Sage grouse going the way of the Dodo Bird Say Canadian Experts

Pity the poor sage grouse. Ravens and owls are running rampant all over their lifestyles. The day may be near, however, for some sage grouse rescue. Conservation experts in Calgary, Alberta Canada are coming up with ways to protect the sage grouse, one of Canada’s most endangered species, from going the way of the Dodo Bird.

Apparently ravens and owls are doing much of the damage to grouse populations. the number of sage grouse has decreased by 98 percent since the 1960s. Only 138 remain in Canada. A workshop held recently at Calgary Zoo brought together everybody from ranchers and biologists to energy industry and government officials for some sage grouse brainstorming.

A leading suggestion was eliminating places where raptors roost. Options include abandoned buildings where owls hatch babies and fencing off areas where sage grouses eat. Other recommendations were setting up a sage grouse captive breeding program.

The Canadian government issued a protective order for 1,700-square kilometers of public land in Saskatchewan and Alberta provinces. However, that’s far from enough. Something has to be done no matter what. Calgary Zoo officials this week said sage grouse will be extinct in the wild by 2020 if nothing were done.