Defenders' Experts
African Antelope
Cary v. Hall
Species Background:
In 1991, the Fish and Wildlife Service (“FWS”) proposed to list three highly imperiled North African antelope species – the addax, scimitar-horned oryx, and dama gazelle – under the Endangered Species Act (“ESA”). These three species of antelope are native to the Sahara and Sahel region of Northern Africa and receive the highest level of protection under international law which requires both export and import permits to trade in live specimen or their parts or products.
Only a few hundred addax and a few thousand dama
gazelles remain in their harsh desert ranges, and the scimitar-horned oryx,
which resembles a unicorn and is believed to be the origin of modern human’s
belief in unicorns, no longer exists in the wild at all. While wild populations of the species
have declined to the point of near or complete extinction, the numbers of
captive-bred antelope are increasing, the majority of which can be found on
privately-owned ranches in Texas
and Florida where private
individuals pay to hunt exotic wildlife for sport.
Case Background:
In September 2005,
after fourteen years of delay, the FWS issued a rule listing the antelope as
endangered under the ESA. Concurrent with the
endangered listing however, the FWS issued a second rule allowing the interstate
and foreign commerce of sport-hunted antelope trophies, exempting these species
from certain critical protections.
These new exemptions provide a legal market through which illegally hunted trophies may be laundered and through which opportunity and incentive for the poaching and trade in wild antelope is created. A coalition of environmental groups including Defenders is concerned that the rule will undermine conservation efforts for wild antelope populations that cannot withstand such exploitation, and will set a damaging precedent for the commercial exploitation of other endangered species.
Defenders and co-plaintiffs have challenged this rule in court, seeking to have it vacated and remanded to FWS.
Related Documents:
Status:
Active/U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
Co-filers:
Humane Society of the United States, Rebecca Ann Cary, Debra Joan Boban, Misti Marie Schmidt, Marcia Slackman, Kimya Institute, Born Free USA, Bill Clark
