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Pot Growers' Rat Poison Affects Spotted Owls

Rob Manning/OPB

The Northern spotted owl seems to get it from all sides.  Habitat loss and the encroachment of the barred owl have contributed to a continued decline in spotted owl numbers. 

Now the illegal marijuana trade appears to be having an impact as well. 

Spotted owls that gobble up rodents poisoned at illegal grow sites test positive for rodenticide.  A study from the University of California-Davis tracks the occurrence in Humboldt, Mendocino, and Del Norte counties. We get the specifics on the findings and how they might be used.  
 

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Geoffrey Riley is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and has hosted the Jefferson Exchange on JPR since 2009. He's been a broadcaster in the Rogue Valley for more than 35 years, working in both television and radio.
April Ehrlich is an editor and reporter at Oregon Public Broadcasting. Prior to joining OPB, she was a news host and regional reporter at Jefferson Public Radio.