The Northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) and its forest habitat requirements encapsulate the delicate balance between species protection and forestland management issues. Spotted owl expert Jim Thrailkill, field supervisor for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has the latest information on why this species is officially listed as threatened under the Environmental Protection Act, its critical habitat requirements, the latest management strategies and programs, and why the non-Western barred owl poses a dire threat to spotted owl survival.