Breeding program for endangered northern spotted owl about to hatch first egg
Dirk Meissner, The Canadian PressIt takes fake eggs, sterile incubators, some trickery and years of trial and error to breed Canada's almost extinct northern spotted owl in captivity.
Breeding success will boost survival chances for the owls that are listed as endangered and near extinction, said McCulligh."We want to have a good captive population and a surplus of owls before we start releasing them into the wild," said McCulligh. But until that day arrives, the breeders will be wearing lab coats, gloves and masks as they attempt to raise newborn chicks from fragile eggs.
Once the egg hatches, the breeders feed and monitor the chick for at least 10 days before placing it back into the nest, where the owl continues parenting as if nothing unusual has occurred, she said. McCulligh said the breeders employ a so-called double-clutch technique where the female lays eggs twice during the breeding season. She said they immediately remove the first egg from the nest, which usually results in the female laying a second egg days later.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Canadian rink closing in on playoff spot at mixed doubles world championshipJocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first end and never relinquished the edge against Christine and Martin Groenbech
Read more »
Marni Soupcoff: How Lawrence of Arabia is helping save lives todayA neurosurgeon who tended to Lawrence after his motorcycle crash thought about how his injuries might have been prevented by a helmet
Read more »
AI researcher, Russian history specialist among winners of $100,000 Killam PrizeThe Canada Council for the Arts recognized academics from across the country Thursday for outstanding contributions to the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, health sciences and engineering
Read more »
American Bumblebee facing 'imminent extinction' in Canada: researchersThe American Bumblebee, a species found across Southern Ontario, is now considered critically endangered according to a York University study.
Read more »
Funding cuts to Northern, Southern Ontario library systems hit rural and Indigenous communitiesThe operating budgets of the Southern Ontario Library System and Ontario Library Service – North have been slashed by about 50 per cent, affecting inter-library loan systems for connecting libraries
Read more »
Deaths reported after earthquake hits northern PhilippinesRescuers found more bodies overnight in the rubble of a supermarket that crashed down in a powerful earthquake that damaged buildings and an airport in the northern Philippines, raising the death toll to 11, officials said Tuesday.
Read more »
Woman arrested in slaying of Northern Ireland journalist: policeThe Northern Ireland Police Service said Tuesday they have arrested a woman under the Terrorism Act in connection with the slaying of journalist Lyra McKee.
Read more »
Two teens freed without charges in connection with shooting death of journalist in Northern IrelandPolice released closed-circuit TV footage of the riots and asked viewers to send in information. The footage identifies McKee standing toward the back of a crowd, raising her phone to capture video
Read more »
British woman killed, three other people kidnapped in northern NigeriaThe woman travelled from Lagos as a tourist and was attending a party before the incident happened, police said
Read more »