The existence of wild northern spotted owls in British Columbia remains uncertain, with the last confirmed sighting dating back to 2023 after a prolonged period of severe population decline.

Expressing profound sorrow, Chief Janice Kuester of the Spuzzum First Nation emphasized the cultural significance of the owls as repositories of knowledge and ancestors, crucial for their community.

Since 2022, the Spuzzum First Nation has collaborated with the provincial government to contribute to the preservation and recovery efforts for the owls.

The habitat of the species spans from the Lower Mainland through Washington state, Oregon, and northern California. While the population in the United States remains substantial, the Canadian population is now nearly non-existent.

According to Joe Foy, a campaigner at the Wilderness Committee, the absence of spotted owls in old-growth forests signals the apparent extinction of wild spotted owls in British Columbia.

Despite this grim outlook, there is still hope for the species.

A northern spotted owl perched on a tree branch in Korbel, California, on May 30, 2017. The U.S. still harbors thousands of these owls. (Sharon Bernstein/Reuters)

Biologist and ecological consultant Jared Hobbs believes that reintroducing the species in British Columbia is feasible, emphasizing the need to cease actions undermining recovery efforts.

As long as suitable habitat and breeding pairs exist, there remains a chance for the species to rebound.

• Spuzzum First Nation ‘furious’ after federal government decides against order to protect endangered owls

• Minister broke law over emergency order for spotted owl: judge

Efforts to secure an emergency order for the owls in 2023 were unsuccessful, as the federal cabinet rejected a recommendation from former environment minister Steven Guilbeault, who a judge later determined had unlawfully delayed the proposal for eight months.

Instead of an emergency order, the government pledged to collaborate with British Columbia and Indigenous communities, as outlined in an ongoing federal recovery strategy.