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with diverse interests, including conservation organizations, animal 

 protection organizations, the pet industry, aviculture and zoos. The 

 result is a reasonable law that allows some exceptions without 

 flinging the doors open to abuse. The Act allows the importation of 

 birds for aviculture. It allows the importation of captive-bred exotic 

 birds from foreign qualifying facilities. It allows the importation of 

 45 species of birds that are so commonly bred in captivity that no 

 one even bothers to collect them from the wild anymore. It even al- 

 lows the importation of wild-caught birds when it can be shown not 

 to cause harm to a wild population or result in unacceptable mor- 

 talities. Finally, it does not regulate the trade in birds born in this 

 country, unless of course they are of a species that is commonly 

 smuggled, in which case the birds may be required to be marked, 

 but this is reasonable. And even though we did not get everything 

 we wanted out of this negotiating process, we have not reneged on 

 our agreement to give full support to the Wild Bird Conservation 

 Act. 



In contrast, we know that others have expressed concern about 

 sections of the Wild Bird Conservation Act, and especially they are 

 frustrated with the length of time that it has taken to promulgate 

 regulations. One complaint we have heard is that it is too difficult 

 for foreign breeders to become qualified under the Act, but, Mr. 

 Chairman, the regulations implementing this portion of the Act 

 have not even been promulgated, so they haven't even been tested. 

 The process of qualification of foreign bird breeders must be strin- 

 gent enough to ensure that birds imported from foreign facilities 

 are truly bred in captivity or the purpose of the Wild Bird Con- 

 servation Act will be defeated. Rare birds will be collected and im- 

 ported under the guise of being captive-bred. As demonstrated by 

 several recent undercover operations conducted by the U.S. Fish 

 and Wildlife Service, it is very easy to pass off a wild bird as one 

 that was bred in captivity. 



Another complaint we have heard is that it is too difficult for 

 breeders to obtain permission to import birds for captive breeding, 

 but in fact only 12 people have even applied to import birds under 

 the cooperative breeding program exemption and only two of these 

 applications have been denied. In the past decade an estimated 7 

 million birds were imported to this country. We believe that there 

 already are enough birds in this country to supply most breeders 

 with the birds they need. The Wild Bird Conservation Act encour- 

 ages breeders to evolve from their former pattern of reaching for 

 wild birds every time they need new breeding stock. Instead it en- 

 courages breeders to cooperate with one another to fully utilize the 

 vast gene pool which exists in this country. 



In closing, Mr. Chairman, I want to return to the story of the 

 Spix's macaw. Just a month ago a captive Spix's macaw was re- 

 leased into the wild near that last wild bird. It is hoped that the 

 two will mate, produce offspring and begin to replenish this very 

 rare species. Similarly, it is our hope that the Wild Bird Conserva- 

 tion Act will continue to protect wild birds today so that there will 

 not be stories like the Spix's macaw tomorrow. Only reauthoriza- 

 tion of the Act without changes will produce that result. Thank 

 you, Mr. Chairman. 



