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(Washington, DC) - Legislation that would increase U.S. conservation efforts to help endangered great cats, like cheetahs, jaguars and leopards has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“The Great Cats Conservation Act” (H.R. 1913) was introduced by:
- U.S. Rep. Henry E. Brown, Jr. (R-SC), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans;
- U.S. Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), Ranking Member of the Natural Resources Committee;
- U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY), Co-Chairman of the International Conservation Caucus
H.R. 1913 would establish a Great Cats Conservation Fund and up to $5 million per year would be authorized to be appropriated for conservation projects to assist species of cheetahs, jaguars, lions, leopards and Spanish lynx. These species were selected because they are listed as endangered under our federal Endangered Species Act, on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and on the IUCN red list.
“This legislation is modeled after the very successful conservation statutes that Congress has enacted to assist highly endangered elephants, rhinoceros, tigers, great apes and marine turtles,” Rep. Henry E. Brown, Jr., said. “It is based on the sound principle that a small amount of U. S. taxpayer assistance to range states can make a huge difference in preventing the extinction of certain landmark species.
Cheetah Population Has Declined From 100,000 To Only 15,000
“There is no question that populations of these wild species of big cats are in serious decline and that their long-term survival is in real jeopardy,” Brown said. “For instance, an excellent example of the type of decline these species have suffered can be illustrated in the plight of the majestic cheetah. At the turn of the 20th century, it was estimated that there were more than 100,000 cheetahs living in 44 African and Asian countries. Today, there are no more than 15,000 cheetahs living in small-pocketed populations in some 20 nations in Africa.
“While the reasons for this precipitous decline include loss of habitat and illegal poaching of cheetahs, this unique species, which is the world’s fastest land mammal, has become extinct in more than half of its traditional historic range. Due to the efforts of outstanding international organizations like the Cheetah Conservation Fund, its slide towards total extinction has been slowed but its future remains very much clouded. The sad reality is that many landowners in countries, like Namibia, consider cheetahs a pest and they kill them to protect their livestock.
“This philosophy must be changed if the cheetah has any hope of survival. The Great Cats Conservation Fund would make a positive difference in financing projects to work with impacted farmers and ranchers,” Brown said.
Similar Bill To Assist African Elephants Has Been “Remarkably Successful”
“Nearly 20 years ago, the Congress demonstrated farsighted international leadership and wisdom when it approved the first ever conservation fund to assist an endangered foreign flagship species. This law, known as the ‘African Elephant Conservation Act of 1988’, has been remarkably successful and all of the improvements that make these conservation grants really work have been incorporated within this legislation,” Brown said.
Under the terms of this bill, a prospective grantee: would be required to submit a detailed overview of the project; how it would be implemented; how long it would take to complete the project; a demonstration of local support; and an indication if whether and how much private matching funds would be forthcoming.
The Secretary of the Interior would then carefully review each project and would select those that would have the most impact on conserving endangered big cats. Furthermore, this project would be monitored by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, all expenditures would be audited and an advisory group to assist the Secretary may be convened.
“This Legislation Demonstrates To The World That The United States Is Serious About International Wildlife Conservation”
“As a member of the International Conservation Caucus, it is my view, that we have a responsibility to help save keystone species, like cheetahs, leopards, lions and jaguars for future generations,” Brown said. “In good conscience, how can we watch these species disappear forever without doing anything to assist them.
“This legislation will not by itself ensure the long-term survival of these endangered big cat species. Nevertheless, it is a positive step in the right direction, it builds upon the success of a proven program and it again demonstrates to the world that the United States is serious about international wildlife conservation.”
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