56 



Introduction 



Mr. Chainnan and members of the Subcommittee, I am James P. Leape, Senior Vice 

 President of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). I appreciate the oppormnity to appear before you 

 today to comment on the Wild Bird Conservation Act (WBCA) as it has been implemented to 

 date, and to present our views on why Congress should reauthorize a strong Act. 



The Wild Bird Conservation Act was an important piece of wildlife conservation 

 legislation when it was enacted three years ago and it remains a soimd law today. Its goals were 

 two-fold - first, to curtail the trade tiiat had become harmful to wild populations of parrots and 

 other exotic birds, and second, to allow a sustainable level of trade in avian species consistent 

 with their long-term conservation in the wild. 



The first goal has been met. The Act has helped reduce our harmfiilly high levels of 

 imports, and we are no longer contributing to the demise of many spectacular species. That is a 

 major success by any measure. The jury is still out however on the Act's second goal ~ to allow 

 for the sustainable trade in these species while ensuring that U.S. imports are not detrimental to 

 wild populations. Regulations implementing two key mechanisms that would allow for that trade 

 have not yet been issued, so it is not yet possible to assess how well the Act will achieve the 

 second goal. 



It is important to highlight, however, that die Act has not shut off all bird imports 

 completely: zoos have been able to import birds for public display; scientists have been able to 

 import birds for research; and citizens have been able to bring home the pet birds they acquired 

 while living abroad. And based on anecdotal information, it appears that pet shops have an 

 ample supply of captive bred birds to sell, aixl in spite of the reduced imports, prices have not 

 risen notably. 



In the remainder of my testimony I will explain why WWF believes it is important that 

 the Act be fuUy implemented as soon as possible and I will make specific recommeixlations on 

 how that can and should be done administratively. 



Background 



More than three years ago, I testified before Congress about the need for legislation to 

 help halt the alarming decline of wild bird populations in many parts of the world, due to 

 excessive international trade demands. While evidence indicated that habitat loss was the single 

 most significant threat to most wild birds, international trade from the tropics and subtropics for 

 the pet market was clearly contributing to the decline of some species. 



