16 U.S.C. § 4261 — Findings

Page 2476 TITLE 16—CONSERVATION § 4261 ‘‘16 U.S.C. 4224’’, ‘‘section 2205 of the African Elephant Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 4225)’’ for ‘‘16 U.S.C. 4225’’, and ‘‘section 2101 of the African Elephant Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 4211)’’ for ‘‘16 U.S.C. 4211’’. Pub. L. 107–111 and Pub. L. 107–112 amended section identically, substituting ‘‘Rhinoceros and Tiger Con- servation Act of 1994, part I’’ for ‘‘Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act, subchapter I’’. CHAPTER 62A—ASIAN ELEPHANT CONSERVATION Sec. 4261. Findings. 4262. Purposes. 4263. Definitions. 4264. Asian elephant conservation assistance. 4265. Acceptance and use of donations. 4265a. Advisory group. 4266. Authorization of appropriations. § 4261. Findings The Congress finds the following: (1) Asian elephant populations in nations within the range of Asian elephants have con- tinued to decline to the point that the long- term survival of the species in the wild is in serious jeopardy. (2) The Asian elephant is listed as an endan- gered species under section 1533 of this title and under appendix I of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. (3) Because the challenges facing the con- servation of Asian elephants are so great, re- sources to date have not been sufficient to cope with the continued loss of habitat and the consequent diminution of Asian elephant populations. (4) The Asian elephant is a flagship species for the conservation of tropical forest habitats in which it is found and provides the con- sequent benefit from such conservation to nu- merous other species of wildlife including many other endangered species. (5) Among the threats to the Asian elephant in addition to habitat loss are population frag- mentation, human-elephant conflict, poaching for ivory, meat, hide, bones and teeth, and capture for domestication. (6) To reduce, remove, or otherwise effec- tively address these threats to the long-term viability of populations of Asian elephants in the wild will require the joint commitment and effort of nations within the range of Asian elephants, the United States and other coun- tries, and the private sector. (Pub. L. 105–96, § 2, Nov. 19, 1997, 111 Stat. 2150.) Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries SHORT TITLE OF 2007 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 110–133, § 1, Dec. 6, 2007, 121 Stat. 1362, provided that: ‘‘This Act [amending sections 4264 and 4266 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Asian Elephant Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2007’.’’ SHORT TITLE OF 2002 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 107–141, § 1, Feb. 12, 2002, 116 Stat. 13, provided that: ‘‘This Act [enacting section 4265a of this title, amending sections 3709, 4214, 4245, 4246, 4263, 4265, and 4266 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 4214 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Asian Elephant Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2002’.’’ SHORT TITLE Pub. L. 105–96, § 1, Nov. 19, 1997, 111 Stat. 2150, pro- vided that: ‘‘This Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the ‘Asian Elephant Conservation Act of 1997’.’’ § 4262. Purposes The purposes of this chapter are the following: (1) To perpetuate healthy populations of Asian elephants. (2) To assist in the conservation and protec- tion of Asian elephants by supporting the con- servation programs of Asian elephant range states and the CITES Secretariat. (3) To provide financial resources for those programs. (Pub. L. 105–96, § 3, Nov. 19, 1997, 111 Stat. 2150.) § 4263. Definitions In this chapter: (1) The term ‘‘CITES’’ means the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, signed on March 3, 1973, and its appendices. (2) The term ‘‘conservation’’ means the use of methods and procedures necessary to bring Asian elephants to the point at which there are sufficient populations in the wild to ensure that the species does not become extinct, in- cluding all activities associated with scientific resource management, such as conservation, protection, restoration, acquisition, and man- agement of habitat; research and monitoring of known populations; assistance in the devel- opment of management plans for managed ele- phant ranges; CITES enforcement; law en- forcement through community participation; translocation of elephants; conflict resolution initiatives; and community outreach and edu- cation. (3) The term ‘‘Fund’’ means the account es- tablished by division A, section 101(e), title I of Public Law 105–277 under the heading ‘‘mul- tinational species conservation fund’’ [16 U.S.C. 4246]. (4) The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Sec- retary of the Interior. (5) The term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Ad- ministrator of the Agency for International Development. (Pub. L. 105–96, § 4, Nov. 19, 1997, 111 Stat. 2151; Pub. L. 107–141, § 5(a)(1), Feb. 12, 2002, 116 Stat. 14.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT Division A, section 101(e), title I of Public Law 105–277, referred to in par. (3), is Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, § 101(e) [title I], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–231, 2681–232. Provisions under the heading ‘‘MULTINATIONAL SPECIES CONSERVATION FUND’’ in Pub. L. 105–277, § 101(e) [title I] appear at 112 Stat. 2681–237 and are classified in part to section 4246 of this title. AMENDMENTS 2002—Par. (3). Pub. L. 107–141 substituted ‘‘the ac- count established by division A, section 101(e), title I of Public Law 105–277 under the heading ‘multinational species conservation fund’ ’’ for ‘‘the Asian Elephant Conservation Fund established under section 4265(a) of this title’’.