IDFG seeks comments on peregrine take
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February 26, 2013 |
Once listed as an endangered species, the
American peregrine falcon has rebounded to the
extent that in 2004 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service authorized the capture of nestling
peregrines from the wild for use in falconry.
In 2008, the Fish and Wildlife Service decided
to also allow capture of post-fledging
first-year peregrines – hatch year or “passage”
birds.
States have the authority to manage the capture
of up to 5 percent of annual production. Based
on Fish and Game surveys, the most juvenile
peregrines that could be taken from the wild in
Idaho in any given year would be two birds.
Montana, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming,
Colorado and Arizona also allow the capture of
peregrine falcons.
Fish and Game proposes to allow the capture of
two juvenile peregrines from the wild for
falconry purposes in 2013 and has developed a
set of draft rules for public comment. Draft
rules can be found on Fish and Game’s website at
http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/hunt/rules/?getPage=67,
and comments will be accepted through March 11.
The peregrine has been used in falconry for more
than 3,000 years, beginning with nomads in
central Asia. Captured wild migratory peregrines
were used regularly by North American falconers
from 1938 to 1970 when the species was added to
the federal list of threatened and endangered
wildlife and plants. Until 2004, nearly all
peregrines used for falconry in the United
States were captive-bred from the offspring of
birds captured before the Endangered Species Act
was enacted.
The peregrine was removed from the endangered
species list in 1999.
The successful recovery program was aided, in
collaboration with Boise’s Peregrine Fund, Fish
and Game, and federal agencies, by the effort
and knowledge of falconers through a technique
called “hacking,” the release of a captive-bred
bird from a special cage at the top of a tower
or cliff ledge.
If approved as proposed, this action will again
allow falconers to capture a wild peregrine in
Idaho for falconry purposes – for the first time
in more that 40 years. |
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