Endangered species act

[Mike Soukup]

With due respect to Jere, and, as a person who has spent much time "on the shady side
of the law", I would recommend almost nothing he says.  If you accidentally kill an
endangered specie in the USA, keep your mouth shut, don't tell anybody, and mis-label
your specimen!!!  Our USF&W are NOT nice, understanding  people.  They are thugs with
guns and power and they like to use it.


Jere Kahanpaa wrote:

> Hi.
>
> David Smith <idleweed at tusco.net> wrote:
> > Hello all,
> >     I am interested in moths, especially micros. I frequently catch and kill
> > moths that I do not know what species they are. What if one is an endangered
> > species? What do I do with it? Should I destroy it so as not to be
> > prosecuted? Could I turn it over to a museum?
> >     What about people who use insect traps of various kinds? Are they liable
> > if they kill an endangered species?
> >     Maybe these examples would be considered accidental. If someone who
> > doesn't know an ant from a butterfly stomps an endangered species on purpose
> > because they don't like bugs can they go to jail?
> >     Just curious as I truly do not know.
>
> I've never caught an unexpected protected lep, but as it is an obvious possibility
> in any extended trapping scheme or when collecting in regions with endangered
> difficult micromoths such as Coleophorids. Whether the killing is accidental or not
> doesn't matter (as least according to Finnish law). The recommended but unofficial
> procedure here is:
>
> 0. Do your homework. Be aware of all endangered species that could be caught
> at your site with the methods you use and keep looking for them.
>
> 1. Donate all protected specimens to a museum. Be sure to label it properly and
> include a label with the reason/method of capture.
>
> 2. Ensure that no additional specimens are harmed: Move your traps. Learn to
> identify the species in field if possible and stop taking any specimens that could
> be confused with the protected species.
>
> 3, Write an extensive raport: what was catched, how did you catch it, where & when
> and what have you done to stop further damage to the species. Send the raport to
> the museum and possibly to other authorities. At least in Finland the
> Enviromental Center has a standard 'contact form' used for raporting
> observations of endangered species.
>
> 4. If at all possible, try to do some extra study on the species where you caught
> it: map the population and try to estimate it's size; make observations of habits
> and biotype.
>
> Following these rules is, of course, not a 100% sure way to avoid prosecution but I
> cannot think of a better defence. Destroying all evidence would probably also work,
> but personally I would consider destroying endangered micro observation notes
> a worse crime than killing the moth! Documenting and raporting your work is the
> best alibi against unjustified prosecution.
>
> Personally I've collected a few specimens of a species protected by law in Finland
> (Hypodryas maturna) by taking dead and dry leps from spider nets :-)
>
> Criminally Yours,
>
>         Jere Kahanpää
> --
> It's hard to think outside the box when you ARE the box.
>                             - unknown, alt.religion.kibology
>
>
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