SCI: Petition to Stop All Wildlife Trade Would Harm Wildlife and Communities From Alaska to Zimbabwe
SCI strongly opposes a petition submitted by the Center for Biological Diversity and the Natural Resources Defense Council that requests that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ban the import and export of all wild mammals and birds and institute a cumbersome import/export tracking system. These groups seek to exploit the tragedy of the Covid-19 pandemic to achieve their personal goal of shutting down the legal, regulated international trade in wildlife—without scientific support, and at the expense of the countries and communities who rely on this trade.
The petitioners ask the Service to ban all imports and exports of mammals and birds, both alive and dead. This is a monumental ask. It would stop everything from the import of live parakeets, leather goods, or hunting trophies, to the export of live animals, alligator skins, moose antlers, and game meat sustainably harvested in the United States. The economic impact of the requested action would be felt across the globe.
The petition relies on the alleged origin of the Covid-19 pandemic in a wildlife “wet” market to justify an across-the-board ban on the import or export of mammals and birds. While SCI supports responsible controls on live wildlife trade to ensure human safety and the welfare of the animals themselves, the petition improperly seeks to take advantage of the global pandemic to completely ban legal, regulated trade in all mammals and birds, both alive and dead. The petition relies on zero data to support its proposed blanket ban, especially with respect to imports and exports of wildlife products. It disregards the fact that the products of already-harvested wildlife are subject to strict controls and inspections before they ever enter international trade. Read more
