16 U.S.C. § 6301 — Findings and purposes

Page 2571 TITLE 16—CONSERVATION § 6302 Sec. 6302. Definitions. 6303. Great ape conservation assistance. 6304. Great Ape Conservation Fund. 6305. Authorization of appropriations. § 6301. Findings and purposes (a) Findings Congress finds that— (1) great ape populations have declined to the point that the long-term survival of the species in the wild is in serious jeopardy; (2) the chimpanzee, gorilla, bonobo, orang- utan, and gibbon are listed as endangered spe- cies under section 1533 of this title and under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (27 UST 1087; TIAS 8249); (3) because the challenges facing the con- servation of great apes are so immense, the re- sources available to date have not been suffi- cient to cope with the continued loss of habi- tat due to human encroachment and logging and the consequent diminution of great ape populations; (4) because great apes are flagship species for the conservation of the tropical forest habi- tats in which they are found, conservation of great apes provides benefits to numerous other species of wildlife, including many other en- dangered species; (5) among the threats to great apes, in addi- tion to habitat loss, are population fragmenta- tion, hunting for the bushmeat trade, live cap- ture, and exposure to emerging or introduced diseases; (6) great apes are important components of the ecosystems they inhabit, and studies of their wild populations have provided impor- tant biological insights; (7) although subsistence hunting of tropical forest animals has occurred for hundreds of years at a sustainable level, the tremendous increase in the commercial trade of tropical forest species is detrimental to the future of these species; and (8) the reduction, removal, or other effective addressing of the threats to the long-term via- bility of populations of great apes in the wild will require the joint commitment and effort of countries that have within their boundaries any part of the range of great apes, the United States and other countries, and the private sector. (b) Purposes The purposes of this chapter are— (1) to sustain viable populations of great apes in the wild; and (2) to assist in the conservation and protec- tion of great apes by supporting conservation programs of countries in which populations of great apes are located and by supporting the CITES Secretariat. (Pub. L. 106–411, § 2, Nov. 1, 2000, 114 Stat. 1789.) Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries SHORT TITLE Pub. L. 106–411, § 1, Nov. 1, 2000, 114 Stat. 1789, pro- vided that: ‘‘This Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the ‘Great Ape Conservation Act of 2000’.’’ § 6302. Definitions In this chapter: (1) CITES The term ‘‘CITES’’ means the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, done at Washington March 3, 1973 (27 UST 1087; TIAS 8249), includ- ing its appendices. (2) Conservation The term ‘‘conservation’’— (A) means the use of methods and proce- dures necessary to prevent the diminution of, and to sustain viable populations of, a species; and (B) includes all activities associated with wildlife management, such as— (i) conservation, protection, restoration, acquisition, and management of habitat; (ii) in-situ research and monitoring of populations and habitats; (iii) assistance in the development, im- plementation, and improvement of man- agement plans for managed habitat ranges; (iv) enforcement and implementation of CITES; (v) enforcement and implementation of domestic laws relating to resource man- agement; (vi) development and operation of sanc- tuaries for members of a species rescued from the illegal trade in live animals; (vii) training of local law enforcement officials in the interdiction and prevention of the illegal killing of great apes; (viii) programs for the rehabilitation of members of a species in the wild and re- lease of the members into the wild in ways which do not threaten existing wildlife populations by causing displacement or the introduction of disease; (ix) conflict resolution initiatives; (x) community outreach and education; and (xi) strengthening the capacity of local communities to implement conservation programs. (3) Fund The term ‘‘Fund’’ means the Great Ape Con- servation Fund established by section 6304 of this title. (4) Great ape The term ‘‘great ape’’ means a chimpanzee, gorilla, bonobo, orangutan, or gibbon. (5) Multinational Species Conservation Fund The term ‘‘Multinational Species Conserva- tion Fund’’ means such fund as established in title I of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999, under the heading ‘‘MULTINATIONAL SPECIES CONSERVATION FUND’’ [16 U.S.C. 4246]. (6) Secretary The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of the Interior. (Pub. L. 106–411, § 3, Nov. 1, 2000, 114 Stat. 1790.)