‘All I see are ghosts’: fear and fury as the last spotted owl in Canada fights for survival

Only one female remains in the Canadian wilderness, a symbol of the country's inability to save a species on the verge of destruction as politicians dither and the logging continues

On a rainy spring morning, huddled under the shelter of an ancient cedar, Jared Hobbs hoots, whoops and squawks. In years past, he could lure curious owls by drawing on his extensive repertoire. Among them are the whoo whoo whoo whooo territorial calls, alarm barks and a simple helicopter" breeding call that coo coo coo coos into the air.

The calls bounce through the thick stand of trees and dissolve into the vast British Columbia rainforest.

Species-at-risk expert Jared Hobbs in a rare stand of intact spotted owl habitat in western British Columbia. Photograph: Jesse Winter/The Guardian