From: Nigel.Allen@bbs.oit.unc.edu (Nigel Allen)
Newsgroups: rec.birds,alt.activism,sci.bio
Subject: Ban on Tropical Parrot, Other Wild Bird Imports Passes Congress
Date: 1 Oct 92 23:56:31 GMT
Organization: NDA

Here is a press release from Defenders of Wildlife
 Ban on Tropical Parrot, Other Wild Bird Imports Passes Congress
 To: National Desk, Environment Writer
 Contact:  Lisa Swann or Jim Wyerman of Defenders of Wildlife,
           202-659-9510
 
   WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 / U.S. Newswire/ -- The U.S. Senate has
approved without opposition a ban on the importation of certain
species of parrots and other tropical birds in grave decline, based
in part on legislation drafted by Defenders of Wildlife.
   The Wild Bird Conservation Act would ban the import of some
species of birds that are becoming threatened or rare in rainforests
and other natural areas of South America, Africa, and Asia,
due to unsustainable trade and habitat loss.  The bill is expected
to be approved by the House and signed by President Bush.
   Jim Wyerman, who directs Defenders' International Wildlife Trade
program and who drafted one of the original bills upon which the
legislation is based, said, "This is a long overdue recognition of
the problems of wildlife trade that are driving many bird species
to extinction.
   "We fully expect that this legislation will stem the decline of
rare bird species, and will help stimulate captive breeding here in
the United States as an alternative source of birds for pet
markets," Wyerman added.  "After New York state passed an even more
restrictive bird ban, the number of pet stores in that state
actually increased.  Both conservation and consumers will be served
by this law, since more captive bred birds will become available
and these birds are less likely to carry disease and make better
pets then wild birds."
   The legislation would:
 
   -- Place an immediate moratorium on importation of ten of the
      most heavily traded and known threatened bird species which
      are known to be threatened by continuing trade;
 
   -- Impose an import ban one year after enactment of the bill on
      those bird species already listed for protection under CITES,
      with an exemption for certain species for which a strict
     conservation program is in place;
 
   -- Prohibit imports of non-CITES listed birds if there
      is sufficient evidence that the birds are being threatened
      by continued trade.
 
   Defenders also is spearheading an activist campaign that
successfully persuaded 84 major airlines to stop shipments of birds
to the U.S., a practice that had been bringing nearly 500,000
parrots, macaws, and other exotic birds to pet markets in the U.S.
World-wide trade figures are estimated to be about 8 million birds
annually.
   Defenders persuaded two pet store chains, Petland and Docktor's
Pets, to adopt policies restricting sales of wild-caught birds.  An
aggressive education campaign by Defenders in pet stores and
publications nationwide also raised awareness about the problems of
the wild bird trade.  A full-page Defenders public service
announcement in the October National Geographic magazine explains
the problems of the bird trade and advises potential bird buyers to
choose captive-bred birds rather than those taken from the wild.
   Defenders of Wildlife, the Humane Society of the United States,
the Environmental Investigation Agency, society for Animal
Protective Legislation, and the African Wildlife Federation formed
a coalition with over 200 other environmental and animal welfare
groups to press for legislation to stem the trade of wild exotic
birds.
   According to Defenders, an international treaty on species known
as CITES or the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species has been inadequate to protect many species of exotic
parrots and other wild birds that have been traded to excess.
 -30-

--
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     North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Campus Office for Information
        Technology, or the Experimental Bulletin Board Service.
           internet:  bbs.oit.unc.edu or 152.2.22.80