Declining Owls Research Paper

gh Ashley Juliana Mrs. Kay Honors English IV 30 September 2012 Major Effects on Declining Owl Populations Many animals around the world are struggling to survive. Many of these struggles come from human interactions. Owls are one of those animals. They are rarely seen by humans but things that humans need to survive affect them in many ways. Three major effects on declining owl populations are loss of habitat, pollution, and hunting.
Background
There are about 205 different species of owls placed into distinct groups, barn owls and true owls (Klappenbach 1). Owls have a range of size from sparrow to the size of an eagle and are known for their talons, feathers being soft, and their flying being very silent (Cholewiak 1). Many
If an owl is harmed by human pollution then they have the ability to move and get away from it but pesticide pollution is a problem that occurs around the world (Benjamin 1). Bioaccumulation is what harms owls the most, but this does not occur immediately (Benjamin 1). "Lower levels of the food chain do not consume high levels of pesticides. As you move up the various trophic levels, the accumulation of chemicals increases. The species at the bottom of the food chain take in low concentrations of the chemical (Benjamin 1)." When the pesticides finally reach the birds of prey such as the owl, the levels are so high they can kill the owl within a few
There have been 30 species found in India and half of them are known to be used in their trade (Black magic behind 1). "It also highlights the various ways of utilization of owls and owl body parts for black magic, street performances, taxidermy, for eating, for use in occult medicines, for capturing other birds, for decorative purposes and for gambling in owl eggs (Black magic 1)." Owls are being hunted in India and are being illegally traded for healing in their medical field (Black magic 1). Quacks, people who falsely identify themselves as someone who have medicinal knowledge, use owls not only for medicines and healing but for headgears also (Wise Ones 1). "Black magic practitioners and sorcerers prescribe the use of owls and their body parts such as skull, feathers, ear tuffs, claws, heart, liver, kidney, blood, eyes, fat, beak, tears, eggshells, meat and bones for certain ceremonial rituals, the report said (Black magic 1)." Asia is another country where owls are being hunted and traded illegally. It is assumed that Snowy Owl sell to some markets in Asia because they value some owl body parts like feet and eyes (Snowy Owl 1). Like in India and Asia, hunting of owls in Alaska is not uncommon. "Located on the Chukchi Sea coast, Barrow is the northernmost community in the US. Traditionally, the community is known as Ukpeagvik, ‘place where snowy owls are hunted (About Barrow 1).’" It is legal in