2025 CITES Recap

The CITES Conference of the Parties (CoP) was held from November 24 to December 5 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. David Garcia represented USARK as an observer, and Art Parola attended on behalf of the National Animal Interest Alliance (NAIA). Both coordinated closely...

ALERT: LEMIS FOIA

Notice Pursuant to Executive Order 12600 of Receipt of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA); Requests for Wildlife/Flora Import and Export Data stored in LEMIS The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has received multiple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests...

ESA: Hellbender

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed to list the eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis) as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. Read the Federal Register document at...
ALERT: Michigan

ALERT: Michigan

Senator Polehanki has introduced a late bill in the Michigan Senate to classify all crocodilians as prohibited species. A grandfather clause allows the owner to obtain a permit from Michigan DNR. Owners who held crocodilians before the effective date will have 180...
ALERT: Michigan

ALERT: Lansford, PA

UPDATE Feb. 12, 2025: The City Council continues work on the exotic animal ordinance. There will be a meeting to discuss this issue, but the date has not been announced. The Lansford Council has directed the borough solicitor (city attorney) to draft an exotic animal...

ALERT: Florence, SC

UPDATE 3/6/25: No local residents appeared to speak at the hearing. The ordinance passed with some amendments, linked below. UPDATE 3/6/25: A new draft is scheduled to be heard at the City Council meeting on Monday, March 10. Some changes have been made but the draft...