Animal Advocates Challenge Government Plan to Kill 500,000 Owls

A federal plan to kill nearly half a million birds represents a radical and unlawful approach to species management, two environmental groups allege in a new suit.

Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy on Thursday challenged the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s final approval of the Barred Owl Management Strategy, arguing the plan unfairly labels the species as “invasive” to protect the endangered spotted owl.

The Service violated the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act, the groups alleged in a complaint filed with the US District Court for ...