Award to be Presented Today at Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History for Nava's Condor Protection Legislation
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the nation's largest animal protection organization with more than 10 million supporters, including 1.2 million in California, today presented Assemblymember Pedro Nava (D-35) with its Humane State Legislator award.
The award recognizes legislators who have initiated path-breaking animal protection legislation and demonstrably advanced reform in the policy-making arena. The award will be presented by HSUS President and CEO Wayne Pacelle at a press conference today held at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.
Assemblymember Nava is being recognized for his efforts to protect the last remaining California condors, North America's largest bird and among its most imperiled. Nava navigated the legislation, AB 821, through both chambers of the California legislature, and the measure now awaits action by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
AB 821, the Ridley-Tree Condor Preservation Act, seeks to address the greatest cause of condor mortality – lead poisoning – by restricting the discharge of lead ammunition in condor habitat. Federal regulations adopted in the 1990's ban the use of lead shot in hunting waterfowl, and Nava seeks to expand the concept of requiring the use of non-lead ammunition while hunting in condor areas in an effort to stave off the widespread poisoning of the birds, who feed on carcasses of game animals shot but not retrieved by hunters.
"It is an honor to receive this award from The Humane Society of the United States on behalf of my work to protect California condor and to promote the welfare of animals," said Nava. "The Humane Society of the United States is recognized worldwide for their commitment to celebrating animals and confronting cruelty. I am proud to be a part of its family."
Once, California condors covered the continent, soaring over woolly mammoths and saber toothed tigers on their 9-foot wingspan, until human actions brought them to the precipice of extinction. Today, there are fewer than 130 condors flying wild in California, despite $40 million spent by the federal government and private partners over the past 25 years to restore them.
Abundant scientific information implicates lead ammunition as the number one cause of condor mortality. The resulting lead poisoning induces a slow and agonizing death, as the bird's digestive system is paralyzed. Poisoned birds then die by either starving or becoming disoriented and colliding with power lines or even drowning.
"Assemblyman Nava has always been a fantastic champion of animal protection conservation in Sacramento," said Pacelle. "Now, he has demonstrated his effectiveness by shepherding through the legislature a critical measure to preserve North America's largest and most endangered bird. It's a practical solution that will improve the image of hunters, help protect multiple species of wildlife in California, and spare the condors a massive threat to their very survival."
The HSUS placed a full-page ad in today's Los Angeles Times calling on Gov. Schwarzenegger to protect the condors by signing Nava's bill into law. Assemblymember Nava also announced that he would work with The HSUS to introduce two new animal protection bills in 2008: one making it a felony to be a spectator at a dogfight, and another barring the sale of fur from raccoon dogs, a type of dog species skinned alive in China to make fur-trimmed jackets.
To see the ad, please click here .
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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization – backed by 10 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty. On the web at humanesociety.org .
