Bill description:
This bill will create the Rare Cats and Canids fund to provide financial resources of up to $5,000,000 per year to conservation programs in nations within the range of these species. Funding will be provided to projects implemented by those with demonstrated expertise in protecting these animals.[teaserbreak]
This fund will be part of the Multinational Species Conservation Funds, a group of funds that provide financial resources to conservation projects assisting specific species.
Background:
Read our press release on its introduction here.
This bill was previously introduced in 2014 as H.R. 5836
Wild cats and dogs are in danger. Of the 37 wild felid species worldwide, all but three are currently recognized as species in need of protection. Of the 36 wild canid species worldwide, 20 are recognized as being in need of protection.
Wild cats and dogs face an array of threats, including loss of habitat and natural prey, intentional and unintentional killing by humans, and disease transmission. Reversing the population declines that most of these species face requires coordinated strategy and resources.
Conservation projects are not just an investment in the survival of one vulnerable species. Large felids and canids are considered keystone and umbrella species, meaning that the health of their populations affects a wide range of other species. They regulate prey populations, which indirectly restores indigenous flora and reestablishes species dependent upon these habitat conditions. The loss of a keystone species impacts the viability of the entire ecosystem.
A global problem demands a coordinated global solution. We can’t leave the burden of conservation solely to the range countries. Particularly in developing nations, limited resources, poverty, population growth, and habitat loss present significant challenges to the conservation of rare felids and rare canids. Those countries that invest in threatened populations need further assistance in implementing effective conservation strategies.
Take Action:
Use this form to contact your U.S. representative and urge him or her to cosponsor this important legislation!
Read the full text of the bill and follow its progress here.