical new findings was a controversial one, as listing the owl under the ESA would prevent much of the Northwest forests from being used by the timber industry. Agencies such as the Forest Service and BLM struggled to accommodate both the owl and those dependent on timber production, having to adjust policy plans “to satisfy the criteria of the NFMA and NEPA” (Layzer 2012, 190). The conflicts that arose between science and policy revealed a marked contrast in values: those in management and government largely prioritized jobs and the timber economy over conservation. The environmental laws and regulations would allow for the NWFP to be developed, creating stricter guidelines on how forests should be managed for the sake of conserving...
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...Snowy Owls of the Arctic By BadWolf2 Zoology 101 Description of Snowy Owls Scientific name Recently changed genus General size and markings Differences between males and females Diet Primary diet and quantity Hunting Diurnal, not nocturnal Area of hunting ground Decline of food source Breeding Mates for life Protection of nesting area Normal clutch size Food availability effects on clutch size Migration How far do they travel for food? A population decline or local extinction The snowy owl is a larger raptor type carnivorous bird whose body height is between 20 and 28 inches high. The wingspan of this owl reaches 4.2 to 4.8 feet across and its weight is between 3.5 to 6.5 pounds (“Snowy Owls”, 2012). The genus of this bird has recently been changed from Nyetea Scandiata to Bubo Scandiacus from analyzing their DNA they have found that they are more closely related to the Great Horned Owl which makes them a Bubo ("Snowy Owl," n.d.). The snowy owl is also known by other names such as the Arctic owl or the Great White owl. Most people know the snowy owl from the Harry Potter movies and the character Hedwig. Many snowy owls look this way. The younger owls are white with darker markings and as they age they lose the dark markings and become almost completely white. Females, on the other hand, do not lose all their dark markings. They may become whiter as they age, but still retain some darker or grayish marks on their plumage (“Snowy Owls”, 2012)....
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...living in the water of the seas and the streams, you may eat any that have fins and scales. 10 But all creatures in the seas or streams that do not have fins and scales--whether among all the swarming things or among all the other living creatures in the water--you are to detest. 11 And since you are to detest them, you must not eat their meat and you must detest their carcasses. 12 Anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales is to be detestable to you. 13 " 'These are the birds you are to detest and not eat because they are detestable: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, 14 the red kite, any kind of black kite, 15 any kind of raven, 16 the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, 17 the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, 18 the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey, 19 the stork, any...
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...Raptors-Birds of prey Raptors are known as birds of prey. They hunt and feed on other animals. The term "raptor" is derived from the Latin word rapere (meaning to seize or take by force). These birds are characterized by keen vision that allows them to detect prey during flight and powerful talons and beaks. Many species of birds may be considered partly or exclusively predatory. However, in ornithology, the term "bird of prey" applies only to birds of the families listed below. Taken literally, the term "bird of prey" has a wide meaning that includes many birds that hunt and feed on animals and also birds that eat very small insects. In ornithology, the definition for "bird of prey" has a narrower meaning: birds that have very good eyesight for finding food, strong feet for holding food, and a strong curved beak for tearing flesh. Most birds of prey also have strong curved talons for catching or killing prey. An example of this difference in definition, the narrower definition excludes storks and gulls, which can eat quite large fish, partly because these birds catch and kill prey entirely with their beaks, and similarly bird-eating skuas, fish-eating penguins, and vertebrate-eating kookaburras are excluded. Birds of prey generally prey on vertebrates, which are usually quite large relative to the size of the bird. Most also eat carrion, at least occasionally, and vultures and condors eat carrion as their main food source. Many raptor species are considered apex predators...
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...Blodeuwedd is a celtic goddess made of flowers nine of them they are blossom-oak, meadowsweet, broom,cockle, bean, nettle, chestnut, primrose, and hawthorn. Math and Gwydion are the ones that made her to be a wife for Lleu. Blodeuwedds name means " flower-face" it is a name for and owl which she was turned into for punishment when she feel in love with Gronw Pebyr when she was already married. but you can not help who you fall in love with can you. "She is the white Goddess of Death and Life in Her May-aspect, and part of a triad consisting of Arianrhod (virgin), Blodeuwedd (lover), and Cerridwen (crone)." Gronw Pebyr plotted against him, killing the invulnerable Lleu by tricking him into the only pose by the river so that Blodeuwedd and Gronw could be together and well he...
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...ways: a. Flapping their wings and gliding b. Flapping their wings and pushing against the air currents with their feet c. Via American Airlines of United Airlines 5. A harpy eagle’s talons are the size of grizzly bear claws. Harpies have been known to kill: a. Humans b. Small sheep c. Mountain lions 6. A Golden Eagle can see an 18-inch rabbit from a distance of : a. 18 miles b. 8 miles c. 2 miles 7. A nictating membrane is: a. A bird’s protection against the nicotine in second hand smoke b. A bird’s third eyelid c. The membrane lining of a birds mouth 8. The tiny elf owl likes to nest: a. In a cactus b. In tall trees c. In rocky ledges 9. Within the same species, male and female birds of prey look very similar, but there is usually one obvious difference, what is it? a. Males have larger heads b. Females have sharper talons c. Females are large...
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...Ensayo REQUERIMIENTOS PARA LA INTEGRACIÓN SEMÁNTICA DE INFORMACIÓN WEB DE LAS ESCUELAS ACADEMICAS PROFESIONALES DE LAS UNIVERSIDADES DE PERU Área: Ingeniería de Software Autor: Walter Aurelio Lazo Aguirre INTRODUCCIÓN El gran avance que significó el uso generalizado de internet propulsó el poder intercambiar información de todo tipo a gran velocidad y en grandes volúmenes. Hoy en día la web puede sufrir una mejora: La información que se maneja por internet podrá ser interpretada por los computadores sin la intervención del hombre. Esto es lo que se denomina la web semántica. Para que esto sea posible es necesario que la información de las páginas web se codifique por medio de ontologías. Las ontologías proveen una información formal del conocimiento de un dominio que puede ser comunicada entre sistemas heterogéneos y con capacidad de realizar deducciones con este conocimiento. De esta manera las personas que comparten algún dominio común podrán utilizar los mismos esquemas para el intercambio de información y con capacidad para hacer deducciones con los conocimientos representados. Emplear la capacidad de razonamiento automático para el acceso a información requiere de representación semántica de los orígenes de tal información de manera procesable por computador en consecuencia se requieren metadatos que describan de una manera computable dichos orígenes. La construcción de la web semántica encuentra problemas similares a los de construir grandes...
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...The Tawny Owls are found throughout Europe and North Africa. They are also found eastwards to Iran and Western Siberia. The Tawny Owl can range in colors from darkish brown, light brown, gray and darkish red. They have big black eyes. The Tawny Owl also has a small pointy nose and small curved claws. The claws are blackish with dirty white bases. The owl’s habitat usually varies. They like to live in mostly wooded and forest-like areas like cemeteries and parks. The Tawny Owls almost always breed in woodlands and forests. They like to inhabit coniferous forest. The Tawny Owls are always hunting at night. They are usually quiet listening, waiting and watching for their prey. When the owls spot the animal, it swoops down, covers the prey and instantly kills it. The animals they eat are rabbits, mice, voles, earthworms, insects, beetles, birds, frogs, fish, lizards and molluses. Since the Tawny Owl is relatively a small bird, it has a number of predators. Those predators are usually dogs, cats, and foxes. But it also includes hawks, eagles, and other large birds. As far as the Tawny Owl eggs, the main predators are squirrels and rats. In conclusion, the Tawny Owl can be known as a small owl. It hunts at night. They have predators but also a long list of prey. They are very meticulous while hunting. In fact they rely on their sight and hearing to kill their prey. Bibliography Lewis, Deane. The Owl Pages. 22 July 2013. <http://www.owlpages.com/>. Nottinghamshire...
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...The Barn Owl: Its Role and its Endangerment Often times, it goes unrealized that there are important roles and purposes distributed amongst the vast fauna on Earth. It is this diversity which maintains a sense of equilibrium when it comes to animal populations and/or flora-related phenomena. The Barn Owl (Tyto alba), falling under the smaller side of owl species, exemplifies itself as both a fundamental element in rodent control as well as a symbol of ghostly beauty. Yet, survival of the species is not guaranteed. Numerous factors, including both naturally occurring as well as human-caused, have contributed to the owl’s decline in recent years. Additionally, given that their breeding cycles produce a limited amount of young in conjunction to their short life spans, Tyto alba’s numbers are predicted to reach further abatement in the near future. Human-associated activity has been regarded as a significant component in the Barn Owl’s downfall; nonetheless, human involvement in the conservation of the species can also mend this trend and bring it back towards escalation. Having a wingspan of approximately 85cm, Tyto alba is considered relatively small in comparison to other species of owls (Bunn, Warburton, and Wilson 23). They weigh between 470 and 570g (1.0-1.3lbs) and feature an array of distinct physical qualities (Martin, Raid, and Branch 1). Their head resembles a heart and have no visible ear tufts as other species of owl portray. Their beak is typically of a pink shade...
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...Final Film Critique – LA Confidential Adam Ehinger Ashford University: ENG225 Instructor Michael O'Donnell 1/31/2015 Sometimes a movie makes a lasting impression on you as an individual, sometimes you'll come back to this movie time and time again. LA Confidential (1997) is a combination of a star studded cast and a scintillating detective story set in the 50's. The movie combines all aspects of movie making, from acting, directing, writing, mise en scene and all sorts of film techniques to make one of the most entertaining noir's you'll ever see. LA Confidential (1997) is directed by Curtis Hanson, he doesn't have this prolific history of stunning movies like some other directing heavy weights but he handles an a-list cast and directing duties admirably here. While most of the big names in the cast weren't technically BIG names yet they must have still had personalities or needed work to get the job done. Notably at least to me is Kim Basinger, someone who usually I do not enjoy, usually a weak point in movies for me, but in this she is perfectly fine, nothing to much, but not noticeable like usual, a feat in directing to me. The cast is name after name, Russel Crowe as the ham fisted Officer Bud White, Kevin Spacey playing the mercurial Detective Jack Vincennes, Guy Pearce in my eyes as his break out performance playing the golden child Ed Exley. You have a plethora of famous character actors to back these boys up, David Strathairn as...
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...Assignment 8 Can a close friendship be the means to cope with life and overcome fears and challenges? This seems to be the case in Jackie Kay’s short story “Owl” written in 2012, where the two main characters together experience a very hurtful childhood event overlapping with an encounter with an owl. The story tells us how both of these incidents shapes the friendship between the main characters and how it becomes a lifelong walk together in this life but also a journey into a fantasy world of their own. The short story is written in the first person. This means that the story is told by the main-character Barn, or Anita as she is really called. It is characterised by a heavily use of dialogue and direct speech. This dialogue is almost entirely between Barn and Tawny (Tawny’s real name is Marion). This literary device is a way to illustrate that it is only about the two of them, Barn and Tawny – the rest of the world does not really matter: The fact that we only get an insight and hear about the two women life for example their childhood, creates a closer relation with the two of them and at the same time we as readers gets distanced from everyone else. This is also why that the narrator makes heavily use of the personal pronoun ‘we’. It forms an affiliation between the reader and the main-characters, which is Barn and Tawny. The close relation between the two of them is also seen in the following quote: “”It’s only scary because we all want to be perfect. It’s not scary...
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...URRBurrowing Owls 1. Habitat: a. They usually live in grasslands or prairies, where they have burrows, but some do live in close range to humans. - Burrowing owls can dig the holes, but usually they just find used burrows squirrels or tortoises made. - They place mammal dung in their burrow and feathers too. The dung is to control microclimate and attract insects to eat. b. They are found in Canada, west central United States, Florida, some of the Caribbean islands, Mexico, and the grasslands of South America. - They are an endangered species in Canada and the United States. c. Burrowing owls live in colonies that are 100 yards apart. 2. Eating Patterns: a. They hunt during dawn and dusk. b. Burrowing owls eat insects, reptiles, small mammals, birds, and even carrion. They also eat seeds and fruits. c. While the female is nesting or watching the hatchlings, the male will hunt and bring food back to the burrow, and later on, when the chicks are a little older, the female will join the hunt with her mate again. 3. Territorial Defense: a. Male owls have a primary defense song in which they establish territory. - The song sounds like a chuckling, chattering sound, but they do sometimes scream. - It can only be heard near the nest of the owl. b. They also bob their heads to show excitement or distress. 4. Breeding: a. Males will perform an aerial ritual for the female he chooses. - In the ritual, he’ll...
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