Three Year Moratorium On Middle Eastern Falconry:  This petition asks for a three year moratorium on all Middle East falconry, including falconry in host countries where endangered Houbara Bustards are hunted to near-extinction.  In order to make this trade ban effective, this petition also asks for a comprehensive embargo for Falcon and Houbara trade, because trade in these species is the precursor to unsustainable Arab falconry, that is devastating the environment.

U.C.R. is the world’s first and only organization to seek a Middle East falconry trade ban, as outlined in our presentation at the World Working Group on Birds of Prey in Budapest, Hungary on May 22, 2003.  This ban is essential to the survival of Falcons, Houbara Bustards, and Golden Eagles.

Your signatory support for this petition is forwarded to the U.S. Department of Interior, the U.N. CITES Secretariat, and the CITES Standing Committee.

 Pelly Amendment trade sanctions: Petition to seek Pelly Amendment trade sanctions comprehensively applied against Mongolia and Kazakhstan – and selectively applied against businesses owned or directed by smugglers who are also high-level Officials in the Governments of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates .

The Pelly Amendment is the most effective means by which offending States are compelled to obey international wildlife treaties.

This petition and your signatory support is copied to the United States President George W. Bush and the Secretary of Interior Gale Norton.

Falcon passports :  At the request of influential Arab falcon smugglers, the United Nations Secretariat for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (C.I.T.E.S.) has completely abandoned traditional licensing review systems, including mandatory “no detriment” findings for the environment.  The U.S. State Department has also weighed in and protected Arab political leaders who control today’s black market, by instructing the Chairman of the C.I.T.E.S. Standing Committee to authorize easily fungible “falcon passports” and “personal effects”, in lieu of bonafide export / import licenses. 

This petition requests that “falcon passports” be prohibited, concurrent to a return to traditional C.I.T.E.S. licensing protocols, universally required among Western Nations whenever rare and endangered falcons enter into cross-border trade.

Your signatory support for this petition is forwarded to the C.I.T.E.S. Secretariat, the C.I.T.E.S. Standing Committee, and the Department of Interior.

 Non-native releases cause genetic pollution :  Petition the U.S. Department of Interior and the United Nations C.I.T.E.S. Secretariat to prohibit cross-border movement and trade of non-native and Hybrid, captive-bred farm falcons. By ending trade in non-native falcons, genetic pollution of wild native Asian falcons is averted.  Furthermore, uncontrolled hunting of Houbara (Lesser McQueen’s Bustard) – a C.I.T.E.S. Schedule I Endangered species – is dramatically reduced, if Hybrids are b anned from international trade.  The survival of Houbara Bustards depends on your support.

Your signatory support for this petition is forwarded to the C.I.T.E.S. Secretariat, the C.I.T.E.S. Standing Committee, and the Department of Interior.

 Significant Trade Review :  Petition the United Nations to implement a “Significant Trade Review” of falcon and Houbara Bustard commerce.  This is to include a review of trade in wild-captured specimens as well as captive-bred specimens.  All phases of the “Significant Trade Review” must be open to public participation. Commencing immediately – and during the review period – an end is called for, vis-à-vis Middle East-sponsored falcon trade and falconry.  

This petition is copied to the C.I.T.E.S. Secretary General Willem Wijnstekers, the Deputy Secretary General Dr. Jim Armstrong, the Senior Enforcement Officer John Sellar, and the Standing Committee Chairman Kenneth Stansell.