New Aviary Could Threaten Steelhead Population

Plans to construct an outdoor aviary for Max the great horned owl and five other raptors behind the Museum of Natural History may be thwarted by state and federal agencies charged with protecting the endangered steelhead trout. If the new aviary is located too close to Mission Creek, it won’t be approved. The volume of feces and rodent remains that the aviary would produce could create water quality problems for the steelhead trying to recolonize the creek. A fundraiser held at the museum on 5/26 raised $15,000 for the aviary, a project that will cost $100,000.