Recently, there were seven chicks of Mexican spotted owls found at Los Alamos National Laboratory on the property of the research center, during a survey of nests. Biologists say that this is the highest number of owls found at Los Alamos labs since they first showed up in 1993.
Seven Owls Isn’t So Many
Well no, seven owl chicks may not seem like an enormous amount, but when put into perspective, it is rather significant. For twenty-two years, seven is the highest number of baby owls that were found. It really points out how much of a dire circumstance the owls were, and still are, in. So no, seven isn’t a significantly high number to most. But the owls found at Los Alamos National Laboratory are from a threatened population, and for a threatened species, it is a very positive sign.
The Mexican Spotted Owl: A Quick Enlightenment
The Mexican spotted owls found at Los Alamos labs is one of the largest owls native to North America. Its average wingspan of three and a half feet with height ranging from 16 to 19 inches (~41-48 cm) tall. Both male and female variants have strangely shaped white and brown markings on their chests, though like many other animals in the wild, the females are usually larger than the males.
In 2004, around 8.6 million acres of land spread throughout Arizona, Colorado, Utah and Colorado were declared critical habitats for the Mexican spotted owls found at Los Alamos and other places by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Unfortunately, thousands of acres of the designated critical habit was ravaged by Las Conchas Fire in 2011.
How the Owls are Being Taken Care Of
The fact that the largest number of owls found at Los Alamos National Laboratory in a year is now up to seven chicks shows a true testament to the precaution taken by the Lab in making the area habitable for the owls. During the mating season, measures are taken to ensure that noise pollution is as minimal as possible, until resident biologists determine whether or not there are owl nests on the immediate property.
Though the biologists are able to survey the nests, they aren’t allowed to tag the animals. They aren’t positive of where the owls go during the fall, but as long as the number of Mexican spotted owls found at Los Alamos National Laboratory keeps growing, conservationists will be pleased.
