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The world's largest owl requires equally huge trees, a finding that reveals that this salmon-devouring predator could be a key sign of the health of some of the last great forests of Russia's Far East, researchers say.
Blakiston's fish owl (Bubo blakistoni) is one of the rarest owls in the world, an endangered bird restricted to Russia, China, Japan and possibly North Korea. This owl is also the largest on Earth.
"These birds stand two-and-a-half feet tall [75 centimeters], have 6-foot wingspans [2 meters] and can weigh more than 10 pounds [4.6 kilograms]," lead author Jonathan Slaght, a wildlife biologist at the Wildlife Conservation Society, told LiveScience. [See Photos of Giant Salmon-Eating Owls]
"Blakiston's fish owl is a clear indicator of the health of the forests, rivers and salmon populations," Slaght said.
In recent decades, logging and other human activities have expanded into and endangered this owl's habitat. The new findings suggest conserving and managing old-growth forests is essential for sustaining this species, as well as eight salmon and trout species that spawn in the rivers there, some of the 12 other owl species found in Primorye, and mammals such as the endangered Siberian tiger, Asiatic black bear and wild boar.....snip~
World's Largest Owl Exposes Health of Russia's Forests
Naturally when I saw this I thought of our peeps with the Owl avatars.....so Russia holds the Worlds Largest Owl. It appears they likes fish that are big too.
Plus they need Huge Trees to live in. Don't even live on our side of the world. Although I think we could get a few to survive over here. We have plenty of huge trees.
Blakiston's fish owl (Bubo blakistoni) is one of the rarest owls in the world, an endangered bird restricted to Russia, China, Japan and possibly North Korea. This owl is also the largest on Earth.
"These birds stand two-and-a-half feet tall [75 centimeters], have 6-foot wingspans [2 meters] and can weigh more than 10 pounds [4.6 kilograms]," lead author Jonathan Slaght, a wildlife biologist at the Wildlife Conservation Society, told LiveScience. [See Photos of Giant Salmon-Eating Owls]
"Blakiston's fish owl is a clear indicator of the health of the forests, rivers and salmon populations," Slaght said.
In recent decades, logging and other human activities have expanded into and endangered this owl's habitat. The new findings suggest conserving and managing old-growth forests is essential for sustaining this species, as well as eight salmon and trout species that spawn in the rivers there, some of the 12 other owl species found in Primorye, and mammals such as the endangered Siberian tiger, Asiatic black bear and wild boar.....snip~
World's Largest Owl Exposes Health of Russia's Forests
Naturally when I saw this I thought of our peeps with the Owl avatars.....so Russia holds the Worlds Largest Owl. It appears they likes fish that are big too.
Plus they need Huge Trees to live in. Don't even live on our side of the world. Although I think we could get a few to survive over here. We have plenty of huge trees.