105 



Testimony of Frank M. Bond 

 WBCA Oversight Hearings 

 September 28, 1995 



are biologically sustainable and not detrimental to the species; (2) ensuring that imported birds 

 are not subject to inhumane treatment during capture and transport; and (3) assisting 

 conservation and management programs in the countries of origin. These purpose may be noble 

 as they apply to some species of birds, but they do not apply to raptors, because birds of prey 

 cannot be imported for "pet" purposes. U.S. citizens and organizations may only hold raptors 

 for conservation, propagation, falconry, education and rehabilitation purposes. And every one 

 of these purposes is regulated. 



Our recommendation to this Committee is to exempt all Falconiformes from the WBCA. 

 Falconiformes should be added to that relatively small list of birds for which it was determined 

 previously that the WBCA served no useful purpose. At the very least, proven captive bred 

 Falconiformes should be exempted from the provisions because captive bred raptors are not part 

 of any wild population. 



In support of the request for exemption of Falconiformes, the purposes of the WBCA do 

 not appropriately apply for the following reasons: 



1. Raptors have been internationally imported and exported in small numbers 

 for falconry purposes for thousands of years. More recently, some birds 

 are imported and exported for captive propagation purposes with the goal 

 of conservation and falconry. To our knowledge, there is not a single 

 incident of this activity being detrimental to any species of raptor 

 anywhere in the world. Frankly, evidence demonstrates that there have 



