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Despite Protections, Spotted Owl Still at Risk

Even after years of protection as an endangered species, the Northern Spotted Owl is still at risk of extinction. Logging companies and some government biologists say the Barred Owl -- an aggressive interloper from the East Coast -- is pushing the meeker spotted owls out of their nesting areas. Others say the timber industry is trying to make the Barred Owl the scapegoat for the industry's weak habitat-protection efforts.

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Martin Kaste is a correspondent on NPR's National Desk. He covers law enforcement and privacy. He has been focused on police and use of force since before the 2014 protests in Ferguson, and that coverage led to the creation of NPR's Criminal Justice Collaborative.