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Title Author Citation Alternate Citation Agency Citation Summary
THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT V. THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE: HOW THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE DERAILED CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS UNDER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES Ed Newcomer, Marie Palladini & Leah Jones 17 Animal L. 171 (2011)

Historically, in prosecutions under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), to prove the element “knowingly” the government only had to prove that a defendant intentionally killed an animal that turned out to be endangered or threatened, not that the defendant knew the identity of the species or the endangered or threatened status of the animal when it was killed. Jury instructions to this effect were repeatedly upheld. Then, in a brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court for McKittrick v. U.S., the federal government, unprompted, unnecessarily, and without explanation, said that it would not use this jury instruction in the future because the instruction did not properly explain “knowingly.” The U.S. Department of Justice subsequently issued a directive to its attorneys to that same effect. Now, there is a self-imposed rule in ESA prosecutions requiring prosecutors to prove that a defendant knew the animal was endangered or threatened at the time it was “taken” or killed. This Article discusses ways in which this change conflicts with the established law and its impact on ESA prosecutions.
The Future of the African Rhinoceros: It’s Anything But Black & White Robert Saxton Animal Legal & Historical Center

This paper will briefly review the biology and ecology of the various African rhino species and subspecies before presenting a description of the major current threats to African rhinos. The international legal response to rhino population declines will be outlined, followed by a discussion of concurrent rhino population trends. Suggestions for the future legal protection of rhinos will follow.

THE LIZARD, THE SCIENTIST, & THE LAWMAKER: AN ANALYSIS OF THE TRENDING FIGHT OVER THE USE OF SCIENCE UNDER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT AND HOW TO ADDRESS IT Brie D. Sherwin 20 Animal L. 357 (2014) Recently in Texas, the dunes sagebrush lizard—a tiny, little-known reptile living in the sparse brush and dunes of the oil and gas fields—sparked a heated discussion and criticism over the listing process under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This six-year battle ended with the withdrawal of a proposed rule to list the lizard and resulted in numerous criticisms about the role and use of scientific data throughout the process. Under the ESA, the United States Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) is required to consider the best available scientific data when deciding whether to list a species. However, there is no direct legislative history explaining this standard. Because existing scientific data on “stressors” in the environment is typically limited and inadequate, this data gap leads to uncertainty, which unquestionably leads to difficult decision making by the regulatory agencies. Although a review of past listing designations confirms that FWS is not only utilizing sound science, but more often than not, is making sound decisions based on that science, many policy makers are still criticizing the use of science in decision-making processes and are pitting science against economics. This Article advocates for a more systematic, transparent application of science in the decision-making process: a well-defined “weight of evidence” approach that will foster structured deliberations, hypothesis testing, and the necessary clarity and transparency that will benefit all parties involved.
The Public and Wildlife Trust Doctrones and the Untold Story of the Lucas Remand Blake Hudson 34 Colum. J. Envtl. L. 99 (2009)

This article seeks to address more thoroughly how the historical “old maxims” of the public and wildlife trust doctrines can be used as Lucas background principles of property law to overcome takings challenges brought against state and federal environmental regulations. First, the historical underpinnings of the public trust doctrine and the wildlife trust doctrine prior to the founding of the nation are described. The Illinois Central Railroad v. Illinois and Geer v. Connecticut, which are the key Supreme Court cases establishing the validity of these doctrines in the United States are summarized. The author asserts that the doctrines may be interchangeably applied as a means of protecting important environmental resources. The author illustrates how the use of these doctrines might have changed the ultimate outcome of the Lucas case.

The Recovery of the Gray Wolf Under the Endangered Species Act Catherine J. Archibald Animal Legal and Historical Center

The gray wolf was persecuted almost to extinction in the United States. Under the Endangered Species Act, the gray wolf has made a great recovery. Several legal issues are still unresolved however.

Tiger Conservation in a "Globalized" World: Tying Humans, Forests, and Tigers Together Ross Hammersley Animal Legal & Historical Center

This Paper will discuss the current trends in tiger conservation and management. Part I will discuss the statutory protections afforded to tigers in India’s Wildlife Protection Act and the operation of CITES. Part II will cover the primary reasons for renewed concern over the fate of the tiger, focusing on the demand for Asian medicines and other tiger derivatives. This Part will also discuss the current state of conservation efforts in India, focusing on how nearby rural villages have been affected by the establishment of the tiger reserves and wildlife conservation areas in India. Finally, Part III will propose some ways to begin to curb some of the demand in the international tiger derivative market and to improve community involvement and enforcement of India’s current regulations, as well as exploring potential avenues for strengthening aid efforts from and within the United States.

Toward Reconciling Environmental and Animal Ethics: Northeast Wolf Reintroduction Reed Elizabeth Loder 10 J. Animal & Nat. Resource L. 95 Many conservation issues replicate the dialogue on wolf introduction and its aftermath, reflecting tension between animal and environmental ethics. This article focuses on the proposal to restore wolves to the role of top predator in the Northeastern United States. It offers ethical guidelines for use in predator restorations where group and individual perspectives chafe, aiming to promote dialogue between environmental and animal ethicists.
U.S. IVORY TRADE: CAN A CRACKDOWN ON TRAFFICKING SAVE THE LAST TITAN? Beth Allgood, Marina Ratchford, Peter LaFontaine 20 Animal L. 27 (2013) Rampant poaching has put African elephants on the verge of extinction in the wild, and the United States (U.S.) is complicit in this crisis. Despite the best efforts of federal agencies, porous national borders, legal loopholes, and deep-seated difficulties in law enforcement make the U.S. a major market for illicit ivory. While the White House, the United Nations, and the European Union, along with other voices, are sounding alarms, bold and concrete actions have been slow in coming. The U.S., in particular, is only beginning to acknowledge its own role in the slaughter, and still relies on a patchwork of inadequate laws and regulations to control its domestic ivory trade. The U.S. must quickly put a halt to its domestic ivory trade by adequately funding customs and wildlife inspectors and addressing the problem at every step along the chain of destruction—from the poachers and militants on the ground in Africa, to the international criminal syndicates underwriting the logistics of trafficking, to the consumers whose demand drives the crisis to ever-greater depths. This Article, analyzing never-before released data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, shines a light on the scope and scale of the underground trade in the U.S., unpacks the problems facing regulators and enforcement officials, and builds the case for a total ban on the commercial ivory trade, which threatens the existence of one of the planet’s greatest icons.
What About The Polar Bears? The Future of The Polar Bears as Predicted by a Survey of Success Under The Endangered Species Act Laura Navarro 19 Vill. Envtl. L.J. 169 (2008)

The proposed listing of polar bears raises questions about what that listing might mean for the polar bears as a species, and how successful conservation efforts will or can be. This Comment explores these and other questions implicated by the proposed listing of polar bears as an endangered species under the Act.

Where Have All the Sea Otters Gone? Matthew Kuipers Animal Legal & Historical Center

This article begins by exploring the biology and habitat of the sea otter. It then discusses the history of human-sea otter interaction, and how the exploitation of otters for fur first led to the need for their protection. The current state of otter protection is analyzed, with specific focus on the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Finally, solutions for continued otter preservation are explained in conjunction with the major hurdles facing otter populations.