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dempom t1_j95lsgg wrote

Reply to comment by BasedAlliance935 in Flaco, the owl who escaped from the Central Park Zoo, will be allowed his freedom - UPI.com by thonioand

Non-native species are not necessarily invasive species.

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elizabeth-cooper t1_j95snzf wrote

These define an invasive species:

  1. They can survive a large variety of habitats or environmental conditions.

  2. They outcompete native species for resources like food and water.

  3. They often lack natural enemies (predators, competitors, and parasites) in their new habitat.

  4. They grow and reproduce rapidly.

https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/plants-algae/rough-reputation-are-invasive-species-all-bad

One single owl probably does not have the ability to do this but that doesn't mean it couldn't potentially be a concern.

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Lovis_Iovis t1_j95s3ea wrote

A non native apex predator released into any environment will impact that environment in negative ways.

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EdgeOrnery6679 t1_j95vl3a wrote

I mean hows a single owl going to impact the environment? Hes just eating mice, which practically has an unlimited population in this city, and their only natural predators are stray cats and the dozen or so hawks.

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Lovis_Iovis t1_j95yohj wrote

NYC already has native owls and hawks that eat rats (and far more than a dozen or so!) This eagle owl is a threat to those native rat killers. Eurasian eagle owls regularly kill and eat other birds of prey in their native range, and there is no reason to suspect it won’t do the same here.

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SockyNoob t1_j9sz6q8 wrote

Owls eat a lot more than rodents. Some eat entire birds.

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