Has anyone ever brought warthog tusks into the US in their luggage?


I read the following on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service web site ( www.fws.gov/permits/faqs/FaqTUVWXYZ.html ):
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You do not need a permit from us to import wart hog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus) tusks into the United States for personal use. A person engaged in business as an importer of wildlife must obtain an import/export license. If you are importing wart hog tusks for your personal use in your accompanying baggage, you must declare the items on the Customs declaration form.
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I planned to do it on my first safari to South Africa, but the tusks were not ready on my departure day (the skinners were goofing off and never got around to doing it).

Has anyone ever did this with other Southern African game, such as bushpig tusks, ostrich feathers, etc.? Does the departing country ever give you trouble about this? I had some spent 30-06 casings in my carry-on luggage and the security agent at OR Tambo Airport made me surrender those.

I did bring a few porcupine quills back with me. The Customs agent at JFK airport examined the quills and said "no problem".

I brought a number of 'finished' warthog tusks into the country in my checked baggage, but that was years ago. I don't know about any changes that might apply these days.

If you're asking about bringing raw tusks such as from the warthog that you shoot on safari, those have to be cleared by USFWS and USDA to gain admittance. You cannot bring those back with you at the end of your safari.

I've brought back with no problem

Yes, no problems.

Yes. But I have also brought home cuban cigars and other things of question.

Strictly speaking, all trophies should undergo treating with insecticide and veterinary inspection before leaving and a second veterinary inspection on arrival and you perhaps should expect customs etc to be on the lookout for dodgy animal products being transported because of the current rhino/elephant problems....... but whether you'd get away with it is a different matter.

My guess is that if they did find them, the most they'd do is insist they treat them with insecticide or radiation at your expense.

My understanding of it is that it is a USDA requirement, not USFWS. My taxidermist is an approved and registered USDA receiver, and has to clear pig and primate parts on a regular basis. We have never had an issue if the proper vet certs were with the shipment, and the parts were clean. Some other info below:

"Trophies may also be subject to inspection by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) for sanitary purposes. General guidelines for importing trophies can be found in APHIS's publication Traveler's Tips. Contact USDA-APHIS-PPQ, Permit Unit, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737, or call (301) 734-8645."

Thanks for the replies, gentlemen.

The South African PH I hunted with on my first safari said foreign hunters often bring back warthog tusks in their luggage (warthogs that were killed a few days before). Whether those hunters declare the items upon returning home is another question.

The reason I wanted some feedback on this is I was thinking about doing a non-export hunt. I figured if I could at least bring back warthog tusks from a safari, and take photos of the other animals, that would be fine. I could avoid the hassles of dip/pack/shipping/clearing and have one item to put on the wall from the safari.

quote:

Originally posted by brent ebeling:
Yes. But I have also brought home cuban cigars and other things of question.

Brent - I wonder if the Customs agents assume that all cigars brought in the US are Cuban cigars?

I have a "friend" that brought a set back with no problems 7 years ago. They were from a pig that was taken about 7 days before hand. They were cleaned a little bit, and wrapped in a zip lock. No problems.

JMO - If I were thinking of bringing Warthog tusks back in my luggage, the last thing I would do is post my intentions on a web site such as this one. Don't you bet "Big Brother" drops in here on occasion?

Has it been done? Sure. Would I try it? No.

Larry Sellers
SCI(International)Life Member
R8 Blaser

Oddly enough I just came back to the states from Zim on the 23rd. I had 2 warthog tusks picked off the ground packed in my tuffpak. I was questioned at Bulawayo airport. Did I have paperwork? Where did they come from? It all lasted 5 minutes and ended with my offer to take them out. A wave of the hand passed my luggage through. At worst I felt I would of had to give them up with a lecture. However, they made it to Ohio and my kids had a great show and tell item at school.

tomahawker - I did the same with the porcupine quills. I picked a few up while I was on my safari and brought them home in a glass bottle.


After receiving this feedback, I realize the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service web page I cited in the original post is related to the trade of endangered species. In other words, you can bring a knife that has a warthog tusk handle into the US. But if you have tusks that were pulled from a warthog a few days ago, those definitely need USDA inspection.

I'll carry this question a step further, to include hippo tusks. When in Africa, I discussed with my PH the possibility of shooting a hippo and then taking the tusks to a local taxidermist and having them worked/finished in the quickest, cheapest fashion possible to make them legal for export...perhaps on a plaque, or made up into bar implements, etc. He was doubtful, but couldn't actually say for certain that it would or would not be legal. The hippo didn't happen and I didn't inquire further. A casual inquiry once back in Canada indicated that as long as the tusks were completed by a taxidermist and I had receipts and paperwork in order I would be good to go.

Bearing in mind of course that we are talking about Canadian vs. American regulations, it might be worthwhile to look into this if someone wants a set of tusks to legally bring home in their luggage. It would depend upon the specific hunting location, the time factor and the accessibility of a taxidermist, but I for one would likely be willing to even sacrifice a hunting day or two to make this happen if it seemed feasible. My single experience with exporting trophies from Africa to Canada was more than sufficient for me to say that I will NEVER do that again.

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
Strictly speaking, all trophies should undergo treating with insecticide and veterinary inspection before leaving and a second veterinary inspection on arrival and you perhaps should expect customs etc to be on the lookout for dodgy animal products being transported because of the current rhino/elephant problems....... but whether you'd get away with it is a different matter.

My guess is that if they did find them, the most they'd do is insist they treat them with insecticide or radiation at your expense.

Out of a South African perspective , it would be illegal to export these tusks in this manner without going through the proper steps. You will be breaking the law. That opens up a whole new can of worms...

A guy in a bar told me this story.

He said he noticed that you could buy souvenirs made from warthog ivory at the airport gift shops.
So he bought some cheap bottle openers with plastic handles and heated the metal part and pulled it from the plastic handle.
In Africa after his hunt he used two part epoxy, JB Weld, to fix the bottle openers into his warthog trophies. He then took price tags off liquor bottles and placed the tags on the fabricated bottle openers.

He said he arrived home with the trophies and no fucks were given by anybody at any airport.

The epoxy was easily removed from the tusks with a drill and some scraping.

quote:

Originally posted by accipiter1:
Thanks for the replies, gentlemen.

The South African PH I hunted with on my first safari said foreign hunters often bring back warthog tusks in their luggage (warthogs that were killed a few days before). Whether those hunters declare the items upon returning home is another question.

The reason I wanted some feedback on this is I was thinking about doing a non-export hunt. I figured if I could at least bring back warthog tusks from a safari, and take photos of the other animals, that would be fine. I could avoid the hassles of dip/pack/shipping/clearing and have one item to put on the wall from the safari.

I did exactly this in June this year in Namibia.our trip was mainly a warthog cull hunt with a few larger animals included,zebra,hartebeest and oryx.
The warthog were eaten locally by the farm staff and could not be sold because of African swine fever. I took a set home but they got a good boiling beforehand.

quote:

Originally posted by Jan Dumon:

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
Strictly speaking, all trophies should undergo treating with insecticide and veterinary inspection before leaving and a second veterinary inspection on arrival and you perhaps should expect customs etc to be on the lookout for dodgy animal products being transported because of the current rhino/elephant problems....... but whether you'd get away with it is a different matter.

My guess is that if they did find them, the most they'd do is insist they treat them with insecticide or radiation at your expense.

Out of a South African perspective , it would be illegal to export these tusks in this manner without going through the proper steps. You will be breaking the law. That opens up a whole new can of worms...

I have to agree with both of you. After all you have far more knowledge on the regulations. However, it does seem that a lot of guys are bringing these home in their luggage.

FYI:

Transporting Wharthog or any part of a warthog anywhere in SA without a veterinary certificate is a serious offence.

This is not a Nature Conservation ruling it falls under the rulings of the State Veterinary department.

The reason is because of African Swine fever.
This DNA virus is borne by the Orthinodorus tick that infests Warthog and Bushpig burrows.

Many people including locals do not realize they are committing an offence by moving warthog and pushpig between veterinary jurisdictions.