Saving the California Spotted Owl

The California spotted owl has declined in numbers as logging has accelerated.

Case Overview

The California spotted owl, a cousin of its more famous cousin, the northern spotted owl, has declined in numbers as logging has accelerated in the national forests of southern California and the Sierra Nevada.

Earthjustice brought a series of lawsuits aimed at forcing the U.S. Forest Service to adopt meaningful protections for the owl’s old forest habitat, or else face mandatory restrictions on logging under the federal Endangered Species Act.

We remain committed to preserving this imperiled and majestic species for future generations.

A California spotted owl in the Stanislaus National Forest.
A California spotted owl in the Stanislaus National Forest. (Ryan Kalinowski / U.S. Forest Service)

Case Updates

A California spotted owl perches on a tree
March 24, 2023 From the Experts

Protecting the Sierra Species

The California spotted owl is the last of four native Sierra Nevada species to receive Endangered Species Act protection in the culmination of a 30-year legal fight.

A California spotted owl in the Stanislaus National Forest.
February 22, 2023 Press Release: Victory

California Spotted Owl Gets Endangered Species Act Protections After 23 Years

Agreement leads federal agency to implement some safeguards

February 22, 2023 Document

California Spotted Owl Proposal

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that it will protect the California spotted owl under the Endangered Species Act. The owls have seen their numbers dwindle because of logging and climate change, among other threats.