Such efforts don’t just benefit fis

Such efforts don’t just benefit fish owls. Habitat that remains wild enough to support the bird is more likely to meet the needs of countless creatures, including yellow-throated martens, red deer, brown bear, moose, Eurasian lynx, and many more, conservationists say. (Here’s what we lose when a species goes extinct.)“Primorye is a place where there’s still wilderness,” says Slaght. “There’s something worth protecting, and it can be done.”Recalling her first encounter with fish owls in the wild, Rada Surmach says, was akin to discovering fresh tiger footprints in the snow.“You realize that you are not alone in this forest. There are wild creatures around you," she says. “It’s their forest, and they’re the king here.”