Couple Convicted for Illegally Importing Endangered Bird

FORT ERIE, Ontario, July 2, 2004 – An Ontario man was ordered to pay fines totaling $3,750 for importing a parrot without a permit. Luc Desgagne pled guilty in the Ontario Court of Justice, Fort Erie, Ontario, to charges of illegally importing, into Canada, a cherry headed conure (Aratinga erythrogenys), a bird resembling a macaw.

Luc Desgagne and his wife Milagros of Nepean, Ontario, illegally imported a cherry headed conure from Puerto Rico into Canada via the United States and were both charged pursuant to sections 6(1) and 6(2) of the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act. Mr. Desgagne was convicted under section 6(2) only. The section 6(1) charge against Mr. Desgagne and both charges laid against Milagros Desgagne were withdrawn. The cherry headed conure, with an estimated value of $500.00 Canadian, was ordered forfeited to the Crown.

Conures are protected under an international treaty known as the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). CITES sets controls on the international trade and movement of animal and plant species that have been, or may be, threatened due to excessive commercial exploitation. Trade and movement of these species are strictly controlled via an export and import permit system. In this case, CITES export and re-export permits were required to have been issued by Puerto Rico and the United States respectively.

Canadian Wildlife Service enforcement officers were alerted to the import of the conure after Canada Customs and Revenue Agency officers inspected the Desgagnes vehicle on November 03, 2003 at the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie, Ontario.

A subsequent investigation established that the Desgagnes had been warned by both Canadian and American customs officials the previous day not to attempt an entry into Canada with the bird, as it required a CITES export permit from the United States. The investigation further established that the bird was transported by air from Puerto Rico to New York City, and then in the Desgagnes personal vehicle to the Canadian border.

Environment Canada is the lead agency responsible for implementing CITES on behalf of the federal government. Within Environment Canada, the Canadian Wildlife Service administers CITES and interacts with provincial, territorial and other federal agencies.

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