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67-651 PDF 2012

H.R. 50, ‘‘MULTINATIONAL SPECIES CONSERVATION FUNDS REAUTHORIZATION 

ACT’’; H.R. 1760, ‘‘GREAT APE CONSERVATION REAUTHORIZATION AMENDMENTS 

ACT’’; & H.R. 1761, ‘‘MARINE TURTLE CONSERVATION REAUTHORIZATION ACT’’ 

LEGISLATIVE HEARING 

BEFORE THE

SUBCOMMITTEE ON FISHERIES, WILDLIFE, 

OCEANS AND INSULAR AFFAIRS 

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES 

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

ONE HUNDRED TWELFTH CONGRESS 

FIRST SESSION 

Thursday, July 28, 2011 

Serial No. 112-55 

Printed for the use of the Committee on Natural Resources 

( 

Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.fdsys.gov 

or 

Committee address: http://naturalresources.house.gov 

(II) 

COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES 

DOC HASTINGS, WA, Chairman 

EDWARD J. MARKEY, MA, Ranking Democrat Member 

Don Young, AK 

John J. Duncan, Jr., TN 

Louie Gohmert, TX 

Rob Bishop, UT 

Doug Lamborn, CO 

Robert J. Wittman, VA 

Paul C. Broun, GA 

John Fleming, LA 

Mike Coffman, CO 

Tom McClintock, CA 

Glenn Thompson, PA 

Jeff Denham, CA 

Dan Benishek, MI 

David Rivera, FL 

Jeff Duncan, SC 

Scott R. Tipton, CO 

Paul A. Gosar, AZ 

Rau ́l R. Labrador, ID 

Kristi L. Noem, SD 

Steve Southerland II, FL 

Bill Flores, TX 

Andy Harris, MD 

Jeffrey M. Landry, LA 

Charles J. ‘‘Chuck’’ Fleischmann, TN 

Jon Runyan, NJ 

Bill Johnson, OH 

Dale E. Kildee, MI 

Peter A. DeFazio, OR 

Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, AS 

Frank Pallone, Jr., NJ 

Grace F. Napolitano, CA 

Rush D. Holt, NJ 

Rau ́l M. Grijalva, AZ 

Madeleine Z. Bordallo, GU 

Jim Costa, CA 

Dan Boren, OK 

Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, CNMI 

Martin Heinrich, NM 

Ben Ray Luja ́n, NM 

John P. Sarbanes, MD 

Betty Sutton, OH 

Niki Tsongas, MA 

Pedro R. Pierluisi, PR 

John Garamendi, CA 

Colleen W. Hanabusa, HI 

Vacancy 

Todd Young, Chief of Staff 

Lisa Pittman, Chief Counsel 

Jeffrey Duncan, Democrat Staff Director 

David Watkins, Democrat Chief Counsel 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON FISHERIES, WILDLIFE, OCEANS 

AND INSULAR AFFAIRS 

JOHN FLEMING, LA, Chairman 

GREGORIO KILILI CAMACHO SABLAN, CNMI, Ranking Democrat Member 

Don Young, AK 

Robert J. Wittman, VA 

Jeff Duncan, SC 

Steve Southerland, II, FL 

Bill Flores, TX 

Andy Harris, MD 

Jeffrey M. Landry, LA 

Jon Runyan, NJ 

Doc Hastings, WA, ex officio 

Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, AS 

Frank Pallone, Jr., NJ 

Madeleine Z. Bordallo, GU 

Pedro R. Pierluisi, PR 

Colleen W. Hanabusa, HI 

Vacancy 

Edward J. Markey, MA, ex officio 

(III) 

CONTENTS 

Page 

Hearing held on Thursday, July 28, 2011 ............................................................. 1 

Statement of Members: 

Fleming, Hon. John, a Representative in Congress from the State of 

Louisiana ....................................................................................................... 1 

Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 2 

Markey, Hon. Edward J., a Representative in Congress from the 

Commonwealth of Massachusetts ................................................................ 6 

Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 7 

Miller, Hon. George, a Representative in Congress from the State of 

California ....................................................................................................... 9 

Pierluisi, Hon. Pedro R., the Resident Commissioner in Congress from 

Puerto Rico .................................................................................................... 8 

Sablan, Hon. Gregorio, a Delegate in Congress from the Commonwealth 

of the Northern Mariana Islands ................................................................. 2 

Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 3 

Young, Hon. Don, the Representative in Congress for the State of Alaska 4 

Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 5 

Statement of Witnesses: 

Diez, Carlos E., National Sea Turtle Coordinator, Puerto Rico 

Department of Natural and Environmental Resources ............................. 35 

Prepared statement on H.R. 1761 ........................................................... 36 

Hosmer, Joseph, President, Safari Club International Foundation ............. 37 

Prepared statement on H.R. 50 ............................................................... 39 

Robinson, John G., Ph.D., Executive Vice President, Conservation and 

Science, Wildlife Conservation Society ........................................................ 22 

Prepared statement on H.R. 50, H.R. 1760, and H.R. 1761 ................ 24 

Saito, Teiko, Assistant Director for International Affairs, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior ...................................... 11 

Prepared statement on H.R. 50, H.R. 1760, and H.R. 1761 ................ 12 

Somerhalder, Ian, Celebrity Spokesman, Multinational Species 

Conservation Fund Coalition ....................................................................... 19 

Prepared statement on H.R. 50 ............................................................... 20 

Stoinski, Tara S., Ph.D., Manager of Conservation Partnerships, 

Zoo Atlanta, and Pat and Forest McGrath Chair of Research and 

Conservation, The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International ..................... 30 

Prepared statement on H.R. 1761 ........................................................... 32 

Additional materials supplied: 

Feld, Kenneth J., Chairman and CEO, Entertainment, Inc., Letter 

submitted for the record on H.R. 50 ........................................................... 54 

Goodall, Jane, Ph.D., DBE, Founder, The Jane Goodall Institute, and 

U.N. Messenger of Peace, Statement submitted for the record on 

H.R. 1760 ...................................................................................................... 51 

Hanna, Jack, Director Emeritus, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, 

Statement submitted for the record on H.R. 50, H.R. 1760, and 

H.R. 1761 ...................................................................................................... 52 

Multinational Species Coalition, Letter submitted for the record on 

H.R. 50, H.R. 1760, and H.R. 1761 ........................................................... 55 

(1) 

LEGISLATIVE HEARING ON H.R. 50, ‘‘MULTINATIONAL SPECIES CONSERVATION FUNDS 

REAUTHORIZATION ACT’’; H.R. 1760, ‘‘GREAT 

APE CONSERVATION REAUTHORIZATION 

AMENDMENTS ACT’’; & H.R. 1761, ‘‘MARINE 

TURTLE CONSERVATION REAUTHORIZATION ACT.’’ 

Thursday, July 28, 2011 

U.S. House of Representatives 

Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs 

Committee on Natural Resources 

Washington, D.C. 

The Subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10:14 a.m. in Room 

1324, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. John Fleming, 

[Chairman of the Subcommittee] presiding. 

Present: Representatives Fleming, Young, Wittman, Sablan, 

Faleomavaega, Bordallo, Pierluisi, Hanabusa, Markey [ex officio] 

Also present: Representative Miller. 

STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN FLEMING, A REPRESENTATIVE IN 

CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF LOUISIANA 

Mr. FLEMING. The Subcommittee will now come to order. The 

Chairman notes the presence of a quorum. 

Good morning. Today the Subcommittee will receive testimony on 

three bills, H.R. 50, H.R. 1760 and H.R. 1761, which would 

extend five conservation programs to assist African and Asian 

elephants, rhinoceros, tigers, great apes and marine turtles. 

Since the establishment of the first of these funds in 1988, the 

Congress has appropriated some $90 million, which has attracted 

over $185 million in private matching funds. Together these monies 

have been used by the Fish and Wildlife Service to finance some 

1,805 conservation grants to various range states throughout the 

world. 

In my invitation letter, I have asked each of our invited guests 

to respond to a fundamental question as to why Congress should 

continue to appropriate taxpayer money to these funds at a time 

when our national debt now exceeds $14 trillion. This was not a 

rhetorical question, and I am hoping to get a good answer. 

In addition, based on the numbers provided to me by the Fish 

and Wildlife Service, it is clear that private donations exceeded 

Federal appropriated funds by more than a two-to-one ratio. Why 

then is any Federal investment even necessary? 

2 

If these bills are to proceed through the legislative process, we 

must be able to adequately justify, especially to our new Members 

and to me, of course, why they should vote to allocate scarce Federal dollars to assist in the conservation of these international 

species. I understand that we are not talking about a huge sum of 

money but, nevertheless, in our current fiscal condition we must 

account for every dollar of taxpayer money. I look forward to hearing the testimony on these proposals. 

I am now pleased to recognize our Ranking Democrat Member 

from the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Congressman 

Sablan, for any statement he would like to make. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Fleming follows:] 

Statement of The Honorable John Fleming, Chairman, 

Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs 

Good morning, today, the Subcommittee will receive testimony on three bills, 

H.R. 50, H.R. 1760 and H.R. 1761 which would extend five conservation programs 

to assist African and Asian Elephants, Rhinoceros and Tigers, Great Apes and 

Marine Turtles. 

Since the establishment of the first of these funds in 1988, the Congress has appropriated some $90 million which has attracted over $185 million in private matching funds. Together, these monies have been used by the Fish and Wildlife Service 

to finance some 1805 conservation grants to various range states throughout the 

world. 

In my invitation letter, I have asked each of our invited witnesses to respond to 

a fundamental question as to why Congress should continue to appropriate taxpayer 

money to these Funds at a time when our national debt now exceeds $14 trillion 

dollars. This was not a rhetorical question and I am hoping to get a good answer. 

In addition, based on the numbers provided to me by the Fish and Wildlife Service, 

it is clear that private donations exceeded federal appropriated funds by more than 

a 2-to-1 ratio. Why then is any federal investment necessary? 

If these bills are to proceed through the legislative process, we must be able to 

adequately justify, especially to our new members and me, why they should vote to 

allocate scare federal dollars to assist in the conservation of these international 

species. I understand that we are not talking about a huge sum of money but nevertheless in our current fiscal condition, we must account for every dollar of taxpayer 

money. 

I would now like to recognize the Ranking Minority Member of the Subcommittee 

for any statement he would like to make at this time. 

STATEMENT OF HON. GREGORIO KILILI SABLAN, A DELEGATE 

IN CONGRESS FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE 

NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS 

Mr. SABLAN. Thank you very much, Chairman Fleming, and good 

morning, everyone. Charismatic wildlife like tigers, turtles and 

apes captivate the human imagination, sometimes in fear and 

sometimes in awe. These animals inspire an unmistakable connection between human beings and their environment. 

Unfortunately, the expansion of our human footprint on this 

planet often collides with wildlife and their habitat. The result of 

this collision can be disastrous for the habitat, as well as wildlife 

populations. 

Over a decade ago, Congress felt compelled to make a statement 

to the world that wildlife conservation is imperative and passed 

legislation to put Federal dollars behind that statement. The three 

bills we are considering today reauthorize programs with a proven 

track record of making our planet a better place for wildlife and to 

ensure future generations can enjoy these creatures. 

3 

I commend my colleagues, Congressman Young, Congressman 

Miller and Congressman Pierluisi, for their continued leadership in 

the conservation of the world’s most charismatic wildlife. Reauthorizing the Multinational Species Conservation Fund provides critical 

technical and cost-sharing grant assistance to range countries to 

protect and conserve African elephants, Asian elephants, rhinoceroses, tigers, great apes and marine turtles. 

Through the Fund, Federal dollars are leveraged by awarding 

grants to projects with matching nonFederal contributions. Every 

Federal dollar invested in the Fund routinely leverages one to four 

times that amount in nonFederal matching contributions. Clearly, 

the Fund has a proven track record of efficiency and achievement. 

With a modest investment, this fund has quite a list of accomplishments. For example, the Great Ape Conservation Act supports 

the work of important organizations like the Dian Fossey Gorilla 

Fund, which has operated the longest running gorilla conservation 

program in Rwanda. 

The Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act is responsible for 

bringing a rhino education camp to 60 schools in the median areas 

that have high quality black rhinoceros habitat. The same fund 

supports collaborative efforts to conserve Amur tiger habitat adjacent to the Russia-China border where the remaining population is 

estimated to be only 350 adult tigers. 

And finally, the Marine Turtle Conservation Act supports a 

project monitoring and protecting hawksbill turtle nesting activity 

in the Pearl Cays in Nicaragua while simultaneously developing 

turtle-based ecotourism for the benefit of the local community. 

I commend these efforts to protect these highly endangered 

species. I would like to thank the witnesses for coming to this hearing today, and I look forward to hearing more of the success stories 

and about the vital importance of the protection efforts of this wildlife during your testimonies. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Sablan follows:] 

Statement of The Honorable Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, Ranking 

Member, Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs 

Thank you, Chairman Fleming. Charismatic wildlife, like tigers, turtles, and apes, 

captivate the human imagination. Sometimes in fear and oftentimes in awe, these 

animals inspire an unmistakable connection between human beings and their environment. 

Regrettably, the expansion of our human footprint on this planet often collides 

with wildlife and their habitat. The result of this collision can be disastrous for the 

habitat as well as wildlife populations. Over a decade ago Congress felt compelled 

to make a statement to the world that wildlife conservation is imperative and 

passed legislation to put federal dollars behind that statement. The three bills we 

are considering today reauthorize programs with a proven track record of making 

our planet a better place for wildlife and to ensure future generations can enjoy 

these creatures. 

I commend my colleagues, Congressmen Young, Miller, and Pierluisi for their continued leadership in the conservation of the world’s most charismatic wildlife. Reauthorizing the Multinational Species Conservation Fund provides critical technical 

and cost-sharing grant assistance to range countries to protect and conserve African 

Elephants, Asian Elephants, Rhinoceroses, Tigers, Great Apes, and Marine Turtles. 

Through the Fund, federal dollars are leveraged by awarding grants to projects with 

matching non-Federal contributions. Every Federal dollar invested in the Fund routinely leverages one to four times that amount in non-Federal matching contributions. Clearly, the Fund has a proven track record of efficiency and achievement. 

With a modest investment, this Fund has quite a list of accomplishments. For example, the Great Ape Conservation Act supports the work of important organizaVerDate Nov 24 2008 11:04 Aug 08, 2012 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6621 L:\DOCS\67651.TXT Hresour1 PsN: KATHY
4 

tions, like the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, which has operated the longest running 

gorilla conservation program in Rwanda. The Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation 

Act is responsible for bringing a rhino education campaign to 60 schools in Namibian areas that have high quality black rhinoceros habitat. The same Fund supports collaborative efforts to conserve Amur tiger habitat adjacent to the RussiaChina border, where the remaining population is estimated to be only 350 adult tigers. Finally, the Marine Turtle Conservation Act supports a project monitoring and 

protecting hawksbill turtle nesting activity in the Pearl Keys in Nicaragua, while 

simultaneously developing turtle-based ecotourism for the benefit of the local community. 

I commend these efforts to protect these highly endangered species. I would like 

to thank the witnesses for coming to this hearing today and I look forward to hearing more of these success stories and about the vital importance of the Multinational Species Conservation Fund during your testimonies. 

Mr. FLEMING. I thank the gentleman. 

Based on the traditions of this Subcommittee, I would now like 

to recognize the former esteemed Chairman of this Committee and 

current Chairman of the Indian and Alaska Native Affairs Subcommittee, the distinguished gentleman from Alaska, Congressman 

Don Young, for any statement he would like to make on this bill. 

STATEMENT OF HON. DON YOUNG, A REPRESENTATIVE IN 

CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF ALASKA 

Mr. YOUNG. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank you for 

scheduling this hearing on my bill, H.R. 50. This measure will 

extend the authority to approve the conservation grants under the 

African Elephant Conservation Act, the Rhinoceros and Tiger 

Conservation Act and the Asian Elephant Conservation Act. 

In your invitation letter, as you said, you asked witnesses to explain to this Congress why we should continue to appropriate 

money, although our debt now exceeds $14 trillion. This is a good 

question. I hope the witnesses today understand that this is very, 

very important legislation and will testify why we need the minor 

amount of money the Federal government puts into this program. 

It is no exaggeration to suggest that without the grants, the populations of African and Asian elephants and rhinos and tigers 

would continue to decline. By investing a very small amount of 

U.S. taxpayer money, we have slowed that slide toward extinction. 

In 1988, in a rare moment of agreement, representatives of the 

Humane Society of the United States and Safari Club International 

came together in support of legislation to try to stop the slaughter 

of African elephants. The result of that agreement was the African 

Elephant Conservation Act. 

In the past 23 years, Congress has extended this law on four separate occasions. We have authorized $120 million to conserve these 

species. In reality, however, we have appropriated slightly more 

than $1 million a year. More importantly, though, this $26 million 

has been matched by $90 million in private funds. 

The battle to save the African elephant really is far from over. 

In fact, the price of elephant ivory is now at $700 a pound, and 100 

elephants are poached every day in Africa. They are being killed 

for their ivory, which is financing the terrorist activities of many 

rebel groups, including those associated with al-Qaeda. 

H.R. 50 also extends the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act, 

which was first enacted 17 years ago. Since that time, the Congress 

5 

has authorized $170 million, appropriated $21 million and funded 

505 conservation grants to assist highly endangered rhinoceros and 

tigers. These taxpayer funds were matched by $34 million in private matching money. 

While these grants have been helpful in stabilizing the population of several subspecies of rhinoceros, sadly the future of wild 

tigers is increasingly bleak. In fact, the number of wild tigers has 

declined to as few as 3,000. It is essential to extend the Rhinoceros 

and Tiger Conservation Act because this fund is the only permanent source of money for these species, and it is a lifeline for the 

survival of the wild tigers. 

Finally, my bill reauthorizes the Asian Elephant Conservation Act. During the past 14 years, the Congress has authorized $75 

million for the Asian Elephant Conservation Fund. However, just 

like the other two funds, significant private money has been raised. 

It is crucially important that we recognize that the funds also affect the great apes and marine sea turtles. 

Like many of my colleagues, I am committed to reducing our 

staggering national debt. However, we are not going to accomplish 

that goal on the backs of these landmark species. By spending this 

small amount of money, we are contributing to local economies 

which helps to stabilize the governments, thereby minimizing potential national security costs for our taxpayers in the future. 

There are a series of articles, Mr. Chairman, that go all the way 

back to when we introduced this bill, Mr. Miller and myself. We 

created some good legislation, but if we are to be involved and we 

give lots of assistance to the human side of it across Africa, maybe 

not enough in some areas, but the idea of this poaching that is 

going on now for very large, illegal people, many from Somalia that 

are supporting the terrorists against this country. 

This is a worthwhile cause. It is a minor amount of money, and 

I know under this debt there are a lot of other areas we ought to 

be cutting. I urge the support of this legislation. I look forward to 

our witnesses today to see what they have to say and explain why 

these Federal dollars are extremely important. 

With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back the time, but thanks for 

listening to me. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Young follows:] 

Statement of The Honorable Don Young, a Representative in Congress from 

the State of Alaska, on H.R. 50, The Multinational Species Conservation 

Funds Reauthorization Act 

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you for scheduling this hearing on my bill, 

H.R. 50. This measure will extend the authority to approve conservation grants 

under the African Elephant Conservation Act, the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act and the Asian Elephant Conservation Act. 

In your invitation letter, you asked our witnesses why this Congress should continue to appropriate money to these conservation funds at a time when our national 

debt exceeds $14 trillion dollars. Mr. Chairman, that is a fair and appropriate 

question. 

It is no exaggeration to suggest that without the grants, the populations of African and Asian elephants, rhinoceros and tigers would continue to decline. By investing a small amount of U.S. taxpayer money we have slowed their slide toward 

extinction. 

In 1988, in a rare moment of agreement, representatives of the Humane Society 

of the United States and Safari Club International came together in support of legislation to try to stop the slaughter of African elephants. The result of that agreement was the African Elephant Conservation Act. In the past twenty three years, 

6 

Congress has extended this law on four separate occasions and we have authorized 

$120 million to conserve this species. In reality, however, we have appropriated 

slightly more than $1 million a year and, more importantly, this $26 million has 

been matched by over $90 million in private funds. 

The battle to save the African elephant is far from over. In fact, the price of ele- phant ivory is now more than $700 dollars a pound and 100 elephants are poached 

every day throughout Africa. They are being killed for their ivory which is financing 

the terrorist activities of many rebel groups including some associated with alQaeda. 

H.R. 50 also extends the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act, which was first enacted 17 years ago. Since that time, the Congress has authorized $170 million, 

appropriated $21 million and funded 505 conservation grants to assist highly endangered rhinoceros and tigers. These taxpayer funds were matched by $34 million in 

private matching money. 

While these grants have been helpful in stabilizing the population of several subspecies of rhinoceros, sadly, the future of wild tigers is increasingly bleak. In fact, 

the number of wild tigers has declined to as few as 3,000. It is essential to extend 

the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act because this Fund is the only permanent 

source of money for these species and it is a lifeline for the survival of wild tigers. 

Finally, my bill reauthorizes the Asian Elephant Conservation Act. During the past 14 years, the Congress has authorized $75 million for the Asian Elephant Conservation Fund. However, just like the other two funds, significantly less has been 

actually appropriated. In fact, $20 million has been allocated or about $1.5 million 

per year. These funds were matched by $19 million in privately raised money. Together, these funds allowed the Secretary of the Interior to finance 307 conservation 

grants in 16 range countries. 

Under the terms of the Multinational Species Conservation Funds Reauthorization Act of 2011, these three conservation laws, which are strongly supported by 

nearly every hunting, conservation and animal rights organization, would be extended at existing funding levels for an additional five years. Each of these funds 

supports animals that are keystone—which means they are essential to the survival 

of hundreds of other species. For many range nations, a small grant of $25,000 represents the only hope they 

have of stopping heavily armed and organized poachers who are intent on killing 

the last African elephant, rhinoceros and tiger. These three laws have been extremely effective but the job of savings these species is not yet finished. 

Some years ago, Speaker Newt Gingrich spoke in support of the African Elephant 

Conservation Act. In his remarks, he noted that: ‘‘This is a very small amount of 

money, but it is symbolically very important, and symbolically important in part for 

the signal its sends to people in Africa and Asia.’’ 

I agree with the views of Speaker Gingrich and I am pleased that H.R. 2584, the Interior Appropriations bill, allocates $7.8 million for these Funds and those affecting Great Apes and Marine Sea Turtles. Like many of my colleagues, I am committed to reducing our staggering national debt. However, we are not going to accomplish that goal on the backs of these landmark species. By spending this small 

amount of money, we are contributing to local economies which helps to stabilize 

governments thereby minimizing potential national security costs for our taxpayers 

in the future. 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Mr. FLEMING. I thank the gentleman and thank the gentleman’s 

efforts and commitment over the years for this. 

Next the Chairman would like to recognize Mr. Markey, the gentleman from Massachusetts, for an opening statement. 

STATEMENT OF HON. EDWARD J. MARKEY, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF 

MASSACHUSETTS 

Mr. MARKEY. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, very much. 

Rhinos and tigers and apes, oh my. Rhinos and tigers and apes, oh 

my. Dorothy and the scarecrow and the tin man chanted a similar 

verse to each other when they entered the dark and creepy forest. 

They were calming their nerves from the fear of meeting wild animals. 

7 

Today we are not in the dark forest, but I am chanting because 

I am afraid we might not meet these wild animals. Currently onequarter of the mammals in the world are at risk of extinction. We 

are in a place where we might live to see majestic wild animals disappear from our planet. That is why it is important to reauthorize 

the Multinational Species Conservation Fund, which provides technical and grant assistance to protect six charismatic species: Asian 

and African elephants, rhino, tigers, apes and marine turtles. 

I commend my colleagues, former Chairman Miller, former 

Chairman Young, Congressman Pierluisi, for introducing legislation supporting the cost effective and valuable conservation of these 

rare and highly threatened species and for ensuring continued U.S. 

leadership and commitment in protecting, recovering and restoring 

wild animal populations in their native habitat. 

Why should we care about these charismatic species? The population counts are enough to scare anyone. In the last 18 years, Sumatran rhinos declined to an estimated 300 individuals in Malaysia and Indonesia. Once abundant throughout Asia, wild tigers now 

number as few as 3,200 individuals who live in fragmented groups 

in protected forests, refuges and national parks. Recently discovered, only 300 Cross River gorillas remain between Nigeria and 

Cameroon. 

Potentially more frightening than these numbers are the links 

between the rarity of these species and the global trade in illegal 

wildlife. Just earlier this week a ton of elephant ivory was seized 

from a Philadelphia art dealer, who faces a maximum sentence of 

20 years if convicted for violating the Endangered Species Act. In 

total, this illicit economy is worth $5 to $20 billion annually and 

has been linked to organized crimes and drug trafficking internationally. 

The Multinational Species Conservation Fund provides direct 

benefits to national security by encouraging alternative channels 

for diplomacy in conflict prone regions. Instead of trying to find our 

way back home like Dorothy and Ian Somerhalder’s character in 

Lost, we should be on a quest to save these wild animals and their 

homes because in fact we have a responsibility to do more than just 

close our eyes and click our heels together. We have a responsibility to make sure that they are not lost from this earth. Thank 

you, Mr. Chairman. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Markey follows:] 

Statement of The Honorable Edward J. Markey, Ranking Member, 

Committee on Natural Resources 

Rhinos and tigers and apes! Oh my! 

Rhinos and tigers and apes! Oh my! 

Dorothy, Scarecrow, and Tin Man chanted a similar verse to each other when they 

entered the dark and creepy forest. They were calming their nerves from the fear 

of meeting wild animals. Today, we are not in the dark forest, but I am chanting 

because I am afraid we might NOT meet these wild animals. 

Currently, one quarter of the mammals in the world are at risk of extinction. We 

are in a place where we might live to see majestic wild animals disappear from our 

planet. 

That is why it is important to reauthorize the Multinational Species Conservation 

Fund, which provides technical and grant assistance to protect six charismatic 

species—Asian and African elephants, rhino, tigers, apes and marine turtles. I commend my colleagues, Congressman Miller, Pierluisi, and Young for introducing legislation supporting the cost-effective and valuable conservation of these rare and highVerDate Nov 24 2008 11:04 Aug 08, 2012 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6621 L:\DOCS\67651.TXT Hresour1 PsN: KATHY
8 

ly threatened species and for ensuring continued U.S. leadership and commitment 

in protecting, recovering, and restoring wild animal populations in their native habitat. 

Why should we care about these charismatic species? The population counts are 

enough to scare anyone. • In the last 18 years, Sumatran rhinos declined to an estimated 300 individuals remaining in Malaysia and Indonesia. • Once abundant throughout Asia, wild tigers now number as few as 3,200 individuals who live in fragmented groups, in protected forests, refuges, and national parks. • Recently discovered, only 300 Cross River gorillas remain between Nigeria 

and Cameroon. 

Potentially more frightening than these numbers are the links between the rarity 

of these species and the global trade in illegal wildlife. Just earlier this week, a ton 

of elephant ivory was seized from a Philadelphia art dealer, who faces a maximum 

sentence of 20 years if convicted for violating the Endangered Species Act. In total, 

this illicit economy is worth $5 to $20 billion annually, and has been linked to organized crimes and drug trafficking internationally. The Multinational Species Conservation Fund provides direct benefits to national security by encouraging alternative channels for diplomacy in conflict-prone regions. 

Instead of trying to find our way back home, like Dorothy and Ian Somerhalder’s 

character in Lost, we should be on a quest to save these wild animals and their 

homes because, in fact, we have a responsibility to do more than just close our eyes 

and click our heels together. We have a responsibility to make sure they are not 

Lost from this earth. 

Mr. FLEMING. I thank the gentleman. 

I would now like to recognize one of our Subcommittee colleagues, the gentleman from Puerto Rico, The Honorable Pedro 

Pierluisi, for any opening statement he would like to make on his 

bill, H.R. 1761. 

STATEMENT OF HON. PEDRO R. PIERLUISI, A 

REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM PUERTO RICO 

Mr. PIERLUISI. Thank you, Chairman Fleming. First I want to express my sincere gratitude to you and Ranking Member Sablan for 

scheduling this hearing today on the three multinational species 

conservation bills, including my bipartisan bill, H.R. 1761, the 

Marine Turtle Conservation Reauthorization Act. 

I also thank you, Mr. Chairman, for inviting as a witness my 

constituent, Carlos Diez, a biologist for 17 years with the Government of Puerto Rico’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Resources. I thank the other witnesses for appearing 

today, including Teiko Saito for representing the dedicated employees of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Ian Somerhalder, 

who is a great champion for wildlife conservation. 

Having survived for nearly 110 million years, marine turtles are 

among the world’s oldest species. Marine turtles, like other majestic wildlife species that capture our hearts and imaginations, are 

in peril. Once plentiful, six of the seven documented species of 

marine turtles are listed today as endangered, their survival 

threatened by various factors, including human exploitation and 

encroachment into their natural habitat. 

Fortunately, we have in place a program at the Department of 

the Interior that supports partnerships and projects around the 

world to protect these species. This is because in 2004 in the face 

of declining marine turtle populations worldwide Congress enacted 

and President George Bush signed into law the Marine Turtle Conservation Act. This Act, which expired at the end of 2009, authorVerDate Nov 24 2008 11:04 Aug 08, 2012 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6602 L:\DOCS\67651.TXT Hresour1 PsN: KATHY
9 

ized the Fish and Wildlife Service to use a small amount of Federal 

funding to support conservation efforts aimed at saving these magnificent species. 

Since 2005, the program has been highly successful. Hundreds of applications have competed for $5.9 million in appropriated funds, 

which in turn helped secure an additional $8.6 million in nonFederal funds, a remarkable return on investment. This program 

has served to position the United States as the world’s leader in 

marine turtle conservation. 

As Puerto Rico’s representative in Congress, I have particularly 

keen interest in and special appreciation for marine turtles. At 

least four of the seven species of marine turtles are found in Puerto 

Rico’s waters or nest on our beaches. These turtle species are the 

leatherback, the hawksbill, the green turtle and the loggerhead. Indeed, all of the coastal waters surrounding Culebra Island and 

Mona Island in Puerto Rico are designated as critical habitats by 

the Federal government. 

Mindful of the difficult fiscal environment, the bill I have introduced would reauthorize this program from 2012 to 2017 at current 

funding levels. Importantly, the bill would amend existing law to 

allow the Fish and Wildlife Service to award grants for conservation projects within the United States and its territories, a power 

the agency does not presently possess. 

This approach would ensure that Federal support is available to 

conserve the six species of marine turtles listed under the Endangered Species Act, all of which nest on U.S. beaches or are found 

in U.S. waters. I believe the survival of the species is important for 

its own sake and also because they are instrumental in ensuring 

the health of the ocean ecosystem. 

Thank you again, Mr. Chairman, and I yield back the balance of 

my time. 

Mr. FLEMING. I thank the gentleman. 

I would now like to ask unanimous consent that the gentleman 

from California, who is former Chairman of the Committee, Congressman George Miller, be allowed to join us on the dais and participate in the hearing. There being no objection, so ordered. 

I recognize Mr. Miller for any opening statement he would like 

to make on this bill, H.R. 1760. 

STATEMENT OF HON. GEORGE MILLER, A REPRESENTATIVE 

IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA 

Mr. MILLER. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and I am 

glad that Mr. Young didn’t object. I appreciate it. Actually, Mr. 

Young and I have a long history of working together on a lot of 

issues before this Committee. 

But thank you so much for this hearing, for taking the time of 

the Committee to make this inquiry on these three pieces of legislation. These are very important pieces of legislation. I think you are 

asking the right question at the right time about the use of our 

Federal resources, of our taxpayer dollars. 

I think every taxpayer in America would be very proud to see the 

extent to which their dollars are leveraged in this program, the extent to which their dollars create the need for governments that 

would otherwise be reluctant to match our effort, to see what it 

10 

brings in the nonprofit world in terms of that leverage but, more 

importantly, the commitment that has been created over the years 

in countries that had no capacity, perhaps not very much concern 

in fact, about these magnificent species to now having programs of 

commitment there. 

This is really sort of twofold. It provides a great opportunity for 

leverage, but it also is a great example of American leadership in 

a number of instances, in very troubled parts of the world where 

we speak to the needs of the people in those regions, in those countries, in those habitats, and are able to bring this kind of positive 

result. 

I will also say that what this program does is it creates the atmosphere so some very, very brave people are willing to risk their 

personal well being, their lives in fact, to come forward and provide 

the protection for in the case of my legislation the great apes from 

being slaughtered either within warfare or within the poaching 

that Mr. Young talked about that attacks the elephants. These people pay a great price, but this is the program that gives them the 

organizational ability to join up. 

I had the opportunity a number of years ago to spend a very, 

very early morning, like 3:00 in the morning, waiting to go out 

with some citizens of Kenya who were there to fight the poachers. 

As we sat and had some cups of tea and talked about their job, I 

asked them at one point as the sun was getting ready to come up. 

I said, ‘‘So what do you do when you find these poachers?’’ He said, 

‘‘We shoot them.’’ I was stunned. I said, ‘‘Why do you shoot them?’’ 

He said, ‘‘Because if they see us first, they will shoot us.’’ 

That is how serious this effort is. When you see an elephant— 

when you see an elephant, a healthy, mature elephant—lying on 

the ground that somebody has taken a chainsaw to its tusk, you 

realize how important this infrastructure is. 

We know the impact of these species—the lions and the elephants and the apes and our turtles—on our children, and that is 

true of children across the world. This relatively small amount of 

money—I know we always get a little worried when we get disconnected from our districts to Washington on what is large and small 

expenditures. 

This money creates the opportunity that the scientists and the 

program people will talk about today, and it also I think gives Congress an opportunity to every now and then go home and talk 

about our successes, which is hard to do sometimes, but this is a 

magnificent example of success under the American flag in some of 

the most troubled areas of the world. 

So thank you so much for the opportunity to have my say and 

to also give the time over to this Committee to the consideration 

of the reauthorization of these programs. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Mr. FLEMING. I thank the gentleman for his comments and again 

his commitment over the years as well. 

Now we will begin to hear from our witnesses. Like all witnesses, 

your written testimony will appear in full in the hearing record, so 

I ask that you keep your oral statements to five minutes as outlined in our invitation letter to you and under Committee Rule 

4[a]. 

11 

Our microphones are not automatic, so please press the button 

when you are ready to begin. You have to sort of get close too. 

Sometimes they don’t pick up well. 

Let me explain how the timing light works. For the first four 

minutes you will have a green light, the last minute you will have 

a yellow light and then when it turns red we ask that you wrap 

up. We have a lot of witnesses today, so we certainly want to be 

judicious about our time. 

Now I would like to welcome today’s witnesses. First we have 

Ms. Teiko Saito, Assistant Director for International Affairs, U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service; Mr. Ian Somerhalder, an actor and 

founder of the Ian Somerhalder Foundation, who will be representing the Multinational Species Conservation Coalition and, as 

I understand it, from my own backyard in Louisiana, Covington. 

Welcome. 

Dr. John Robinson, Executive Vice President, Conservation 

Science, Wildlife Conservation Society; Dr. Tara Stoinski representing Zoo Atlanta and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International; Mr. Carlos Diez, National Coordinator, Marine Turtle 

Project Program, Puerto Rico Natural Resources Agency; and Mr. 

Joseph Hosmer—am I saying that right, sir—President, Safari 

Club International Foundation. 

Ms. Saito, you are now recognized for five minutes. 

STATEMENT OF TEIKO SAITO, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR 

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 

Ms. SAITO. Good morning, Chairman Fleming and Members of 

the Subcommittee. I am Teiko Saito, Assistant Director for International Affairs of the Fish and Wildlife Service within the Department of the Interior. Thank you for the opportunity to testify on 

H.R. 50, H.R. 1760 and H.R. 1761. 

The Department strongly supports these bills, which would reauthorize the Multinational Species Funds. We greatly appreciate the 

Committee’s continued leadership and support of international 

wildlife conservation. 

The Multinational Species Conservation Fund provides critical 

support for the conservation of some of the world’s rarest and 

threatened species in their natural habitats, including African and 

Asian elephants, rhinos, tigers, great apes and marine turtles. 

These species are ecologically important and aesthetically invaluable to Americans and people around the world. These conservation 

funds represent the United States’ commitment to conserving these 

awesome species in the wild. 

All of the animals I mentioned face numerous threats, including 

poaching and habitat loss. The grant programs established through 

the Multinational Species Conservation Funds provide technical assistance, cost-shared grants to range countries. These include helping range countries build law enforcement and management capacity, conducting conservation education, surveys, monitoring, protecting habitat, conducting essential applied research and providing economic incentives for conservation. 

These conservation funds are the foundations for hundreds of 

projects around the world that address the needs of highly endangered species, and they provide focus and efficient support. From 

12 

2006 through 2010 collectively, the Multinational Species Conservation Funds have supported 967 projects with $53.6 million in 

grant funding and $84.6 million in matching contributions from our 

dedicated partners. From 2006 to 2010, the funds leveraged significant matching resources, achieving a 1.6 match for every dollar 

spent. 

These conservation funds are an effective instrument to provide 

immediate and long range benefits for the conservation of these 

special species. In many cases, this is the only government dedicated funding for these species. The funds often initiate important 

projects that otherwise would not get off the ground, encouraging 

the support of other donors. Their impact is increasing as they 

achieve significant matching resources from a growing list of outside partners. The funds help secure the interest and commitment 

of governments and communities around the world. 

My written testimony highlights many examples of the importance of this funding for the survival of these keystone species, and 

I will briefly mention a couple of them. Prior to support from the 

Marine Turtle Conservation Fund, about 25 percent of the Cape 

Verde loggerhead females were killed each year due to poaching. 

Support through the Marine Turtle Conservation Fund stopped virtually all non-natural deaths by supporting a coalition of three nongovernment organizations to work with local municipalities and national governments to reduce poaching. 

Another example involves the Rhino and Tiger Conservation 

Fund. This fund provided rhino protection units. These are law enforcement units which have been able to stop poachers from returning to protected areas. Given the value of rhino horns on the international market, it is estimated that the 200 rhinos remaining in 

Sumatra would be killed within five years and the 40 rhinos remaining in Java would be killed within one year without the enforcement resources provided by the Rhino and Tiger Conservation 

Fund. The rhino protection units in Sumatra also help protect 

Asian elephants there. 

Mr. Chairman and Subcommittee Members, thank you again for 

the opportunity to testify. We really greatly appreciate your leadership in the conservation of these rare, globally important species 

and look forward to working with you as you continue to consider 

these bills. 

[The prepared statement of Ms. Saito follows:] 

Statement of Teiko Saito, Assistant Director for International Affairs, U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, on H.R. 50, 

The Multinational Species Conservation Funds Reauthorization Act of 

2011; H.R. 1760, The Great Ape Conservation Reauthorization Amendments Act of 2011; and H.R. 1761, The Marine Turtle Conservation 

Reauthorization Act of 2011 

Chairman Fleming and Members of the Subcommittee, I am Teiko Saito, Assistant Director for International Affairs for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), Department of the Interior (Department). 

The Department appreciates this opportunity to testify on H.R. 50, the Multinational Species Conservation Funds Reauthorization Act of 2011; H.R. 1761, the 

Great Ape Conservation Reauthorization Amendments Act of 2011; H.R. 1760, the 

Marine Turtle Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2011; and the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service’s (Service) implementation of these international conservation Acts. 

The Department strongly supports these bills, and we greatly appreciate the Subcommittee’s continued leadership in international conservation. The Service has a 

13 

long history of proactively addressing international wildlife species conservation. We 

work with private citizens, local communities, state and federal agencies, foreign 

governments, native peoples, and nongovernmental organizations to promote coordinated domestic and international strategies to protect, restore, and enhance wildlife 

and habitats. The Service is the agency charged with implementing the United 

States’ obligations under several international conservation treaties, including the 

Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, the Convention on Nature 

Protection and Wild Life Preservation in the Western Hemisphere, and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora 

(CITES). Technical expertise and an on-the-ground presence through international 

agreements and other programs give the Service a unique role in conserving species 

and habitats around the world. The Multinational Species Conservation Funds 

(MSCFs) support the conservation of some of the world’s rarest and most threatened 

species in their natural habitats, including the African elephant and Asian elephant, 

as well as rhinoceros, tigers, great apes, and marine turtles. 

The grant programs established through these Acts provide technical and costsharing grant assistance to range countries for species conservation and as such are 

a key element of the Service’s Wildlife Without Borders-Species programs. These 

Acts represent the nation’s commitment to help support conservation of rare and 

highly threatened species in the wild. In many cases, this is the only government 

dedicated funding for these particular species. The MSCFs provide opportunity for 

projects that otherwise would not get off the ground, encouraging other donors to 

support innovative and effective conservation efforts. They achieve significant 

leveraging of funds from a growing list of outside partners, which has greatly increased the impact of these grant programs. With a modest investment, the MSCFs 

are able to promote unprecedented achievements in the conservation of elephants, 

rhinos, tigers, great apes, and marine turtles. The funds help secure the interest 

and commitment of governments and communities around the world. 

H.R. 50, the Multinational Species Conservation Funds Reauthorization 

Act of 2011 

The Service strongly supports H.R. 50, the Multinational Species Conservation 

Funds Reauthorization Act of 2011, which reauthorizes the three longest-running 

Multinational Species Conservation Acts: the African Elephant Conservation Act, 

the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act, and the Asian Elephant Conservation 

Act. 

The African Elephant Conservation Act 

African elephant populations are threatened by poaching, loss of habitat, and conflicts with humans. In the late 1970s, when elephant populations were thought to 

number about 1.3 million, the value of ivory skyrocketed in international markets 

from $7.50 per kilogram to over $400 per kilogram. This upsurge in ivory trafficking 

is believed to have cut Africa’s elephant population in half. In 1989, the species was 

listed as Appendix I of CITES, making it illegal to trade in elephants or ivory commercially. Since then, populations have stabilized or recovered in a few southern African countries, but continued to decline in others. 

A new onslaught of poaching threatens elephants in some areas, while in others, 

elephants are increasingly coming into conflict with growing human settlements and 

farms. Most countries supporting wild populations of elephants are struggling to 

conserve them. Commercial poaching for meat and ivory, combined with instability 

from political conflict and civil war, have devastated many elephant populations, 

particularly in forest habitat of Central Africa. The Democratic Republic of the 

Congo (DRC), home to an estimated 112,000 elephants in 1992, is now feared to 

have only six populations of little more than 500 elephants. Vast areas that were 

occupied by elephants as recently as a decade ago are now devoid of these forest 

giants. The current continental population of savannah and forest elephants is estimated to be 500,000 to 600,000, but these increasing threats cloud the future of African elephant populations. 

The African Elephant Conservation Act, authorized by Congress in 1988, created 

the African Elephant Conservation Fund (AfECF), which plays a critical role in assisting range countries to conserve and manage elephants and their habitats. From 

2006 through 2010, the AfECF supported 138 projects with $8.2 million in grant 

funding and $22.2 million in matching contributions from partners and collaborators. Projects funded include assisting range countries to build law enforcement 

and management capacity, mitigating human-elephant conflict, conducting conservation education, conducting surveys and monitoring, establishing corridors, and conducting essential applied research. 

14 

For example, with this funding, the local wildlife authority in the DRC has been 

able to build patrol posts and train and equip rangers in and around Okapi Faunal 

Reserve and Virunga National Park. Trained officers have improved relations with 

local residents, removed thousands of snares, disarmed militias, and disbanded illegal bushmeat and charcoal operations in the protected areas. 

In other areas, such as in southern Africa, the elephants in protected areas are 

increasingly surrounded by human settlements and are becoming isolated, stressing 

the vegetation upon which elephants and other wildlife depend. Elephants moving 

through human settlements and farms come into conflict with humans trying to protect their homes and crops. Farmers may lose their crops, resulting in lost income, 

and they may even lose their lives when they attempt to defend their fields. Elephants may suffer debilitating injuries and are often killed in retaliation for raiding 

crops. 

The AfECF has supported research in Amboseli National Park in southern Kenya 

where agriculture is rapidly encroaching on elephant range. Support from the Fund 

allowed for collaboration between Duke University and the Amboseli Elephant Research Project to interpret crop raiding behavior to determine how such behavior begins and whether it is more common in related individuals or is influenced by other 

life history traits and social characteristics. This research will provide information 

crucial to understanding and managing human-elephant conflict. 

The Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act 

Rhino and tiger populations are particularly targeted by poachers because their 

body parts are in high demand on the global black market. Tiger organs and bones 

and rhino horns are used in Asian medicines and sold to consumers who believe 

these animal products convey strength, health, and virility. Rhino horns are also 

carved for dagger handles as a coveted status symbol in the Middle East 

The Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act, authorized by Congress in 1994, has 

greatly assisted efforts to conserve the five rhino species (African and Asian) and 

five extant wild tiger sub-species. This is the only government-sponsored dedicated 

funding source for conservation of wild tigers in the world. From 2006 through 2010, 

the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund (RTCF) supported 228 projects with 

$10.6 million in grant funding, and $18 million in matching contributions from partners and collaborators. A variety of projects have been funded, including surveys, 

conservation education, law enforcement, habitat protection, and capacity building. 

In Africa, there are two rhinoceros species: black rhinos and white rhinos. At one 

time, there were, among the black and white rhino species, five total subspecies. In 

the last ten years, two African rhino subspecies have gone extinct in the wild. Before 1900, Africa had more than one million rhinos, and they occurred in most subSaharan countries. But, by the 1990s, rhinos were extinct in many range states. 

Only 2,300 black rhinos and fewer than 10,000 white rhinos survived. Today, 

through support from the RTCF and tremendous dedication and sacrifice by our 

partners in Africa, black rhinos have slowly begun to recover, with a current population of more than 4,800. White rhinos are also recovering and now number more 

than 20,000, but a recent upsurge in rhino poaching threatens to undermine years 

of progress. 

Through the RTCF, the Service provides critical support to increase the capacity 

of park guards and wildlife management authorities to address poaching and other 

threats to rhinos in Africa. The RTCF provided infrastructure, training, and 

logistical support for the reintroduction of black rhinos to North Luangwa National 

Park in Zambia and to augment populations of rhinos in Serengeti and Mkomazi 

in Tanzania and at conservancies in Kenya, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and South Africa. 

Funds are continually needed to keep rhino populations safe throughout their remaining range. 

Asia supports three rhino species: the Indian rhino (or greater one-horned rhino), 

the Sumatran rhino, and the Javan rhino. The Sumatran and Javan rhinos in 

Southeast Asia are the most endangered, with only 200 and between 37–45 remaining, respectively. Strict protections, coupled with significant support from the RTCF 

and its partners, has increased numbers of the Indian rhino from fewer than 200 

early in the 20th century to an estimated 2,850 today. 

The RTCF is strengthening our partners that work with wildlife authorities in 

Nepal, as well as the police and the army, to assist in the identification and arrest 

of the poachers who have so badly damaged the country’s rhino population in recent 

years. In Indonesia, the RTCF has partnered with the Indonesian Forest Department and a non-government organization in support of highly effective, critically 

needed, anti-poaching patrols that protect Sumatran and Javan rhinos. These 

projects will increase rhino protection and law enforcement, reducing poaching of 

the most endangered rhino species in the world. 

15 

Wild tigers, once abundant throughout Asia, now live in small fragmented groups, 

mostly in protected forests, refuges, and national parks. In general these populations are in decline. Tigers now occupy only 7 percent of their historic range and 

40 percent less habitat than 10 years ago. Recent surveys indicate the South China 

tiger may have become extinct in the wild, with only 47 remaining in China’s zoos. 

There are many threats to the survival of wild tigers in addition to poaching including habitat destruction, loss of prey, and conflicts with human settlements. Experts estimate that more than 500 tigers are killed each year across their range. 

The illegal trade in tiger skins and in tiger bones for health tonics has resulted in 

the total loss of tiger populations in places such as India’s Sariska Tiger Reserve. 

In addition to poaching-for-profit, tigers are killed by local villagers who fear attacks 

on humans or livestock. As human populations expand further into the habitats of 

wild animals, the resulting conflict poses a serious threat to both human and animal 

safety. 

The RTCF has supported projects throughout Asia aimed at conserving and protecting tigers and their habitat by building the capacity of poaching response teams 

and educating people living near tiger areas. For example, the critically endangered 

subspecies, the Russian ‘‘Amur’’ tiger, has been the focus of a successful, long-term 

anti-poaching campaign through the Phoenix Fund. With the RTCF’s support, the 

campaign and associated annual tiger festivals reached thousands in Vladivostok 

and other cities throughout Russian province, Primorskii Krai. Grants have supported the development of curricula for hundreds of classrooms in the Krai, to teach 

students at all levels about tiger biology and conservation. A recent grant award 

funded a ‘‘Teachers for Tigers’’ manual that will increase the effectiveness of tiger 

conservation education efforts. 

In November 2010, the U.S. government attended the International Forum on 

Tiger Conservation in St. Petersburg, Russia, and endorsed the goal of doubling the 

number of tigers in the wild by 2022. Fulfilling that goal will take continued financial commitment from the U.S. and other international funding sources. 

The Asian Elephant Conservation Act 

Large herds of elephants once roamed freely throughout the forests and savannas 

of Asia. Today, fewer than 40,000 Asian elephants exist in the wild, half of these 

in India. Habitat loss, poaching and human-elephant conflicts are the largest threat 

to the survival of these animals in the wild. 

The Asian Elephant Conservation Act, authorized by Congress in 1997, has greatly enhanced the conservation status of the Asian elephant. The Act supports the efforts of a wide range of partners to train wildlife professionals, improve law enforcement capacity, mitigate human-elephant conflict, establish community development 

programs, undertake applied research, raise awareness of elephant conservation 

issues, provide education programs, establish elephant corridors that minimize habitat fragmentation, and support the ongoing efforts of the 13 range country governments to survey, monitor, and develop effective elephant management strategies. 

From 2006 through 2010, the Asian Elephant Conservation Fund (AsECF) supported 161 projects with $8 million in grant funding and $10.2 million in matching 

contributions from partners and collaborators. 

Elephants require significant natural resources to survive. Mature bulls weigh as 

much as 11,000 pounds, and each elephant consumes more than 440 pounds of vegetation and 52 gallons of water every day. Each animal needs a ‘‘living space’’ of 80 

square miles. Continued destruction of habitat and increased human settlement in 

areas previously occupied by elephants has resulted in rising incidents of crop-raiding and subsequent conflict with human communities. Similar to some African elephant populations, frequent raids by Asian elephants into agricultural fields, coupled with attempts by farmers to chase the animals away, often result in tragedy 

for both elephants and humans. 

The AsECF is supporting the development of new approaches to manage cropraiding. A community operated elephant early warning system is now assisting villagers to protect their crops, reducing human wildlife conflict in Sri Lankan villages. 

With funding from the AsECF, the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society has developed an elephant intrusion early warning system called ‘‘EleAlert’’. The system 

supports electric fences around communities to keep elephants out rather than fence 

them in national parks. The system is completely operated and maintained by local 

villagers and provides the community with an audible alarm when an elephant intrusion occurs. It is estimated that the early warning system will allow villagers to 

identify problem fencing areas and points of elephant intrusions, thus helping to reduce the amount of crop and property damage. 

On the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, human-elephant conflict in previous decades led to the disappearance of at least nine populations of elephants. To ensure 

16 

the survival of the remaining three elephant populations, the AsECF is supporting 

a promising new strategy that incorporates a training program, community guards, 

alarm systems, and elephant deterrents in five target villages around Way Kambas 

National Park. In Sri Lanka, the AsECF supported a project to monitor elephant 

movement and behavior within Yala National park and surrounding lands to develop an appropriate buffer zone to mitigate human-elephant conflict outside the 

park. The results of the project have not only yielded benefits for elephants and 

local communities in and around Yala National Park but are also changing the overall approach to elephant management in Sri Lanka. 

Poaching also poses a serious threat to survival for all populations. In parts of 

India, the poaching of male tuskers is altering the male Asian elephant population 

to include mainly tusk-less males known as ‘‘mukhnas.’’ The loss of males in general 

and tusked males in particular has resulted in highly skewed sex ratios in many 

wild Asian elephant populations. Tusks are very important behaviorally in dominance heirarchy, to attract mates, to fend off predators, to be used as a tool for 

digging and peeling bark. The AsECF provides support for law enforcement across 

the range countries especially in protected areas to prevent poaching for ivory and 

other products. This fund is working with the Forest Department law enforcement 

authorities in northeast India to protect Asian elephants in this important area for 

Asian elephants. The AsECF is also supporting law enforcement and protection for 

Asian elephants in Sumatra, Thailand, and Malaysia. The AsECF provided significant support for the Management Information System program, which is being used 

by many SE Asian countries to monitor their law enforcement effort. 

Through all of the MSCFs discussed above, the Service has implemented a 

streamlined process that allows for timely approval of projects and quick response 

to emergency situations. Each project funded is a cooperative effort with foreign governments, non-governmental organizations, or private sector entities. No in-country 

project is approved unless it has the full support of in-country government officials, 

and has been identified as a project that will address the country’s conservation priorities. Funding is delivered to the field rapidly and efficiently to target the most 

critical conservation needs. To implement these programs, the Service works with 

conservation partners within the U.S. and the range countries. These collaborators 

have vast on-the-ground experience and are experts on the ecology of the species as 

well as the human dimensions of conservation. 

H.R. 1760, the Great Ape Conservation Reauthorization Amendments Act of 

2011 

The Service strongly supports H.R. 1760, the Great Ape Conservation Reauthorization Amendments Act of 2011, which leverages conservation actions to conserve 

more than 20 species of apes in Africa and Asia. The Great Ape Conservation Act 

(Act) was authorized by Congress in 2000 and created the Great Ape Conservation 

Fund (GACF) to assist efforts to conserve gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos in Africa, and orangutans and gibbons in Asia. H.R. 1760 would support great ape conservation by increasing the capacity of foreign governments, wildlife managers, local 

communities, and other organizations to address primary threats to the great apes, 

including habitat loss, illegal hunting, and the illegal pet trade. 

The GACF provides financial and technical support for a variety of projects and 

efforts. These include building institutional and human resource capacity, improving 

law enforcement, educating local communities about conservation issues, and providing economic incentives for conservation. In addition, GACF provides support for 

collecting key scientific data on ape species that are greatly needed to achieve ape 

conservation. This includes research related to distribution, population status, and 

infectious diseases. From 2006 through 2010, the GACF supported 293 projects with 

$21.2 million in grant funding (also including funding transferred from the U.S. 

Agency for International Development Central Africa Regional Program for the Environment) to the GACF, and $25.8 million in matching contributions from partners 

and collaborators. Much of the success of the GACF is due to its direct and coordinated support of on-the-ground conservation projects in Africa and Asia. In Africa, 

the two countries containing 75 percent of the gorilla population, the Republic of 

Congo and Gabon, experienced more than a 50 percent reduction in the gorilla population between 1983–2000. As a result, identifying and protecting the last great 

areas of significant great ape conservation interest is a priority under the Great Ape 

Conservation Act. 

For example, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), a partner in the Republic 

of Congo, was awarded several small grants over a period of six years to determine 

gorilla status in the country. Surveys and other research done by their field teams 

produced an encouraging estimate of 125,000 western lowland gorillas in a vast area 

known as the ‘green abyss.’ While this area was known as having significant potenVerDate Nov 24 2008 11:04 Aug 08, 2012 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6621 L:\DOCS\67651.TXT Hresour1 PsN: KATHY
17 

tial to hold populations of gorillas and other wildlife, until the forests were studied, 

no one realized the potential of this and other large areas of intact forest to the conservation of great apes. There are numerous other such places that need surveys 

and, more importantly, immediate and effective conservation projects on the ground. 

In Asia, the wild population of orangutans is estimated at 50,000 to 60,000 individuals. Orangutans are critically endangered due to habitat loss from logging, peat 

land drainage, and a rapid expansion in palm oil plantations. Orangutans are killed 

for meat, medicinal purposes, and for raiding agricultural fields, while infants are 

taken for the pet trade. Left unchecked, such factors will lead to extinction. The 

GACF is strengthening conservation of both orangutans and gibbons, tackling many 

similar threats and population declines. 

An innovative ongoing project in Indonesia’s Gunung Palung National Park aims 

to incentivize the protection of critical orangutan habitat from illegal logging by providing healthcare benefits to communities that engage in reforestation efforts and 

organic farming. The GACF is supporting partner Health and Harmony in these efforts. The project not only directly benefits orangutans but also provides conservation-related alternative livelihoods and healthcare to villagers in need, as well as 

critical field training for Indonesian medical practitioners. Grant funding has directly supported a conservation education room for local villagers, maps of degraded 

areas, a seedling nursery and an economically sustainable reforestation program. 

More than 20 villages are now participating in the program and are working to protect the orangutan’s habitat. 

Perhaps the greatest threat to gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos in Africa, and 

to a lesser degree, orangutans and gibbons in Southeast Asia, is the illegal trade 

in bushmeat. Although apes comprise a small proportion of bushmeat production, 

poachers target them as their meat commands a premium price. Scientists have 

linked the consumption of bushmeat from apes to human contraction of the Ebola 

Hemorrhagic Fever virus. In addition, there is convincing scientific evidence linking 

the origin of HIV/AIDS to the consumption of chimpanzee meat. The risk of viruses 

of Ebola and HIV/AIDS being transferred between species poses incalculable danger 

to humanity. Ape bushmeat, as a known vector of fatal viral infections between gorillas and people, is therefore one of the greatest dangers to both wildlife and people 

in Central Africa. 

With support from the GACF, our partners such as the WCS’s Global Health Program and the government of Congo conducted extensive field studies and established a rapid-response capacity in the event of further outbreaks of the Ebola virus. 

Working with African health officials and local communities, they made significant 

strides to create a first line of defense against this devastating disease that severely 

threatens both apes and humans. 

Section 2 of H.R. 1760 clarifies the Secretary’s authority to issue multiyear 

grants, enabling the program to be more flexible in meeting the needs of grant recipients and allowing for increased capacity and stability to long-term projects in 

high priority areas. Overall, this provision will position the Service to better address 

the long-term threats facing ape populations throughout Africa and Asia. With regard to the requirement in Section 2 for a Panel of Experts, the Service has already 

taken steps to create such a panel. However, the creation and coordination of the 

panel will require resources above those committed to our existing responsibilities 

under the Great Ape Conservation Act. 

H.R. 1761, the Marine Turtle Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2011 

The Service supports H.R. 1761, the Marine Turtle Conservation Reauthorization 

Act (MTCA) of 2011, with qualifications detailed in the comments below. This Act 

addresses some of the most urgent conservation issues regarding marine turtles. 

Marine turtles are ‘‘flagship species’’ for both local and international coastal conservation. Because marine turtles circumnavigate the world’s oceans to reach their 

nesting beaches, their conservation must be addressed through global efforts. By focusing on these species and their habitats, we can more adequately conserve and 

manage ecologically critical coastal and marine habitats around the world. 

Less than 60 years ago, marine turtles were abundant, and widespread nesting 

on beaches was common. Today however, six of the seven marine turtle species 

(Kemp’s ridley, Olive ridley, Loggerhead, Leatherback, Hawksbill, and Green turtle) 

are listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). 

All seven species are included in Appendix 1 of CITES. Because they disperse and 

migrate throughout the world’s oceans, they are important indicators of coastal and 

marine environmental health on local, regional, and global scales. 

To recover depleted marine turtle populations, the Service has worked closely 

with countries supporting nesting beaches and with our sister federal agencies in 

sustained, long-term conservation efforts. For example, surveys of the Kemp’s ridley 

18 

turtles on a nesting beach in northeastern Mexico showed a drop from more than 

40,000 nesting females estimated on one day in 1947 to fewer than 270 nesting females for the entire nesting season in 1985. The Service has worked with the Mexican government since 1978 to support nest protection measures that were first implemented in Mexico in the late 1960s, and this, along with the implementation in 

the 1990s of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in commercial fishing, has reversed 

this downward trend. During the mid-1990s, surveys showed sustained increases in 

the number of recorded Kemp’s ridley nests. In 2009 approximately 21,000 nests 

were recorded in Mexico. 

The future sustainability of marine turtles remains uncertain, however. In addition to threats facing nesting beach habitat, marine turtle populations continue to 

be threatened by exploitation of eggs and turtles, trade in turtle parts, and bycatch 

mortality. And, overall, nesting populations for most species have declined worldwide, except for the nesting populations receiving long-term, sustained conservation, 

such as the U.S.-Mexico bi-national effort for Kemp’s ridley turtles or the conservation of globally significant hawksbill nesting populations in Mona Island, Puerto 

Rico. 

Since its enactment in 2004, the Marine Turtle Conservation Act has enabled the 

Service to support intensified nesting beach conservation on critical leatherback 

beaches in the Pacific in Mexico, Costa Rica, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. It 

is also playing a vital role in preventing a similar population crash of the West Africa leatherback nesting population. Based on an initiative in Gabon in 2005, the 

Service has helped organize governments and partners to work more closely together on nesting beaches, including nest protection on the key nesting beaches in 

Gabon and Congo subject to heavy exploitation. The Service has also helped establish community-based conservation programs with partners on remnant nesting populations in Liberia and Sierra Leone. From 2006 through 2010, the Marine Turtle 

Conservation Fund (MTCF) supported 147 projects with $5.6 million in grant funding, and $8.4 million in matching contributions from partners and collaborators. 

The MTCF works with local communities to raise awareness and halt the harvest 

on nesting beaches. The nesting population of Hawksbill turtles on Chirqui Beach 

in Panama was once the largest in the Caribbean, but decades of poaching for their 

shells completely devastated this important nesting site. The MTCF provided support to the Sea Turtle Conservancy to conduct extensive community outreach, beach 

monitoring, and protection of the nesting hawksbills in an effort to help the population recover. Public outreach and engagement with the local Ngo ̈be Indian communities has been successful in reducing the poaching of nests and turtles on the 

beach, as well as reducing the capture of juvenile and adult turtles at sea by local 

fishermen. The project engages a broad coalition of partners from governments, communities, and NGOs, involving local communities, schools, and other stakeholders 

to build community support. The project has led to an impressive increase in the 

number of hawksbill nests over the last seven years and is now viewed as a model 

marine turtle conservation project. 

H.R. 1761 would enable the Service to continue in its role as a provider of dedicated funding for comprehensive, global coordination and collaboration in developing 

countries where resources and capacity for marine turtle conservation are limited. 

The Service recommends that the Subcommittee consider amending the bill’s language authorizing the use of up to twenty percent of MTCA appropriations for domestic marine turtle conservation to instead authorize up to 20% of appropriated 

funds toward protecting freshwater turtles and tortoises worldwide. 

While marine turtle conservation continues to be a critical conservation need, we 

also recognize that freshwater turtles and tortoises are severely imperiled. Among 

the more than 300 species of freshwater turtles worldwide, twenty-five percent are 

facing imminent peril or extinction in the next decade. By bringing a focus to these 

species and their habitats, H.R. 1761 would allow us to leverage funds and attention to ecologically critical areas of the planet that need to be considered and managed more adequately. 

Conclusion 

Mr. Chairman and Subcommittee Members, thank you again for this opportunity 

to update the Subcommittee on the Service’s implementation of these Multinational 

Species Conservation Funds. We greatly appreciate your interest and your leadership in the conservation of rare, globally important species, and we look forward to 

working with you as you continue to consider the bills heard before the Subcommittee today. The Multinational Species Conservation Acts have formed the 

foundation for hundreds of projects around the world to address the needs of highly 

endangered species. These Acts produce focused and efficient support for the conservation of species that are ecologically important and aesthetically invaluable to 

19 

Americans and people around the world. The Funds created by the Acts leverage 

significant matching resources, achieving a $1.60 match for every $1.00 spent from 

2006 through 2010. We firmly believe that the Multinational Species Conservation 

Funds are the most effective instrument in existence to provide immediate and longterm benefits for the conservation of these species. 

Mr. FLEMING. Thank you, Ms. Saito, for your testimony. 

Now I recognize Mr. Ian Somerhalder, originally from Covington, 

as I said, and you now have, sir, five minutes. 

STATEMENT OF IAN SOMERHALDER, CELEBRITY SPOKESMAN, 

MULTINATIONAL SPECIES CONSERVATION FUND COALITION 

Mr. SOMERHALDER. Good morning, Chairman Fleming, Ranking 

Member Sablan and Members of the Subcommittee. My name is 

Ian Somerhalder. I am an actor and founder of the Ian 

Somerhalder Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering, educating and collaborating with people to help them 

positively impact the planet and its creatures. I am also a global 

Ambassador for the Alliance for Global Conservation. 

I appreciate this opportunity to testify before you today on the 

legislation before us, the Multinational Species Conservation Funds 

Reauthorization Act. I would also like to take this opportunity to 

thank the Subcommittee and especially Chairman Fleming, who 

represents my home State of Louisiana, for the invitation to join 

him today. 

Environmental conservation has not just been a passion of mine, 

but a priority, and when I began to find through my work as an 

actor that I was gaining an increasingly prominent platform in 

front of the American public, I knew immediately what I needed to 

do. The IS Foundation is my attempt to use this opportunity to 

share the public’s attention for the greater good. 

The IS Foundation, which has dozens of affiliate groups around 

the world as far off as India and Algeria, focuses on three themes: 

habitat conservation, species protection, and green energy initiatives. Our goal is to support a range of projects from more established, mature initiatives like the Alliance for Global Conservation 

to smaller, grassroots efforts initiated by individuals on the Gulf 

Coast and many other local communities. 

So the hope is that we can demonstrate ways for everyone to contribute on any scale, and we want to start conversations on these 

issues and allow them to grow and evolve naturally, so when a particular issue gathers enough momentum we will lend the resources 

needed to transform it from a conversation to a project, from a 

project into real progress. 

But in talking to people, especially young people, around the 

country I have found time and time again that the issue of species 

conservation is a particularly resonant one, and people are very 

passionate. They are passionately attached to the creatures that 

have captured their attention and their imagination since childhood, and they are invested in doing whatever is necessary to protect them. Species conservation is beyond a doubt an issue that 

truly matters to the American public. We are lucky in this case because most of our beloved species are clinging to survival by a 

thread. 

20 

The legislation initially enacted in 1990 is viewed globally as a 

success story. With the U.S. leading the effort, governments around 

the world are able to begin investing in their ecosystems. From the 

Congo to Southern Sudan, we are finding that species conservation 

is paying off in terms of both the environment and local government action. 

As Congress considers H.R. 50, I thought it would be useful 

quickly to discuss the species that benefit from the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service leadership in conservation: Asian and African elephants, apes, the plight of tigers and rhinos, but in the consideration of time let me address the marine turtles as an example of 

the desperate plight and the important opportunity we have to take 

action and continue to strengthen our collective efforts. I addressed 

the full impact of the other species I mentioned in my written testimony submitted for the record. 

Six of the seven marine turtle species are listed as threatened or 

endangered by the World Conservation Union and under the U.S. 

Endangered Species Act. Because marine turtles take 10 to 40 

years to reach sexual maturity, they are vulnerable to predators, 

oil spills and bycatch, so restoring their numbers is a lengthy and 

very delicate task. They are truly the ancient mariners of our 

oceans with ancestors dating back over 100 million years. 

So while all species require tropical, subtropical or temperate 

oceanic beaches for nesting, each has a specific marine habitat and 

feeding requirements. I was very fortunate to go down to Trinidad 

and Tobago and watch these leatherbacks come out of the ocean 

under the cover of darkness and lay their eggs very artfully into 

the sand. It was every more gratifying that I actually got to see 

these hatchlings coming up out of the sand. It was amazing. They 

instinctually find their way back to the ocean, obviously still unfortunately facing an uncertain future. 

But there is a specific chain of events that occurs when these 

turtle populations drop. Loss of these turtle populations leads to an 

explosion of jellyfish populations, which can kill lower level food 

chain fish, which in turn have an impact on tuna and swordfish, 

which are big contributors to the human population. So we have already seen this increase in our beaches and, as you know, Chairman Fleming, it could have drastic fisheries implications in our 

home state. 

My foundation is in 190 countries at this point with a lot of global outreach, and I just want you to know that the ideology is 

backed by passion and commitment, so I just want to ask that the 

Subcommittee move quickly to mark up H.R. 50 and reauthorize 

this very important piece of legislation. Thank you. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Somerhalder follows:] 

Statement of Ian Somerhalder on H.R. 50, 

The Multinational Species Conservation Funds Reauthorization Act 

Good morning Chairman Fleming, Ranking Member Sablan, and Members of the 

Subcommittee. I am Ian Somerhalder, an actor and founder of the Ian Somerhalder 

Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to empowering, educating, and 

collaborating with people to help them positively impact the planet and its creatures. I am also a global Ambassador for the Alliance for Global Conservation. 

I appreciate this opportunity to testify before you today on H.R. 50, the Multinational Species Conservation Funds Reauthorization Act. I would also like to take 

21 

this opportunity to thank the Subcommittee, especially Chairman Fleming—who 

represents my home state of Louisiana—for the invitation to join you today. 

Wildlife and environmental conservation has always been not just a passion, but 

a priority of mine. When I began to find that through my work as an actor, I was 

gaining an increasingly prominent platform in front of the American public, I knew 

right away what I wanted to do with it. The IS Foundation is my attempt to use 

this opportunity, this share of the public’s attention, for the greater good. 

The IS Foundation, which now has dozens of affiliate groups around the world 

from as far off as India and Algeria, focuses its work around 3 themes: habitat conservation, species protection, and clean energy initiatives. Our goal is to support a 

range of projects, from more established, mature global initiatives like the Alliance 

for Global Conservation, to smaller, grassroots efforts initiated by individuals in the 

Gulf and other local communities. The hope is that we can demonstrate ways for 

everyone to contribute, on any scale. We want to start conversations on these issues 

and allow them to grow and evolve naturally. When a particular issue gathers 

enough interest and momentum, we’ll lend the resources needed to transform it 

from a conversation into a project, and hopefully, eventually, from a project to real 

progress. 

In talking to people, and especially young people, all over the country, I have 

found time and time again that the issue of species conservation is a particularly 

resonant one. People are passionately attached to the creatures that have captured 

their attention and their imaginations since childhood, and they are invested in 

doing whatever is necessary to protect them. Species conservation is beyond a doubt 

an issue that truly matters to the American public. We’re lucky this is the case, because many of our most beloved wildlife species are clinging to survival by a thread. 

This legislation initially enacted in 1990, is viewed globally a success story. With 

the U.S. leading the effort, governments around the world are able to begin investing in their ecosystems. From the Congo to Southern Sudan we are finding that 

species conservation is paying off in terms of both the environment and local government action. 

As Congress considers H.R. 50, I thought it would be useful to share my thoughts 

on the species that benefit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service leadership on 

conservation. 

Tigers: Wild tigers are one such example—an amazing species under terrible 

threat by poachers and the gradual degradation of their habitat and prey base. According to big cat experts, only around 3,000 tigers exist in the wild today, and experts estimate that more than 500 tigers are killed each year. To make matters 

worse, the actual breeding population may be closer to a mere 1,000. Tigers are 

magnificent creatures: big, powerful, and charismatic. Unfortunately, these same 

qualities make them popular targets—the tiger’s beautiful orange pelt commands a 

high price on the global black market, as do tiger body parts. Their organs and 

bones are used in Asian medicines, which are sold to consumers who believe these 

animal products convey strength, health and virility. 

Rhinoceroses: Rhinos, too, hover on the brink of extinction. Between 1970 and 

1992, rhino populations declined by 96%, and fewer than 2,400 black and white 

rhinos survived in the wild. Conservation biologists tell me that today only 300 Sumatran rhinos remain. The low number of survivors is exacerbated by the fact that 

many rhinos live in small, fragmented populations, which may not be viable due to 

lack of breeding opportunities and risk of random events or disease. Rhino horns 

are carved for dagger handles as a coveted status symbol in the Middle East, and 

body parts and bones are sold on the black market as medicinal ingredients. The 

illegal trade in animal parts is a profitable business, and the demand for these products creates an ongoing temptation for poachers. Rhinos, and tigers too, also fall inadvertent victim to poachers’ snares, set to trap other animals for bushmeat or trophies. 

African Elephants: African elephants are another species in terrible trouble. In 

the last century, rampant ivory poaching and habitat loss caused their numbers to 

drop from over ten million animals in 1900 to fewer than 500,000 by the late 1980s. 

Uncontrolled hunting and continued loss of habitat still threaten the African elephant today. In addition to the ivory and bushmeat trades, the loss of natural elephant habitat poses a major problem due to the resulting conflict between elephants 

and humans throughout Africa. As human populations grow and expand into remote 

areas, natural habitat is cleared and destroyed to make way for agriculture. Elephant populations are compressed into smaller ranges with limited food and water 

supplies. Hungry elephants wander into villages and damage crops. People often kill 

elephants in an attempt to stop the crop raids, and people themselves are also sometimes killed trying to fend off desperate elephants. 

22 

Asian elephants: Like their relatives, Asian elephants are also struggling to survive. In the United States, Asian elephants are best known as familiar circus attractions. Yet throughout their homeland, captive elephants are primarily beasts of burden. An estimated 16,000 Asian elephants are presently tamed and used for timber 

harvest, clearing forests, and agricultural development. Ironically, it is the destruction of forests, the advancement of agriculture, and the encroachment of human civilization that pose the greatest threats to the survival of Asia’s wild elephants. 

Asian elephant populations have continued to decline due to loss of grazing areas 

and poaching driven by the ivory trade, and are listed as endangered on the Endangered Species Act. 

Marine Turtles: Six of the seven marine turtle species are listed as threatened 

or endangered by the World Conservation Union and under the U.S. Endangered 

Species Act. Because marine turtles require 10–40 years to reach sexual maturity 

and are vulnerable to predation, oil spills, and as by-catch, restoring their numbers 

is a lengthy and delicate task. Marine turtles are truly the ancient mariners of the 

world’s oceans, with ancestors dating back over 100 million years. While all species 

require tropical, subtropical, or temperate oceanic beaches for nesting, each has specific marine habitat and feeding requirements. I was fortunate earlier this summer 

to travel to Trinidad and Tobago and watch leatherback turtles emerge from the sea 

under cover of darkness to lay their eggs and bury them in the sand. It was even 

more gratifying to see the hatchlings dig their way out of their sandy nest and instinctively find their way to the ocean. . .still unfortunately facing an uncertain future. 

Great Apes such as gorillas and chimpanzees: Apes, by their nature, are extremely vulnerable. They have low population densities, grow relatively slowly, are 

long-lived, and have low reproductive rates and complex social relationships. Today, 

all the world’s great ape species are threatened with extinction. Apes are susceptible 

to many of the same diseases as humans. As growing human populations penetrate 

further into ape habitat, the potential for disease transmission between apes and 

people, and vice versa, is increasing. As a result, the bushmeat trade poses a serious 

health risk for humans. Threats facing gorillas and chimpanzees include the loss, 

fragmentation and degradation of their habitat, as well as hunting for food, medicine and sport. Even with strong recovery programs, the chimpanzee population is 

80% lower than 50 years ago, and it continues to drop. 

Looking around the world at these wildlife, it’s abundantly clear that humans 

have benefited from nature in so many ways but have also brought many species 

to the brink of extinction. Scientists warn us that we are on the cusp of the largest 

mass extinction spasm since the dinosaurs. The American people that I interact 

with through my IS Foundation work do not want to allow this to happen; they do 

not want to let these species go without a fight; and they see the way in which nature provides for people around the world. This is an issue that Americans care 

deeply about, and it is critical that the United States, as a world leader and global 

power, continue to lead the planet’s efforts in global species conservation. Due to 

instability or indifference in the areas that many of these species call home, for 

most of them we are the first, last, and only hope for survival. As the ones with 

the power to make a difference, the responsibility rests with us. It is imperative 

that we live up to it. 

On behalf of the Ian Somerhalder Foundation and the Alliance for Global Conservation, I urge the Subcommittee to mark-up H.R. 50 and move to reauthorize 

this important piece of legislation. 

Mr. FLEMING. Thank you, Mr. Somerhalder. 

Next up is Dr. Robinson. Sir, you now have five minutes. 

STATEMENT OF JOHN G. ROBINSON, PH.D., EXECUTIVE VICE 

PRESIDENT, CONSERVATION SCIENCE, WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY 

Dr. ROBINSON. I thank Chairman Fleming, Ranking Member 

Sablan and Members of the Subcommittee for the opportunity to 

testify on H.R. 50, H.R. 1760 and H.R. 1761, and I would like to 

thank Representatives Miller, Pierluisi and Young for introducing 

this legislation. 

I am Dr. John Robinson, Chief Conservation Officer with the 

Wildlife Conservation Society, a 115-year-old organization which is 

23 

based at the Bronx Zoo and has conservation efforts in 65 countries, many of which focus on tigers, elephants, rhinoceros, great 

apes and sea turtles, species which are the global priorities for the 

Multinational Species Conservation Funds. 

These funds have received bipartisan support, and they address 

the threats responsible for species declines. Both today and historically, Americans have supported efforts to prevent the extinction of 

such charismatic and culturally important species. WCS has 

worked closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to implement conservation programs supported by the Multinational Species Conservation Funds. Let me highlight some of these. 

Members have noted that there are only about 3,000 tigers that 

live in the wild today, but of these only 1,000 are breeding females. 

The international trade in tiger parts has dramatically increased 

over the last five years, and the conservation funds are critical for 

effective protection of tiger populations at selected national parks 

and reserves. 

With elephants we have seen hunting levels approaching the preivory ban levels over the last three years, especially in Central and 

West Africa. This poaching is driven by increased demand and 

price of ivory in Thailand, China and Japan. Conservation funds 

are supporting programs to protect critical elephant concentrations 

and control the illegal trade. 

Great apes, as noted, remain at dangerously low population numbers. The population of Cross River gorilla is down to less than 

300, and the mountain gorillas do not exceed 750 animals. Remaining habitat needs to be protected, and bush meat hunting of these 

great apes needs to be stopped. 

Marine turtles spend their life at sea except when females come 

to beaches for nesting. Numbers of nesting females of green, 

hawksbill and leatherback turtles have relentlessly declined over 

the last decades. Conservation programs are focusing on managing 

the harvest at sea and protecting beaches. 

In this tough fiscal climate, it is essential to preserve inexpensive, efficient programs that provide tangible benefits. Appropriated funds are highly leveraged, and this year generated nearly 

$18 million in matching and in-kind contributions from partners. 

Not only that, but the involvement of the U.S. Government acts as 

a catalyst for national governments around the world to invest in 

their own conservation. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service runs a highly competitive and 

rigorous grant process and maintains tiny overheads, but in addition to these wildlife conservation outcomes Multinational Species 

Conservation programs have contributed to U.S. national security 

in countries like South Sudan and the Republic of Congo by allowing alternate channels of diplomacy through NGO’s and technical 

experts, by promoting the respective law and good governance in 

conflict prone regions and by providing alternatives to violent 

insurgencies through things like ranger training and employment. 

In addition, programs to support an early warning system for 

outbreaks of deadly pathogens have prevented the spread of diseases such as the Ebola virus that threaten great apes and human 

populations. 

24 

WCS strongly supports the reauthorization of these programs 

and recommends that Congress recognize the parallel integrity of 

these funds, the need to ensure continuity of strategic investments 

and the efficiency of placing these programs on the same authorization cycle and amend H.R. 50 to incorporate H.R. 1760 and 1761 

under a single Reauthorization Act. We also recommend that Congress maintain the existing authorization levels, allowing the 

growth of this invaluable and fiscally responsible program when 

the budgetary climate stabilizes. 

With respect to H.R. 1761, we recommend that the scope of the 

Marine Turtle Conservation Act be expanded to include freshwater 

turtles and tortoises, which are harvested extensively and are especially vulnerable to exploitation. Of the 318 species of freshwater 

turtles and tortoises, 168 are on the red list threatened with extinction. 

I appreciate the opportunity to share my perspectives on these 

important bills which will reaffirm the leadership of the U.S. Government within the international community, underscore our commitment to our international treaty obligations and encourage coordinated international efforts to save some of the world’s most 

charismatic and valued species. Thank you. 

[The prepared statement of Dr. Robinson follows:] 

Statement of John G. Robinson, Ph.D., Executive Vice President, 

Conservation and Science, Wildlife Conservation Society 

Introduction 

On behalf of the Wildlife Conservation Society, I thank Chairman Fleming and 

members of the Subcommittee for the invitation to testify again before this Subcommittee. I am Dr. John G. Robinson, Executive Vice President and Chief Conservation Officer with the Wildlife Conservation Society, which was established by 

visionary conservationists such as Teddy Roosevelt in 1895. With a mission to conserve wildlife and wild places, the Bronx Zoo-based Wildlife Conservation Society 

(WCS) has over its 115-year history expanded operations into 65 countries, and 

today we work in landcapes and seascapes that contain nearly 25% of Earth’s biodiversity across Africa, Asia, and the Americas. We are able to do so with the dedicated support of over 4,000 staff including 200 wildlife biologists, landscape ecologists, and field veterinarians. We are a trusted global organization that puts science 

into effective conservation action and the only organization with a global network 

of field conservation programs and partners, a wide range of curatorial, veterinary 

and educational expertise, and a complex of urban zoos that maintain, exhibit, 

breed, rescue and study a wide range of species. 

I testify in support of the enactment of the following pieces of legislation: H.R. 50, 

Multinational Species Conservation Funds Reauthorization Act of 2011, H.R. 1760, 

Great Ape Conservation Reauthorization Amendments Act of 2011, and H.R. 1761, 

Marine Turtle Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2011. I will demonstrate the continued investment of the U.S. government in global species conservation during 

these tough fiscal times and explain the direct and indirect benefits of such investment to U.S. interests. WCS would like to thank Representatives Don Young, 

George Miller and Pedro Pierluisi for introducing these pieces of legislation and 

Chairman Fleming and the Members of the Subcommittee for recognizing the importance of the programs to be reauthorized through H.R. 50, H.R. 1760, and 

H.R. 1761. 

Primary Rationale for Continued Investment: Plight of Global Priority 

Species 

The Multinational Species Conservation Funds (MSCF) are targeted investments 

in global priority species such as tigers, elephants, rhinoceros, great apes and sea 

turtles. This program came about due to strong bipartisan support to address the 

threats responsible for species declines, which began with the enactment of the African Elephant Conservation Act in 1988 to answer the illegal trade in ivory. Each 

of the species supported through these funds are subject to increased pressures from 

poaching, habitat destruction and other environmental factors. The following paraVerDate Nov 24 2008 11:04 Aug 08, 2012 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00028 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6621 L:\DOCS\67651.TXT Hresour1 PsN: KATHY
25 

graphs briefly highlight the status of the species covered under the MSCF that WCS 

works to conserve in the wild: 

Tigers 

Wild tigers (Panthera tigris) are threatened by poaching and the gradual degradation of their habitat and prey base. Poaching for the international trade to China 

including Tibet has resulted in decline and local extinction of populations across the 

tiger’s range, and breeding populations in a number of countries, including Cambodia, China, DPR Korea and Vietnam, are no longer self-sustaining. Even in India, 

which contains half of all remaining tigers in the wild, a number of reserves such 

as Panna and Sariska in Rajasthan have lost their tigers. Tigers now occupy only 

7% of their historical range. Only around 3,000 tigers exist in the wild today, of 

which only 1,000 are breeding females. 

Elephants 

Both African and Asian elephant species are protected by MSCF-backed research 

and conservation programs. African elephants (genus Loxodonta) continue to be 

threatened by poaching and habitat loss. Between 1979 and 1989, the population 

was estimated to have halved from 1.2 million to between 500,000 and 700,000. The 

ban in trade in ivory in 1989 halted the steep decline, but over the last three years 

we have seen a dramatic increase in the proportion of illegally killed elephants, especially in Central and West Africa. This increase is correlated with high levels of 

poverty at a site level, and increased demand and higher prices for ivory in international markets. West African populations have shrunk to less than 10,000. Central African populations are approximately under 100,000 elephants. For instance, 

in Zakouma National Park in Chad, the last stronghold for the savanna elephants 

(Loxodonta africana) of Central Africa’s Sahel region, fewer than 500 individuals remain, down from an estimated 3,000 in 2006. In Asia, the number of wild elephants 

(Elephas maximus) has been estimated at only about 50,000, but this is a crude 

guess. The predominant threat to wild populations is the continued habitat loss and 

degradation. Asian elephants only occupy 9 percent of their historical range, are on 

the verge of being extirpated in Vietnam, and are already extirpated in Pakistan, 

Iran, and Iraq. 

Great Apes 

Great apes face grave threats: hunting and illegal wildlife trade to supply 

bushmeat and pets to urban markets; habitat destruction through logging, mining, 

and agriculture from local slash-and-burn to large-scale commercial plantations; and 

the spread of devastating infectious diseases such as Ebola. The rarest of the four 

subspecies of gorilla, the Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli), which is found 

on the border between Nigeria and Cameroon, has a population of less than 300 individuals. Mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), which total only about 720 

individuals, are threatened by encroachment into protected areas. As for chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), the population is 80 percent lower than 50 years ago, 

even with strong recovery programs in place. Fewer than 7,000 Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii) remain in the wild. Population decline is primarily a consequence of the accelerating destruction of their native forest habitat by loggers, 

small-scale farmers, and agribusiness. 

Marine Turtles 

Seven species of marine turtles currently navigate the oceans of which six species 

are listed in threatened categories on the International Union for Conservation of 

Nature (IUCN) Red List and included in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES): green turtle (Chelonia mydas), the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), the loggerhead 

(Caretta caretta), the hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), the Kemp’s ridley 

(Lepidochelys kempii), and the olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea). All marine turtles 

require 10–40 years to reach sexual maturity, nest on beaches, and are found from 

inshore reefs to deep oceans, making them vulnerable to a wide range of threats 

throughout their lives, including human and animal predation of their eggs, hatchlings and adults, oil spills, climate change, and being killed as bycatch. The IUCN 

global assessments for sea turtles, conducted over the past decade, show a 48 to 67 

percent decline in the number of green turtle females nesting annually over the last 

three generations, and an 84 to 87 percent decline for hawksbills over the same time 

period. For leatherbacks, scientists in the 1990s estimated over 70 percent in reduction of the global population of adult females in less than one generation. 

Every species and subspecies protected by the MSCF continues to face significant 

threats, but this U.S. government investment provides critical intervention to populations that still exist in the wild. Targeted investment in conservation programs 

26 

globally can produce successes, as noted below. It would be improper to conclude 

that conservation projects are ineffective merely because these species are still at 

risk. Without support from programs such as the MSCF, these animals could have 

already disappeared from our planet. 

Why Invest in the Multinational Species Conservation Funds in this Fiscal 

Climate? 

Conservation is an American tradition respected the world over and proudly supported at home. For example, a strong constituency for conservation exists among 

the domestic outdoor recreation, fishing and game industries, which annually contribute $730 billion to the U.S. economy, and support 6.5 million jobs. 

Although preservation of biodiversity and prevention of species extinctions are the 

central benefits, conservation programs are multifaceted investments that aid U.S. 

global policy priorities at various levels: 

Global conservation maintains the U.S. legacy and model of protecting species: 

The United States was the first country to make conservation of nature a national 

goal and as a result, current generations benefit from wild landscapes and charismatic species such as elk, pronghorn and bison. On an international scale, our 

prominent conservation tradition provides inspiration and guidance to other nations, 

which have followed American values and strategies by establishing national parks 

or refuges, designating wilderness areas, monitoring threatened species, and limiting or preventing habitat degradation and destruction. U.S. leadership in conservation enables us to uphold rigorous standards in negotiating several international treaties and commitments impacting species conservation, such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora 

(CITES),which came about as a result of U.S. leadership in 1973. 

Wildlife conservation programs are a modest but essential piece of the United 

States’ engagement with the developing world. Through the MSCF programs, the 

U.S. supplements the efforts of developing countries that are struggling to balance 

the immediate economic needs of their populations and the need to maintain ecosystem services and conserve biodiversity. MSCF programs help to sustain wildlife 

populations, address threats by controlling illegal poaching, reducing human-wildlife 

conflict, and protecting essential habitat. By working with local communities, they 

also improve people’s livelihoods, contribute to local and regional stability, and support U.S. security interests in impoverished regions. As former Speaker Newt Gingrich noted in 1995 on the House floor ‘‘this is a very small amount of money, but 

it is symbolically very important. . .. because of the signal it sends to people, particularly in Africa and Asia, about whether or not the United States is prepared to 

reach out and be helpful.’’ 

Americans support the Multinational Species Conservation Funds: 

No other developed nation makes a strategic investment in global species conservation the way the U.S. government does through the MSCF program. This program has always enjoyed strong bipartisan support in Congress and is represented 

by a diverse coalition comprised of 32 national and international groups representing more than 20 million Americans. WCS is proud to be an implementing 

partner of this program and works with other institutions on the coalition such as 

the World Wildlife Fund, Safari Club International, Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Feld Entertainment, and others. This program has also attracted partners including other developed countries such as the Netherlands Germany, France, United 

Kingdom, and the European Union, private corporations like Exxon-Mobil and Disney, and range state governments. In the House of Representatives, MSCF enjoys 

strong bipartisan support with champions like former Speaker Newt Gingrich, Representatives Jim Saxton and Wayne Gilchrest and former chairs of the House Natural Resources Committee –Representatives Don Young and George Miller and 

former leaders of this Subcommittee –Representatives Henry Brown and Madeleine 

Bordallo. Every original authorization and reauthorization legislation for this program since 1989 has had strong bipartisan support. 

The Multinational Species Conservation Funds are a targeted U.S. investment: 

The MSCF are an efficient means of meeting the need for international conservation of critical species. Given that the U.S. dollar can be leveraged significantly in 

developing countries, modest investments in MSCF have reaped unmatched benefits 

for species conservation. In addition, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service administers 

the program with great rigor and clearly articulated goals and priorities with minimum overhead costs. In FY2010 alone, MSCF supported only 57 percent of proposals received (216 of the 379 grant proposals) indicating a substantial growing demand to support species conservation as well as a highly competitive and rigorous 

27 

application process. Low administrative costs ensured that 97 percent of the funds 

appropriated by Congress were distributed through grants. The MSCF are particularly efficient because they provide a multiplying effect to recipient organizations. 

For every dollar appropriated by Congress, grant recipients leveraged an additional 

1.6 dollars in FY2010, together raising nearly $19 million in additional funding. Between FY1990 and FY2005, Congress appropriated $37 million for MSCF, allowing 

the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to make incremental increases in the annual 

number of projects funded and partners added. During this time, matching and inkind contributions from partners generated more than $100 million, supporting 

projects that could have otherwise been neglected. Without the U.S. Congress’s foresight and the U.S. government’s leadership, populations of some of the Earth’s most 

revered species would have been extirpated. 

The Multinational Species Conservation Funds provide high value at low cost: 

There are few programs that can boast of a consistent track record of providing 

direct conservation assistance to wildlife species as well as the communities involved in saving them and protecting their habitat. The MSCF program exemplifies 

this strong conservation and fiscally responsible ethic. Foreign assistance costs approximately 1.3 percent of the federal budget, and MSCF comprises only .02 percent 

of foreign assistance spending. 

On June 21, 2011, the Department of the Interior (DOI) released a report on its 

economic contributions detailing the financial impact of DOI bureaus and programs 

to the nation’s economy. The MSCF program, specifically mentioned in the report, 

is noted as contributing to U.S. jobs and economy in FY2010. With the $11.5 million 

appropriated by Congress, the DOI has calculated the MSCF’s economic impact at 

$22.6 million while supporting 207 U.S. jobs. The average grant under this program 

often ranges between $25,000-$40,000 while the smallest grants to recipients have 

been $5,000. This reflects the focus of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in supporting on-the-ground conservation projects that are fiscally responsible and have 

a strong conservation impact, and that they have been poised to respond with rapid 

action when called upon, for example providing surveillance support in response to 

organized syndicates poaching for elephant ivory. Apart from the inherent value of 

wildlife conservation and research, programs funded through MSCF have furthered 

U.S. interests by supporting American businesses. For example, specialized equipment deployed by wildlife biologists in the field such as dart guns, veterinary devices, mapping, graphics support, etc., is often produced by American manufacturers 

across major manufacturing states such as Texas, Wisconsin, Michigan and New 

Jersey. 

MSCF help fight the spread of deadly infectious diseases: 

As a result of global transport and trade, global health threats can quickly spread 

from wildlife to human populations. Butchering and eating wild animals (known as 

bushmeat), especially great apes and other primates because of their genetic similarity to humans, is a particular risk. Emerging infectious diseases such as Ebola 

are widespread in tropical rainforests and are deadly to both humans and great 

apes. There is currently no available treatment for those infected with Ebola and 

the mortality rate can be as high as 90 percent. For the past decade WCS’s Animal 

Health Monitoring Network, funded in part by the Great Ape Conservation Fund, 

has encouraged rapid reporting and response to wildlife mortalities and illnesses. 

This network has provided critical information to researchers and public health 

agencies including the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, and serves as 

an early-warning system to possible future outbreaks in human communities. 

Human cases of measles, influenza, and tuberculosis—infectious diseases which are 

also extremely dangerous to great apes—are common in communities living near or 

in great ape habitat. Over the past seven years, WCS has sustained a highly efficient wildlife health surveillance program in the Republic of Congo which has resulted in over 40 great ape carcasses recovered and tested. In 2005, an estimated 

5,000 gorillas in northern Congo disappeared, apparently as a result of an outbreak 

of Ebola, making a strong case for monitoring wildlife and disease in tropical forests 

to prevent transmission to humans. 

MSCF contribute to national security by encouraging alternative channels for 

diplomacy, respect for rule of law in conflict-prone regions, and alternatives to 

joining militias: 

Long-term investment by the U.S. government in species conservation has several 

direct benefits. For instance, training of Russian and Chinese personnel in Management Information System (MIST) law enforcement techniques, stewards transboundary collaboration between these governments and provides significant leverage 

28 

to the U.S. in negotiating broader issues of mutual interest. Additionally, successful 

anti-poaching efforts inculcate respect for rule of law. MSCF funds enabled Wildlife 

Crimes Units in Indonesia to continue to arrest scores of illegal wildlife traders, and 

the arrest to prosecution ratio is nearly 70 percent (as compared to the national average of 5 percent). U.S. support for global conservation has allowed U.S.-based 

NGOs to strengthen local governance structures and management capabilities of 

park rangers, law enforcement units, indigenous governments and local municipalities. 

At the strategic level, conservation programs support the establishment of good 

governance, with concomitant impacts on natural resource management, social security, and economic sustainability. At the tactical level, global conservation programs 

provide education and jobs that help to stabilize war-torn regions and employ local 

citizens who might otherwise be recruited by local militias. For example, strengthening the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo provided jobs 

for hundreds of rangers during that nation’s long civil war. These rangers both protected mountain gorillas and their habitat and helped control illegal logging and 

charcoal manufacturing that provided revenues to the insurgencies. 

MSCF support sustainable alternative livelihoods for local people in impoverished 

regions: 

Conservation programs provide livelihood opportunities to local people. For instance, since 2004, with support from the Marine Turtle Conservation Fund, WCS 

has trained 180 individuals from local communities across Africa and Central America, resulting in both long and short-term employment for local people as researchers. Sixty local women have joined research projects in Gabon, Democratic Republic 

of Congo and other sea turtle sites with support from this fund. WCS’s efforts on 

Ebola surveillance in the Republic of Congo alone has supported 62 eco-guards, 

training for 20 researchers in carcass sampling and 30 field team leaders in health 

and biological sampling techniques; and educational programs on Ebola for over 915 

hunters across 71 villages. Besides providing these services, the Great Ape Conservation Fund sustained and provided assistance to hire 4 field assistants, parttime employment for 74 porters and 2 U.S. veterinarians and biologists, 2 U.S. educators and 4 part-time Congolese biologists. 

Strong MSCF success stories contribute to U.S leadership, goodwill and commitment 

to conservation: 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a strong record in choosing projects for 

funding which will have the strongest conservation outcome. Since 2007, the MSCF 

has supported WCS operations in 12 African nations, helped in training 2,420 staff, 

generating nearly $7 million in matching funds for U.S. funds and sustaining 44 

partner organizations. In Asia, the MSCF has supported WCS operations in 10 

countries, training over a thousand staff and sustaining 42 U.S. wildlife biologists 

and field veterinarians while providing local employment opportunities for 166 essential personnel such as eco-guards, law enforcement personnel, porters, technical 

assistants. These sustained partnerships have resulted in longstanding friendship 

and cooperation between the U.S. and range state wildlife protection and natural 

resource agencies. 

WCS appreciates that the partnership with MSCF has allowed us to achieve significant successes on the ground. These successes include: 

• In the world’s newest democracy, South Sudan, WCS has collaborated with 

the government and local stakeholders to establish a foundation for naturalresource management, land-use planning, and conservation to reduce conflict 

and catalyze economic development. WCS surveys in 2007 with help from the 

African Elephant Conservation Fund found 8,000 elephants and an annual 

mammal migration that rivals in animal numbers those of the Serengeti. 

Large tracts of savannas and wetlands have survived decades of war and provide a real opportunity to create a thriving tourism industry. The catalytic 

role of the U.S. government in conservation has promoted the conditions for 

a long-term success which hinges on the country’s natural endowment. 

• This year, the Republic of Congo is in the process of creating NtokouPikounda National Park, which will protect an additonal 15,000 western lowland gorillas from habitat loss and poaching. The establishment of this area 

derives from a grant from the Great Ape Conservation Fund, which tallied 

in 2008 more than 125,000 western lowland gorillas in the larger landscape 

of 18,000 square miles. 

• MSCF helped WCS conduct research and support frameworks to create the 

Ulu Sebuyau National Park and the Sedilu Orangutan Sanctuary for the protection of orangutans in Malaysia. 

29 

• Due to MSCF funds four Tiger Reserves in India were made significantly 

larger. The MSCF supported the Indian scientists who gathered the technical 

information on tigers, elephants and other wildlife and who led the efforts to 

expand Anshi-Dandeli Tiger Reserve, Bhadra Tiger Reserve, Nagarahole 

Tiger Reserve and Bandipur Tiger Reserve. • MSCF funds supported the discovery of the world’s largest nesting site for 

leatherback sea turtles in Gabon on the West Coast of Africa. Without MSCF, 

fewer than half of the nesting beaches currently protected would be safe for 

reproduction of this endangered species, and thousands of turtles would perish each year. 

Recommendations to the U.S. Congress 

As demonstrated through this testimony, the MSCF conserves gravely threatened 

elephants, tigers, rhinos, great apes and marine turtles and further research and 

conservation is necessary to secure their important roles in ecosystems. Functional 

ecosystems in turn are critical to provide the services necessary for human wellbeing. To this end, WCS requests the U.S. Congress to act swiftly to reauthorize 

this program with the following considerations: 

Maintain existing authorization levels: WCS understands the tough choices that 

the Congress needs to make in light of policy and fiscal priorities. WCS requests 

the Subcommittee closely consider the current funding levels for the MSCF, which 

average roughly around 35–40 percent of their existing authorization levels. Maintaining existing authorization levels would allow the MSCF to grow in the future 

enabling the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to award more grants and specifically 

help in achieving conservation successes. Cuts to authorization levels would not 

guarantee savings to the federal budget. On the contrary, cuts would certainly limit 

the growth of this invaluable and fiscally responsible program when our budgetary 

climate stabilizes. 

Enhance discretion of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service remains deeply committed to the conservation of global species under 

the MSCF program. WCS requests the Subcommittee to protect its administrative 

functions and costs while maintaining its discretion to fund projects in high priority 

geographical locations. Such discretion would not only continue to foster partnerships with U.S. based NGOs and other entities but would amplify the reach of the 

program in range states that are political, military and economic allies of the United 

States. 

Expand the scope of the Marine Turtle Conservation Fund (MTCF) to freshwater 

turtles and tortoises and limit its jurisdiction to sea turtles occurring in U.S. territories: Like marine turtles, tortoises and freshwater turtles are long-lived species 

that mature late in life and are especially vulnerable to exploitation. Today their 

respective habitat is being increasingly fragmented, polluted or destroyed. Of about 

318 species of freshwater turtles and tortoises, 168 have thus far been assessed as 

threatened with extinction and are listed on the IUCN Red List. Of the estimated 

90 species in Asia, more than 50 percent are considered to be either critically endangered or endangered according to the IUCN. An overwhelming number of freshwater 

turtles and tortoises are collected, traded in the illegal pet trade; and killed, and 

consumed as food and in traditional medicine—this is happening at an 

unsustainable rate. Some species of freshwater turtles and tortoises are down to 

their last few individuals and stopgap measures, including captive breeding, are underway to prevent their extinction. Together with the China Zoo Society, Changsha 

and Suzhou Zoos, WCS is helping with captive breeding techniques to save the 

Yangtze giant soft-shell, (Rafetus swinhoei)—the last chance of survival for the 

world’s largest freshwater turtle. WCS endorses the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 

desire to conserve freshwater turtles and tortoises and recommends that H.R. 1761 

expand eligible species accordingly while ensuring such action does not diminish the 

modest level of funds allocated to marine turtles. 

An analysis of annual federal spending on sea turtles reveals that the MTCF is 

extremely targeted in terms of investing where the greatest needs exist. The U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service cooperates with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA) to invest in sea turtle conservation in the United States totaling over $25 million annually compared to $1.4 million on threatened species 

globally. Should H.R. 1761 expand the jurisdiction of this program, WCS recommends that such expansion be limited to sea turtles occurring in U.S. territories 

only. 

Maintain Multinational Species Conservation Funds as an umbrella program: 

While Congress has considered each species fund authorization at different periods 

of time, collectively the MSCF program has gained name recognition widely in Congress, within multiple Administrations and among partners. The Congress has a 

30 

rare opportunity to reauthorize this program through H.R. 50, H.R 1760 and 

H.R. 1761 together under the banner of the Multinational Species Conservation 

Funds Reauthorization Act. WCS requests that H.R. 50 be amended to incorporate 

H.R. 1760 and H.R. 1761 to reflect this recommendation. This would not only ensure continuity of strategic investments but would also place these programs on the 

same reauthorization cycle. 

In conclusion, congressional action on H.R. 50, H.R 1760 and H.R. 1761, will reaffirm the leadership of the U.S. Government within the global community, underscore U.S. commitment to international treaty obligations, and encourage coordinated efforts to save the world’s global priority species. WCS urges the Subcommittee and the Congress as a whole to act quickly and positively on the reauthorization of these critical pieces of legislation. Thank you again for the opportunity to comment and to work with you on this issue. 

Mr. FLEMING. Thank you, Dr. Robinson. 

Now, Dr. Stoinski, you are now recognized for five minutes. 

STATEMENT OF TARA S. STOINSKI, PH.D., ZOO ATLANTA 

AND THE DIAN FOSSEY GORILLA FUND INTERNATIONAL 

Dr. STOINSKI. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Subcommittee 

Members, for the opportunity to testify in support of H.R. 1760, 

the Great Ape Conservation Reauthorization Amendments Act. 

I am Dr. Tara Stoinski, and I serve as the McGrath Chair of 

Conservation and Science for the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, which 

has as its mission conserving gorillas and their habitats and helping the people that share the gorillas’ forest home. I also serve as 

the Manager of Conservation Partnerships for Zoo Atlanta, which 

is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. 

Mr. Chairman, the magnificent animals listed under the Great 

Ape Conservation Act are still in great peril today. The World Conservation Union categorizes all great apes as either endangered or 

critically endangered, and their populations across the world are 

rapidly declining from a multitude of threats, which include habitat 

loss, hunting, disease, mining, forest fires and civil conflict. 

H.R. 1760 represents a congressional commitment to continue to 

address the desperate plight of the great apes. The Great Ape Conservation Act is a proven formula that promotes cooperation among 

government entities, local communities, NGO’s and the private sector. It funds on-the-ground, rapid result initiatives that can be seen 

and felt by local people. 

This is essential because it is only through local action, local education and local support that realistic solutions for saving the great 

apes can be devised and implemented. We highly recommend it be 

reauthorized at its current appropriation levels of $5 million per 

year. 

It is important to recognize that funds designated for ape conservation protect many species beyond the apes, including our own. 

Apes live almost exclusively in the tropical forests of Asia and Africa. Tropical forests cover only 7 percent of the world’s surface, yet 

they contain an estimated 50 percent of the world’s biodiversity. 

Africa’s Congo Basin, which is home to all three species of African great apes and represents 18 percent of the world’s remaining 

tropical rainforests, is estimated to contain over 10,000 species of 

plants, 1,000 species of birds and 400 species of mammals. For 

local human populations—and over 100 million people live in the 

Congo Basin alone—the forests are a source of food, shelter, water 

31 

and income. They serve as the world’s pharmacy. Roughly 25 percent of today’s medicines originated in the rainforest. 

They perform critical ecosystem services. At the local level they 

prevent soil erosion and regulate rainfall patterns. Globally they 

act as the lungs of the planet, storing carbon dioxide and releasing 

oxygen. By storing carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas, forests play a critical role in mitigating global climate change. Roughly one-fifth of greenhouse gas emissions are carbon dioxide released 

as a result of deforestation. Thus, investment by the U.S. Government and taxpayers in protecting apes and their rainforest homes 

is more than good environmental stewardship. It is an investment 

in our own future. 

I would now like to highlight how the Great Ape Conservation 

Act has helped the Fossey Fund in our mission of saving gorillas 

and helping people. Our work conserving gorillas began in Rwanda 

in 1967 when Dr. Dian Fossey founded the Karisoke Research Center to study and protect one of the two remaining populations of 

the magnificent mountain gorilla. 

Karisoke has operated continuously over the last 44 years, making it the world’s longest running gorilla conservation program, and 

the Great Ape Conservation Act has provided us with critical funding to maintain this long-term daily protection presence. 

I am extremely happy to report that our work is paying off. The 

mountain gorilla population has increased from a low of 250 individuals at Dr. Fossey’s time to 480 individuals today. This change 

of fortune for the mountain gorilla cannot be overstated. It is the 

only known wild great ape population that is increasing, and our 

scientific results clearly show that it is the high level of investment 

in protection over four decades that has enabled its remarkable recovery. 

In the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Great Ape Conservation Act funding has been instrumental in our work developing a program for community conservation outside of national 

parks in which local people manage their own natural resources 

and protect the biological heritage. Using the gorilla as a flagship 

species, nine community reserves have been established which provide gorilla and overall forest protection to an area roughly the size 

of Connecticut. This is local people doing this work. 

In both Rwanda and Eastern Congo, the Great Ape Conservation 

Act has permitted the Fossey Fund to expand our health and development activities for the local human communities that share their 

environment with the gorillas. Our activities focus on treating intestinal parasites in people that live near protected areas, rehabilitating rural health clinics, building capacity through training medical personnel and increasing human access to clean water. We estimate that over 400,000 people have benefitted from these programs. 

Our experience at the Fossey Fund is clear. We have seen that 

support from the American people to save great apes inspires and 

motivates Africans. It brings the conservation struggle to their 

doorstep and empowers them to do something meaningful for their 

forest and their communities. 

It directly links African and American hearts and minds in a 

common goal; that together we can make room on our planet for 

32 

our children, for the great apes and gorillas and for the majestic 

forests in which they live. Thank you. 

[The prepared statement of Dr. Stoinski follows:] 

Statement of Tara Stoinski, Ph.D., Pat and Forest McGrath Chair of 

Research and Conservation, The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, 

and Manager of Conservation Partnerships, Zoo Atlanta, on H.R. 1760, 

The Reauthorization of the Great Ape Conservation Act of 2011 

Thank you Mr. Chairman for the opportunity to testify this morning on this very 

important piece of legislation, H.R. 1760—the reauthorization of the Great Ape 

Conservation Act Act. 

My name is Tara Stoinski, and I am the Pat and Forest McGrath Chair of Research and Conservation at the The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund has as its mission the conservation and protection of gorillas and their 

habitats in Africa. We are committed to promoting continued research on the gorillas and their threatened ecosystems and to providing education about their relevance to the world in which we live. In collaboration with government agencies and 

other international partners, we also provide assistance to local communities 

through education, health, training and development initiatives. Our tag line is saving gorillas, helping people because we feel that only integrated solutions to conservation that intimately involve and engage the local human population will save 

gorillas and other biodiversity. 

I also serve as the Manager of Conservation Partnerships for Zoo Atlanta, which 

is a member of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA). I currently serve 

as the chair of the AZA’s Ape Taxon Advisory Group, which has oversight over all 

apes living in AZA institutions. 

AZA represents over 210 professionally-managed and accredited institutions 

which draw over 142 million visitors annually and have more than 8 million zoo and 

aquarium members. Our institutions dedicate millions of dollars annually to support 

scientific research, conservation and education programs that focus on, among other 

things, the devastating effects of the loss of vital species habitat and the illegal 

trade in endangered species parts and products. 

The Fossey Fund wishes to commend the foresight of this Subcommittee and the 

Full Committee in the establishment and maintenance of the Multinational Species 

Conservation Funds—which include African elephants, Asian elephants, rhinos, tigers, marine turtles and great apes. AZA also wishes to commend the US. Fish and 

Wildlife Service for the exemplary manner in which they have administered these 

funds. Unlike many government grants programs, this funding effort has put real 

dollars into the field in real time, with a minimum of bureaucratic delay or red-tape. 

In addition, the Service has been able to leverage these scarce Federal dollars with 

over three times that amount in matching and in-kind contributions. 

HR. 1760, reauthorization of the Great Ape Conservation Act 

Regarding the legislation before us today, I would first like to thank Congressman 

George Miller for introducing this important bill and for all of his efforts in support 

of fisheries and wildlife conservation. I would also like to extend my sincerest appreciation to you, Mr. Chairman, for your excellent leadership in this area as well. 

Mr. Chairman, the magnificent animals featured in the Great Ape Conservation 

Act of 2000 are still in great peril today. The IUCN (World Conservation Union) Red 

List categorizes all great apes as either Endangered or Critically Endangered, which 

means they face a ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ high (respectively) risk of extinction in the 

wild. Critically Endangered great apes include the Cross River gorilla subspecies 

(numbered at only 250–280 individuals), the Mountain gorilla (at 800 individuals), 

and the Sumatran orangutan (at 7334 individuals). To graphically illustrate the urgency of this situation, here are the most recent estimations concerning population 

estimates for gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, and gibbons. 

Gorilla: For the Western gorilla, including its two subspecies, the total population 

numbers between 94,500 and 110,000. For the Eastern gorilla, including its two subspecies, the total population is estimated at less than 10,000. 

Chimpanzee: The chimpanzee and the four subspecies comprising it now collectively number between 100,000 and 200,000. Chimpanzees are now extinct in 4 of 

the 25 countries they once inhabited. 

Bonobo: The bonobo only occurs in one range state—the DR Congo. Bonobo population numbers are estimated to be between 10,000 and 50,000 today. 

Orangutan: The orangutan is comprised of two species, the Bornean and Sumatran organgutan. The more numerous Bornean orangutans, including three subVerDate Nov 24 2008 11:04 Aug 08, 2012 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00036 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6621 L:\DOCS\67651.TXT Hresour1 PsN: KATHY
33 

species, number between 45,000 to 69,000. The Critically Endangered Sumatran 

orangutan is estimated at only 6,500 individuals. 

Gibbon: Twelve species of gibbons, small apes found across Southeast Asia, are 

listed on the IUCN Red List. Two species, the Hoolock gibbon and the Black gibbon, 

are classified as Endangered and two species, the Javan gibbon and the Eastern 

Black Crested gibbon are categorized as Critically Endangered. Current population 

numbers for gibbons are still unknown. 

The estimated population numbers I have listed are just that—estimates. Most 

global population estimates are extrapolated from small surveys because it is 

extremely difficult to obtain accurate population numbers and monitor trends for 

forest-dwelling animals. In some areas, civil conflict has prevented this important 

survey research. But one thing is certain: ape populations across the world are 

declining—and they are declining rapidly. 

Threats: 

Threats to the great apes are numerous. For the African species, including gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos, diseases such as Ebola hemorrhagic fever and the 

commercial bushmeat trade are, by far, the most serious threats. Ebola is only one 

of at least 100 infectious agents that are shared between humans and great apes. 

In 1994 and 1996, in northeastern Gabon, western lowland gorillas and chimpanzees were nearly wiped out during human Ebola outbreaks. In a recent epidemic 

in northwestern Congo, Ebola is blamed for over 130 human deaths and over 600 

great ape deaths—over half the great ape population for the region. 

Bushmeat is an economically important food and trade item for thousands of poor 

rural and urban families in West and Central Africa and other regions of the world. 

Virtually uncontrolled access to forest wildlife, rising demand for bushmeat, lack of 

economic options for rural communities, the absence of affordable protein substitutes, and the opening up of frontier forests have resulted in a commercial level 

trade in wildlife that is literally emptying the forests. We are facing what is now 

popularly referred to as the ‘‘Empty Forest Syndrome,’’ where the trees may be left 

standing but the endemic wildlife is long removed. And if the essential wildlife— 

the predators, the prey, the seed spreaders, the natural fertilizers—are gone, the 

question of ecological balance becomes paramount. 

However, disease and the bushmeat crisis represent only two of the many threats 

to the world’s diminishing great ape populations. Habitat loss and degradation are 

equally serious threats to the orangutans and gibbons of Southeast Asia. Until its 

recent protection, Sebangau National Park on the island of Borneo had been degraded by intensive logging. The 1995 population level of 13,000 orangutans consequently shrank to only 6,900 today, which is still one of the largest known populations. 

Added to these are the threats that plague great apes everywhere—conversion of 

habitat to agricultural lands, the illegal pet trade, mining, forest fires, and civil conflict. Exploitation of forests for commercial logging and mineral prospecting mean 

that new access routes are extended into ape habitat, leading to increased bushmeat 

hunting and capture of animals for the illegal pet trade. Degradation of forest habitat also results in small, unconnected patches that isolate ape populations from each 

other and put them at an increased risk of extinction from chance demographic factors. The capture of infant chimpanzees, orangutans, and gibbons for the pet trade 

and entertainment industry frequently involves killing the mother and other adults. 

Orangutans sold as pets can yield more than $10,000 (U.S. dollars), but it has been 

estimated that five animals die for every one that is traded. 

Underlying and exacerbating these threats is the fact that great apes have very 

slow reproductive rates. Most apes do not reach sexual maturity until between the 

ages of 8 and 15, and can only bear young every 4 to 8 years. This means that ape 

populations simply cannot recover from the devastating threats they face on a multitude of fronts. 

Mr Chairman, H.R. 1760 represents a Congressional commitment to continue to 

address the desperate plight of the great apes. The Great Ape Conservation Act is 

a proven formula designed to enhance programs for the conservation of great apes 

by assisting efforts in many worthwhile endeavors. Chief among these are: 1) to address the conflicts between humans and great apes that arise from competition for 

the same habitat; and 2) to promote cooperative projects among government entities, 

affected local communities, non-governmental organizations, or other persons in the 

private sector. These two criteria are essential because it is only through local action, local education, and local support that realistic solutions for saving the great 

apes can be devised and implemented. If one looks at the projects that have been 

funded to date under the Great Ape Conservation Fund, we see that this mandate 

34 

has been fully implemented. We highly recommend that it be reauthorized at its 

current appropriation level of $5 million. 

Programmatic Support of The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund 

The Great Ape Conservation Act has been critical in helping the Fossey Fund 

achieve its goal of saving gorillas and helping people. In the last six years, the 

Fossey Fund has received over 1.3 million dollars in funding from the Great Ape 

Conservation Act. The Fossey Fund’s work began in Rwanda in 1967 when Dr. Dian 

Fossey founded the famous Karisoke Research Center to study and protect the magnificent mountain gorilla. Karisoke has operated continuously over the last 44 

years—making it the world’s longest running gorilla conservation program—and the 

Great Ape Conservation Act has provided us with critical funding to maintain this 

long-term, daily protection presence. Our work is paying off—a census conducted in 

2010 showed that the mountain population has increased from a low of 250 individuals at Dr. Fossey’s time to 480 individuals. This change of fortune for the mountain 

gorilla cannot be understated—it is the only known wild great ape population in 

the world that is increasing, and our results clearly show that it is the high level 

of investment in protection over four decades that has enabled its remarkable 

recovery. 

The Great Ape Conservation Act has also enhanced Karisoke’s education programs focused on building conservation and science literacy and capacity in Rwanda. These programs include developing conservation curriculum for primary and secondary students, forming youth environmental clubs, supervising university students, and educating local leaders about the benefits of wildlife conservation. 

In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Great Ape Conservation Act funding 

has been instrumental in developing a grass-roots program for community conservation outside of national parks, in which local people manage their own natural resources and are empowered to protect their biological heritage. Using the gorilla as 

a flagship species, nine of these community reserves have been established, which 

provide gorilla and overall forest protection over a region of nearly 2.5 million acres, 

an area roughly the size of Connecticut. 

In both Rwanda and eastern DRC, the Great Ape Conservation Act has permitted 

the Fossey Fund to expand our health and development activities for the local communities that share their environment with the gorillas. These activities focus on 

treating intestinal parasites in humans living near protected areas; rehabilitating 

rural health clinics; building capacity through training medical personnel; and increasing access to clean water. We estimate that over 400,000 people in Rwanda and 

eastern DRC have benefited from these programs. 

It is important to recognize that funds designated for ape conservation protect 

many species beyond the apes, including our own. Apes live almost exclusively in 

the tropical forest of Asia and Africa. Tropical forests cover only 7% of the world’s 

surface yet they contain an estimated 50% of the world’s biodiversity. Africa’s Congo 

basin, which is home to all three species of African great apes and represents 18% 

of the world’s remaining tropical forests, is estimated to contain 10,000 species of 

plants, 1,000 species of birds, 700 species of fish, and 400 species of mammals. 

These complex ecosystems support not just their own biodiversity but humans as 

well. For local human populations—and over 100 million people live in the Congo 

Basin alone—they are a source of food, shelter, water and income. These forests also 

serve as the world’s pharmacy—roughly 25% of today’s medicines originated in the 

rainforest. They perform critical ecosystem services, both locally and globally. At the 

local level, they prevent soil erosion and regulate rainfall patterns. Globally, they 

act as the lungs of the planet, absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. By 

storing carbon dioxide—which is a greenhouse gas—forests play a critical in mitigating global climate change. Roughly one fifth of green house gas emissions are in 

the form carbon dioxide that is released as a result of deforestation. Thus, investment by the U.S. government and taxpayers in protecting apes and their tropical 

rainforest homes is more than good environmental stewardship; it is an investment 

in our own future. 

Our experience at the Fossey Fund is clear. We have seen that support from the 

American people for local action to save great apes inspires and motivates Africans—it brings the conservation struggle to their doorstep, focuses on an animal 

icon they themselves respect, and empowers them to do something meaningful for 

their forests, for their mountains, and for their communities. This grass-roots approach directly links African and American hearts and minds in a common goal— 

that we can make room on our planet for our children, for gorillas and other great 

apes, and for the majestic forests in which they live. 

The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund strongly supports H.R. 1760 and encourages its 

swift passage out of the Committee and movement to the House floor. 

35 

Thank you again for this opportunity to comment on this important wildlife conservation measure. 

Mr. FLEMING. Thank you, Dr. Stoinski. 

Now, Mr. Diez, you have five minutes, sir. 

STATEMENT OF CARLOS E. DIEZ, NATIONAL COORDINATOR, 

SEA TURTLE PROGRAM, DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL AND 

ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES, GOVERNMENT OF PUERTO 

RICO 

Mr. DIEZ. Good morning, Chair and Members of the Subcommittee. My name is Carlos Diez, Sea Turtle Coordinator for the 

Department of Natural Resources of Puerto Rico. I just want to 

clarify that even though I have been working in the Department 

of Natural Resources for 17 years, I have been doing sea turtle 

work since I was 14 years old as a volunteer. 

Anyway, I came here in support of the reauthorization bill for 

the Marine Turtle Conservation Act with its amendments. However, we also support the reauthorization of the two other Acts 

under review today. 

As many of you know, sea turtles have a very complicated life 

cycle. It includes different phases and migrations as seen in this 

diagram, the hatchlings swimming to the open ocean to adult females nesting on sandy beaches. During all this process, sea turtles 

inhabit or travel through many geopolitical areas or countries. 

As you can observe on these maps the trajectories of different 

species of sea turtles starting at Puerto Rico and how they migrate 

to other countries, they clearly indicate that we are dealing with 

shared resources, and our conservation efforts need to extend to 

other countries too. Therefore, the reauthorization for the Marine 

Turtle Fund is vital to the conservation of this species. 

Through these funds, conservation projects in other geopolitical 

areas such as the Dominican Republic, as an example, can be at 

least partially sponsored to assure that turtles that nest in Puerto 

Rico or any part of the U.S. are being protected. Through the 

Marine Turtle Fund, many initiatives have taken place, such as 

workshops, nest protection. We already heard some of these programs sponsored by this fund from our colleague here from Fish 

and Wildlife Service. 

In Puerto Rico, we get funding from Section 6 of the Endangered 

Species Act from the Federal agencies of Fish and Wildlife Service 

and the National Marine Fisheries Service, NMFS, which have 

been used for sea turtle conservation projects. Similar to the 

Marine Turtle Fund, we have been able to leverage almost the 

same amount of funding assigned. 

Long-term projects like the hawksbill turtles at Mona Island and 

research on the west coast of Puerto Rico have been very successful. Nesting numbers increased almost 70 percent in the last 20 

years. However, there are still threats in other areas that need our 

attention. 

As you can see in these photos, all taken last year and this year 

in Puerto Rico, threats such as human and urban development, 

ocean, et cetera, continue to endanger this species, in particular the 

36 

hawksbill turtle, which is one of the most critical endangered sea 

turtles. 

Nowadays, Section 6 of the Endangered Species Act faces major 

cuts to the point that NMFS didn’t have any funding for this coming fiscal year which, by the way, we got awarded but couldn’t get 

granted due to the lack of funding from this agency. Therefore, any 

bill, law or other initiative to be able to recover sea turtle populations abroad and at home as the Marine Turtle Fund is urgently 

needed. 

Sea turtles are important for the health of the oceans and beaches. We already heard that with our friend here, Mr. Somerhalder. 

It is the duty of the government to guarantee the well being of the 

Federal citizens. 

And even the U.S. citizens or taxpayers care about sea turtle 

conservation. I see it every day. Just two nights ago before I came 

here, residents and tourists from the States from a nearby beach 

called me and asked me to assist them in helping hatchlings get 

to the ocean. Residents from the States come every year to Puerto 

Rico to swim with turtles, observe them laying eggs and even participate in the conservation programs. 

So please, I kindly ask you to support this bill as it is submitted, 

which is not a lot of money, and really make this work and of 

course this country a little better and a happier place to be. Mucho 

gracias. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Diez follows:] 

Statement of Carlos E. Diez, Puerto Rico’s National Sea Turtle Coordinator, 

Department of Natural and Environmental Resources of Puerto Rico, on 

Re-authorization of the International Marine Turtle Conservation Fund 

My name is Carlos Diez and I am the National Coordinator for the Sea Turtle 

Program of the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources of Puerto Rico 

and also a biologist at the Endangered Species Program. In addition, I am a member of the IUCN Marine Turtle Specialist Group and National Coordinator of the 

Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network. However, today, I am here on 

behalf of the government of Puerto Rico and in support of the re-authorization bill 

for the International Sea Turtle Conservation Fund, submitted by our Resident 

Commissioner, Pedro Pierluisi and co-authors. 

As many of you already know, all species of sea turtles are threatened or endangered due to direct and indirect impacts of human intervention. For example, in 

Puerto Rico, and in many other places of the Caribbean, sea turtles are hunted for 

their meat, eggs and carapace. In other areas, sea turtles can be incidental victims 

of long-line fisheries or are severely affected by oil spills. Other sources of pollution, 

such as discarded plastics also cause significant sea turtle mortality. Even though 

these animals can produce many eggs and potentially many hatchlings, they have 

to contend with natural threats as well, such as predators and the effects of severe 

weather that can harm the beaches where the eggs are laid. In sea turtles, age of 

sexual maturity tends to be quite high (at least 16 years), so that’s why its takes 

so long for a population to recover from depressed levels. However, sea turtle populations can recover, and a good example in Puerto Rico’s case, at Mona Island, we 

have the biggest hawksbill turtle nesting rookery in the U.S. jurisdiction and the 

second largest in the insular Caribbean. When we started counting nests numbers 

in 1989 our data indicated about 250 nests per season. Last year, we counted 1400 

nests. The reason for this success were several factors, 1) an international commercial ban on hawksbill products, especially to Japan, which used to import approximately 5000 hawksbill turtles per year from the Caribbean; 2) control of domestic 

poaching by federal and state law enforcement; 3) and finally Mona Island’s conservation status as natural reserve, where development is prohibited and sea turtle 

predators such as feral pigs have been controlled. 

All these efforts were conducted in great amount thanks to the U.S. Federal government, in particular Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS). The funding provided by these two agencies allowed us to not only 

37 

protect these species, but also to understand basic information such as age to sexual 

maturity, population genetic and migration. The last one is quite important, since 

it give us the data of where these turtles were going after nesting or from where 

this turtles came from in our feeding grounds (typically reefs or sea grass beds). It 

was from saturation tagging, satellite tracking and molecular studies that we 

learned hawksbill turtles and sea turtles in general are shared resources, or a 

mixed stock in scientific terms. Our hawksbills turtles regularly migrate to countries such as Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Colombia, and potentially elsewhere 

in the Caribbean. Green turtles tagged in PR have been found traveling as far as 

Brazil and leatherbacks cross the Atlantic up to the coast of Wales, or to Canada, 

by way of New England. Conducting surveys in PR, we’ve also re-captured animals 

from other countries such as U.S. Virgin Islands, Bonaire and the Dominican Republic. It is clear that these turtles are internationally shared resources. 

Therefore, if we don’t protect sea turtles in other geo-political jurisdiction all our 

efforts at home are in vain. The International Marine Turtle Conservation Fund 

provides the mechanism to support such projects, such as the effort in the Dominican Republic, which needs funding to protect its beaches from turtle poachers; or 

in Nicaragua to make fisherman understand that the turtles they catch are not only 

theirs. By supporting projects like these, sea turtles are hugely benefited in the 

USA. The USA is a noble country, and most of its citizens enjoy helping these types 

of initiatives where the benefits to conservation are clear. 

The International Marine Turtle Conservation Fund is a method to provide other 

countries financial assistance in protecting our turtles. However, we (PR) as many 

states and other territories are in financial difficulties and many of our conservation 

programs are as well. Therefore, we support the amendment for including up to 20% 

for the territories to compete for funding in this bill. We have provided an example 

of a success story with the hawksbill turtles at Mona Island, but in PR, we have 

two more species, plus more nesting areas for hawksbill turtles that are in jeopardy. 

In mainland PR, we used to have nesting of hawksbills turtles all over, and now 

it is limited to very few areas and every year these beaches are being affected by 

tourist development, or other human related activities and of course poachers. Even 

though we have received federal funding, it always has been limited, due to our 

small area. However, we have 3 species of sea turtles and particularly the hawksbill 

which is one of the most endangered animals on Earth. Last year, even though we 

were awarded a grant in the Section 6 Program from NMFS, the program didn’t 

have funding assigned by Congress and therefore, the grant could not be awarded. 

If we try to get funding from other sources, such as European Funds, ect. . ., we 

are rejected since many of these programs don’t include USA due to our ‘‘funding 

opportunities, such as Section 6’’. Again, these days, those ‘‘other funding sources’’ 

have no funds or limited money to support any project. The actual status of the federal government, where NMFS’s Section 6 (Protected Species Program) is without 

funding, it is just an example to make us support any law or effort that could provide funding for U.S. territories to protect sea turtles. 

Finally, we, the Dept. of Natural and Environmental Resources of PR reiterate 

our support for the re-authorization bill with the amendment to include at least 20% 

of the funds for U.S. territories on behalf of the sea turtles of USA. 

Gracias! 

Mr. FLEMING. Thank you, Mr. Diez. 

Mr. Hosmer, you are next, sir. 

STATEMENT OF JOSEPH HOSMER, PRESIDENT, 

SAFARI CLUB INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION 

Mr. HOSMER. Thank you, sir. Mr. Chairman, Committee, esteemed colleagues, good morning. My name is Joe Hosmer, and I 

am very thankful for the opportunity to speak on behalf of the hunter conservation community today. I currently serve as the President of Safari Club International Foundation, SCIF. I am a lifelong hunter. It has been a family tradition for millions of years. 

We are a charitable organization that funds and manages programs dedicated to wildlife conservation, outdoor education and the 

humanitarian services. SCIF has worked tirelessly to increase wildlife management capability throughout Southern, Central and 

38 

Eastern Africa through strategic partnerships directly with African 

nations and conservation NGO’s. 

Safari Club International Foundation believes that the United 

States plays a pivotal role in international conservation. The 

United States’ continued support for international conservation 

projects is necessary both for continued growth of wildlife populations and for the stability of rural economies throughout many 

nations of Africa. For these reasons, we strongly support H.R. 50, 

the Multinational Species Conservation Fund Reauthorization Act 

of 2011. 

As an organization, we are highly committed to wildlife conservation throughout the world, but we have a particular affection and 

interest for African species. I would like to offer the hunting community’s perspective on the importance of international conservation funding. There is a tremendous return on your investment 

that rural economies realize through effective, sustainable use 

wildlife practices. Our Conservation Committee alone dedicates 

over $1 million annually to global wildlife conservation with a specific focus on conserving African species. 

We are the leader in Africa, and as such we have led the development of the African Wildlife Consultive Forum, which brings together African wildlife officials, representatives of the African professional hunter associations, CITES, international NGO’s and of 

course the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s staff. At these meetings 

we have increased collaboration for sustainable use conservation 

programs and have improved relations, which increase rural economic development around sustainable use hunting. 

Our speakers today have touched on the incredible impact that 

conservation funds have made for wildlife populations. I would like 

to speak specifically about the impact on rural economies and the 

conservation of these species. 

The role of sport hunting today in many developing countries is 

vital to the very survival of these communities. Using Southern Africa as a simple example, sport hunting has been one of the main 

economic engines in the rural communities. In many countries in 

Southern Africa, the land is just not suitable for agricultural use 

or grazing. In these areas, regulated hunting has been historic for 

the revenue of these local communities. 

To take better advantage of sustainable wildlife use, many governments have begun community-based natural resource programs. 

These programs in essence devolve the power of the central government so that locally created community councils can regulate and 

manage wildlife in their own areas. The mission is to utilize wildlife so that it remains a sustainable resource within their community. 

These community programs have been successful because they 

effectively create a financial incentive for the rural communities to 

actively conserve wildlife. Revenue retention schemes ensure that 

money generated from sport hunting ends up directly in the hands 

of the indigenous population. 

Particularly in Africa, creating an incentive to co-exist with wildlife has been a central reason why many populations of species are 

now thriving. The growing population of white rhino has been one 

39 

of the most notable success stories as pointed out earlier today by 

a committee member. 

Unsurprisingly, in the countries like Kenya where wildlife utilization by indigenous people is extremely limited and where hunting does not exist, wildlife population levels are now low and in 

continuous decline. Trophy hunting in Kenya was banned in 1977, 

and this ban has resulted directly in an accelerated loss of wildlife 

due to the removal of incentives for conservation. 

As an organization, SCIF has not directly used the funds available through authorization. However, organizations that we partner with in providing matching grants have been recipients of 

funds from the Fish and Wildlife Service. The investments that the 

U.S. Government has made through the Multinational Species Conservation Funds are necessary. They both provide stability for ongoing wildlife conservation investments from other organizations 

such as us and from hunters who travel. 

H.R. 50 certainly provides significant and measurable success. 

Mr. Chairman, that is the answer to your question. It provides significant and measurable successes for a very small investment in 

our Federal dollars. I appreciate your time. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Hosmer follows:] 

Statement of Joseph Hosmer, President, Safari Club International 

Foundation, on H.R. 50, Multinational Species Conservation Funds Reauthorization Act of 2011 

Good morning, my name is Joe Hosmer, and I am very thankful for the opportunity to speak on behalf of the hunter-conservation community today. 

The Safari Club International Foundation (SCIF) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that funds and manages programs dedicated to wildlife conservation, outdoor 

education, and humanitarian services. Since 2000, SCIF has provided in excess of 

$50 million in support to these causes around the world. SCIF has worked tirelessly 

to increase wildlife management capability throughout Southern and Eastern Africa 

through strategic partnerships with African nations and conservation NGOs. 

Currently, SCIF participates on the steering committee of the Multinational Species Conservation Fund Coalition and SCIF has participated as a member of the 

Multinational Species Coalition for well over 10 years. In our current role on the 

coalition, we assist in providing grassroots support for the species conservation 

funds. 

Safari Club International Foundation believes that the United States plays a pivotal role in international conservation. We further believe that the United States’ 

continued support for international conservation projects is necessary, both for the 

continued growth of wildlife populations, and for the stability of rural economies 

throughout many nations of Africa. For these reasons the Safari Club International 

Foundation strongly supports H.R. 50, the Multinational Species Conservation 

Funds Reauthorization Act of 2011. 

As an organization, SCIF is highly committed to wildlife conservation throughout 

the world, but we have a particular affection and interest for African wildlife 

species. I would like to offer the hunting community’s perspective on the importance 

of investing in conservation funding internationally. There is a tremendous return 

on investment that rural economies realize through effective sustainable use practices for wildlife management. 

SCIF’s Conservation Committee dedicates over a million dollars annually to global 

wildlife conservation, with a specific focus on conserving African species. SCIF’s 

leadership in Africa has led to the development of the African Wildlife Consultative 

Forum, which brings together African wildlife officials, representatives of the African professional hunter associations, international NGO’s and the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Services staff. At these meetings we have increased collaboration for sustainable use conservation programs, and we have improved relations to increase 

rural economic development around sustainable hunting. 

Other speakers today will touch on the incredible impact that the conservation 

funds have made for wildlife populations. I would like to speak specifically about 

40 

the impact on rural economies that sustainable use and conservation of these 

species can have. 

The role of sport hunting today in many developing countries is vital to the very 

survival of communities. Using southern Africa as an example, sport hunting has 

been one of the main economic engines in rural communities. In many countries of 

southern Africa, agrarian or pastoral economies cannot flourish, due to limited land 

suitable for agriculture or grazing. In these areas, regulated sport hunting has been 

a consistent form of revenue for local communities. To take better advantage of sustainable wildlife use, many governments have begun Community Based Natural Resources Programs. These programs, in essence, devolve power from the central government so that locally created community councils can regulate and manage wildlife in their areas. Their mission is to utilize wildlife so that it remains a sustainable resource for their community. 

Successful community based programs have been developed across Africa including, but not limited to, Communal Areas Management Program for Indigenous Resources, otherwise known as CAMPFIRE, in Zimbabwe; Living In a Finite Environment, known as LIFE in Namibia; and other programs in Zambia, Botswana and 

Tanzania. rural communities to actively conserve wildlife. Revenue retention 

schemes ensure that money generated from sport hunting ends up in the hands of 

indigenous people. In the case of sport hunting in southern Africa, communities in 

the most rural portions of countries reap the benefit of conserving wildlife through 

Community Based Natural Resource Programs. 

Here are some facts and figures on the positive economic impact that sport hunting has in Africa. 1. International hunting by 18,500 hunters generates $200 million USD annually in remote rural areas of Africa in 23 countries. Private hunting operations conserve wildlife on 540,000 square miles, which is 22% more land 

mass than is found in all the national parks of Africa. (Lindsey, Conservation 

Biology, 2007) 

2. ‘‘Hunting is of key importance to conservation in Africa by creating [financial] incentives to promote and retain wildlife as a land use over vast 

areas. . .’’ (National Geographic News, March, 2007) 

3. In Namibia, 29 conservancies involve almost 150,000 rural individuals 

through trophy hunting, conservancy management or secondary industries. 

(Weaver, C.L. & Skyer, P. 2003.) 

4. The Zambian Wildlife Authority works with safari operators to ensure that 

as part of their contract they must develop and manage roads, employ Zambian Professional Hunters or Apprentice Hunters, ensure that a minimum of 

80% of labor comes from neighboring communities, develop local infrastructure, notably schools, clinic and wells, and employ Zambian game scouts to 

manage wildlife and poaching. (Kampamba, G. 2005.) 

5. International hunting employs approximately 3,700 people annually in Tanzania. (www.tanzania.go.tz/) and supports over 88,000 families (Hurt & Ravn 

2000) 

Particularly in Africa, creating an incentive to coexist with wildlife has been a 

central reason why so many populations of species are now thriving. Elephants, 

rhinos and lions are the best examples of this dynamic at work. Of the 23 southern 

African nations that have regulated hunting, an overall trend of positive species 

population growth has been reported. The growing population of white rhino has 

been one of the most notable success stories. Unsurprisingly, in countries like 

Kenya, where wildlife utilization by indigenous people is extremely limited and 

where hunting does not exist, wildlife population levels are now low and in continuous decline. Trophy hunting in Kenya was banned in 1977 and this ban has resulted in an accelerated loss of wildlife due to the removal of incentives for conservation (Baker 1997; Lewis & Jackson 2005). 

As an organization, SCIF has not directly utilized the funds made available 

through the authorizing legislation. However, organizations that SCIF has 

partnered with in providing matching grants have been recipients of funding from 

the FWS. 

The investments that the U.S. government has made through the multination 

species conservation funds are necessary. They provide stability and continuity for 

ongoing wildlife conservation investments from other organizations, and from the 

hunters who travel to Africa. The MSCF certainly provides significant and measurable successes for a very small investment of federal dollars. 

I appreciate the opportunity to speak before the subcommittee today. 

Mr. FLEMING. Thank you, Mr. Hosmer. 

41 

At this point, we will begin Member questions of witnesses. To 

allow all Members to participate and to ensure we can hear from 

all of our witnesses today, Members are limited to five minutes for 

their questions. However, if Members have additional questions we 

can have more than one round of questioning and usually do. I now 

recognize myself for five minutes. 

Mr. Hosmer, I greatly admire the work of the Safari Club, also 

Ducks Unlimited. I love the concept of the buy-in, sort of a Teddy 

Roosevelt conservation that is to say. Hunters have really the largest stake in conservation than anyone. Fishermen as well. And so 

I love the concept and I love the fact that private matching money 

far exceeds Federal money. I think that is definitely the right 

thing. 

However, this country is broke. Now we borrow 40 cents of every 

dollar that we spend. So the question is to you, sir, and really to 

everyone in this country. How can we afford to continue funding 

these programs, considering our dire financial situation? 

Mr. HOSMER. One of the benefits of the Multinational Species 

Conservation Fund is that they specifically work to solicit matching 

grants from NGO’s and other donors, and that is a key element to 

this. 

The relatively small investment by the U.S. taxpayer is multiplied by the private donations that make significant impact for 

rural economies in some of the most impoverished parts of the 

world. You don’t have this advantage in a lot of opportunity. You 

know, what you are doing is great and it echoes around the world. 

Mr. FLEMING. Do you see a time when we can do this completely, 

100 percent privately in terms of funding? 

Mr. HOSMER. I think the seed money gives it a credibility. I think 

it gives it an important credibility that helps to leverage. 

From the business world, if you get a big corporate sponsor then 

you can usually pick up a number of small ones, and this is no different. The U.S. Governments gives it great status. 

Mr. FLEMING. All right. Sure. Thank you. 

Ms. Saito, for Fiscal Year 2012 the Obama Administration requested $9.7 million for the five Multinational Species Conservation Funds managed by your International Affairs Office. What was 

the justification for this funding level? 

Ms. SAITO. Mr. Chairman, the budget is usually developed taking 

into consideration the Service’s, the Department’s, and the 

President’s priorities. 

And while the Multinational Species Conservation Program is 

meritorious, it is considered among all other priorities and program 

needs of the larger organization and so what Congress is able to 

appropriate for these funds, we try to make the most effective use 

of them. 

Mr. FLEMING. OK. All right. Thank you. 

Dr. Stoinski, what is the current conservation status of the five 

species of great apes that are eligible to receive funding under the 

Great Ape Conservation Fund? 

Dr. STOINSKI. They are all considered endangered, which means 

that they are considered to have a very high risk of extinction in 

the near future or critically endangered, which means that the risk 

is even more great. 

42 

Western gorillas are labeled as critically endangered, Eastern gorillas as endangered. Sumatran orangutan are critically endangered. Bornean orangutans are endangered, Chimpanzees are endangered and bonobos are endangered. 

I21Mr. FLEMING. OK. Again, a similar question. The Obama Ad- ministration requested $1.9 million for the Great Ape Conservation 

Fund in Fiscal Year 2012. Break down how you would spend these 

funds. 

Dr. STOINSKI. I think from our experience and what we have 

seen in Africa, a critical element is having boots on the ground, is 

employing local Africans, local people to provide the protection that 

these animals need. 

Most of these countries do not have enough funds to adequately 

outfit their national parks with rangers that go and do the 

antipoaching patrols, that guard these areas from the poachers 

that we have heard about. And so I think a significant portion of 

that funding goes to provide those boots on the ground, and at the 

same time it is a significant source of employment for people in 

these rural areas, which often suffer from very high levels of unemployment. 

Mr. FLEMING. OK. Thank you. All right. My time is about up, so 

I will yield to the gentleman, the Ranking Member. 

Mr. SABLAN. Thank you very much, Chairman Fleming. 

Ms. Saito, Chairman Fleming just asked you how the Administration justifies the funding request for the Multinational Species 

Conservation Fund. Let me ask you the other side of the question. 

How do these cuts, because there will be cuts in the money, a 

19 percent cut. How would the cuts impact wildlife conservation on 

the ground in terms of the number of wildlife populations, species, 

range states and projects supported? 

Ms. SAITO. Congressman, thank you for that question. The way 

that we manage the funds is that we identify priorities for the various species because we are aware of the needs, and many countries will submit proposals. We don’t know in advance how many 

proposals we are going to get from any one country, so it is difficult 

to respond to what this would do to the range countries. 

In terms of the funding cuts, we would be able to fund only a 

fewer number of projects. We try to focus on the projects that have 

the highest priorities of the species needs, and also we will consider 

whether or not there are matching funds to maximize dollars that 

we have. 

Mr. SABLAN. All right. Thank you. Let me go to Mr. Somerhalder. 

Ian. 

Mr. SOMERHALDER. That is easier. 

Mr. SABLAN. What do you hear from Americans about why the 

international wildlife conservation is important to them? 

Mr. SOMERHALDER. What I hear, and typically this is coming 

from a younger generation, a very important one, is that species 

conservation is without a doubt extremely important by virtue of 

several things. One of them is what I learned in Trinidad and Tobago is these turtles are worth more alive than they are dead. People pay to go see these turtles. 

It props up local economies, provides protection for the species, 

brings people out of the Stone Age effectively—no offense—by 

43 

building hospitals and schools. There is a direct economic impact 

for the loss of these species, and it is, from what I gather from 

whom I speak to often and many, that it is invariably important 

to them. What is it going to cost us down the road? Well, it is going 

to be exponentially more. 

Mr. SABLAN. Thank you. Mr. Robinson, if I may, sir? Can you tell 

us? Can you provide us with an example of how the Multinational 

Species Conservation Funds contribute to our national security by 

maybe stabilizing war-torn areas and providing jobs for people who 

might otherwise be hostile to the United States? 

Dr. ROBINSON. Thank you. Thank you for that question. Let me 

just give an example from South Sudan. The Multinational Species 

Conservation Funds supported a survey of elephant populations in 

South Sudan in 2004. One of the consequences of that survey was 

a discovery of the largest mammal migration in Africa, a migration 

which probably was larger than the Serengeti migration. 

That justified the Government of South Sudan, a newly independent nation, of allocating and putting as a high priority the protection of those wildlife resources. At the same time, it was sitting 

with tens of thousands of people under arms following a 20 year 

war. 

The U.S., of course, has got strong strategic interests in South 

Sudan and in their independence. This survey and the recognition 

of the conservation value of this migration was critically important 

in taking a significant number of those people under arms and 

moving them through ranger training. 

So we have taken a strong presence and reallocated their effort 

into conservation and into much better governance and a much 

more stable rural countryside, and I think that is very much in our 

U.S. strategic interest. 

Mr. SABLAN. My time has come, Mr. Chairman, but I would like 

to say that growing up I once told my daughter actually that we 

are related to the apes, and she asked me which side of the family, 

mine or her mother’s? So the mother said no, it is your dad’s family, but thank you. 

Mr. FLEMING. I thank the gentleman. I won’t weigh in on that. 

We have had similar discussions in my family. Thank you. 

Let us see. Next up is Mr. Faleomavaega, the gentleman from 

Samoa. 

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I want to 

commend the members of the panel for their most eloquent statements this morning. 

I have been listening very closely in terms of the testimonies, 

and, first of all, I definitely want to commend Mr. Ian Somerhalder 

for the tremendous job that you are doing not only with your foundation, but with your commitment in conservation. 

Mr. SOMERHALDER. Thank you very much. 

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. It was last year that another one of your 

colleagues, Mr. Pierce Brosnan, was also here and wanted to save 

the whales. I think you should do more to encourage more of your 

colleagues in the acting industry to be involved. 

Mr. SOMERHALDER. I shall. 

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I have always said the good Lord must have 

some reason for having these animals to be with us on this planet. 

44 

It is certainly not to kill them. I have a very real, soft spot in my 

heart making sure that we do these things. 

I do want to commend you, Mr. Chairman. You have been very 

gracious. I thought that maybe you would have at least one or two 

witnesses that would seriously question the budgetary allocations 

in terms of why we should be spending money for these kinds of 

projects and saving animals, but you have been very gracious. I 

was looking forward to maybe one of the witnesses would come out 

slashing and cutting and saying that we don’t need the money to 

do this kind of activity. 

I would like to ask Ms. Saito, and again I am not a mathematician, Ms. Saito, but for every dollar that we spend for the conservation efforts that these three pieces of legislation provide, what does 

it do positively for the world community as far as these animals? 

Why should we save these animals? 

Ms. SAITO. Thank you, Mr. Congressman, for that question. I 

think we have good reasons for wanting to save these animals. One 

of the things that Congressman Miller mentioned was that these 

funds really help the recipients help manage their own resources, 

which we think is really important. 

A lot of the recipients of these awards, some of them are willing 

to risk their lives, put their lives on the line in order to protect 

these species. In Virunga National Park—that is one of Africa’s oldest parks—160 rangers have lost their lives protecting the wildlife 

in that park. 

Their only concern is that they have to leave their wives and 

their families without any support. They don’t get any support 

from their government, so they are concerned about that, but yet 

they carry on because they really believe that protecting these animals is so important. 

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. And I know again from the side of understanding and trying to appreciate this in terms of what kind of 

commitment these countries have themselves, I appreciate the fact 

that some of these people at the risk of their lives would do these 

kinds of things to preserve or to save these animals. 

And realizing too the economics of some of these countries are so 

poor. They just don’t have the resources to do the kind of things 

that we are able to do. That also raises a question of problems as 

to why should we be doing this? Why don’t these countries themselves be committed, as committed as we are? We don’t have elephants here in America. We don’t have gorillas here in America. 

Why should we be committed in doing the very thing that other 

countries don’t seem to be at all concerned? Or maybe they are concerned, but I think it comes down to the point where they just don’t 

have the resources to do the work. Am I wrong on this? 

Ms. SAITO. That is correct. Many countries do not have the skills 

to manage their own wildlife, and I think the Multinational Species 

Conservation Funds really puts an emphasis on capacity building 

in those areas, helping these countries gain the skills they need. 

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I am sorry, Ms. Saito. My time is going to 

get a little close. 

Ms. SAITO. OK. 

Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I just want to say thank you, and I want to 

commend Mr. Diez. I know something about turtles because I am 

45 

from the islands myself. It is the most beautiful experience of being 

with these beautiful animals. 

The bottom line, Mr. Chairman and to our distinguished witnesses, is we have a moral obligation to save and to do everything 

that we can to conserve and to preserve these beautiful animals, 

and I yield back. 

Mr. FLEMING. I thank the gentleman. Next is the gentlelady from 

Guam. 

Ms. BORDALLO. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I will 

begin my questions, but before I do I would like to state my strong 

support for the three bills before the Committee today, the Multinational Species Conservation Funds Reauthorization, the Great 

Ape Conservation Reauthorization and the Marine Turtle Conservation Reauthorization Act. 

I have always been a strong advocate for wildlife preservation 

here in the United States and around the world, and the passage 

of these bills will ensure the United States continue to exert the 

leadership on multinational conservation issues. 

I want to thank both you, Mr. Chairman, and of course our 

Ranking Member, Mr. Sablan, for calling this important hearing 

today, and I also want to thank our distinguished witnesses for 

your testimony in support of these matters. 

My first question is to Ms. Saito. Does the Department support 

the approach of permitting grants for marine turtle conservation 

projects in the U.S. territories? It seems to me to mean increased 

competitiveness for the grants, maximizing the return on the dollar 

for the program and allows for appropriate cooperation in protecting these migratory species. So does the Department see it this 

way? 

Ms. SAITO. Congresswoman, thank you for that question. In our 

testimony, written testimony, we did address that; that the Department would support having 20 percent of the funds go for freshwater turtles, but we would like to see that being used worldwide, 

not just for U.S. freshwater turtles. 

Ms. BORDALLO. Thank you. That is on the record. All right. 

My second question or my third is to Mr. Diez. One reason we 

propose expanding the scope of the Marine Turtle Conservation 

Program to include the United States and the territories is the 

mere fact that turtles nest on the shorelines of all the U.S. territories, as well as the coastal states and the Gulf of Mexico from 

South Padre Island in Texas to the Florida Keys, Puerto Rico, the 

U.S. Virgin Islands and of course Guam and all of the other territories. 

We join 27 different nation states geographically in the Caribbean Sea, and this fact emphasizes the importance of international 

cooperation in species conservation. Sea turtles are highly migratory, and partnerships between the governments of the Caribbean 

Islands are crucial for across-the-board efforts. 

Puerto Rico positions the U.S. to be a leader in the Caribbean. 

Can you enlighten the Subcommittee, Mr. Diez, on the partnerships that the Puerto Rico Government has formed with neighboring islands and countries? This happens to be a question that 

Mr. Pierluisi asked me to ask. 

46 

Mr. DIEZ. Thank you. Definitely. Puerto Rico, as you mentioned, 

we are kind of one of the Greater Antilles so we share this resource 

with the other islands. As you have seen in my presentation, it is 

evident that turtles from Puerto Rico go to different places in the 

Caribbean. 

Indeed, our agency has established several programs, collaborative programs with neighbor countries such as the Dominican Republic. Just a few weeks ago we were there, invited by the Dominican Republic to conduct workshops and train technicians. In the 

past we have also been collaborating with other countries such as 

Panama and Bonaire, Lesser Antilles. 

So we have been very active in doing that, but again the reason 

we want this reauthorization bill is because we need to continue 

sponsoring this type of measures. Some of these countries, they 

have some money, but we need to match them up to be able to complete the program. But definitely we are working on that with the 

few financial funding that we have. 

Ms. BORDALLO. Thank you. Thank you very much. 

I have a question for John Robinson, Dr. Robinson. On Tuesday 

of this week an art dealer in Philadelphia was charged with smuggling in about a ton of ivory, representing hundreds of poached African elephants. How does the Multinational Species Conservation 

Fund contribute to stopping wildlife crime? 

Dr. ROBINSON. Maybe my answer could reflect and just focus on 

elephants indeed because the Multinational Species Conservation 

Funds directly support a lot of law enforcement monitoring at sites 

where elephants occur. 

They support information gathering by informant networks in 

surrounding communities, information which tends to flow to government agencies in various countries, and the funds support interdiction efforts not directly, but the interdiction efforts of a lot of national level government agencies, so very much directly supporting 

law enforcement that deals with the international wildlife trade. 

Ms. BORDALLO. Thank you. Thank you very much. I want to 

thank the Chairman. I am sitting in the Ranking position now so 

I asked him for a little bit more time, so I thank you very much 

and I yield back. 

Mr. FLEMING. The gentlelady yields back. Next is Mr. Miller, the 

gentleman from California. 

Mr. MILLER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank all of 

the witnesses for their participation and for their testimony and for 

their support. I have just a couple of questions. 

One, Dr. Robinson, you suggested that you would like to see this 

one authorization, the three programs moved together. Is that consistent with the rest of the members of the panel? Does anybody 

have an objection to that? 

[No response.] 

Mr. MILLER. Thank you. It probably makes for an easier administration in the sense of how you spend your resources efficiently 

if we were to do that. 

Mr. Hosmer, I want to thank you very much for being here this 

morning on behalf of the Safari Club. I said I was in Kenya. I was 

actually in Zimbabwe with the Campfire Program when I was 

spending time with the antipoaching forces there. I supported 

47 

Campfire from the inception and think that it has made some positive changes. So thank you very much for being here. 

Mr. Somerhalder, thank you so much for being here. I think one 

of the great strengths of these programs—I wear another hat in 

Congress, and that is I am the senior Democrat on the Education 

Committee. These programs also provide a great education platform for young people in our schools, about introduction to sciences, 

a whole range of sciences that they never saw were interconnected, 

but in the materials that are produced are really quite remarkable. 

I had the opportunity to be at the Bronx Zoo and watch the education programs on site at the Bronx Zoo, but then go into the 

science high school in Harlem and see the science programs that 

were developed there and biology and zoology and seeing young 

people knit all of this together, so that is one of the spinoffs that 

we see on this side of the Atlantic, if you will, that is really very, 

very exciting, and the real-time presentation of what is going on in 

the field is also I think very, very exciting. 

I have to say, Mr. Chairman, obviously we are concerned about 

demonstrating the benefits and any kind of cost/ benefit analysis. 

Something else happens here too that I see maybe a little bit more 

domestically sometimes within the National Fish and Wildlife 

Foundation, but very often if you go to somebody and say I am 

from the Federal government here and I want to talk to you about 

the use of your lands or what we might do here for wetlands or 

what have you, you don’t get a good response. 

But we have also created a whole range of intermediaries, whether it is Ducks Unlimited or California Waterfowl or different organizations or Fossey Foundation where they have created a number 

of people who can make other points of contact and talk to people 

I don’t mean in the same language as in language-language, but in 

the context of culture and in the context of heritage and in the context of history. 

Very often what we have seen, certainly in creating habitat in 

the Central Flyway and the Western Flyway, is people have 

stepped up and said I will do you one better. If I can do this in 

my family’s name and we can live here as long as we are here, you 

can have it all. Just do it in the name. We want to do this for the 

flyways or what have you. 

So there are really all of these other interactions that take place 

that it is hard to describe a value to, but when the Government of 

South Sudan that has a million things on their mind, somebody 

has to find a way to ask them a question so they can respond in 

real time because you have to have the answer now. I think that 

is what we are seeing here. 

So as much as the U.S. Government brings its credibility, it 

brings its stability, it creates other avenues where you may not 

want the government asking that question or people won’t respond 

to it because of the politics. That is one of the exciting things that 

I have seen on the ground over the years with these organizations. 

Yes, there are some very wealthy people that give huge amounts 

of money to all of these organizations, but they also want to see 

us have some skin in the game and the organizational aspects that 

the government brings or the foundations bring to this. 

48 

So this to me has always been the most exciting. I wish I could 

do some of this more so in Education in terms of leverage and involvement, one of the most exciting things I have seen develop in 

the Federal government in my time here because of the resources. 

The idea that Ian—I will use his first name here. That he would 

have the ability to transmit to another generation the magnificence 

and the importance of these species and the care of these species 

and the responsibility. All of those words are very important in the 

rest of their lives, but if they can figure out the responsibility and 

the care and the importance here that is a huge gift that this poor, 

old eight-ball there didn’t know he was getting involved in, but it 

is quite remarkable I think if we can see it. 

You know, you think about Hyatt or Hilton. Gee, if they locate 

and people can swim with the turtles or something they would 

think they have a gold mine. Let us remember, these are economic 

engines for these nations in many ways, and I think that was the 

point of Campfire. It sounds like a very strange tradeoff, but at 

that time there wasn’t anything else going on at that moment in 

Zimbabwe. Actually everything that was going on was wrong in 

terms of the interest of these species. 

So this is a crazy quilt that has been knit together with this really small pot of Federal resources, but an exciting one. 

Thank you. You have been very generous with your time, Mr. 

Chairman. I hope we can work together to get this legislation to 

the Floor and to the President’s desk. Thank you so very much for 

your interest and your concern. 

Mr. FLEMING. I thank the gentleman. Certainly I think there is 

a consensus that probably the best leverage of Federal dollars that 

certainly I have seen is what happens in these programs. No question about it. You get two for one with private dollars, and we get 

tremendous benefits from what is relatively a low amount of expenditures compared to everything else. Everything around here 

starts with a B or a T. It is always nice to see one that starts with 

an M. 

We have just a few more questions, so if you will hang with us 

for just another brief round? I want to follow up on what Ms. 

Bordallo was referring to, and that is that a ton of ivory was confiscated. How many elephants is represented by a ton of ivory? Is 

there any calculus on that? 

Dr. ROBINSON. Of course, it depends a little bit on the size of the 

tusk, but we are probably dealing with a couple hundred animals. 

Mr. FLEMING. OK. So that is a remarkable number. Now, I 

haven’t traveled in Asia since the late 1970s, but I remember both 

in Hong Kong and also mainland China and other places virtually 

any retail store you went to there was a tremendous amount of 

ivory and beautiful ivory pieces that had been formed and fashioned into very decorative items. Would I see that today if I traveled in Asia? 

Dr. ROBINSON. You would actually see a fair bit of it. A lot of it 

probably would be illegal, although meant to be illegal. The amount 

of ivory carving though is significantly less than it once was. 

There have been one-off sales of confiscated ivory from range 

state countries. That is legal. So there is a fair bit of ivory still on 

the market and still a fair bit of ivory being carved. 

49 

Mr. FLEMING. Because obviously as long as there is a market for 

it there is going to be a drive because ultimately it is a financial 

equation for many. 

What about the buy-in from other countries? You know, we are 

contributing. We have certainly our private partners in this. We 

have the countries themselves cooperating with us. What about 

other countries that can afford to help out? Are we getting buy-in 

from them? Anyone? 

Dr. ROBINSON. I am sorry to keep monopolizing these answers. 

What we are seeing actually in a number of countries is the very 

fact that the U.S. Government involvement in some of these efforts 

is really triggering a recognition that wildlife conservation is 

hugely important. 

I have just come back from Thailand where the government is 

doing some very, very significant antipoaching against tiger poaching. There is a level of commitment that we have never seen in the 

past, and I think it is related directly to exactly these issues. 

Mr. FLEMING. So you would feel and your suggestion is that if 

the U.S. were to for some reason not be involved other countries 

that are today would perhaps not be involved or disengage in some 

way? 

Dr. ROBINSON. Yes. I mean, the tiger issue is actually a very important one. The Multinational Species Conservation Fund supported tiger conservation at a time when tiger conservation was not 

in vogue. 

There was significant pickup politically around the world. There 

was the St. Petersburg Tiger Summit that was hosted by Prime 

Minister Putin in November, and yet the intellectual imprint of the 

U.S. in pushing forward tiger conservation is significant and continuing. The U.S. was not an official partner at that summit, but 

our fingerprints were all over it. 

Mr. FLEMING. OK. I thank the gentleman. I yield then to Ms. 

Bordallo for her questioning. 

Ms. BORDALLO. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for allowing a second round here. 

I would like to add to what the Chairman talked about, ivory 

being sold, figurines, jewelry. When I first came to Guam, my 

home, right after the war I did see a lot of ivory in stores, but you 

don’t see as much as you did in those days, and that was way back 

in 1948, 1949, 1950. 

But when I was Chair of this particular Committee in the last 

Congress, one of our witnesses was the CEO of Tiffany’s, and because there is a lot of concern about destroying coral—we had a 

number of bills that we were hearing—he came to testify. Tiffany’s 

today does not sell any coral jewelry. 

So I think if we get out there and try to talk to some of these 

people they would suspend selling this precious like ivory, coral 

and other things, but I just wanted to add that to what you were 

talking about. 

I do have a question for Director Saito. Some have criticized 

these conservation funds as an unwise use of taxpayers’ money. 

However, I understand these programs are able to significantly leverage their resources with outside matching funds. 

50 

So could you speak to the value and the effectiveness of these 

species conservation funds, particularly with regard to other conservation programs? 

Ms. SAITO. May I ask for a clarification when you reference other 

conservation programs? 

Ms. BORDALLO. That is correct. 

Ms. SAITO. Any conservation programs? 

Ms. BORDALLO. Any. 

Ms. SAITO. OK. I think that one of the real values of the Multinational Species Funds is that we are able to have private/public 

partnerships that have really worked well, and these private partnerships have brought money to the table at a rate of roughly $1 

is matched with another $1.50, so you are seeing many organizations chipping in money to help fund these projects. 

When we have a call for proposals we are looking for proposals 

that have matching funding attached to them because that is another way that we can leverage the funds, the few funds that we 

have, so this is a really important feature of the Multinational Species Conservation Funds. 

Ms. BORDALLO. Thank you. For Dr. Robinson again, can you provide an example of how the Multinational Species Conservation 

Funds supports United States development goals by improving 

local livelihoods, health and opportunities for women and youth? 

Dr. ROBINSON. I think there is a pretty tight correlation between 

wildlife and human livelihoods. Wildlife can provide benefits, and 

Mr. Diez gave some very nice examples of sea turtles providing 

benefits in Puerto Rico. Wildlife also is a threat sometimes to 

human livelihoods, and some of the conservation funds have been 

used to deal with the conflict actually between wildlife and people 

in landscapes. 

Elephants, for instance, have a very strong negative impact on 

crops if those crops are near protected areas, and the funds have 

supported a whole range of programs aimed at mitigating the impact, mitigating that conflict between elephants and people. Once 

you can mitigate that impact and actually generate benefits from 

the elephant conservation then people support that elephant conservation, and of course that has direct impacts on livelihoods. It 

has especially direct impact on women who do much of the work 

in those agricultural landscapes. 

Ms. BORDALLO. Thank you very much, Doctor. 

And one last question, which I am sure that all of us are very 

curious about, and it is for Ian Somerhalder. How did you come to 

care about international wildlife conservation? 

Mr. SOMERHALDER. Thank you for that question. I am from the 

Gulf Coast of Louisiana, and due to when you grow up in an ecosystem as delicate as that you obviously learn a very quick appreciation. It is familial. It is environmental. 

In the wake of the BP oil spill last year I realized that the balance that we are all hanging in has gotten to a point where it is 

so drastic and somewhat dire that I could not sit around and watch 

anymore. It is much better to be proactive. 

I understand that I have such a youth outreach component, so 

if you can create generational change, if you can instill in youth 

what we are all talking about right now, then I think what you 

51 

have is an entire new generation of sort of foot soldiers of conservation. 

When you make young people understand that clean air, water, 

food and medicine are not only just national security risks to the 

United States, but to every nation, to every family and essentially 

every person. 

Ms. BORDALLO. Well, thank you very much, and thank you, Mr. 

Chairman, for allowing me a few extra questions. 

T1Mr. FLEMING. OK. I thank the gentleman. Mr. Miller? 

Mr. MILLER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. You have been very generous with your time. 

I would just like to ask unanimous consent that a letter from Dr. 

Jane Goodall in support of this legislation be made a part of this 

hearing record. 

Mr. FLEMING. OK. Without objection, so ordered. 

Mr. MILLER. Thank you. 

[The letter from Dr. Goodall follows:] 

Statement of Jane Goodall, Ph.D., DBE, Founder, 

The Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace 

Dear Chairman Fleming and Members of the Subcommittee: 

Thank you for inviting me to testify at this very important hearing. While my 

schedule unfortunately prevents me from speaking in person today, I am grateful 

for the opportunity to submit this statement in strong support of Congressman 

George Miller’s legislation, H.R. 1760, ‘‘The Great Ape Conservation Reauthorization Amendments Act of 2011.’’ 

The Great Ape Conservation Fund, established by this Act, has supported numerous successful projects to address the protection of apes, including gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees, bonobos and gibbons. 

But there is still a great deal to be done if we are to stop, or even slow, their 

march towards extinction. 

Since its creation, the Great Ape Conservation Fund has supported enormously 

efficient and cost effective programs. Of course, a dollar goes a lot further in many 

developing countries than it does in the U.S. But even more significant is the fact 

that a relatively small amount of federal investment in the fund has leveraged a 

great deal of public and private contributions. 

In large part due to the support of the U.S. government, the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) has been able to attract additional funding from a variety of other sources 

in the U.S. and in foreign countries. For example, U.S. funds have helped JGI pioneer a successful program in Tanzania to address deforestation by working with 

local communities. This U.S. commitment led the Royal Norwegian Embassy in 2009 

to award JGI a $2.7 million grant to expand this work to a much larger chimpanzee 

habitat to the south. Without the leverage from U.S. support, we could not pursue 

the integrated approach to conservation that we know is the only hope for saving 

chimpanzees and a host of other species. We are able to help local communities living near chimpanzee habitat make a living in ways that do not destroy the forest 

and improve their lives so that they do not transmit disease to the chimpanzees. 

This approach is good for the chimpanzees, for the local communities and, indeed, 

for all of us. 

As the threats to great apes mount, the need for support far outstrips the amount 

of funding available. 

Habitat loss from the extraction of lumber, minerals and other natural resources 

for the manufacture of commercial products; rapidly increasing local populations 

who are struggling to survive; hunting for the commercial, illegal bushmeat and pet 

trades; human-wildlife conflicts; and outbreaks of deadly disease are some of the 

gravest pressures facing great apes. 

Yet, the potential benefits of supporting great ape protection are increasing, as 

well. Grants through the Great Ape Conservation Fund have supported projects 

such as wild ape research, efforts to monitor the health of wildlife, and work to halt 

the trade and consumption of illegal, commercial bushmeat, which has been linked 

to disease transmission between humans and wildlife. By protecting ecosystems, the 

fund also protects natural pharmacological ingredients. The prescription drugs made 

from these ingredients have widespread health benefits and are a major driver of 

52 

U.S. economic growth. More than half of the most prescribed medications in the 

U.S. contain an ingredient derived from nature. 

Programs supported by the fund also have helped to advance U.S. security goals 

by stabilizing communities in areas of the world often fraught with conflict and 

where governments remain fragile. These programs create job opportunities and development within these regions, reducing the chances of conflict while opening up 

foreign markets to U.S. trade. In addition, by focusing governments and communities on a common cause, conservation efforts can build diplomatic relationships 

and help to prevent conflict. 

Finally, great apes themselves promote the health and diversity of ecosystems. 

Great apes help to disperse the seeds of the fruits they eat, eliminating them on 

new ground. This underpins entire ecological communities. By protecting great ape 

habitat, we are also protecting the myriad of species that share the same ecosystems 

as the apes and the natural products that millions of people depend on for survival. 

In the Congo Basin, where four of the five great ape species live, the forests provide 

food, shelter and livelihoods for many of the region’s 60 million people. 

Thus, while the plight of great apes in Africa or Asia may seem far away, their 

fate should concern us all. Measures to protect great apes impact our health, security, environment and more. 

Finally, I cannot speak about chimpanzees without mentioning what to me is so 

important—the fact that there is still so much to learn about and from chimpanzees 

and other great apes. As I have said on previous occasions, future generations will 

not easily forgive us if we allow the great apes to become extinct on our watch. 

Please take this into account as you consider this important legislation. 

Thank you for allowing me to contribute to this hearing. I applaud Congressman 

Miller for taking the lead on it and Chairman Fleming for calling this hearing so 

that I and others can explain why it is so important. 

Mr. FLEMING. Additionally, for the record, we have a letter or actually testimony from Mr. Jack Hanna, whom we all know, a letter 

from Kenneth Feld, a statement by Jane Goodall, as well as a letter, and also a letter represented by 24 conservation groups. I offer 

that to be submitted to the record. No objection, so ordered. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Hanna follows:] 

Statement of Jack Hanna, Director Emeritus, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, 

on H.R. 50, H.R. 1760, and H.R. 1761 

Thank you Chairman Hastings, Ranking Member Markey, and the members of 

the House Committee on Natural Resources for allowing me to provide testimony 

about three critically important bills, H.R. 50, H.R. 1760, and H.R. 1761, which 

would reauthorize programs benefitting some of the most well-known and threatened species in the world. 

My love for animals is a lifelong passion. As a boy I worked for our family’s veterinarian. I worked at the Central Florida Zoo in the mid-1970s, and in 1978, I became 

director of the Columbus Zoo. During my time there we increased attendance in part 

by focusing on events that would engage and educate the public about animals they 

probably would never have the opportunity to see in person if not for zoos and 

aquariums. Since 1992 I have been Director Emeritus at the Columbus Zoo which 

allows me the time to focus on additional efforts that increase awareness about animals and cultures from all parts of the globe. 

I want to note the extraordinary efforts of the nation’s accredited zoos and aquariums in conserving wildlife. With 178 million visitors to 223 accredited zoos and 

aquariums each year, these institutions connect people with animals. According to 

the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), accredited zoos and aquariums have 

provided more than $90,000,000 per year over the past 5 years to support more than 

4,000 field conservation and research projects in more than 100 countries. Zoos and 

aquariums also are critical partners in rescue, rehabilitation, confiscation, and reintroduction efforts for distressed, threatened, and endangered species. 

More than twenty years ago, AZA established the Species Survival Plan (SSP) 

program—a long-term plan involving genetically diverse breeding, habitat preservation, public education, field conservation and supportive research to ensure survival 

for many threatened and endangered species. SSP species are often ‘‘flagship 

species,’’ well-known animals such as the giant panda, California condor, and lowland gorilla. There are currently more than 300 SSP Programs. 

53 

The bills before the Committee today for its review—H.R. 50, the ‘‘Multinational 

Species Conservation Funds Reauthorization Act of 2011,’’ H.R 1760, the ‘‘Great Ape 

Conservation Reauthorization Amendments Act of 2011,’’ and H.R. 1761, the ‘‘Marine Turtle Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2011’’—are vital to the successful 

sustainability of some of the greatest animal species. I want to commend the sponsors of these bills, Representatives Don Young, George Miller, and Pedro Pierluisi, 

as well as the cosponsors, for their leadership on species protection. 

We know that these animals face significant challenges including deforestation, 

poaching, and development in their habitats. The funds provided by Congress have 

served as the catalyst for the implementation of hundreds of projects worldwide 

ranging from highly sophisticated and innovative data collection, tracking, research 

and monitoring programs to providing essential on-the-ground resources to game 

wardens and law enforcement officials who have been entrusted to protect these 

magnificent animals from the dangers that they face daily. These programs also recognize the value of promoting cooperative projects among government entities, 

NGOs and the affected local communities in the range states. 

In addition, these programs have leveraged more than three times the U.S. federal investment through matching contributions from public and private partners. 

These funds have also been effectively and efficiently managed and distributed by 

the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. During these difficult economic times of budgetary challenges, it is precisely these types of programs that deserve Congress’s support. 

Again, I want to thank Chairman Hastings, Ranking Member Markey, and the 

members of the committee for your past support of wildlife conservation, and I look 

forward to working with you in the future on these very important issues. 

Thank you. 

Mr. FLEMING. I am reminded by my staff associate here, Mr. 

Burroughs, that the slogan back in the 1970s was that only elephants should wear ivory, and certainly that is something we 

should take away from today. 

Also, I would like to ask the members of the panel—I came in 

late because of a meeting that ran late in the Capitol—I haven’t 

had a chance to meet any of you. Some of the Members on the dais 

here may also, so if you have a moment to stick around after adjournment we would appreciate that as well. 

If there are no other questions, I would like to thank all the witnesses today for your valuable testimony and contributions. Members of the Subcommittee may have additional questions for the 

witnesses, and we ask that you respond to these in writing. The 

hearing record will open for 10 days to receive these responses. 

I want to thank Members and staff for their contributions to this 

hearing. If there is no further business, without objection the Subcommittee stands adjourned. 

[Whereupon, at 11:51 a.m., the Subcommittee was adjourned.] 

[Additional material submitted for the record follows:] 

[A letter submitted for the record by Kenneth J. Feld, Chairman 

and CEO, Entertainment, Inc., follows:] 

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[A letter submitted for the record by the Multinational Species 

Coalition on H.R. 50, H.R. 1760, and H.R. 1761 follows:] 


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Æ 


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