Born Free USA Condemns Trump Administration's Overhaul of Endangered Species Act

Animal advocacy organization says changes to landmark wildlife protection legislation will increase extinction rates

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Aug 15, 2019, 07:00 ET

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Born Free USA, a global leader in animal welfare and wildlife conservation, sharply criticized Monday's action by the Trump administration to finalize regulations weakening the Endangered Species Act and putting already threatened and endangered species further at risk. These new regulations, approved by Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, would allow economic factors to keep species off the list and could directly benefit many of the mining, oil and gas companies for which Bernhardt once served as a lobbyist.

"This administration has shown time and time again that they are unconcerned with the welfare or conservation of animals, through their appointments, treating wildlife as commodities, and prioritizing profits over sustainability and sound science," said Angela Grimes, Born Free USA CEO. "With one million species at risk of extinction and wildlife habitat encroachment almost at a tipping point, we should be doing more to protect animals, not less. Born Free USA condemns the 'Trump Extinction Plan' of undermining the Endangered Species Act and encourages the public to contact their elected representatives and let them know you oppose these regulation changes."

The Endangered Species Act, signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1973, protects animal and plant species in danger of extinction, as well as their habitats. More than 1,200 species are currently listed as endangered, with more than 300 others considered threatened.

The overhaul, first proposed in July 2018, removes language that prohibits the consideration of economic factors when deciding whether a species should be protected. Gary Frazer, the assistant director for endangered species with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, said the phrase was removed for "transparency."

The rollback also allows for roads, pipelines, mines, and other industrial projects to be developed in habitat areas that are essential to some species' survival, and would make it more difficult to protect polar bears, coral reefs and many more imperiled plant and animal species.

The new regulations also ignore the recent United Nations IPCC Report on Global Warming that warns of the greater possibility of extinction for more than one million plants and animals worldwide due, in large part, to development and climate change.

For more information about Born Free USA, visit https://www.bornfreeusa.org.

About Born Free USA
We work tirelessly to ensure that all wild animals, whether living in captivity or in the wild, are treated with compassion and respect and are able to live their lives according to their needs. As a leading wildlife charity, we oppose the exploitation of wild animals in captivity and campaign to keep them where they belong – in the wild. We promote Compassionate Conservation to enhance the survival of threatened species in the wild and protect natural habitats while respecting the needs and safeguarding the welfare of individual animals.

Born Free USA was inspired by Virginia McKenna and her late husband Bill Travers, who, along with their son, Will, founded The Born Free Foundation (UK) in 1984. Their experience in Kenya filming the classic 1966 Academy Award®-winning film Born Free, the story of Joy and George Adamson's fight to successfully return Elsa the lioness to a wild and free life, launched the couple's "compassionate conservation" movement, aimed at keeping wildlife in the wild.

Located in south Texas, Born Free USA's Primate Sanctuary provides a permanent home for more than 500 primates retired from research facilities or rescued from inhumane conditions at zoos and private ownership. These primates have often endured a lifetime of abuse, neglect, and cruelty, and many come to the sanctuary with special physical and emotional needs, requiring extensive care and services.

We're social: www.bornfreeusa.org, www.twitter.com/bornfreeusa, www.facebook.com/bornfreeusa, www.instagram.com/bornfreeusaorg.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Heather Ripley
Orange Orchard
865-977-1973
[email protected]

SOURCE Born Free USA