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Oregon Zoo Establishes Endangered Species Justice Fund
For Immediate Release
February 9, 2007
Contacts: Bill La Marche 503-220-2448 (office) or 503-497-5812 (pager)
Linda D’Ae-Smith 503-220-5716 (office) or 503-441-7573 (pager)
Joan Jewett, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 503-231-6211
PORTLAND, Ore. –– The Oregon Zoo is receiving money from criminals ––
criminals who violate wildlife statutes, that is. Community service
payments ordered by Oregon’s federal court as part of wildlife-crime
sentences will now go into an Endangered Species Justice Fund, created by
the zoo and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in cooperation with the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service. Money in the fund will be used to help endangered and
threatened species.
“It’s sad to see crimes that hurt wildlife, but we are pleased with the
opportunity to have some good come from tragedy,” said Oregon Zoo Director
Tony Vecchio. “It’s an honor for us to team up with the U.S. Attorney’s
Office and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help endangered wildlife.”
The start-up money from the fund comes from the prosecution of a nationwide
conspiracy to sell ocelots illegally. In recent years, wildlife
investigators have prosecuted criminals for a broad range of crimes, from
trafficking in endangered species and furs to illegally killing hundreds of
migratory birds.
“I plan to make sure that criminals who commit wildlife crimes pay to help
undo the damage they’ve done,” said U.S. Attorney Karin J. Immergut. In
2005, Immergut and Gov. Ted Kulongoski established a similar endowment to
target money from industrial-pollution prosecutions to environmental
grants. The endowment –– known as the Oregon Governor’s Fund for the
Environment –– makes annual grants of hundreds of thousands of dollars to
local environmental groups.
The goal of the Endangered Species Justice Fund is to decrease the
environmental harm caused by wildlife crimes prosecuted in Oregon. Grants
will fund programs that protect and support endangered and threatened
species, as well as programs that work to combat illegal trafficking and
sale of endangered and threatened species.
Since crimes prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office involve animals from
all over the world, the fund will support programs that help Northwest
species as well as efforts abroad.
The Endangered Species Justice Fund will be a part of the zoo’s Future for
Wildlife program. The program has a long history of success in
international conservation efforts to help elephants, rhinos, penguins,
cheetahs, leopards, snow leopards and chimpanzees in Africa, Asia and South
America. FFW also has a proven track record locally, helping to fund
regional conservation activities such as the reintroduction of Oregon
silverspot butterflies, Washington pygmy rabbits and California condors.
“I am very proud that the U.S. Attorney’s office has recognized the zoo’s
great work in helping endangered wildlife here in the Northwest and around
the world,” commented Vecchio. “With their help, we will make an even
greater impact.”
“We are grateful to the Oregon Zoo and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for
focusing attention on the problem of wildlife crime and ensuring that
penalties from those offenses benefit species here and abroad,” said Ren
Lohoefener, director of the Fish and Wildlife Service’s pacific region,
headquartered in Portland. “When an individual or organization unlawfully
sells wildlife –– especially protected species –– it creates a market that
encourages their exploitation, in some cases driving a species closer to
extinction.”
The Oregon Zoo is a service of Metro and is dedicated to its mission to
inspire the community to create a better future for wildlife. Committed to
conservation, the zoo is currently working to save endangered California
condors, Oregon silverspot butterflies, western pond turtles and Kincaid’s
lupine. Other projects include studies on black rhinos, Asian elephants,
polar bears and bats.
Contacts: Bill La Marche 503-220-2448 (office) or 503-497-5812 (pager)
Linda D’Ae-Smith 503-220-5716 (office) or 503-441-7573 (pager)
Joan Jewett, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 503-231-6211
PORTLAND, Ore. –– The Oregon Zoo is receiving money from criminals ––
criminals who violate wildlife statutes, that is. Community service
payments ordered by Oregon’s federal court as part of wildlife-crime
sentences will now go into an Endangered Species Justice Fund, created by
the zoo and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in cooperation with the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service. Money in the fund will be used to help endangered and
threatened species.
“It’s sad to see crimes that hurt wildlife, but we are pleased with the
opportunity to have some good come from tragedy,” said Oregon Zoo Director
Tony Vecchio. “It’s an honor for us to team up with the U.S. Attorney’s
Office and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help endangered wildlife.”
The start-up money from the fund comes from the prosecution of a nationwide
conspiracy to sell ocelots illegally. In recent years, wildlife
investigators have prosecuted criminals for a broad range of crimes, from
trafficking in endangered species and furs to illegally killing hundreds of
migratory birds.
“I plan to make sure that criminals who commit wildlife crimes pay to help
undo the damage they’ve done,” said U.S. Attorney Karin J. Immergut. In
2005, Immergut and Gov. Ted Kulongoski established a similar endowment to
target money from industrial-pollution prosecutions to environmental
grants. The endowment –– known as the Oregon Governor’s Fund for the
Environment –– makes annual grants of hundreds of thousands of dollars to
local environmental groups.
The goal of the Endangered Species Justice Fund is to decrease the
environmental harm caused by wildlife crimes prosecuted in Oregon. Grants
will fund programs that protect and support endangered and threatened
species, as well as programs that work to combat illegal trafficking and
sale of endangered and threatened species.
Since crimes prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office involve animals from
all over the world, the fund will support programs that help Northwest
species as well as efforts abroad.
The Endangered Species Justice Fund will be a part of the zoo’s Future for
Wildlife program. The program has a long history of success in
international conservation efforts to help elephants, rhinos, penguins,
cheetahs, leopards, snow leopards and chimpanzees in Africa, Asia and South
America. FFW also has a proven track record locally, helping to fund
regional conservation activities such as the reintroduction of Oregon
silverspot butterflies, Washington pygmy rabbits and California condors.
“I am very proud that the U.S. Attorney’s office has recognized the zoo’s
great work in helping endangered wildlife here in the Northwest and around
the world,” commented Vecchio. “With their help, we will make an even
greater impact.”
“We are grateful to the Oregon Zoo and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for
focusing attention on the problem of wildlife crime and ensuring that
penalties from those offenses benefit species here and abroad,” said Ren
Lohoefener, director of the Fish and Wildlife Service’s pacific region,
headquartered in Portland. “When an individual or organization unlawfully
sells wildlife –– especially protected species –– it creates a market that
encourages their exploitation, in some cases driving a species closer to
extinction.”
The Oregon Zoo is a service of Metro and is dedicated to its mission to
inspire the community to create a better future for wildlife. Committed to
conservation, the zoo is currently working to save endangered California
condors, Oregon silverspot butterflies, western pond turtles and Kincaid’s
lupine. Other projects include studies on black rhinos, Asian elephants,
polar bears and bats.
The zoo opens at 9 a.m. daily and is located five minutes from downtown
Portland, just off Highway 26. The zoo is also accessible by MAX light rail
line. Zoo visitors are encouraged to ride MAX or take TriMet bus No. 63 to
the Oregon Zoo. Visitors who take the bus or MAX receive 50 cents off zoo
admission. Call TriMet Customer Service, 503-238-RIDE (7433), or visit
www.trimet.org for fare and route information.
General admission is $9.75 (12–64), seniors $8.25 (65+), children $6.75
(3–11), and infants 2 and under are free; 25 cents of the admission price
helps fund regional conservation projects through the zoo’s Future for
Wildlife program. A parking fee of $1 per car is also required. Additional
information is available at www.oregonzoo.org or by calling 503-226-1561.
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 545 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 and Native American tribal 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.