ecofriend.org

Mexico's Pygmy Owl declining dramatically

mexicos pygmy owl 9Though the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has withdrawn pygmy owl from the endangered species list last year considering it ‘not’ being a distinct subspecies, the population of Northern Mexico’s tiny pygmy owl is found to be still declining dramatically. Over the last seven years, it has declined by an estimated 26 percent!

This finding has surely bolsters the environmentalists’ arguments these little birds in Arizona need greater protection. A study by the University of Arizona reveal that although there have been some years with rebounds, the birds are found to be continuing to decline in their numbers.

Aaron Flesch, a senior research specialist in the university’s School of Natural Resources informed that the tiny bird’s numbers though increased in 2005 and were similar in 2006 in northern Sonora, its overall declination trend is negative.

The report said,

Should this apparent decline continue, recovery strategies that rely on pygmy owls from northern Sonora and persistence of pygmy owls in the Sonoran Desert could be jeopardized.

Today's Top Articles:

Scroll to Top