Top 5 Ways Conservationists Cause Animal Extinction

5. United States Fish & Wildlife Plays Crony Capitalism with Chimpanzees

Presumably, the declaration by US Fish & Wildlife that American chimpanzees constitute an endangered species would at least prevent exporting American chimpanzees to other countries, as that is usually what it means when an animal is declared an endangered species elsewhere in the world. If African Grey parrots are endangered, then you cannot export them from Africa. But that is apparently not how it works for US Fish & Wildlife and American chimpanzees. Their ruling that American chimpanzees are endangered allows US Fish & Wildlife to issue permits to whomever they choose so that some American chimpanzees — but not others — can be sold abroad for commercial purposes.

BOSTON, April 25, 2016 — Today the New England Anti-Vivisection Society (NEAVS) and a coalition of sanctuaries and chimpanzee experts, filed suit against the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) in response to its Thursday (April 21) decision to grant Yerkes National Primate Research Center (Yerkes) a permit to export eight endangered chimpanzees (Yerkes’ 8) — Abby, Agatha, Elvira, Faye, Fritz, Lucas, Tara and Georgia — to Wingham Wildlife Park (Wingham), an unaccredited commercial zoo in Kent, England. Source: NEAVS.ORG

Many in the conservation racket had touted the ruling that American chimpanzees are endangered as a victory for the conservation of American chimpanzees. But apparently, if the right palms are greased, then American chimpanzees can become British subjects — or the property of British  subjects — with the proper permits signed in triplicate.