As I'm reading the new law, I got a question. If I take one before April 4 2012, and I want it mounted and send to taxidermist who sends it out of state to tannery, am I not in violation of new law?

Service Repeals Regulatory Exclusion for Captive-Bred African Antelope Species under the Endangered Species Act


In general, the ESA prohibits the import or export of any listed species, or its parts or products, as well as sale in interstate or foreign commerce, without prior authorization from the Service. However, in an effort to support captive breeding of these critically endangered species and maintain genetically viable populations, the Service granted an exclusion at the time these species were listed that allowed owners of these animals to continue carrying out breeding and other activities, including interstate commerce and hunting for herd management, without obtaining an individual permit.

The exclusion was challenged in Federal District Court by Friends of Animals and other groups. In 2009, the court remanded the regulation back to the Service, directing the agency to provide opportunities for the public to review and comment when authorizing otherwise prohibited activities — interstate or foreign commerce, import or re-import, export or re-export, or take (other than normal husbandry, breeding, and non-injurious veterinary procedures) — with these listed species, consistent with the ESA.

SOME MORE INFO

At AAE, we have been trying our best to keep our followers informed as to the lengthy, on-going battle to save 3 of our beloved exotic species from what many believe will result in a very sad and unfortunate (and likely severe) decline in currently thriving populations of each species.

We have just received word today that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s ruling on the future status of the 3 African antelope species (scimitar-horned oryx, addax antelope, and dama gazelle) in the U.S has been made public, signaling a closing chapter in this epic saga.

via the Exotic Wildlife Association (EWA) Membership Alert – 1/4/2012:

In the Exotic Wildlife Association’s effort to keep our membership up to date concerning the latest information regarding the “Three Species” (Scimitar Horned Oryx, Addax, and Dama Gazelle) we have received an advanced copy of the new rule that will be posted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service…The new rule will take effect 90 days after its publication in the Federal Registry on January 5, 2012. This means that those breeders who currently own one or more of the species will have until April 4, 2012 to obtain permits or legally sell their animals. This rule will replace the exemption from the provisions of the ESA that was given to these three species in 2005.

The new ruling means that after April 3, 2012, ranchers housing these 3 species will no longer be able to breed, transport or take any animal without first going through the required permitting process(es) to do so. It appears as though, the new permitting system will act much like those currently presiding over barasingha, eld’s deer, and red lechwe. Permits for these animals generally take 6-12 months to acquire [no one knows yet how long the new process for the '3 Species' will take] and infringements come with harsh penalties due to their direct violation of the Lacey Act. For these reasons (among others), most owners of the oryx, addax and dama species will elect not to apply for the permits, thus all but forcing them to reduce or eliminate their current herds entirely.

In the next 3 months we can expect: Live sale market value plummeting, the number of breeding facilities and ranches with the ’3 Species’ reduced drastically, the cost to hunt these species dropping significantly and harvest numbers skyrocketing.

Hopefully one day, proponents of this new ruling will be able to explain to us how this could possibly be in the best interest of these amazing species long-term.

To read the USF&W’s entire press release, click here —“Service Repeals Regulatory Exclusion for Captive-Bred African Antelope Species under the Endangered Species Act”

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Category AAE News, Conservation News, Exotic News | Tags: Tags: addax antelope, dama gazelle, endangered species, ESA, EWA, exotic permitting, exotic ruling, oryx ruling, save the secies, scimitar-horned oryx, USFWS,