234 SCIENCE IN AFRICA 



unnecessary, and would fix the responsibility for policing and 

 inspection. 



International Agreement concerning Game Preservation 



The general effect of civilization has been to drive wild fauna 

 away from foci of development into inaccessible areas which often 

 lie in the regions of international or inter territorial boundaries. 

 Game reserves are, therefore, sometimes situated along boundaries, 

 as a glance at a map of the game reserves of Africa will show. Such 

 reserves cannot serve their purpose unless they are respected by the 

 people on both sides of the boundary. Legislation to prevent kill- 

 ing for commercial purposes by prohibiting the sale and export of 

 trophies can be made more effective if applied internationally, 

 since nearly every territory in Africa has such extensive boundaries 

 that adequate policing is difficult. Another way of controlling the 

 trade in animal products is by tariff regulations in the country of 

 import; it is noteworthy in this respect that a part of the Vander- 

 grift tariff for the United States (1930) has a special section pro- 

 hibiting the importation of wild mammals and birds in violation 

 of foreign law. 



International agreements for the preservation of game have been 

 sought since 1900. The convention of that year, signed by most 

 European powers who control territories in Africa, dealt with the 

 establishment of game reserves, etc., and proposed a uniform sys- 

 tem of game ordinances. This convention, though never ratified, 

 was influential in creating interest in the subject. The Convention 

 of 1933, which resulted from the International Conference in 

 London in October of that year and was signed by all states 

 concerned except Abyssinia, lays down as a principle that it is 

 desirable to establish in all territories, if possible, national parks 

 or strict nature reserves. Next, selected lists of animals and plants 

 are given which require special protection. Article 9 lays down 

 methods of controlling, through customs regulation, the export 

 and import of trophies. In Article 10 certain methods of hunting, 

 in particular by means of motor-cars, aircraft, dazzling lights, and 

 poisons, are considered to be prohibitable. The text of the con- 

 ference has been published by the Society for the Preservation of 

 the Fauna of the Empire and elsewhere, and reprinted by the 



