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WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY 



26 September- 199b 



Representative Jim Saxl.on, Chair 



Sobcommi ttee on Ktaheries, Wildlife, ajid Oceane 



U.B. House of Kepreaentativee 



339 ('tmrion House Oflic« Building 



Washington, D.C. 20falb 



Dear Mr. Chnirnian, 



This letter is to urge you and your fellow coimnittee members to 

 fully support the reauthorization of the U.S. Wild Bird 

 Conservation Ant (WBCA) in its entirety. This bill has been 

 succeasfiil in stopping the U.S. from providing incentives that In 

 the past led to cruel. Irrational, and unsustainable "mining' of 

 large parrots and macaws from tropical rain forests and savaiuiahs 

 of the globe. The bill also has provided a tremendous positive 

 stimulus to responsible breeders and ranchers of exotic birds, 

 both in the United States and abroad. 



When done properly, such captive breeding and wild ranching can 

 provide sustainable and humane sources of exotic birds for pet 

 owners and hobblest bird breeders. Responsible bird breeding is 

 harmless to wild populations of exotic species, while sustainable 

 wild ranching could actually be very beneficial to wild 

 F>opulation8 by providing wild birds with additional nesting sites 

 and planted food. Furthermore, such wild ranching operations 

 would hire forest g\iards to protect resident wild birds (most 

 valuable parrots are resident year round) from meat or feather 

 hunters and from roving trappers. 



Any weakening of the bills carefully- thought-out provisions 

 likely would open loopholes for illegaJ Importing into the U.S. 

 that would produce incentive to "launder" wild caught adult 

 birds, passing them off as legitimate captive bred birds. 

 Moreover, such dangerous loopholes would also lead to the 

 unsustainable destruction of wild nest trees for one-time 

 harvests of young birds on public lands or on lands owned by 

 distant, absentee investors or companies. 'llie WBCA is the best 

 legislative tool yet for encouraging tropical countries to 

 rethink, rerirganize, and clean up their means of production and 

 export of exotic birds. 



