Messengers: the owls of mescalero

Synopsis:
Considered a bad omen for some Native American tribes, labeled the reason for big economic loss for loggers in the Pacific Northwest in the ‘90s, and just a cute creature for most urbanites, the owl occupies a unique place in the landscape of human animal interactions. For wildlife biologist Dr. Serra Hoagland, these mysterious birds are harbingers for climate change and an indicator species for forest health. She’s studying the Mexican Spotted Owl population of the Mescalero Apache reservation in New Mexico, whose tribal forest management team uses alternative methods to protect their forests from wildfire -- the biggest threat to the owl and to the environment in the Southwest.
Accessible for free April 18-25.
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Director: Janey Fugate
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Duration: 12min 46sec
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Category: 2020 Selection
Hear from biological scientist, Serra Hoagland, US Forest Service & Tribal Relations Contact in this video from the Rocky Mountain Research Station Flagstaff Laboratory. Watch Now.
Read about how many species thrive on burned forests.
Creature Feature: Spotted Owl