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STATEMENT TO THE HOUSE RESOURCES SUBCOMMITTEE ON FISHERIES, 

 WILDLIFE AND OCEANS REGARDING TEAMING WITH WILDLIFE 



Presented by Ted L. Eubanks Jr. 



June 6, 1996 



Good morning. My name is Ted Lee Eubanks, and I am a resource-based tourism consultant 

 from Austin, Texas. I appear before you today to speak in support of the Teaming with Wildlife 

 Initiarive, an effort to establish a consistent and in\ariable flinding source for the conservation of 

 those very nature resources that m>' industry depends upon for its existence. 



.As stated in the proposed legislation, I too believe that nature-related recreation and tourism is a 

 burgeoning interest in this country, supporting an outdoor recreation industry "catering to the 

 rising number of hikers, campers, paddlers, and wildlife viewers." For the past decade I have 

 studies the economic impacts of these wildlife viewers, in particular birdwatchers (or birders, as 

 the\ preferred to be known). I am before you today to share with you my experiences with this 

 one specific wildlife user group. 



In the United States wildlife viewing has become a billion dollar industry. Observing, feeding, or 

 photographing wildlife was enjoyed by 76.1 million people 16 years old or older in 1991. More 

 importanti\-. among this group, 30 million people took trips for the primary- purpose of enjoying 

 wildlife Including those who watch and feed birds around their homes, over 60 million 

 .Ajnencans are directK involved in birds and birding. During 1991 nearly 25 million Americans 

 were acti\el\ engaged in birding away from their residences. 



In \9^)\. four million Texas residents 16 years old and older participated in nonconsumptive 

 acinities such as observing, feeding, or photographing wildlife. In 1991, 1.4 million Texas 

 residents 16 \ears old and older enjo\ed pnmary nonresidential nonconsumptive recreation 

 aciiMiies vMihm the slate Of this group. 1.3 million participants obser\'ed wildlife, 739,000 fed 

 wildlife, and 494.000 photographed wildlife. .An additional 2.8 million observed wildlife, 3.3 

 million fed wildlife, and 516.000 photographed wildlife around their homes. 



Retail sales from Texas birders exceeds S5 billioa creating 191,000 jobs and generating 

 (including induced and indirect economic contributions) over SI 5 billion in economic impact. In 

 m> home state of Texas, for example, birding represents a S365 million industry. This industry 

 now supports the livelihoods of nearU 5000 Texas workers. 



At the national level. man>' types of wildlife were enjoved by the 30 million people who take trips 

 for ttie pnmar\ purpose of observing, feeding, or photographing fish and wildlife . Birds attract 

 the attention of the largest number of people. 24 7 million individuals, 82 percent of all 

 nonresidential participants 16 \ears old or older. Land mammals such as deer, bear, and coyotes 

 draw almost as much attention as birds Twenty -two and a half million participamts. 75 percent of 

 all nonresidential participants, observe, feed, or photograph land mammals. 



