A U.S. government plan to kill half a million owls, which originated during the Joe Biden administration, is moving forward despite facing massive public and political backlash.
The plan, which critics have labeled “unnecessary” and “unlikely to succeed,” is being implemented across three states: California, Oregon, and Washington.
In a strange twist, the plan’s stated goal is to save a different owl species. Officials argue that owls migrating from the U.S. Northeast are “better hunters” and are threatening the local owl populations. The Department of the Interior reportedly wants to kill more than 10% of the entire population of these competing owls.
The strategy has drawn fierce criticism. Republican Senator John Kennedy slammed the government for unnecessarily targeting the birds, calling it a “ghastly” and “stupid” plan that will not work.
“I am voting to stop this crap plan,” Senator Kennedy stated firmly.
He is not alone. At least 75 different groups are expressing “severe anger” over the decision. They claim that such a large-scale killing of one species to save another could profoundly and dangerously disrupt the entire wildlife ecosystem
