KEYWORDS: avian flu flue bird importation US bird pets international travel with birds
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service advises
Americans planning to travel abroad with their pet
birds, that because of avian flu concerns, many
countries have temporarily banned the importation of
birds, including pet birds, from the United States.
While the Service is still issuing permits
under the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species (CITES) for the export of pet
birds, the agency encourages international travelers to contact the country or countries they plan on visiting regarding any new restrictions.
European Union member nations Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, as well as countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia either temporarily have banned or may ban the importation of such birds
until further notice.
Contact information for most foreign authorities may be found on the CITES website. Additional information and updates may also be
obtained from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's
web site; click
on "hot issues."
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the
principal Federal agency responsible for conserving,
protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants
and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the
American people.
The Service manages the
95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System,
which encompasses 542 national wildlife refuges,
thousands of small wetlands and other special
management areas. It also operates 69 national
fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and
81 ecological services field stations.
The agency
enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the
Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird
populations, restores nationally significant
fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat
such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with
their conservation efforts.
It also oversees the
Federal Assistance program, which distributes
hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on
fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and
wildlife agencies.
SOURCE:
Tom R. MacKenzie - Chief, Media Relations
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Southeast Region
Phone: 404-679-7291
Fax:404-679-7286
Mobile: 678-296-6400
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