87 



October 1991] 



Commentary 



983 



and that the sale of these wUd-caught birds must be stopped 

 as soon as possible. 



A detailed report documenting our subcommittee's 

 recommendations is in progress and will be com- 

 pleted shortly for publication. In this report we de- 

 velop seven principles for guiding an international 

 trade in live exotic birds, based on the implications 

 of an international bird trade on the conservation of 

 wild bird populations in countries of origin as well 

 as in North America. If there is to be an international 

 bird trade, then the importation of live exotic birds 

 should (1) be sustainable and not pose risks of ex- 

 tinction for wild populations of species that are im- 

 ported (several psittidnes are now gone from the wild, 

 their last representatives sold to parrot collectors); (2) 

 not pose significant risks of transmitting exotic dis- 

 eases to native species, poultry, or other birds held 

 for legitimate purposes such as exhibition or scientific 

 study (current quarantine procedures have not stopped 

 outbreaks of exotic diseases and improved procedures 

 are needed); (3) not result in significant potentials for 

 the establishment of feral populations (many already 

 exist in our country having been imported as pets); 

 (4) be consistent with U.S. policies concerning the 

 use of native species (most commercial uses of native 

 birds are prohibited and those that are cillowed re- 

 quire carefully regvilated licenses, yet normative birds 

 can be kept without permits); and (5) have regulations 

 that are economically feasible, practically enforce- 

 able, simple, and effective (regulations should not 

 preclude the scientific study of birds in captivity, in- 

 ternational recovery efforts, or public exhibition for 

 educational purposes). Captive breeding of exotic 

 species for aviculture should (6) be self-sustaining 

 (i.e. without requiring the contiivued importation of 

 wild-caught birds) and conducted humainely; jmd (7) 

 be used as a conservation strategy only as a last resort, 

 and only as part of internationally recognized and 

 structured programs fully integrated with preserva- 

 tion and reintroduction efforts (not a patnacea pro- 

 moted by aviculturists as a rationalization for keeping 

 exotic birds in captivity). The Bird Trade Subcommittee 

 recommends that the importation of exotic live birds, in- 

 cluding the importation of birds reared in captivity, should 

 be conducted only if it can meet these seven general prin- 

 ciples. 



In recognition of the pivotal role of the United 

 States in affecting international trade and conserva- 

 tion of birds, two bills to decrease the trade of wild- 

 caught exotic birds were introduced to Congress in 



- Jiine. The bills were submitted by the Cooperative 

 Working Group on the Bird Trade (H.R. 2541, F. 1218) 

 and by the Defenders of WUdlife (H.R. 2540, F. 1219). 

 The proposal of the Cooperative Working Group on 

 the Bird Trade was drafted by nine organizations in- 

 cluding representatives of the pet trade industry and 



^ aviculture, and a number of conservation organiza- 

 tions including the National Audubon Society, the 

 International Council for Bird Preservation, and the 



World Wildlife Fund VS., the coordinating organi- 

 zation. The proposal by the Defenders of Wildlife is 

 supported by the Animal Welfare Institute, the Hu- 

 mane Society, the Sierra Qub, and a variety of other 

 conservation groujjs. 



Both bills call for partial bans that would phase out 

 the pet trade of wild-caught birds after varying lengths 

 of time, but both bills allow the importation of cap- 

 tive-bred and ranched birds for commercial activities 

 and continue the importation of wild-caught birds by 

 permit for commercial aviculture. Neither biU spe- 

 cifically addresses quarantine regulations, the prob- 

 lems of establishment of feral populations, nor ethical 

 inconsistencies with U.S. poUdes concerning the use 

 of native species. Both bills exdude dead birds (spec- 

 imens) imported for sdentific purposes from regu- 

 lations and permit live birds to be imported for sd- 

 entific study. 



Prindpal differences between the two proposals 

 concern the immediacy of the phase-out (five years 

 for the Working Group and one year for Defenders), 

 the limits for the import of wild-caught birds for cap- 

 tive breeding (not addressed in the Working Group 

 proposal vs. limited in the Defenders proposal), jind 

 the cunount of detailed regulations governing each 

 activity (large in the Working Group proposal and 

 scant in the Defenders proposal). Both proposcils rei>- 

 resent positions that proponents feel have a chance 

 of being enaded into law. Both proposals could result 

 in a decrease in the number of exotic birds imported 

 into the United. States, but still provide avenues for 

 many birds to be imported depending upon the na- 

 ture of regulations and degree of enforcement. 



The subcommittee supports the passage of legis- 

 lation to curb the importation of live exotic wild- 

 caught birds. The organizations that have crafted the 

 two bills being considered by Congress should be 

 commended. Unfortunately, neither bill explidtly 

 deals with all of the prindples that we believe are 

 necessary to guide any trade in live exotic birds. The 

 enactment of one of these bills could represent a pos- 

 itive step towards the conservation of biological di- 

 versity. But because these bills are incomplete, even 

 if one is passed, we feel that additional legislation 

 will be necessary to solve the bird trade problem. 



The Bird Trade Subcomxnittee feels it is important 

 to state an optimal solution to the bird trade problem 

 from the standpoint of conserving wild populations 

 of birds, recognizing that this position may present 

 political difficulties in enactment. The Bird Trade Sub- 

 committee recommends a moratorium on the importation of 

 vUd-caught birds to the United States for a fixed period. 

 The two bills before Congress would both enad a 

 partial moratorium, but even after the period of phase- 

 out was completed, both bills would still allow birds 

 to be imported for aviculture and private collections 

 including threatened and declining spedes. We rec- 

 ommend a moratorium because it is the most sensible 

 stance in terms of its potentials for immediately re- 



