Laws Regarding Wildlife (The Raptor Center)

1. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act: it is unlawful to take, import, export, possess, buy, sell, purchase, or barter any migratory bird. Feathers or other parts, nests, eggs, and products made from migratory birds are also covered by the Act. Take is defined as pursuing, hunting, shooting, poisoning, wounding, killing, capturing, trapping, or collecting.

2. The Endangered Species Act: regulates a wide range of activities affecting plants and animals designated as endangered or threatened.

3. The Eagle Protection Act: unlawful to import, export, take, sell, purchase, or barter any Bald Eagle or Golden Eagle, their parts, products, nests, or eggs. "Take" includes pursuing, shooting, poisoning, wounding, killing, capturing, trapping, collecting, molesting, or disturbing the eagles.

4. The Wild Bird Conservation Act: prohibited the import of all CITES-listed-birds (almost 1,000 species) except for those included in an approved list either by country of origin or wild-caught birds or by specific captive breeding facilities.

5. Marine Mammal Protection Act: prohibits, with certain exceptions, the "take" of marine mammals in U.S. waters and by U.S. citizens on the high seas, and the importation of marine mammals and marine mammal products into the U.S. The MMPA defines “take” to mean “to hunt harass, capture, or kill” any marine mammal or attempt to do so. “Take” also includes the negligent or intentional operation of an aircraft or vessel, or the doing of any other negligent or intentional act which results in disturbing or molesting a marine mammal and feeding or attempting to feed a marine mammal in the wild.

6. NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources is responsible for protecting marine mammals and works to conserve, protect, and recover species under the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act in conjunction with Regional Offices, Science Centers, and various partners.

7. Watching marine animals in their natural habitat can be a positive way to promote conservation and respect for the animals and the marine environment.

8. In 2002, the US and Canadian governments, non-governmental monitoring groups and the whale watch association worked together to develop a single set of voluntary guidelines that were more explicit than previous regional guidelines and addressed localized whale watch concerns.

9. The Wildlife Branch of the Unified Command has organized trained wildlife care providers and investigators to assist sea birds, marine mammals and sea turtles that will be impacted by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.

10. "Endangered Species Day" is to recognize and encourage national conservation efforts to save our endangered species and their habitats. It's the 3rd Friday in May every year. *The 21st of May, 2010!*