Owls are a symbol of wisdom, but they are not particularly street-smart. In fact, they are quite frequently struck by cars.
Considering this, and a whole host of other dangers posed by humanity, the vulnerable western burrowing owl — the only owl species that nests and roosts underground — just achieved “candidate” status for protection under the California Endangered Species Act on Thursday.
These owls’ numbers have significantly declined across California, vanishing from 19 of the 51 California counties they once inhabited and nearing extinction in 10 others, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.