Foreign Endangered Species; Receipt of Permit Applications

Safari Club International, a nonprofit organization representing hunters, supports the issuance of import permits for sport-hunted bontebok from South Africa. They argue that regulated hunting provides essential economic incentives for conservation, habitat preservation, and the genetic management of the species.

Friends of Animals, a non-profit advocacy organization, opposes the issuance of permits to import bonobos for captive breeding or scientific research. They argue that these activities do not provide meaningful conservation benefits for wild populations and instead advocate for prioritizing habitat protection and anti-poaching efforts.

Saundra Holloway opposes the issuance of foreign endangered species permits to private ranches and trophy hunters, arguing that these entities fail to meet the Endangered Species Act's "enhancement of survival" standard. The commenter contends that commercial exploitation and "pay-to-play" conservation models do not provide tangible benefits to wild populations and undermine international conservation efforts.

The commenter requests that the Fish and Wildlife Service deny several permit applications for importing dead animals (bonteboks, Arabian oryx, and red lechwes) from foreign lands, arguing that trophy hunting and canned hunts do not benefit animal populations. They also express concern regarding the welfare of pygmy chimpanzees being imported to a university and advocate for their placement in a sanctuary instead.