66 



completely avoidable.^ For some endangered parrot species, there are more birds in captivity 

 than remain in the wild. 



The WBCA is effectively addressing all of these problems. Import prohibitions have been fully 

 active for only one short year, and already the Act is a great success. United States imports of 

 wild exotic birds have been greatly reduced, giving wild populations the opportunity to recover 

 from years of excessive trade. No longer is the United States responsible for the careless waste 

 and destruction of wild birds. Instead, we are now a world leader in promoting wild bird 

 conservation. 



To ensure that the WBCA continues to achieve its intended goals, we oppose any efforts to 

 reduce the Act's requirements for the importation of birds into this country, whether these are 

 wild-caught or captive-bred individuals. The present requirements are the absolute minimum 

 necessary to ensure that the WBCA is effective in meeting its purpose, and to ensure that 

 illegal imports are not easily laundered into the legitimate United States pet market. 



Easing WBCA requirements for importing foreign captive -bred birds by requiring only maricing 

 or banding would allow for the ingress of large numbers of illegal and even endangered wild 

 birds into the United States The profits to be made from such illegal trade are lucrative, 

 providing a great incentive for laundering wild birds as captive-bred. A recent indictment of 

 Tony Silva, one of the world's most prominent experts in aviculture, charges him with 

 involvement in long-term, large-scale smuggling of wild birds into the captive -bred bird market. 

 Closed leg bands can easily be placed on the legs of young wild birds, or as in the case of this 

 famous bird expert, cruelly forced onto the legs of wild adult birds. The presence of a closed 

 band for any bird entering this country does not guarantee legitimacy 



We strongly urge the Subcommittee to reauthorize the United States Wild Bird Conservation 

 Act without any language changes or weakening amendments. By ensuring that exotic birds 

 imported into this country no longer jeopardize the status of wild populations, some of the 

 world's most beautiful birds will continue to fly free. 



Background-Wild Birds Threatened by Trade 



Worldwide, between 8 and 20 million exotic birds are captured from the wild annually for the 

 pet trade. This large-scale trade destroys wild bird populations at an alarming rate. Trade and 

 habitat destruction combined threatens at least 1,000 of the 9,200 bird species known to exist.^ 



Commercial trade is responsible for the cruel death of millions of birds every year. Even 

 before captured wild birds leave their countries of origin, an estimated 50% die as a result of 



' Toft. Catherine. 1990. "Genetics of Captive Propagation (Parts I and 11)" BIRDWORLD. 



■■ Wyerman, James K. Testimony on H.R. 5013, The Wild Bird Conservation Act, before the Subcommittee 

 on Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment, 16 June 1992. 



