[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 2 (Friday, January 5, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E6-E7]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      INTRODUCTION OF THE MULTINATIONAL SPECIES CONSERVATION FUND 
                          REAUTHORIZATION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. DON YOUNG

                               of alaska

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 4, 2007

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to introduce today 
the Multinational Species Conservation Fund Reauthorization Act. This 
legislation will extend the authorization of appropriations for the 
African Elephant Conservation Act of 1988 and the Rhinoceros and Tiger 
Conservation Act of 1994. These acts have been two of the most 
effective conservation laws ever approved by the United States 
Congress.
  First enacted nearly two decades ago, the African Elephant 
Conservation Act was designed to assist range countries who were 
fighting a losing battle against heavily armed poachers who were 
systematically annihilating the flagship species of the African 
continent. By the mid-1980's, the population of African Elephants had 
fallen from 1.3 million to less than 500,000 animals. In fact, only in 
Botswana, South African and Zimbabwe were elephant populations stable.
  In response to this growing wildlife crisis and the real likelihood 
that this species could face extinction throughout most of its historic 
range, Congress passed the African Elephant Conservation Act. This 
landmark law was used to ban the importation of carved ivory into the 
United States and its established the African Elephant Conservation 
Fund. Under the terms of P. L. 100-478, the Secretary of the Interior 
was directed to review conservation projects submitted by government 
entities and non governmental organizations and to approve those that 
significantly advanced the conservation needs of this important 
species.
  Since its inception, the Secretary has approved 280 conservation 
grants in 23 African range countries. These grants have received nearly 
$17 million in U.S. tax dollars and nearly $72 million in private 
matching funds. This favorable ratio of more than 4 to 1 in private 
donations has been truly remarkable.
  The types of conservation projects approved include the training of 
wildlife personnel; determining the population status, characteristics 
and habitat needs of elephants in various range countries; providing 
uniforms, tents and security equipment to wildlife rangers; monitoring 
the impact of elephants on agriculture; research the seasonal migration 
patterns of elephants; train local residents in the collection of 
baseline elephant data and provide local communities with viable 
economic alternatives to poaching elephants and other species.
  One of the more interesting conservation projects has been the 
partnership between local communities in Zambia and The Mcihenny 
Company of Avery Island, Louisiana. What has transpired is that local 
farmers are growing chilli peppers which are sold to be used in various 
tabasco products. These peppers have produced badly needed income for 
local African communities and they assisted in the conservation of 
elephants who find the scent of growing and burning peppers 
unacceptable to their sensory glands. The net effect is that not only 
are pepper plants not trampled but adjoining agricultural crops are 
protected by their cultivation. This innovative idea has been a real 
conservation achievement.

  While one of these projects would not by itself save the African 
elephant, together, they have stopped the precipitous slide towards 
extinction. Sadly, there is no question that elephants are still being 
poached and that illegally obtained ivory remains a serious 
international problem. This is why this law must be extended. This 
small investment of taxpayer dollars is making a significant positive 
difference is saving this species.
  Section III of this legislation will extend the Rhinoceros and Tiger 
Conservation Act. This act was designed to assist these two highly 
imperiled species. In fact, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has 
noted that: ``rhinos and tigers remain among the most charismatic and 
some of the most endangered species on earth''.
  At the time of its initial enactment in 1994, the number of 
rhinoceros living in the wild had fallen from 65,000 in 1970 to fewer 
than 16,000 animals. The five subspecies of tigers were facing an ever 
more perilous future. At the turn of the 20th century, there were more 
than 100,000 tigers living in the wild. By 1994, there were fewer than 
6,000 tigers which represented a decline of roughly 95 percent. By

[[Page E7]]

comparison, there are more than 25,000 tigers currently living in 
captivity.
  While there are many factors causing the decline of these species, 
there is no question that poaching and loss of habitat are the two 
primary reasons rhinos and tigers are facing extinction. A 1994 
Newsweek cover shouted that the tiger was ``doomed'' unless the 
international community took some concrete steps to save them. The 
Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act was one of those positive steps. 
It was a lifeline to two species on the brink of disappearing and this 
fund remains the only dedicated annual source of money for rhinos and 
tigers in the world.
  In the last 12 years, the Fish and Wildlife Service has received 744 
conservation grant proposals to assist rhinos and tigers. The service 
has approved 321 projects in range countries throughout Africa and 
Asia. These proposals have received $7.8 million in federal funds with 
nearly $20 million in private matching funds.
  This money has been used to finance a host of projects including the 
training of wildlife mangers; facilitating the reintroduction of white 
rhinos; a database on tiger poaching; a tiger community education 
program in Indonesia; monitoring tigers, prey and their habitat in 
India's tiger reserves; providing emergency veterinary services to 
treat injured black rhinos in Zimbabwe and investigating the poaching 
and trade of wild tiger parts in India. The sponsors of these projects 
include the International Rhino Foundation, The Wildlife Conservation 
Society and the World Wildlife Fund.

  According to the World Wildlife Fund: ``there is no question that 
these programs have been instrumental in the conservation progress that 
we have seen in the last decade''. In fact, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service has indicated that: ``it has been expressed by field experts 
that both the Javan and Sumatran rhinos might now be extinct were it 
not for the multinational species conservation funds''.
  The purpose of my legislation is to extend the authorization of 
appropriations for the African Elephant Conservation Act and The 
Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act for an additional five years 
until September 30, 2012. While I extend the existing annual 
authorization levels of $5 million for elephants and $10 million for 
rhinos and tigers, the stark reality is that it is highly unlikely that 
these species will receive $15 million in funding each year. In fact, 
sadly, the more likely outcome is about $2 million per year.
  Nevertheless, $2 million is a huge amount of money in many local 
African communities who do not have the funds to equip their wildlife 
rangers with such basic equipment as tents, uniforms or weapons to 
battle heavily financed and armed poachers.
  This small investment of U.S. tax dollars has made a tremendous 
difference in the fight to save these species from extinction. However, 
the battle has not been won and it is essential that we reauthorize 
these two highly effective conservation funds. In the words of the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service: ``continued funding is critical in order to 
help support efforts for these critically endangered species''. It will 
be a monumental tragedy if we allow these flagship species to disappear 
forever.
  I urge my colleagues to support the Multinational Species 
Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2007.

                          ____________________