Page 3
EPIB Trail
Volume 12, Issue 3
Big Owls, Big Problems A Spotlight on Russia’s Conservation Problem By Christina Gonzalve Deep in the far eastern taiga forests of Russia, a figure looms silently over a noisy, rushing river. At first glance, the mysterious creature may be mistaken for something more mystical and otherworldly. A sharp breeze cuts through the coniferous trees and powders the stoic figure in sugary snow. Suddenly, the beast lunges into the air and plunges feet-first into the river. The creature struggles to shore, its nearly seven-foot-long wings flailing. This is the Blakiston’s fish owl, the largest living species of owl in the world (Hance, 2016). Just like the taiga forests, these owls are quickly disappearing. Blakiston’s fish owl can be found all along the eastern coast of Russia but they are highly Blakiston’s fish owl. concentrated near the Samarga River in Primorye, the (Jonathan Slaght/WCS Russia) southernmost region of the country. As their name suggests, fish owls mainly eat fish, though they may occasionally prey on small animals such as mice or frogs. Fish owls like to build their nests in hollow, old-growth trees near rivers or streams. These majestic birds of prey produce only one or two eggs during a typical breeding season. Due to increased logging and fishing in the area, the fish owl population has dropped to about 1000 breeding pairs (Hance, 2016). If the species has any hope of recovery, it starts with acknowledging Russia’s muddled problems with conservation. While about half of Russia’s land is composed of forest, the country is currently the number one exporter of timber worldwide (Flintoff, 2013). From above, Primorye’s boreal forests reveal fresh scars where logging vehicles barrel through the landscape to strip the Blakiston’s fish owls of their old-growth homes. For years, the logging industry has been encroaching onto fish owl territory. However, loggers may not pose the greatest threat in terms of habitat destruction. There may be bigger fish to fry. The new logging roads that trace through the Primorye landscape do more than just serve the logging industry. They are an invitation for the illegal harvest of leftover trees and other natural resources. According to President Putin in 2013, the persistent demand for timber has increased illegal logging by about 70%. This presents a growing threat to not only fish owl nesting habitats, but to Russia’s economy as well (Flintoff, 2013). Closer to the river where the fish owls hunt, massive piles of rotting salmon are left discarded by the banks after the females have been
