[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 27, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E17-E18]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF THE RHINOCEROS AND TIGER CONSERVATION REAUTHORIZATION 
                              ACT OF 1998

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. DON YOUNG

                               of alaska

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 27, 1998

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to introduce 
legislation to reauthorize a landmark conservation law known as the 
Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act.
  This historic legislation, which was enacted into law four years ago, 
was modeled after the highly successful African Elephant Conservation 
Act of 1988. The fundamental purpose of this law was to establish a 
Conservation Fund to finance worthwhile projects to assist highly 
imperiled species of rhinos and tigers. Sadly, the populations of these 
two flagship species continue to decline and, unless additional 
assistance is provided, they will continue to slide toward extinction.
  In the case of the rhinoceros, it has been estimated that their 
population has been decimated from 65,000 animals in 1970 to less than 
11,000 today. In fact, in the case of two of the five species of 
rhinoceros, the Javan and Sumatran, there are less than 600 left in the 
world. While all five species of rhinoceros were listed on Appendix I 
of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild 
Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1977 and a worldwide trade ban has been 
imposed, poachers continue to slaughter rhinos for their horns. These 
horns have been used for generations in Asian medicine to treat fever 
in children and as decorative handles for ceremonial daggers.
  Despite plummeting populations of rhinoceros, there is still an 
insatiable demand for rhino horn, which has made this commodity 
extremely valuable. In fact, African rhino horn can be worth as much as 
$10,000 per kilogram and rare Asian rhino horn is worth up to $60,000 
per kilogram. The largest consumers of rhino horn live in China, 
Taiwan, and South Korea.
  Regrettably the situation facing tigers is even worse. Of the eight 
subspecies of tigers once found in the world, three have become extinct 
and the remaining five populations have been reduced from 100,000 
tigers in 1990 to less than 5,000 animals today. Furthermore, the three 
subspecies of South China, Siberian and Sumatran all have populations 
that are estimated at less than 500 animals.
  Although commercial activities and human population growth have 
transformed large amounts of the tiger's habitat, illegal hunting has 
had the most dramatic impact. Despite the fact that all tigers are 
protected under CITES, tigers are killed for their fur and most of 
their body parts. Tiger bone is used in many forms of traditional 
Oriental medicines including powders, tablets, and wines that are 
consumed to fight pain, kidney and liver problems, convulsions, and 
heart conditions. Like rhino horn, the major consumers of these 
products live in China, Taiwan, and South Korea. According to CITES, 
during the past six years, South Korea imported about 10,500 pounds and 
China 78 tons of tiger bone.
  Sadly, the financial rewards of illegally killing a tiger are 
substantial. According to the World Wildlife Fund, a pound of tiger 
bone sells for

[[Page E18]]

over $1,400 and a tiger pelt may be worth up to $15,000. It is 
essential this market be destroyed and that people who live in the 
tigers' habitat begin to understand the consequences of exterminating 
an animal that has such a dramatic impact on so many other species.
  These were fundamental goals of the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation 
Act of 1994. While it is still too early to tell whether this law will 
stop the population decline, it is clear that unless the United States 
takes a proactive leadership role in saving these species, they will 
soon only exist in remote wild locations or in zoos.
  Since its enactment, the Congress has appropriated $1 million over 
the last three fiscal years. While this is considerably less than the 
$30 million that was authorized, this money has funded 24 conservation 
projects to assist rhinos and tigers at a Federal cost of about 
$530,000. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now evaluating an 
additional 70 proposals from organizations that are interested in 
helping to conserve these irreplaceable species.
  According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, it has funded 12 
rhino projects, 6 tiger projects, and 6 projects that will benefit both 
species. These projects have included: an adopt-a-warden program in 
Indonesia; aerial monitoring of the Northern white rhinoceros in Zaire; 
establishment of a community rhino scout program for the survival of 
the black rhino populations in Kenya; investigation of poaching and 
illegal trade in wild tigers in India; a tiger community education 
program in Indonesia; and training of staff and surveys of four black 
rhino populations in the Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania. The sponsors 
of these projects, who are likely to match the grants with private 
funds, include the International Rhino Foundation, the Minnesota Zoo 
Foundation, and the World Wildlife Fund.
  Based on the success of the African Elephant Conservation Fund, I am 
hopeful that these grants will make a positive difference in the fight 
to conserve rhinos and tigers.
  Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the Rhinoceros and Tiger 
Conservation Reauthorization Act, a bill to extend this landmark law 
for four years in the hope that it will help ensure that these vital 
species do not disappear from this planet.

                          ____________________