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 Bird smugglers to receive higher fines
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and Agriculture Specialists continue to find birds hidden inside plastic tubes, under car seats, in luggage and stuffed into cans of baby formula. Some birds can earn smugglers thousands of dollars if successfully brought into the United States. The illegal wildlife trade is a highly lucrative black market that ranks second in profits only to illegal drug traffic. Not only does smuggling decrease the population of rare birds in the wild, it also increases the chances that a communicable bird disease, such as Exotic Newcastle or Avian Influenza, could enter this country. Exotic Newcastle Disease
Exotic Newcastle Disease (END) is a contagious and fatal viral disease that affects all species of birds. END is one of the most infectious diseases of poultry in the world and is so deadly that many birds die without showing any signs of disease. A death rate of almost 100 percent can occur in unvaccinated poultry flocks. END can infect and cause death even in vaccinated birds.Avian Influenza
There are many strains of avian influenza (AI) virus that can cause illness in birds. AI viruses can infect chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, ducks, geese and guinea fowl, as well as a wide variety of other birds. Migratory waterfowl are a natural reservoir for the less infectious strains of the disease known as low pathogen avian influenza. Health officials are concerned that the highly infectious H5N1 form of the disease could be transmitted from an Asian bird species to a North American one from the Pacific Flyway migration route when both begin arriving in Alaska. However some health officials are certain that the global trade in pets, illegal wildlife and animal parts could prove to be the more likely route for the deadly virus to reach the United States.Increased penalties
Bird smugglers who get caught will be facing much higher fines. The fines will increase to $1,000 for an individual smuggler and $10,000 for a commercial smuggler.All live birds are turned over the U.S. Department of Agriculture Veterinary Services, who will dispose of, re-export or quarantine the birds. |
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