WASHINGTON -- March 8 -- Friends of Animals and the Center for Biological Diversity have sued Gale Norton (Secretary, Department of the Interior) and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, arguing that three species of North African antelopes should be listed as endangered and protected from trophy hunters.

Back in 1991, the Scimitar-Horned Oryx, Dama Gazelle, and Addax were all proposed to be added to the U.S. endangered-species list. More than thirteen years later, people are still waiting for our government to finally list the species under the Endangered Species Act, and to actually protect these antelopes from hunting.

An explosion in hunting since Europeans invaded Africa has driven these antelope to the brink of extinction. Years ago, Friends of Animals went to the desert of Senegal, Africa, to help the rare antelopes regain footing in their own habitat. About thirty Oryx are living in Senegal, but they are still not entirely free.

These days, most of these three species of antelopes are usually found far away from home, in places like Texas, where they are used as targets. Hunters pay big money to visit a range where they can easily turn a rare antelope into a wall trophy. The shooting of these animals in confinement brings high profits. The opportunity to shoot at animals who cannot escape is known as a "canned hunt."

We at Friends of Animals believe that all members of the three species of antelopes should be listed as "Endangered" -- that's the highest level of protection -- wherever they are found. They should not be treated as targets, just because some hunting lodges make money from these animals.

Attorney Jay Tutchton, of the Environmental Law Clinical Partnership at the University of Denver's College of Law, filed a motion in the case in late January, requesting immediate action from Secretary Gale Norton's U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The government argues that hunting is good for the antelope, because it provides an incentive for maintaining them. So the Fish & Wildlife Service is pressing for a special exemption -- arguing that the captive members of these species should get the lesser protections of a "Threatened" listing. Hunting is good business for people who sell heads and horns, but it is not wildlife conservation as the government wishes to claim. Hunting these antelopes is no way to save them or treat them with dignity. Nor is it a dignified interpretation of the Endangered Species Act.

You can make a difference. The ranchers will write in with their viewpoints; advocates for the antelopes need to ensure that our letters appear in the file. Letters received by the government by April 4th will be part of the record.

Sample letter (please put your own words into your letter, using this as a model, and be sure it's dated and sent before April 4th):

Dear Secretary Norton,

I would like the public record to show my support for the addition of the Scimitar-Horned Addax, Oryx, and Dama Gazelle to the list of species protected by the Endangered Species Act.

Please give all of these antelopes the fullest protection, wherever they are found.

Do not let businesses and hunters exploit their rarity in Africa to sell them here in the United States. Do not set a double standard. Please, list all three species as endangered.

Breeding them in the United States is not the answer -- especially when part of this plan includes allowing them to be killed for their antlers. The original mission of the Endangered Species Act is twisted beyond recognition when exemptions are employed to bolster "exotic" hunting ranches. Such disrespect of these three antelopes sends the worst of examples to hunters and poachers all over the world. Please don't allow any loopholes or any further delays in listing these three antelope species.

Thank you for your attention.

Sincerely,

Send your letters to:

Comment to Federal Register Notice - Endangered Species Status for Scimitar-Horned Addax, Oryx, and Dama Gazelle

The Honorable Gale Norton, Secretary, Department of the Interior, 1849 C St. NW, Washington, DC 20240.

Please e-mail a copy of your letter to: ScientificAuthority@fws.gov or send it by fax machine to: 1.703.358.2276

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