Not Just the Deer and the Antelope : Plan Aims to Protect Non-Game Species

WASHINGTON — Environmentalists say it is time to take urgent action to protect non-game species--birds, mammals, reptiles and fish that are not hunted, fished or trapped--from new threats to their survival.

They are worried about what they consider to be a failure of leadership and insufficient funds to protect such animals, which comprise the vast majority of American wildlife.

They also are worried about the danger of squandering the living legacy of nearly 3,700 species of wild animals that the Fish and Wildlife Service counts living in the United States.

In 1980, 93 million Americans chose outdoor activities involving wildlife--such as bird-watching, nature hikes and photography--indicating a national love and appreciation of many non-game animals.

“Most agencies are so narrowly focused on game species that they have all but forgotten non-game” animals, said Joyce Kelley, president of Defenders of Wildlife, a nonprofit conservation organization in Washington.

National Fund Drive

The group says it will ask the states and Congress to work with conservation organizations to raise $50 million a year for state programs to protect non-game species--programs outlined in the Non-Game Act of 1980, for which no funds have been appropriated.

Kelley says the campaign is needed for preventive measures so that “10 years from now, we don’t have to devote extraordinary time and money to preventing their extinction.”

A number of migratory bird species--the common loon, osprey, red-shouldered hawk, wood stork and barn owl--are among those that could have survival problems in future years.

Kelley says that efforts to protect non-game animals must go beyond single-species management. It must result in programs to protect habitats from human encroachment and pollution.

She explained that “90% of our wildlife species are non-game, but just 10% of our wildlife dollars are spent to understand or benefit them,” she said.

Two States Rated OK

According to an analysis done by Defenders, only two states--Missouri and Florida--have adequate funds committed to protecting non-game species.

Far too many non-game preservation programs in too many states rely on unstable means of support, such as voluntary donations and income tax form checkoffs, the group said.

Kelley said that Americans are willing to pick up the tab for protecting non-game animals. A study conducted this year by the President’s Commission on Americans Outdoors found that 64% of the population thinks wildlife protection should be paid for by taxes.