As a conservation scientist, people often ask me, “What can I do to help save vanishing species?” In the U.S., you already do something when you pay your taxes. The current budget for multinational species conservation funding is $12 million — that’s 3.6 cents per American citizen (assuming a population of 330 million), or about 10 cents per year contributed by each federal tax-paying American. However you look at it, Americans are helping protect some of Earth’s most threatened and charismatic animals. Now these vital funds are in jeopardy due to President Donald Trump’s proposed budget, which includes deep cuts to species conservation programs (see pages 34-35). Elephants, tigers, rhinos, great apes, and marine turtles are all protected by Acts of Congress. Acts are statutes based on bills or resolutions that have been passed by both the House and Senate majorities and were signed by the U.S. president. The African Elephant Conservation Act was the first to be established in 1988, in response to heavy poaching of elephants for their ivory. It was followed by the Rhino and Tiger Conservation Act of 1994, the Asian Elephant Conservation Act of 1997, the Great Ape Conservation Act of 2000, and, most recently, the Marine Turtle Conservation Act of 2004. From all of these Acts stemmed grant programs administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Dozens of field-based conservation teams apply for — and rely on — these funds each year. Their applications are rigorously assessed by review panels. I know…
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South Africa Today – Environment
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