99-23333. Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed Reclassification of Certain Vicuna Populations From Endangered to Threatened and a Proposed Special Rule

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 173 (Wednesday, September 8, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 48743-48757]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-23333]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

RIN 1018-AE04


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed 
Reclassification of Certain Vicuna Populations From Endangered to 
Threatened and a Proposed Special Rule

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) proposes to 
reclassify vicuna (Vicugna vicugna) populations of Argentina, Bolivia, 
Chile and Peru from endangered to threatened under the U.S. Endangered 
Species Act (Act or ESA). The recently re-introduced population of 
Ecuador, treated as a distinct population segment under the Act in 
accordance with the Service's Policy on Distinct Vertebrate Population 
Segments (61 FR 4722), will remain listed as endangered. The Service 
also proposes to establish a special rule (under Section 4(d) of the 
Act) allowing the importation into the United States of wool and legal 
vicuna products produced with wool from vicuna populations listed both 
as threatened under the Act and in Appendix II of the Convention on 
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora 
(CITES), except that the Appendix II semi-captive populations of 
Catamarca, Jujuy, La Rioja, Salta, and San Juan Provinces in Argentina 
are specifically excluded from the special rule until such time as 
their conservation benefit for wild vicuna populations has been 
demonstrated adequately. It is proposed that importation into the 
United States of wool and legal vicuna products made from wool that 
originated from threatened and approved Appendix II populations will 
require valid CITES export permits from the country of origin and also 
the country of re-export, when applicable. Should the conservation or 
management status of threatened vicuna populations change in one or 
more range countries, the potential would remain to repeal the special 
rule or reclassify the population as endangered, should that become 
necessary for the conservation of the vicuna. The Service invites 
information and comments on this proposed rule. The analysis of the 
information and comments received could lead to a final decision that 
would differ substantially from this proposal.

DATES: Comments must be received by December 7, 1999. Public hearing 
requests must be received by October 25, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments and relevant information concerning this proposal 
should be sent to the Chief, Office of Scientific Authority; mail stop: 
Arlington Square, room 750, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Washington, 
DC 20240, or via E-mail to: [e-mail]. Comments and materials 
received will be available for public inspection by appointment, from 8 
a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, in Room 750, 4401 North Fairfax 
Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22203.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Susan S. Lieberman, Chief, Office 
of Scientific Authority, at the above address, or by phone (703-358-
1708), fax [phone]), or E-mail ([e-mail]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The vicuna (Vicugna vicugna) was listed as endangered under the 
U.S. Endangered Species Act on June 2, 1970. Among other things, the 
effect of that listing was the prohibition of U.S. interstate or 
international commerce in vicuna products. All populations of the 
vicuna were included in Appendix I of the Convention on International 
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) on July 1, 
1975 (the date of entry into force of the CITES Convention), which 
thereby prohibited all primarily commercial, international trade in 
vicuna products. Certain populations of vicuna in Chile and Peru were 
subsequently transferred to CITES Appendix II at the sixth meeting of 
the CITES Conference of the Parties (COP6) in 1987. The remaining 
vicuna populations in Peru were transferred to Appendix II in 1994 at 
CITES COP9, and certain populations in Argentina and Bolivia were 
transferred to Appendix II in 1997 at CITES COP10. These transfers to 
Appendix II, reflecting improved conservation status for specified 
vicuna populations, allow the international trade under carefully 
controlled conditions, of products manufactured from vicuna wool. This 
international trade, however, is still excluded from the United States, 
because of the species' listing under the Endangered Species Act. The 
United States supported the CITES transfers of the populations to 
Appendix II, based on the information received at the aforementioned 
meetings of the Conference of the Parties, where the CITES Parties 
voted to adopt the proposed transfers to Appendix II. The information 
in the relevant CITES listing proposals is available on request from 
the Office of Scientific Authority (see ADDRESSES Section).
    We received a petition on October 5, 1995, from the President of 
the International Vicuna Consortium, requesting that the vicuna be 
removed from the U.S. list of endangered and threatened wildlife, or 
reclassified with a special rule that would allow for a commercial 
trade that would benefit the conservation of the species. The 
petitioners cited the following as reasons for the requested ACTION: 
(1) Improved management of vicuna populations, (2) improved enforcement 
and trade controls, and (3) recognition that regulated commerce could 
be beneficial to both rural communities that share landscapes with 
vicunas and the vicunas themselves. The petitioners provided limited 
supportive documentation.
    Our 90-day finding on whether the petition presents substantial 
scientific data is subsumed within this proposed rule, which finds 
that: (1) Reclassification of the vicuna from endangered to threatened 
is warranted for all range countries except Ecuador; and (2) that a 
special rule (also referred to as a 4(d) rule) is warranted for all 
Appendix II populations, with the exception of the Appendix II semi-
captive populations of Catamarca, Jujuy, La Rioja, Salta, and San Juan 
Provinces

[[Page 48744]]

in Argentina, which are specifically excluded until such time as their 
conservation benefit for wild vicuna has been demonstrated adequately.
    We base this finding and the proposed rule on information provided 
in the submissions of the petitioner, other documents including those 
submitted in support of the aforementioned CITES listing proposals, and 
the Service's status review for the vicuna, which included interviews 
with knowledgeable personnel from the vicuna range states, responses to 
questions asked of each range country, and a 1997 on-site assessment of 
vicuna populations and management in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru 
by a contractor working for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation 
(Dr. Henry L. Short, Amherst, Massachusetts). All personal 
communications and responses to questions asked of range countries 
cited in the text were received by Dr. Short, unless otherwise noted 
(see References Cited Section). The Service contracted with the 
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in 1997 to evaluate the 
conservation and management status of vicuna populations, and to make 
recommendations about the species' status, through a fact-finding 
mission to vicuna range countries.
    The vicuna produces a wool that is of very fine texture (about 12 
microns in diameter) that can be woven into luxury garments. Raw wool 
from vicuna has been legally auctioned at $500 per kg ($200 per lb) and 
an average vicuna fleece provides about 0.2 kg (0.5 lbs) of fiber. 
Individual vicuna in the high Andean plateaus of South America thus 
have a fleece that is worth many times that of a sheep and several 
times that of other species in the family Camelidae, such as alpacas 
and llamas. This high value, in a resource-poor area, can represent 
both a threat to the species and an opportunity if the species is 
managed sustainably. The threat comes from illegal hunting if 
protection and incentives for management are poor; the opportunity 
exists if proceeds from the sale of vicuna wool from live-shorn animals 
are substantially used to enhance the status of native people in the 
Andean uplands and to encourage them to conserve and protect vicuna.

Summary of Factors Affecting the Species

    Section 4(a)(1) of the Act and regulations implementing the listing 
provisions of the Act (50 CFR part 424) set forth the procedures for 
adding species to, changing the status of any listed species, or 
deleting species from the list of endangered and threatened wildlife. A 
species shall be listed or reclassified if the Secretary determines, on 
the basis of the best scientific and commercial data available after 
conducting a review of the species' status, that the species is 
endangered or threatened because of any one or a combination of the 
following factors: (A) The present or threatened destruction, 
modification, or curtailment of its habitat or range; (B) 
Overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or 
educational purposes; (C) Disease or predation; (D) The inadequacy of 
existing regulatory mechanisms; or (E) Other natural or human-made 
factors affecting its continued existence.
    We base this proposed rule on an assessment of the five listing 
factors within the Act. The assessment considers the present biological 
status of the vicuna within the range countries of Argentina, Bolivia, 
Chile and Peru. No assessment of the status of the species is made for 
the small population that has recently been reintroduced into Ecuador. 
That is a protected population, that will not be exploited in the 
foreseeable future. We do not propose to change that population's 
endangered classification under the Act.
    Some scientists recognize two subspecies of vicuna--V. v. mensalis 
in the northern portion of the range and V. v. vicugna to the south. 
These are putative subspecies in that they have been described on the 
basis of slight differences in size and color, and the lack of a 
prominent chest fringe in V. v. vicugna (Canedi and Pasini 1996), 
rather than on distinct, measured genetic differences between the two. 
Because the distribution of the vicuna is more or less continuous from 
north to south within its range, it is possible that these two 
subspecies simply represent the endpoints of a continuum of physical 
and genetic variation within the species from north to south. As a 
consequence, it would be very difficult to draw a definite boundary 
between the two subspecies for purposes of management or listing under 
the Act. Therefore, the subspecies are not differentiated in this rule 
and the term vicuna, used herein, refers to populations of both 
putative subspecies throughout their total range.

(A) The Present or Threatened Destruction, Modification, or Curtailment 
of Its Habitat or Range

    Approximately 190,000 vicuna are estimated to occur at varying 
densities on approximately 20,500,000 ha of Andean highlands extending 
in a rather narrow strip from central Peru through Bolivia, and into 
northwest Argentina (between 8-30 degrees South latitude). The 
historical range of the vicuna may have been twice the present 
distributional area. A small, disjunct, recently-reintroduced 
population also occurs in Ecuador.
    Vicuna habitats occur in both the Altoandina and Puna Ecoregions. 
The Altoandina Ecoregion comprises high Andean foothills, escarpments 
and outcroppings and the Puna Ecoregion represents areas of high plains 
or tablelands between mountain ranges. The habitats vary climatically 
on both attitudinal and latitudinal scales but are generally arid and 
cold, resulting in limited vegetation cover. The habitat of the vicuna 
in the high Andean plateau region varies from 3,200 to 4,800 m above 
sea level. This highland habitat has been somewhat degraded by humans 
and their domesticated livestock, but still represents an extensive 
habitat for vicuna. The low average density of 1 vicuna per 103 ha 
reflects the limited carrying capacity of the high Andean habitats as 
well as the fact that many vicuna habitats are understocked. National 
Reserves, National Parks, Protected Areas, or Provincial Reserves where 
vicuna are protected are scattered throughout vicuna habitat in each of 
the four countries considered in this proposed rule.
Argentina
    Vicuna distribution in Argentina includes portions of the 
northwestern provinces of Jujuy, Salta, Catamarca, La Rioja, and San 
Juan. Vicuna habitats in the Puna and Altoandina Ecoregions of 
Argentina cover a surface area of about 10,000,000 ha (Canedi 1997, 
pers. comm.). The area of available habitat has been reduced since the 
arrival of Europeans in South America, because the species is no longer 
present in the Patagonian regions of Argentina.
    Vicuna habitat in Argentina is bounded to the west by the volcanic 
chain of the Andean Cordillera in Chile, in the east by the eastern 
Cordillera and the Sierra Pampeanas mountains, in the north by 
contiguous vicuna habitat in Bolivia, and in the south, vicuna habitat 
extends into the Province of San Juan. The general area is 
characterized by blocks of uplifted mountains surrounding extensive 
valleys featuring alkaline or saline flats and a rolling topography. 
Aridity is a common and constant feature of the Puna. Many water 
courses are temporary but there are occasional areas of damp ground 
where surface water and green vegetation in the form of rushes, grasses 
and a variety of succulent plants occur. Much of the thin vegetation 
cover over most of the Puna consists of grasses and xerophilous half-
shrubs (Comision Regional de la Vicuna, 1994).

[[Page 48745]]

Temperatures are cold and frost can occur each day of the year. The 
carrying capacity of the humid Puna may be as much as two vicuna per ha 
but in the drier Puna habitats the carrying capacity may only be one 
vicuna per 30 ha.
    The Provinces of Jujuy, Salta, Catamarca, La Rioja, and San Juan 
have created reserves and other protected areas for vicuna. In Jujuy 
Province, Los Pozuelos Reserve was created in 1980 and consists of 
308,000 ha. About 15,000 ha of this Reserve have been incorporated into 
the UNESCO Man and Biosphere program as a natural area of international 
significance. The vicuna population in the Reserve in 1997 was 
estimated to be 2,750 (CITES 1997a). The Olaroz-Cauchari Flora and 
Wildlife Reserve was created in 1981 to enhance vicuna populations and 
consists of 543,300 ha. The vicuna population in the Reserve in 1994 
was estimated to be 6,500 and growing (CITES 1997a). Other areas where 
vicuna are protected in Jujuy Province include Vilama (97,000 ha), 
Santa Victoria (54,600 ha), Palca de Aparzo (55,800 ha), Caballo Muerte 
(18,500 ha), Casa Colorado (31,000 ha), Abra de Zenta (69,000 ha) and 
Serranias del Chani (158,900 ha) (CITES 1997a; V. Lichtschein, 
Management Authority of Argentina, pers. comm. with K. Johnson, Office 
of Scientific Authority (OSA), 1999). These areas are not listed in the 
WCMC Protected Areas Database, so we are unclear as to their actual 
protective status (i.e., whether they are national, provincial, local 
or private protected areas). The high altitude experimental station 
(Campo Experimental de Altura or CEA) is located at Abra Pampa in Jujuy 
Province. This experimental station of 3,000 ha is dedicated to the 
development of appropriate management procedures to enhance fiber 
production of vicuna, assure the survival of the species, and to 
enhance the economic well-being of certain Puna ranchers. The human 
population is very low throughout the Reserves and protected areas of 
the Province.
    In Salta Province, the Los Andes Wildlife Reserve of 1,440,000 ha 
was created in 1980. The rigorous climate restricts the human 
population to very low densities. Agriculture does not exist in this 
area and the ranching of cattle, sheep, goats and llamas is 
rudimentary. Although the carrying capacity for vicuna in the Reserve 
is estimated to be one individual per 30 ha, a partial census in 1993 
counted only 2,000 vicuna (CITES 1997a). In Catamarca Province, the 
Laguna Blanca Wildlife Reserve was created in 1979 and enlarged in 1982 
to 973,270 ha at which time it became recognized by the UNESCO Man and 
Biosphere program as a natural area of international significance. The 
human population is very sparse and scattered in the general area of 
the Reserve. The 1993 vicuna population in Laguna Blanca Reserve was 
estimated to be 3,505 (CITES 1997a). In La Rioja Province, the Laguna 
Brava Reserve for Vicunas and the Protection of Ecosystems was created 
in 1980 and consists of 405,000 ha. Human habitations do not exist in 
the Reserve, which is contiguous with the San Guillermo Faunal Reserve 
in San Juan Province. The 1996 vicuna population in the Reserve was 
estimated to be 2,187 (CITES 1997a). San Guillermo Faunal Reserve was 
created in 1972 and consists of 880,260 ha. In 1982 it became part of 
the UNESCO Man and Biosphere program as a natural area of international 
significance. This was the first Provincial Reserve dedicated primarily 
to the protection of the vicuna. This area is devoid of human and 
domestic animal populations. Although the area has a carrying capacity 
estimated to be one vicuna per 7 ha of habitat, the 1992 vicuna 
population in the Reserve was estimated to be only 7,100 (CITES 1997a).
    We have virtually no quantitative information on the extent or 
condition of vicuna habitats outside protected areas in Argentina. 
Anecdotal information suggests that overgrazing by domestic livestock 
(leading to soil compaction and desertification) and direct competition 
for forage with domestic livestock may be important factors limiting 
the growth of vicuna populations outside protected areas (CITES 1997a). 
Other information indicates that some competition with domestic 
herbivores occurs in the arid Puna where precipitation is <300 mm="" per="" year="" but="" that="" competition="" is="" not="" as="" much="" of="" a="" problem="" in="" the="" humid="" puna="" where="" precipitation="" may="" exceed="" 500="" mm="" per="" year.="" a="" program="" to="" combat="" desertification="" has="" apparently="" been="" initiated="" in="" jujuy="" province="" (cites="" 1997a).="" the="" limited="" quantitative="" information="" presently="" available="" to="" us="" indicates="" that="" vicuna="" populations="" throughout="" argentina="" are="" not="" endangered="" by="" the="" present="" or="" threatened="" destruction,="" modification,="" or="" curtailment="" of="" habitat="" or="" range.="" however,="" they="" remain="" threatened="" by="" this="" factor="" (especially="" overgrazing="" and="" direct="" competition="" with="" domestic="" livestock)="" throughout="" argentina.="" through="" this="" proposed="" rule,="" we="" seek="" additional,="" quantitative="" information="" on="" the="" status="" of="" vicuna="" habitats="" throughout="" argentina.="" we="" especially="" seek="" detailed="" information="" on="" land="" use="" restrictions="" (for="" example,="" prohibitions="" on="" the="" grazing="" of="" domestic="" livestock)="" and="" protective="" measures="" (for="" example,="" antipoaching="" efforts)="" within="" protected="" areas,="" and="" on="" efforts="" to="" manage="" habitat="" outside="" protected="" areas="" (including="" programs="" to="" combat="" desertification="" and="" to="" reduce="" competition="" with="" domestic="" livestock).="" bolivia="" vicuna="" occur="" in="" western="" and="" southwestern="" bolivia="" in="" the="" departments="" of="" la="" paz,="" oruro,="" potosi,="" and="" cochabamba="" (cites="" 1997b).="" they="" have="" also="" been="" reported="" from="" the="" department="" of="" tarija,="" but="" the="" reports="" have="" not="" been="" confirmed="" (cites="" 1997b).="" it="" has="" been="" suggested="" (dncb="" 1997,="" pers.="" comm.)="" that="" vicuna="" may="" once="" have="" ranged="" over="" 13,000,000="" to="" 16,700,000="" ha="" in="" the="" puna="" and="" high="" plateau="" region="" of="" the="" bolivian="" andes,="" before="" colonization="" by="" the="" spaniards.="" the="" bolivian="" government="" has="" established="" vicuna="" conservation="" units="" (vcu)="" for="" administrative="" and="" management="" purposes="" (cnvb="" 1996).="" eight="" vcus="" were="" originally="" established="" by="" the="" instituto="" nacional="" de="" fomento="" lanero="" (infol="" 1985);="" a="" ninth="" unit="" was="" subsequently="" added="" as="" a="" result="" of="" the="" national="" vicuna="" census="" of="" 1996="" (cnvb="" 1996).="" these="" nine="" vcus="" encompass="" all="" of="" the="" vicuna's="" geographic="" range="" within="" bolivia.="" the="" national="" vicuna="" census="" of="" 1996="" recorded="" vicuna="" populations="" in="" 76="" ``registered="" census="" areas''="" totaling="" 3,428,356="" ha="" within="" the="" nine="" vcus.="" these="" registered="" census="" areas="" are="" distributed="" throughout="" the="" bolivian="" highlands="" at="" an="" elevation="" range="" between="" 3,600="" and="" 4,800="" m.="" thirty="" of="" these="" registered="" census="" areas="" did="" not="" have="" any="" vicuna="" in="" the="" previous="" national="" census="" (1986),="" indicating="" a="" significant="" increase="" in="" the="" vicuna's="" distribution="" within="" bolivia="" over="" a="" 10-year="" period.="" sixty-nine="" percent="" of="" the="" vicuna="" counted="" in="" 1996="" (23,393="" of="" 33,844)="" occurred="" in="" the="" conservation="" units="" of="" lipez-chichas,="" mauri-desaguadero="" and="" ulla="" ulla.="" vicuna="" are="" found="" in="" a="" number="" of="" protected="" areas="" in="" bolivia.="" within="" the="" national="" system="" of="" protected="" areas="" (sistema="" nacional="" de="" areas="" protegidas,="" or="" snap),="" vicuna="" occur="" in="" the="" ulla="" ulla="" national="" fauna="" reserve="" (150,000),="" the="" eduardo="" avaroa="" national="" andean="" fauna="" reserve="" (714,000="" ha),="" and="" cerro="" sajama="" national="" park="" (100,230="" ha)="" (information="" from="" wcmc="" protected="" areas="" database="" 1999).="" other="" protected="" areas="" with="" vicuna="" are="" the="" huancaroma="" vicuna="" reserve="" (140,429="" ha),="" huancaroma="" wildlife="" refuge="" (11,000="" ha),="" llica="" national="" park="" (97,500="" ha),="" yura="" national="" fauna="" reserve="" (96,853="" ha),="" altamachi="" vicuna="" reserve="" (100,000="" ha),="" and="" the="" incakasani-altamachi="" andean="" fauna="" reserve="" (23,000="" ha)="" [[page="" 48746]]="" (information="" from="" wcmc="" protected="" areas="" database="" 1999).="" the="" area="" where="" vicuna="" are="" presently="" found="" in="" bolivia="" is="" expanding,="" but="" will="" likely="" never="" equal="" the="" former="" distribution="" range="" because="" of="" habitat="" changes="" caused="" by="" overgrazing="" by="" sheep="" and="" other="" domestic="" livestock,="" and="" human-caused="" developments="" such="" as="" roads="" and="" cities.="" vicuna="" generally="" occur="" on="" communal="" property="" lands="" in="" bolivia.="" in="" the="" northern="" highlands="" vicuna="" share="" habitats="" mainly="" with="" alpacas,="" in="" the="" central="" highlands="" with="" cattle,="" sheep,="" llamas,="" alpacas="" and="" agriculture,="" and="" in="" the="" southern="" highlands="" with="" llamas="" (cites="" 1997b).="" overgrazing,="" especially="" by="" sheep,="" has="" reduced="" range="" carrying="" capacity="" in="" many="" areas.="" the="" limited="" quantitative="" information="" presently="" available="" to="" us="" indicates="" that="" vicuna="" populations="" throughout="" bolivia="" are="" not="" endangered="" by="" the="" present="" or="" threatened="" destruction,="" modification,="" or="" curtailment="" of="" habitat="" or="" range.="" however,="" overgrazing="" by="" domestic="" livestock="" and="" direct="" competition="" for="" forage="" with="" domestic="" livestock="" are="" still="" considered="" to="" threaten="" vicuna="" populations="" throughout="" bolivia.="" through="" this="" proposed="" rule,="" we="" are="" seeking="" additional,="" quantitative="" information="" on="" the="" status="" of="" vicuna="" habitats="" throughout="" bolivia.="" we="" especially="" seek="" detailed="" information="" on="" land="" use="" restrictions="" (for="" example,="" prohibitions="" on="" the="" grazing="" of="" domestic="" livestock)="" and="" actual="" protective="" measures="" (for="" example,="" antipoaching="" efforts)="" within="" protected="" areas,="" on="" the="" status="" of="" development="" of="" vicuna="" management="" plans="" and="" soil="" use="" plans="" in="" the="" three="" pilot="" areas="" of="" the="" national="" vicuna="" conservation="" program="" (lipez-chichas,="" mauri="" desauadero,="" and="" ulla="" ulla),="" and="" on="" current="" efforts="" to="" manage="" habitat="" on="" lands="" which="" are="" not="" within="" either="" the="" three="" aforementioned="" conservation="" units="" or="" officially-designated="" protected="" areas.="" we="" also="" seek="" more="" information="" on="" the="" national="" program="" for="" the="" fight="" against="" desertification="" and="" drought.="" chile="" the="" vicuna="" occurs="" in="" extreme="" northeastern="" chile="" in="" the="" regions="" of="" tarapaca,="" antofagasta,="" and="" atacama.="" over="" 96="" percent="" of="" the="" vicuna="" (19,169="" of="" 19,848)="" in="" chile="" are="" found="" within="" the="" caquena="" management="" zone,="" lauca="" national="" park,="" and="" the="" vicuna="" national="" reserve="" within="" this="" province="" (galaz="" 1997,="" pers.="" comm.).="" these="" areas="" have="" typical="" vicuna="" habitats="" and="" limited="" human="" populations.="" most="" vicuna="" in="" chile="" are="" found="" within="" protected="" areas.="" these="" include="" the="" aforementioned="" caquena="" management="" zone="" (90,146="" ha),="" lauca="" national="" park="" (137,883="" ha)="" and="" the="" vicuna="" national="" reserve="" (209,131="" ha)="" within="" parinacota="" province.="" a="" few="" vicuna="" also="" occur="" in="" salar="" de="" surire="" natural="" monument="" in="" parinacota="" province="" (11,298="" ha),="" and="" isluga="" volcano="" national="" park="" in="" iquique="" province,="" tarapaca="" region="" (174,744="" ha).="" information="" presently="" available="" to="" the="" service="" indicates="" that="" vicuna="" populations="" in="" chile="" are="" probably="" not="" endangered="" by="" the="" present="" or="" threatened="" destruction,="" modification,="" or="" curtailment="" of="" habitat="" or="" range.="" this="" is="" because="" the="" overwhelming="" majority="" of="" vicuna="" in="" chile="" occur="" in="" protected="" areas="" where="" there="" is="" some="" measure="" of="" control="" over="" domestic="" livestock="" grazing.="" however,="" overgrazing="" by="" domestic="" livestock="" and="" direct="" competition="" for="" forage="" with="" domestic="" livestock="" may="" still="" threaten="" vicuna="" populations="" in="" chile.="" through="" this="" proposed="" rule,="" we="" seek="" additional,="" quantitative="" information="" on="" the="" status="" of="" vicuna="" habitats="" throughout="" chile.="" we="" especially="" seek="" detailed="" information="" on="" land="" use="" restrictions="" (for="" example,="" prohibitions="" on="" the="" grazing="" of="" domestic="" livestock)="" and="" protective="" measures="" (for="" example,="" antipoaching="" efforts)="" within="" protected="" areas,="" and="" on="" effort="" to="" manage="" habitat="" outside="" protected="" areas="" (including="" programs="" to="" combat="" desertification="" and="" to="" reduce="" competition="" with="" domestic="" livestock).="" peru="" vicuna="" in="" peru="" in="" 1997="" were="" estimated="" to="" occur="" on="" about="" 6,361,000="" ha="" throughout="" the="" 15,000,000="" to="" 17,000,000="" ha="" of="" suitable="" habitat="" in="" the="" peruvian="" high="" plains.="" factors="" that="" could="" impact="" future="" areas="" of="" vicuna="" habitat="" include="" increased="" urbanization,="" successful="" reintroductions="" of="" vicuna="" into="" present="" areas="" of="" suitable="" but="" unoccupied="" habitat,="" and="" the="" replacement="" of="" domestic="" livestock="" by="" vicuna.="" vicuna="" are="" better="" adapted="" to="" the="" rigorous="" climate="" and="" ecological="" conditions="" of="" the="" puna,="" than="" are="" many="" species="" of="" domestic="" livestock.="" overgrazing="" by="" domestic="" livestock="" remains="" the="" greatest="" threat="" to="" habitat="" conditions="" in="" the="" puna.="" vicuna="" occur="" in="" 782,186="" ha="" of="" peruvian="" protected="" areas,="" including="" huascaran="" national="" park="" (340,000="" ha),="" pampa="" galeras="" national="" reserve="" (75,250="" ha)="" and="" the="" salinas="" and="" aguada="" blanca="" national="" reserve="" (366,936="" ha)="" (hoces="" r.="" 1997,="" pers.="" comm.).="" information="" presently="" available="" to="" the="" service="" indicates="" that="" vicuna="" populations="" in="" peru="" are="" not="" endangered="" by="" the="" present="" or="" threatened="" destruction,="" modification,="" or="" curtailment="" of="" habitat="" or="" range.="" this="" assessment="" is="" based="" on="" the="" overall="" size="" of="" peru's="" vicuna="" population,="" plus="" the="" large="" number="" of="" community-based="" management="" programs="" there.="" overgrazing="" by="" domestic="" livestock="" and="" direct="" competition="" for="" forage="" with="" domestic="" livestock="" may="" still="" threaten="" certain="" vicuna="" populations="" in="" peru.="" through="" this="" proposed="" rule,="" we="" are="" seeking="" additional,="" quantitative="" information="" on="" the="" status="" of="" vicuna="" habitats="" throughout="" peru.="" we="" especially="" seek="" detailed="" information="" on="" land="" use="" restrictions="" (for="" example,="" prohibitions="" on="" the="" grazing="" of="" domestic="" livestock)="" and="" protective="" measures="" (for="" example,="" antipoaching="" efforts)="" within="" protected="" areas,="" and="" on="" efforts="" to="" manage="" habitat="" outside="" protected="" areas="" (including="" programs="" to="" combat="" desertification="" and="" to="" reduce="" competition="" with="" domestic="" livestock).="" (b)="" overutilization="" for="" commercial,="" recreational,="" scientific,="" or="" educational="" purposes="" vicuna="" wool="" was="" valued="" by="" the="" incas="" and="" estimates="" suggest="" there="" may="" have="" been="" 1,000,000="" to="" 1,500,000="" vicunas="" in="" the="" region="" during="" the="" incan="" period.="" although="" utilized="" by="" the="" incas,="" there="" is="" no="" evidence="" that="" the="" species="" was="" exploited="" at="" unsustainable="" levels.="" after="" destruction="" of="" the="" inca="" empire="" by="" europeans,="" vicunas="" were="" slaughtered="" in="" large="" numbers="" for="" both="" their="" meat="" and="" wool.="" in="" the="" 1950's="" populations="" may="" still="" have="" totaled="" 400,000,="" but="" hunting="" pressures="" and="" livestock="" competition="" may="" have="" reduced="" the="" total="" population="" to="" about="" 6,000="" individuals="" by="" 1965="" (nowak="" 1991).="" other="" authors="" suggest="" somewhat="" different="" numbers="" but="" similar="" trends.="" vicuna="" numbers="" in="" individual="" range="" countries="" have="" apparently="" fluctuated="" as="" political="" and="" economic="" stability="" has="" fluctuated.="" for="" example,="" vicuna="" numbers="" in="" peru="" were="" low="" in="" 1965,="" gradually="" built="" to="" high="" levels="" in="" 1990,="" were="" significantly="" reduced="" by="" illegal="" hunting="" during="" the="" 1992-94="" period="" of="" civil="" unrest,="" and="" have="" since="" recovered="" to="" 1990="" levels.="" the="" major="" breakthroughs="" in="" the="" potential="" management="" of="" vicuna="" in="" peru="" were="" new="" laws="" transferring="" the="" custodianship="" of="" vicuna="" to="" campesinos="" (peasants)="" and="" campesino="" communities,="" giving="" the="" campesinos="" the="" responsibility="" to="" protect="" vicunas,="" the="" implementation="" of="" protective="" measures,="" the="" determination="" that="" it="" was="" not="" necessary="" to="" kill="" vicuna="" in="" order="" to="" obtain="" wool="" from="" their="" hides,="" and="" the="" development="" of="" management="" techniques="" to="" herd,="" capture="" and="" shear="" living="" vicuna="" (wheeler="" and="" hoces="" r.="" 1997).="" the="" key="" factor="" has="" been="" allowing="" the="" benefits="" of="" vicuna="" management="" and="" utilization="" to="" accrue="" collectively="" to="" campesino="" communities="" (rather="" than="" to="" middlemen="" [[page="" 48747]]="" or="" other="" individuals)="" (wheeler="" and="" hoces="" r.="" 1997).="" the="" vicuna="" remains="" a="" potentially="" easily="" exploited="" resource.="" it="" has="" great="" economic="" value="" and="" is="" a="" highly="" visible,="" diurnal="" occupant="" of="" open="" landscape.="" some="" poaching="" for="" skins="" or="" subsistence="" hunting="" for="" meat="" probably="" still="" occurs,="" as="" does="" killing="" of="" vicunas="" because="" of="" perceived="" competition="" with="" domestic="" livestock.="" this="" appears="" to="" be="" a="" source="" of="" mortality="" that="" could="" potentially="" seriously="" impact="" vicuna="" numbers,="" as="" it="" has="" done="" in="" the="" past.="" vicuna="" population="" status:="" argentina="" the="" vicuna="" population="" of="" argentina="" is="" currently="" estimated="" to="" be="" approximately="" 32,000="" individuals="" and="" increasing,="" based="" on="" censuses="" completed="" in="" various="" protected="" areas="" between="" 1992="" and="" 1996="" (cites="" 1997a).="" data="" appear="" to="" be="" most="" complete="" for="" jujuy="" province,="" where="" the="" olaroz-cauchari="" reserve="" has="" been="" surveyed="" regularly="" since="" 1973-74,="" and="" estimates="" are="" available="" for="" a="" number="" of="" other="" areas="" where="" vicuna="" are="" protected="" (cites="" 1997a).="" the="" population="" of="" jujuy="" province="" was="" estimated="" to="" be="" approximately="" 18,000="" individuals="" in="" 1997="" (cites="" 1997a).="" a="" population="" survey="" was="" recently="" completed="" in="" salta="" province="" (v.="" lichtschein,="" pers.="" comm.="" with="" k.="" johnson,="" osa,="" 1999),="" but="" the="" results="" are="" not="" yet="" available="" to="" us.="" data="" from="" other="" provinces="" are="" somewhat="" dated="" and="" incomplete="" (cites="" 1997a).="" as="" previously="" mentioned,="" the="" vicuna="" population="" of="" argentina="" is="" believed="" to="" be="" increasing.="" data="" from="" the="" olaroz-cauchari="" reserve="" (where="" numbers="" increased="" from="" about="" 330="" individuals="" in="" 1973="" to="" 6,500="" in="" 1995)="" laguna="" brava="" reserve,="" and="" laguna="" blanca="" reserve="" all="" show="" substantial="" population="" increases="" over="" the="" past="" 10="" to="" 20="" years="" (cites="" 1997a).="" possible="" causes="" for="" the="" population="" increases="" are="" the="" newly="" developed="" support="" for="" vicuna="" by="" the="" campesino="" communities="" of="" the="" puna,="" the="" creation="" of="" protected="" areas="" and="" the="" control="" of="" illegal="" hunting="" activities="" (canedi="" 1997,="" pers.="" comm.).="" it="" is="" anticipated="" that="" some="" transplanting="" will="" occur="" from="" certain="" areas="" if="" populations="" grow="" to="" exceed="" carrying="" capacity.="" vicuna="" utilization:="" argentina="" poaching="" does="" not="" appear="" to="" be="" a="" major="" problem="" at="" present="" (v.="" lichtschein,="" pers.="" comm.="" with="" k.="" johnson,="" osa,="" 1999;="" e.="" hoffman,="" journalist,="" pers="" comm.="" with="" k.="" johnson,="" osa,="" 1999).="" sport="" hunting="" of="" vicuna="" is="" not="" permitted="" in="" argentina="" and="" no="" permits="" have="" been="" issued="" for="" the="" capture="" of="" wild="" vicuna="" for="" scientific="" or="" educational="" purposes.="" the="" vicuna="" utilization="" scheme="" in="" argentina="" consists="" of="" a="" developing="" effort="" to="" sustainably="" use="" wild="" populations="" in="" jujuy="" province,="" and="" an="" effort="" to="" develop="" semi-captive="" populations="" in="" the="" provinces="" of="" catamarca,="" jujuy,="" la="" rioja,="" salta,="" and="" san="" juan.="" this="" model="" has="" been="" developed="" to="" be="" relevant="" to="" the="" conditions="" of="" the="" argentine="" puna="" where="" lands="" are="" owned="" by="" individual="" ranchers,="" human="" populations="" are="" very="" sparse="" and="" vast="" areas="" of="" potential="" habitat="" with="" limited="" vicuna="" populations="" exist="" (cites="" 1997a).="" experimental="" efforts="" to="" develop="" management="" programs="" under="" semi-="" captive="" conditions="" are="" conducted="" at="" the="" national="" institute="" of="" agriculture="" and="" cattle="" technology="" (inta)="" at="" their="" high="" altitude="" experiment="" station="" (cea)="" at="" abra="" pampa.="" studies="" have="" emphasized="" efficient="" fences="" to="" contain="" vicuna,="" the="" determination="" of="" the="" carrying="" capacity="" of="" different="" range="" types,="" and="" the="" capturing="" and="" shearing="" of="" vicuna="" and="" wool="" processing="" procedures.="" the="" experimental="" results="" have="" direct="" applications="" because="" a="" limited="" number="" of="" vicuna="" ranching="" operations="" have="" been="" established="" in="" jujuy="" and="" salta="" provinces.="" these="" ranch="" operations="" have="" used="" vicuna="" donated="" from="" the="" abra="" pampa="" semi-captive="" herd="" and="" donated="" fencing="" materials.="" vicuna="" family="" units="" are="" placed="" into="" a="" fenced="" area.="" individual="" ranchers="" who="" have="" been="" trained="" in="" vicuna="" management="" have="" the="" responsibility="" to="" protect="" and="" provide="" for="" the="" vicuna.="" young="" vicuna,="" produced="" under="" these="" semi-captive="" conditions,="" are="" either="" used="" as="" replacement="" stock="" or="" are="" returned="" to="" cea="" as="" compensation="" for="" the="" initial="" vicuna="" donation.="" the="" semi-captive="" herds="" are="" sheared="" at="" two="" year="" intervals="" using="" the="" techniques="" developed="" at="" cea.="" at="" the="" time="" of="" shearing,="" representatives="" of="" inta,="" the="" department="" of="" renewable="" natural="" resources,="" the="" gendarmes="" (military="" police),="" a="" doctor="" of="" veterinary="" medicine,="" and="" the="" wool="" buyer="" are="" present="" to="" observe="" and/or="" supervise="" the="" operation.="" the="" wool="" buyer="" in="" 1997="" was="" an="" argentine="" wool="" processing="" company="" that="" donated="" the="" fencing="" materials.="" the="" wool="" purchase="" is="" used="" to="" retire="" the="" debt="" on="" the="" fencing="" materials="" and="" to="" provide="" immediate="" payment="" to="" the="" individual="" rancher.="" the="" wool,="" at="" the="" time="" of="" shearing,="" is="" weighed,="" bagged,="" marked,="" sealed,="" recorded="" and="" stored="" in="" a="" sealed="" warehouse="" until="" all="" commercial="" authorizations="" have="" been="" completed.="" the="" production="" of="" vicuna="" wool="" under="" semi-captive="" conditions="" benefits="" the="" individual="" campesino="" rancher="" and="" is="" a="" program="" growing="" in="" popularity.="" it="" is="" claimed="" that="" this="" program="" enhances="" the="" status="" of="" vicuna="" because="" the="" ranchers="" support="" the="" program="" and="" support="" the="" presence="" of="" non-captive="" vicuna="" in="" the="" provinces,="" and="" it="" has="" enhanced="" the="" gendarme-rancher="" relationship="" which="" has="" improved="" protective="" measures="" for="" vicuna.="" however,="" we="" continue="" to="" have="" concerns="" over="" the="" appropriateness="" and="" effectiveness="" of="" this="" approach="" as="" a="" conservation="" tool="" for="" wild="" populations="" of="" vicuna.="" the="" captive="" population="" at="" abra="" pampa="" has="" been="" developed="" from="" a="" limited="" number="" of="" founder="" animals="" (16="" females="" and="" 6="" males).="" as="" such,="" there="" is="" concern="" over="" the="" genetic="" fitness="" of="" animals="" in="" this="" population.="" there="" is="" also="" concern="" about="" possible="" genetic="" and="" disease="" consequences="" if="" vicuna="" from="" the="" abra="" pampa="" population="" are="" translocated="" to="" different="" provinces="" and="" subsequently="" escape="" to="" mingle="" with="" the="" wild="" population.="" we="" are="" concerned="" that="" semi-="" captive="" populations="" may="" be="" established="" in="" the="" most="" favorable="" vicuna="" habitat="" areas,="" thus="" potentially="" depriving="" wild="" vicuna="" populations="" of="" important="" resources="" such="" as="" water="" or="" forage.="" finally,="" we="" have="" no="" information="" showing="" a="" demonstrable="" link="" between="" establishment="" of="" semi-="" captive="" vicuna="" populations="" and="" improved="" conservation="" status="" of="" wild="" populations="" (for="" example,="" a="" demonstrable="" reduction="" in="" poaching="" of="" wild="" vicuna="" in="" areas="" with="" semi-captive="" populations,="" or="" a="" demonstrable="" improvement="" in="" habitat="" conditions="" as="" a="" result="" of="" decreased="" domestic="" livestock="" numbers="" in="" areas="" with="" semi-captive="" populations).="" the="" appendix="" ii="" semi-captive="" populations="" of="" catamarca,="" jujuy,="" la="" rioja,="" salta,="" and="" san="" juan="" provinces="" are="" specifically="" excluded="" from="" the="" proposed="" special="" rule="" until="" their="" conservation="" benefit="" for="" wild="" vicuna="" is="" demonstrated="" adequately.="" with="" this="" proposed="" rule,="" we="" seek="" substantive="" information="" demonstrating="" the="" conservation="" value="" (for="" wild="" vicuna)="" of="" semi-captive="" vicuna="" populations.="" the="" vicuna="" is="" not="" considered="" to="" be="" endangered="" by="" previous="" or="" current="" overutilization="" in="" argentina.="" it="" is,="" however,="" considered="" to="" be="" threatened="" by="" overutilization="" throughout="" argentina,="" and="" will="" continue="" to="" be="" threatened="" until="" appropriate="" conservation="" mechanisms="" are="" fully="" implemented="" and="" the="" populations="" fully="" recover,="" based="" on="" successful="" conservation="" and="" management.="" through="" this="" proposed="" rule,="" we="" seek="" additional="" information="" on="" the="" status="" of="" wild="" vicuna="" populations="" throughout="" argentina.="" vicuna="" population="" status:="" bolivia="" vicuna="" populations="" in="" bolivia="" were="" recorded="" as="" 33,844="" in="" the="" country-wide="" census="" of="" 1996="" and="" current="" populations="" are="" estimated="" at="" about="" 35,500="" (dncb="" 1997,="" pers.="" comm.).="" the="" population="" is="" [[page="" 48748]]="" generally="" thought="" to="" be="" increasing,="" and="" perhaps="" has="" reached="" carrying="" capacity="" in="" a="" few="" areas.="" population="" data="" determined="" by="" direct="" and="" total="" counts="" of="" individuals="" on="" selected="" habitat="" areas="" are="" best="" for="" the="" three="" experimental="" pilot="" areas--ulla="" ulla,="" mauri-desaguadero="" and="" lipez="" chichas="" whose="" populations="" were="" transferred="" to="" cites="" appendix="" ii="" in="" 1997.="" periodic="" censuses="" have="" occurred="" over="" a="" 30-year="" period="" for="" ulla="" ulla,="" and="" over="" a="" 15-year="" period="" for="" the="" other="" two="" pilot="" areas.="" the="" growth="" in="" the="" total="" vicuna="" population="" has="" been="" both="" in="" density="" within="" well-known="" habitat="" areas="" and="" in="" the="" number="" of="" habitat="" areas="" with="" vicuna.="" it="" is="" believed="" that="" the="" principal="" reason="" for="" the="" growth="" in="" the="" general="" vicuna="" population="" is="" the="" protection="" provided="" by="" the="" campesino="" communities,="" especially="" those="" that="" have="" government="" supported="" game="" wardens.="" vicuna="" utilization:="" bolivia="" some="" campesino="" communities="" are="" hostile="" to="" vicunas="" because="" of="" crop="" depredation="" or="" perceived="" competition="" with="" domestic="" livestock="" and="" the="" fact="" that="" no="" economic="" benefits="" are="" presently="" realized="" from="" vicuna.="" this="" may="" result="" in="" the="" killing="" of="" vicuna,="" although="" we="" have="" no="" substantive="" information="" which="" directly="" supports="" this="" conclusion.="" the="" granting="" of="" custodianship="" to="" the="" local="" communities="" and="" the="" delegation="" of="" monitoring="" to="" the="" provincial="" governments="" is="" expected="" to="" provide="" the="" mechanism="" to="" address="" this="" issue.="" poaching="" of="" vicuna="" is="" known="" to="" occur="" in="" bolivia="" (cites="" 1997b),="" and="" may="" be="" at="" a="" level="" that="" is="" of="" concern.="" one="" individual="" was="" recently="" arrested="" outside="" la="" paz="" with="" 324="" vicuna="" skins="" in="" his="" possession="" (e.="" hoffman,="" pers.="" comm.="" with="" k.="" johnson,="" osa,="" 1999).="" vicuna="" products,="" including="" rugs="" made="" from="" many="" skins,="" can="" be="" seen="" for="" sale="" in="" the="" san="" francisco="" plaza="" in="" la="" paz="" (e.="" hoffman,="" pers.="" comm.="" with="" k.="" johnson,="" osa,="" 1999).="" local="" traditional="" authorities="" use="" vicuna="" ponchos,="" scarves="" and="" blankets,="" especially="" at="" traditional="" celebrations="" (cites="" 1997b).="" the="" wool="" used="" in="" these="" products="" comes="" from="" animals="" killed="" illegally="" (cites="" 1997b).="" tour="" operators="" in="" remote="" areas="" claim="" to="" encounter="" skinned="" vicuna="" carcasses="" on="" a="" regular="" basis="" (e.="" hoffman,="" pers.="" comm.="" with="" k.="" johnson,="" osa,="" 1999).="" vicuna="" are="" not="" captured="" in="" bolivia="" for="" educational="" or="" scientific="" purposes.="" there="" is="" no="" intent="" to="" have="" commercial="" meat="" operations="" as="" the="" only="" authorized="" commerce="" will="" be="" in="" wool="" and="" wool="" products="" from="" live-="" shorn="" vicunas="" from="" wild="" populations.="" at="" present,="" there="" is="" no="" trade="" in="" wool="" as="" bolivia="" has="" a="" zero="" quota="" under="" cites.="" bolivia,="" as="" well="" as="" the="" other="" signatory="" countries="" to="" the="" conveno="" para="" la="" conservacion="" y="" manejo="" de="" la="" vicuna="" (convention="" for="" the="" conservation="" and="" management="" of="" the="" vicuna,="" or="" the="" vicuna="" convention),="" has="" agreed="" not="" to="" export="" fertile="" specimens="" of="" vicuna.="" the="" sole="" exception="" has="" been="" a="" 1993="" export="" of="" 100="" vicunas="" to="" the="" republic="" of="" ecuador="" to="" aid="" in="" their="" vicuna="" recovery="" efforts.="" this="" was="" accomplished="" within="" the="" multilateral="" frameworks="" of="" both="" the="" vicuna="" convention="" and="" the="" cites="" convention.="" bolivia's="" national="" program="" for="" the="" conservation="" of="" vicuna="" is="" in="" very="" early="" stages="" of="" implementation.="" bolivia="" is="" developing="" pilot="" programs="" for="" harvesting="" and="" marketing="" wool="" from="" live-shorn="" vicuna="" that="" borrow="" significantly="" on="" the="" successful="" management="" program="" in="" peru.="" the="" initial="" step="" of="" the="" national="" vicuna="" conservation="" program="" was="" to="" transfer="" three="" substantial="" vicuna="" populations="" in="" areas="" where="" campesino="" interest="" and="" commitments="" were="" high="" (ulla="" ulla,="" mauri-desaguadero,="" lipez="" chichas)="" from="" cites="" appendix="" i="" to="" ii,="" so="" that="" pilot="" management="" and="" shearing="" programs="" could="" be="" perfected="" prior="" to="" expanding="" the="" management="" programs="" to="" other="" vicuna="" habitats.="" the="" second="" step="" has="" been="" the="" development="" of="" an="" agreement="" between="" the="" programma="" quinua="" potosi="" (proquipo)="" and="" the="" dncb="" to="" operate="" the="" pilot="" center="" of="" sud="" lipez="" to="" actually="" develop="" and="" demonstrate="" those="" management="" and="" shearing="" programs="" to="" enable="" the="" sustainable="" use="" of="" the="" vicuna="" through="" live="" shearing="" to="" be="" realized="" eventually.="" vicuna="" population="" trends="" throughout="" bolivia="" are="" encouraging,="" and="" populations="" appear="" to="" have="" recovered="" to="" the="" extent="" that="" they="" are="" no="" longer="" endangered="" by="" previous="" and="" current="" overutilization.="" we="" consider="" that="" the="" vicuna="" is="" threatened="" by="" overutilization="" throughout="" bolivia,="" and="" will="" continue="" to="" be="" threatened="" until="" appropriate="" conservation="" mechanisms="" are="" fully="" implemented="" and="" the="" populations="" fully="" recover,="" based="" on="" successful="" conservation="" and="" management.="" through="" this="" proposed="" rule,="" we="" seek="" additional="" information="" on="" the="" status="" of="" wild="" vicuna="" populations="" throughout="" bolivia.="" we="" especially="" seek="" information="" on="" the="" magnitude="" of="" poaching.="" vicuna="" population="" status:="" chile="" over="" 96="" percent="" of="" the="" vicuna="" (19,200="" of="" 19,850)="" in="" chile="" occur="" in="" parinacota="" province="" in="" the="" extreme="" northeastern="" portion="" of="" the="" country.="" the="" populations="" in="" the="" caquena="" management="" zone="" (3,700="" vicuna="" on="" 101,380="" ha)="" and="" in="" the="" national="" vicuna="" reserve="" (8,050="" vicuna="" on="" 288,970="" ha)="" in="" this="" province="" were="" transferred="" to="" cites="" appendix="" ii="" in="" 1987,="" and="" would="" be="" the="" only="" populations="" utilized="" commercially="" should="" a="" program="" to="" capture="" and="" shear="" live="" vicuna="" be="" instigated="" (galaz="" 1997,="" pers.="" comm.).="" the="" adjacent="" population="" in="" lauca="" national="" park="" (7,410="" vicuna="" on="" 153,380="" ha)="" was="" retained="" on="" appendix="" i="" to="" provide="" further="" control="" over="" vicuna="" in="" this="" protected="" natural="" area.="" the="" vicuna="" population="" in="" parinacota="" province="" is="" believed="" to="" be="" at="" or="" near="" carrying="" capacity="" in="" typical="" vicuna="" habitat.="" the="" remaining="" four="" percent="" of="" chile's="" vicunas="" occur="" elsewhere="" in="" the="" upper="" andean="" tablelands="" in="" northeastern="" chile.="" about="" 650="" vicuna="" are="" believed="" to="" occur="" in="" small="" scattered="" groups="" over="" about="" 215,000="" ha="" elsewhere="" in="" the="" tarapaca="" region="" and="" in="" the="" neighboring="" antofagasta="" and="" atacama="" regions.="" vicuna="" utilization:="" chile="" the="" hunting,="" capture="" and="" sale="" of="" vicuna="" and="" vicuna="" products="" is="" unlawful="" in="" chile="" and,="" at="" present,="" there="" is="" no="" national="" or="" international="" trade="" in="" vicuna="" fiber,="" no="" exports="" of="" living="" vicuna="" and="" no="" known="" illegal="" trade="" in="" vicuna="" products.="" poaching="" is="" not="" considered="" to="" be="" a="" problem="" in="" chile="" (e.="" hoffman,="" pers.="" comm.="" with="" k.="" johnson,="" osa,="" 1999).="" in="" summary,="" protected="" areas="" have="" been="" established="" in="" locations="" with="" a="" high="" density="" of="" vicunas,="" a="" conservation="" and="" management="" plan="" has="" been="" developed="" for="" vicuna,="" legal="" provisions="" have="" been="" developed="" to="" protect="" the="" species="" and="" adequate="" protection="" is="" being="" provided="" for="" the="" species,="" especially="" in="" lauca="" national="" park="" and="" the="" national="" vicuna="" reserve.="" the="" vicuna="" is="" not="" considered="" to="" be="" endangered="" by="" previous="" or="" current="" overutilization="" in="" chile.="" however,="" as="" a="" vicuna="" wool="" industry="" could="" potentially="" be="" approved="" in="" chile,="" overutilization="" is="" still="" considered="" to="" threaten="" the="" chilean="" population="" until="" such="" time="" as="" control="" mechanisms="" for="" harvest="" and="" commercialization="" are="" demonstrated="" to="" be="" adequate.="" vicuna="" population="" status:="" peru="" the="" 1997="" census="" in="" peru="" estimated="" a="" population="" of="" 103,650="" vicuna="" on="" 6,361,000="" ha="" of="" habitat="" (hoces="" r.="" 1997,="" pers.="" comm.)="" in="" the="" high="" andean="" tablelands="" of="" the="" departments="" of="" ancash,="" apurimac,="" arequipa,="" ayacucho,="" cajamarca,="" cusco,="" huancavelica,="" huanuco,="" junin,="" la="" libertad,="" lima,="" moquegua,="" pasco,="" puno="" and="" tacna.="" vicuna="" populations="" have="" been="" increasing="" since="" 1994.="" this="" is="" believed="" to="" be="" due="" to="" the="" increased="" efforts="" to="" control="" vicuna="" poaching="" and="" [[page="" 48749]]="" the="" development="" of="" a="" vicuna="" wool="" utilization="" program.="" several="" campesino="" communities="" now="" participate="" in="" the="" protection,="" management="" and="" utilization="" of="" vicuna="" in="" cooperation="" with="" the="" national="" council="" of="" south="" american="" camelids="" (conacs)="" and="" the="" national="" institute="" of="" natural="" resources="" (inrena),="" which="" is="" the="" designated="" cites="" management="" authority="" for="" peru.="" vicuna="" utilization:="" peru="" as="" mentioned="" previously,="" vicuna="" numbers="" in="" peru="" have="" fluctuated="" greatly="" in="" recent="" years="" as="" a="" result="" of="" political="" and="" economic="" instability.="" vicuna="" numbers="" were="" low="" in="" 1965,="" gradually="" built="" to="" high="" levels="" in="" 1990,="" were="" significantly="" reduced="" by="" illegal="" hunting="" during="" the="" 1992-94="" period="" of="" civil="" unrest,="" and="" have="" since="" recovered="" to="" 1990="" levels.="" at="" present,="" legislation="" in="" peru="" permits="" the="" taking="" of="" vicuna="" if="" properly="" authorized="" and="" technically="" supported.="" some="" culling="" of="" vicunas="" (about="" 1,000="" per="" year)="" did="" occur="" from="" 1977="" to="" 1983="" but="" no="" quotas="" have="" been="" declared="" and="" little="" if="" any="" legal="" take="" has="" occurred="" since="" that="" date.="" any="" take="" for="" scientific="" studies="" is="" rare="" and,="" when="" authorized,="" is="" tightly="" controlled.="" there="" is="" no="" legal="" utilization="" of="" vicuna="" for="" meat="" or="" parts.="" commercialization="" of="" vicuna="" wool="" products="" will="" likely="" not="" result="" in="" overutilization="" of="" vicuna="" because="" of="" the="" system="" of="" controls="" that="" exist="" in="" monitoring="" wool="" collections,="" governmental="" supervision="" by="" conacs="" and="" inrena,="" and="" the="" involvement="" of="" local="" campesino="" communities.="" conacs="" and="" inrena="" have="" the="" responsibility="" to="" protect="" and="" monitor="" vicunas="" within="" protected="" areas="" such="" as="" huascaran="" national="" park,="" pampa="" galeras="" national="" reserve="" and="" the="" salinas="" and="" aguada="" blanca="" national="" reserve.="" the="" protection="" and="" monitoring="" of="" vicunas="" in="" the="" rural="" communities="" is="" a="" major="" responsibility="" of="" participating="" campesino="" communities="" in="" coordination="" with="" conacs="" and="" inrena.="" conacs="" has="" developed="" techniques,="" at="" pampa="" galeras,="" for="" capturing="" and="" harvesting="" wool="" from="" living="" wild="" vicuna.="" capture="" methods="" are="" based="" on="" the="" traditional="" ``chaku,="" a="" surround="" technique="" used="" by="" the="" incas="" to="" capture="" and="" shear="" vicunas="" (wheeler="" and="" hoces="" r.="" 1997).="" conacs="" has="" taught="" and="" supervised="" campesino="" communities="" in="" this="" technique="" and="" other="" aspects="" of="" vicuna="" management.="" at="" pampa="" galeras="" and="" in="" other="" areas="" of="" the="" peruvian="" puna,="" vicunas="" occur="" on="" communal="" lands="" and="" campesinos="" represent="" an="" abundant="" and="" important="" work="" force.="" the="" process="" used="" to="" capture="" and="" shear="" vicunas="" was="" observed="" in="" august="" 1997="" by="" dr.="" short="" (on="" behalf="" of="" the="" national="" fish="" and="" wildlife="" foundation).="" vicunas="" to="" be="" shorn="" were="" slowly="" herded="" across="" a="" wide="" habitat="" area="" and="" ``pushed''="" into="" a="" v-shaped="" funnel="" trap.="" the="" vicuna="" were="" eventually="" crowded="" into="" a="" corral="" where="" they="" were="" sorted="" by="" hand="" to="" identify="" adults="" with="" adequate="" fleeces;="" this="" is="" a="" consideration="" because="" it="" takes="" about="" 18="" months="" to="" grow="" a="" fleece="" that="" will="" yield="" shorn="" fibers="" that="" are="" 2="" cm="" (0.78="" in)="" long.="" all="" animals="" were="" ear-tagged,="" identified,="" weighed="" and="" cursorily="" examined="" for="" general="" condition.="" each="" animal="" to="" be="" clipped="" was="" restrained="" and="" the="" fleece="" along="" the="" back="" and="" flanks="" was="" removed="" in="" a="" single="" mass,="" using="" electric="" clippers.="" that="" portion="" of="" the="" fleece="" was="" placed="" in="" a="" plastic="" bag.="" the="" shoulder,="" rump="" and="" leg="" wool="" was="" then="" clipped="" and="" placed="" in="" a="" separate="" bag.="" both="" bags="" of="" wool="" from="" an="" individual="" animal="" were="" tagged,="" sealed,="" weighed="" and="" recorded="" at="" the="" field="" location="" immediately="" after="" clipping="" was="" completed.="" belly="" and="" chest="" hair="" were="" left="" intact="" on="" the="" animal="" in="" the="" belief="" that="" it="" would="" subsequently="" insulate="" the="" animal="" when="" it="" was="" resting="" on="" cold="" ground.="" the="" capture,="" handling,="" clipping="" and="" the="" securing="" of="" the="" vicuna="" fleece="" was="" accomplished="" by="" campesinos="" under="" the="" supervision="" of="" personnel="" from="" conacs="" and="" the="" sociedad="" nacional="" de="" la="" vicuna="" (snv).="" upon="" the="" completion="" of="" the="" clipping="" effort="" the="" shorn="" animal="" was="" released.="" clipping="" took="" about="" two="" minutes="" per="" animal.="" no="" significant="" injuries="" were="" observed="" from="" the="" capture,="" handling="" or="" clipping="" of="" the="" live="" wild="" vicunas="" under="" these="" observed="" conditions.="" cleaning="" of="" guard="" hairs="" and="" dirt="" from="" vicuna="" fleeces="" is="" usually="" accomplished="" by="" women="" from="" the="" campesino="" communities.="" such="" cleaning="" takes="" about="" 2-3="" woman-days="" per="" 250-gram="" (9="" ounce)="" fleece.="" up="" to="" 100="" women="" from="" the="" lucanas="" campesino="" community="" near="" pampa="" galeras="" may="" be="" employed="" during="" the="" time="" period="" required="" to="" process="" an="" annual="" harvest="" of="" up="" to="" 2,000="" fleeces.="" careful="" weights="" are="" kept="" as="" fleeces="" are="" unsealed,="" cleaned,="" re-bagged="" and="" resealed="" prior="" to="" auction.="" a="" single="" auction="" supervised="" by="" conacs="" serves="" all="" campesino="" communities="" producing="" vicuna="" wool.="" vicuna="" management="" essentially="" provides="" full-time="" employment="" for="" many="" members="" of="" the="" lucanas="" community--building="" fences,="" obtaining="" and="" cleaning="" fleeces,="" providing="" protection="" to="" vicuna="" and="" providing="" instruction="" to="" other="" communities="" wishing="" to="" establish="" a="" vicuna="" industry.="" it="" was="" reported="" that="" as="" part="" of="" the="" arrangement="" between="" the="" lucanas="" community="" and="" the="" government,="" 500="" vicunas="" are="" used="" to="" restock="" vicuna="" habitats="" in="" neighboring="" communities,="" in="" exchange="" for="" both="" a="" hydro-electric="" project="" and="" other="" economic="" assistance.="" the="" pampa="" galeras="" experience="" is="" the="" model="" for="" other="" campesino="" communities="" in="" peru="" and="" will="" likely="" be="" the="" model="" for="" similar="" efforts="" in="" bolivia.="" campesino="" communities="" in="" both="" countries="" benefit="" by="" having="" some="" initial="" funds="" to="" develop="" a="" vicuna="" management="" infrastructure--either="" from="" the="" national="" government,="" as="" in="" peru,="" or="" the="" european="" community="" in="" aid="" to="" bolivia.="" efforts="" are="" apparently="" underway="" in="" peru="" to="" develop="" ranching="" of="" vicuna="" (i.e.,="" fencing="" of="" natural="" areas="" to="" produce="" semi-captive="" populations)="" (wheeler="" and="" hoces="" r.="" 1997).="" although="" translocation="" of="" animals="" does="" not="" appear="" to="" be="" involved="" in="" this="" case,="" we="" still="" have="" many="" of="" the="" same="" concerns="" as="" previously="" expressed="" for="" the="" semi-captive="" populations="" in="" argentina.="" we="" reiterate="" our="" desire="" to="" receive="" substantive="" information="" demonstrating="" the="" conservation="" value="" (for="" wild="" vicuna)="" of="" semi-captive="" vicuna="" populations.="" the="" vicuna="" is="" not="" considered="" to="" be="" endangered="" by="" previous="" or="" current="" overutilization="" in="" peru.="" it="" is,="" however,="" considered="" to="" be="" threatened="" by="" overutilization,="" and="" will="" continue="" to="" be="" threatened="" until="" appropriate="" conservation="" mechanisms="" are="" fully="" implemented="" and="" the="" populations="" fully="" recover,="" based="" on="" successful="" conservation="" and="" management.="" (c)="" disease="" or="" predation="" vicunas,="" like="" most="" mammals,="" suffer="" from="" a="" variety="" of="" endo-and="" ecto-="" parasites.="" mange="" caused="" by="" parasitic="" mites="" can="" result="" in="" skin="" lesions="" and="" loss="" of="" hair,="" especially="" in="" those="" populations="" that="" coexist="" with="" domestic="" livestock,="" especially="" during="" drought="" conditions.="" drought="" conditions="" or="" extremely="" degraded="" ranges="" adversely="" impact="" vicuna="" by="" causing="" movements="" to="" new="" habitats="" with="" the="" possible="" dissolution="" of="" some="" family="" groups="" and="" reductions="" in="" reproductive="" rates="" and="" successes,="" and="" perhaps="" increased="" mortalities.="" major="" predators="" on="" vicuna="" include="" the="" puma="" (felis="" concolor),="" the="" andean="" fox="" or="" zorro="" (dusicyon="" culpaeus)="" and="" perhaps="" the="" andean="" condor="" (vultur="" gryphus),="" which="" may="" kill="" newborn="" and="" very="" sick="" animals.="" vicuna="" populations="" in="" the="" four="" range="" countries="" are="" not="" believed="" to="" be="" endangered="" from="" the="" impacts="" of="" disease="" or="" predation,="" in="" part="" because="" the="" numbers="" of="" individuals="" within="" each="" population="" are="" considered="" to="" be="" increasing.="" likewise="" the="" vicuna="" populations="" are="" not="" likely="" to="" be="" threatened="" by="" these="" factors="" if="" the="" benefits="" from="" the="" commercialization="" of="" vicuna="" wool="" products="" are="" used="" to="" [[page="" 48750]]="" enhance="" the="" standard="" of="" living="" in="" campesino="" communities,="" with="" concomitant="" effective="" protection="" and="" enforcement.="" we="" remain="" concerned="" about="" the="" potential="" for="" disease="" transmission="" from="" animals="" that="" are="" translocated="" for="" the="" development="" of="" semi-captive="" populations="" or="" for="" release="" to="" the="" wild="" to="" supplement="" wild="" populations,="" and="" seek="" additional="" information="" on="" this="" issue.="" (d)="" the="" inadequacy="" of="" existing="" regulatory="" mechanisms="" the="" regulatory="" mechanisms="" in="" place="" vary="" significantly="" among="" the="" four="" range="" countries.="" those="" in="" peru="" are="" very="" substantive="" and="" involve="" the="" establishment="" of="" new="" governmental="" agencies,="" new="" mechanisms="" to="" enhance="" inter-community="" coordination,="" enhanced="" vicuna="" management="" procedures="" and="" a="" regulated="" and="" active="" vicuna="" wool="" industry="" that="" currently="" returns="" economic="" benefits="" to="" campesino="" communities.="" argentina="" has="" also="" developed="" regulatory="" mechanisms="" to="" allow="" the="" development="" of="" a="" vicuna="" wool="" industry="" that="" currently="" benefits="" a="" small="" number="" of="" local="" ranchers.="" bolivia="" is="" currently="" developing="" mechanisms="" to="" develop="" a="" wool="" industry="" and="" is="" building="" on="" many="" of="" the="" procedures="" that="" are="" apparently="" successful="" in="" peru.="" chile="" has="" no="" current="" plans="" for="" developing="" a="" wool="" industry="" but="" has="" conceptualized="" how="" such="" an="" industry="" might="" be="" successfully="" managed.="" regulatory="" mechanisms:="" argentina="" in="" argentina,="" the="" first="" interprovincial="" technical="" conference="" on="" the="" conservation="" of="" the="" vicuna="" met="" in="" 1972="" and="" agreed="" to="" develop="" methods="" to="" capture,="" transport="" and="" recolonize="" vicuna="" habitats="" and="" develop="" a="" plan="" for="" the="" management,="" shearing="" and="" the="" manufacture="" of="" handicrafts="" from="" vicuna="" fiber.="" additional="" meetings="" integrated="" the="" provincial="" vicuna="" programs,="" established="" a="" national="" program,="" and="" established="" the="" ``vicuna="" regional="" commission''="" as="" a="" mechanism="" to="" attain="" national="" coordination="" on="" the="" vicuna="" management="" program="" (comision="" regional="" de="" la="" vicuna,="" 1994).="" argentina="" ratified="" the="" cites="" convention="" in="" 1981.="" in="" 1988="" argentina="" signed="" the="" vicuna="" convention="" and="" has="" since="" carried="" out="" its="" programs="" within="" the="" context="" of="" this="" agreement.="" argentine="" national="" law="" for="" the="" conservation="" of="" wildlife="" 22.421="" and="" its="" regulatory="" decree="" no.="" 691,="" provides="" for="" vicuna="" protection.="" the="" constitution="" of="" argentina,="" reformed="" in="" 1994,="" assures="" the="" rights="" of="" the="" provinces="" over="" their="" respective="" natural="" resources,="" assures="" the="" rights="" of="" indigenous="" people="" to="" use="" these="" natural="" resources="" in="" traditional="" ways,="" and="" embraces="" the="" conservation="" of="" biological="" diversity="" and="" the="" sustainable="" development="" of="" natural="" resources.="" several="" laws="" and="" decrees="" within="" the="" various="" provinces="" list="" the="" vicuna="" as="" a="" protected="" species,="" establish="" protected="" areas="" for="" the="" species,="" prohibit="" hunting,="" and="" prohibit="" commercialization,="" transportation,="" or="" manufacturing="" of="" parts="" or="" products="" from="" hunted="" animals,="" regardless="" of="" origin.="" laws="" and="" decrees="" also="" allow="" the="" installation="" of="" captive="" breeding="" operations="" and="" the="" commercialization="" and="" industrialization="" of="" products="" from="" captive-bred="" animals="" (canedi="" 1997,="" pers.="" comm.).="" the="" departments="" of="" renewable="" natural="" resources="" for="" jujuy,="" salta,="" catamarca="" and="" la="" rioja="" provinces="" have="" signed="" agreements="" with="" the="" secretariat="" of="" natural="" resources="" and="" human="" environment="" and="" the="" national="" gendarmes,="" a="" federal="" law="" enforcement="" group,="" to="" enforce="" provisions="" of="" provincial="" and="" national="" laws="" that="" prohibit="" illegal="" hunting="" and="" smuggling.="" the="" gendarmes="" conduct="" extensive="" patrols="" in="" rural="" areas="" and="" on="" the="" borders,="" and="" have="" officers="" at="" the="" ports,="" airports="" and="" borders.="" they="" are="" capable="" of="" conducting="" inspections="" and="" investigations="" involving="" the="" illegal="" trafficking="" of="" vicuna="" wool.="" they="" also="" have="" an="" environmental="" division="" which="" meets="" with="" campesinos="" and="" tries="" to="" promote="" the="" vicuna="" program.="" although="" both="" the="" department="" of="" renewable="" natural="" resources="" and="" the="" gendarmes="" may="" not="" have="" adequate="" resources="" at="" their="" disposal,="" they="" are="" thought="" to="" be="" working="" effectively="" with="" the="" campesino="" communities="" of="" the="" puna="" as="" evinced="" in="" the="" increase="" of="" vicuna="" populations="" of="" the="" puna="" (canedi="" 1997,="" pers.="" comm).="" the="" only="" legal="" wool="" at="" the="" present="" time="" is="" that="" obtained="" from="" the="" shearing="" of="" live="" vicuna="" at="" the="" officially="" authorized="" semi-captive="" population="" facilities.="" we="" understand="" that="" a="" registry="" of="" authorized="" semi-captive="" populations="" is="" maintained="" by="" the="" national="" direccion="" de="" fauna="" y="" flora="" silvestres="" (v.="" lichtschein,="" pers.="" comm.="" with="" k.="" johnson,="" osa,="" 1999).="" wool="" from="" shorn="" fleeces="" is="" bagged,="" tagged,="" weighed,="" sealed,="" recorded,="" and="" the="" government="" agency="" that="" supervised="" the="" shearing="" is="" identified="" on="" the="" bag.="" wool="" from="" officially="" authorized="" breeders="" (ranchers)="" can="" be="" directly="" auctioned="" for="" direct="" export,="" or="" the="" ranchers="" (if="" artisans)="" can="" retain="" the="" wool,="" and="" make="" and="" sell="" cloth.="" either="" the="" wool="" buyer="" or="" the="" rancher-artisan="" would="" need="" a="" transport="" permit="" and="" that="" transport="" permit="" would="" need="" to="" be="" presented="" when="" the="" cites="" export="" permit="" is="" requested.="" fabric="" or="" products="" manufactured="" by="" rancher-="" artisans="" will="" need="" to="" be="" marked="" with="" the="" official="" seals="" or="" stamps.="" such="" fabrics="" or="" products,="" expected="" to="" be="" limited="" in="" numbers,="" can="" only="" be="" sold="" to="" licensed="" outlets="" recognized="" and="" approved="" by="" the="" government.="" the="" check="" on="" whether="" fabrics="" or="" products="" are="" made="" from="" legal="" vicuna="" wool="" is="" determined="" by="" comparing="" weights="" of="" fleeces="" harvested="" under="" supervised="" shearing="" operations,="" the="" weight="" of="" raw="" wool="" that="" is="" retained="" by="" the="" authorized="" rancher-artisan="" and="" the="" weights="" of="" woolen="" products="" produced="" by="" that="" artisan.="" at="" present="" it="" is="" not="" clear="" to="" us="" which="" government="" agency="" supervises="" shearing,="" which="" approves="" licensed="" outlets="" for="" vicuna="" products,="" and="" which="" conducts="" checks="" of="" producers="" to="" ensure="" that="" only="" legal="" wool="" is="" used="" in="" artesanal="" products.="" there="" is="" apparently="" no="" national="" legislation="" that="" covers="" all="" aspects="" relating="" to="" the="" trade="" in="" vicuna="" or="" the="" administrative="" aspects="" relating="" to="" this="" trade="" (cites="" 1997a).="" wild="" populations="" of="" vicuna="" in="" the="" province="" of="" jujuy="" and="" semi-="" captive="" populations="" of="" vicuna="" in="" the="" provinces="" of="" jujuy,="" salta,="" catamarca,="" la="" rioja="" and="" san="" juan="" were="" transferred="" from="" cites="" appendix="" i="" to="" appendix="" ii="" at="" cites="" cop10,="" effective="" september="" 18,="" 1997.="" exports="" are="" limited="" to="" wool="" shorn="" from="" live="" animals,="" cloth="" and="" articles="" made="" from="" that="" cloth,="" luxury="" handicrafts="" and="" knitted="" articles.="" the="" reverse="" side="" of="" cloth="" and="" cloth="" products="" must="" bear="" the="" logo="" adopted="" by="" countries="" signatory="" to="" the="" vicuna="" convention="" and="" the="" words="" ``vicuna-="" argentina-artesania.''="" all="" specimens="" not="" meeting="" the="" above="" conditions="" are="" subject="" to="" the="" prohibition="" against="" primarily="" commercial="" trade.="" articles="" bought="" by="" a="" foreign="" tourist="" at="" a="" government="" authorized="" store="" will="" be="" exportable="" as="" personal="" accompanying="" baggage="" only="" after="" a="" cites="" export="" permit="" has="" been="" obtained.="" the="" only="" apparent="" control="" of="" artisan="" goods="" sold="" to="" residents="" of="" argentina="" and="" later="" resold="" to="" foreign="" tourists="" is="" the="" requirement="" that="" the="" tourist="" have="" a="" cites="" export="" permit="" upon="" his/her="" return="" to="" his/her="" country="" of="" origin.="" this="" is="" a="" requirement="" for="" importation="" of="" any="" personal="" effects="" or="" personal="" accompanying="" baggage="" by="" u.s.="" residents,="" under="" the="" conditions="" of="" the="" special="" rule="" accompanying="" this="" petition="" finding.="" if="" the="" wool="" from="" an="" authorized="" captive="" breeder="" is="" sold="" at="" auction,="" the="" buyer,="" presumably="" a="" wool="" processing="" company,="" would="" get="" a="" permit="" from="" the="" provincial="" natural="" resources="" department="" which="" the="" buyer="" would="" present="" to="" the="" national="" secretary="" for="" natural="" resources="" and="" human="" environment="" to="" obtain="" the="" required="" cites="" permit="" for="" export.="" the="" national="" police="" (gendarmes)="" are="" expected="" to="" aid="" provincial="" authorities="" in="" the="" control="" of="" poaching,="" illegal="" trade="" and="" [[page="" 48751]]="" transport="" of="" unauthorized="" products="" within="" the="" country="" and="" the="" routine="" inspection="" of="" products="" of="" legal="" origin="" to="" certify="" their="" origin.="" collaboration="" will="" also="" be="" provided="" by="" the="" national="" aeronautical="" police="" at="" the="" country's="" airports="" to="" intensify="" inspections="" of="" commercial="" products="" and="" passengers.="" the="" vicuna="" does="" not="" appear="" to="" be="" endangered="" by="" inadequate="" regulatory="" mechanisms="" in="" argentina.="" the="" species,="" however,="" is="" considered="" to="" be="" threatened="" by="" this="" factor="" because="" many="" of="" the="" regulatory="" mechanisms="" are="" in="" early="" stages="" of="" implementation,="" and="" we="" are="" still="" unclear="" about="" several="" aspects="" related="" to="" the="" control="" of="" trade="" in="" raw="" vicuna="" wool="" and="" artesanal="" products.="" the="" vicuna="" will="" remain="" threatened="" by="" this="" factor="" until="" appropriate="" conservation="" mechanisms="" are="" fully="" implemented="" and="" the="" populations="" fully="" recover.="" through="" this="" proposed="" rule,="" we="" seek="" detailed="" information="" on="" the="" control="" of="" trade="" in="" vicuna="" wool="" and="" wool="" products="" in="" argentina,="" and="" on="" the="" status="" of="" national="" legislation="" to="" control="" trade.="" regulatory="" mechanisms:="" bolivia="" bolivia's="" national="" program="" for="" the="" conservation="" of="" vicuna="" is="" in="" very="" early="" stages="" of="" implementation.="" bolivia="" is="" developing="" pilot="" programs="" for="" harvesting="" and="" marketing="" wool="" from="" live-shorn="" vicuna="" that="" borrow="" significantly="" on="" the="" successful="" management="" program="" in="" peru.="" the="" ministry="" of="" sustainable="" development="" and="" the="" environment="" is="" the="" organization="" responsible="" for="" planning="" and="" coordinating="" the="" conservation="" of="" natural="" resources="" with="" the="" major="" plans="" for="" national="" development.="" the="" dncb="" (direccion="" nacional="" de="" conservacion="" de="" la="" biodiversidad="" unidad="" de="" vida="" silvestre)="" is="" located="" within="" this="" ministry="" and="" is="" the="" technical="" body="" whose="" objective="" is="" the="" conservation="" and="" sustainable="" use="" of="" biological="" resources.="" the="" wildlife="" unit="" with="" responsibilities="" for="" executing="" the="" national="" vicuna="" conservation="" program="" is="" located="" within="" the="" dncb.="" several="" laws="" and="" decrees="" are="" relevant="" to="" vicuna="" management="" in="" bolivia.="" bolivia="" and="" peru="" signed="" the="" treaty="" of="" la="" paz="" in="" 1969="" to="" provide="" a="" measure="" of="" international="" protection="" for="" vicuna="" and="" this="" treaty="" was="" a="" precursor="" to="" what="" is="" presently="" known="" as="" the="" vicuna="" convention.="" bolivia="" has="" also="" been="" a="" signatory="" to="" cites="" since="" 1979.="" the="" agrarian="" reform="" act="" of="" 1953="" enabled="" some="" rural="" communities="" to="" have="" private="" lands="" and="" other="" rural="" communities="" to="" have="" unfenced="" communal="" lands="" which="" are="" advantageous="" to="" free-roaming="" vicunas.="" law="" 1654="" decentralized="" executive="" power="" to="" regional="" departments.="" law="" 1715,="" passed="" in="" 1996,="" created="" the="" national="" institute="" for="" agrarian="" reform="" and="" promoted="" the="" sustainable="" use="" of="" land,="" the="" promotion="" of="" practices="" favoring="" conservation="" and="" the="" protection="" of="" biodiversity,="" and="" the="" concept="" that="" lands="" where="" conservation="" is="" practiced="" would="" not="" be="" subject="" to="" expropriation.="" other="" laws="" legalized="" traditional="" social="" organizations,="" authorized="" rights="" for="" using="" renewable="" natural="" resources="" and="" authorized="" the="" establishment="" of="" the="" secretariat="" for="" sustainable="" development="" in="" each="" bolivian="" department="" to="" enhance="" vicuna="" management="" at="" regional="" levels.="" supreme="" decree="" 24529="" passed="" in="" march="" 1997,="" authorized="" regulations="" for="" the="" protection="" and="" management="" of="" vicunas="" in="" bolivia.="" the="" decree="" grants="" custodianship="" of="" vicuna="" populations="" to="" the="" rural="" communities="" and="" gives="" the="" rural="" communities="" the="" exclusive="" rights="" to="" use="" vicuna="" fibers,="" subject="" to="" the="" listed="" regulations="" (dncb="" 1997,="" pers.="" comm.).="" regulations="" promulgated="" under="" this="" decree="" will="" affect="" all="" activities="" dealing="" with="" the="" management,="" protection,="" capture,="" shearing="" and="" the="" commercialization="" of="" vicuna="" products="" (as="" described="" in="" subsequent="" paragraphs).="" the="" regulations="" are="" similar="" to="" existing="" legislation="" in="" the="" other="" countries="" that="" also="" signed="" the="" vicuna="" convention.="" at="" present,="" we="" are="" unclear="" if="" these="" regulations="" have="" been="" approved="" and="" fully="" implemented,="" although="" we="" were="" previously="" told="" that="" the="" dncb="" had="" begun="" implementation="" of="" regulations="" by="" holding="" workshops="" in="" campesino="" communities="" to="" explain="" the="" regulations,="" by="" publishing="" print="" media="" guides="" describing="" the="" regulations="" and="" by="" helping="" campesino="" communities="" begin="" their="" compliance="" with="" the="" regulations="" (dncb="" 1997,="" pers.="" comm.).="" we="" were="" also="" told="" that="" the="" dncb="" had="" begun="" coordinating="" with="" the="" national="" police="" and="" military="" to="" help="" curb="" illegal="" activities="" dealing="" with="" vicuna="" and="" their="" products.="" the="" national="" program="" for="" vicuna="" conservation="" emphasizes="" the="" management="" of="" wild="" free-ranging="" populations="" of="" vicuna="" and="" emphasizes="" a="" desire="" to="" improve="" habitat="" quality.="" any="" vicuna="" wool="" presently="" in="" commerce="" in="" bolivia="" is="" considered="" illegal="" wool.="" under="" the="" regulations,="" all="" existing="" vicuna="" wool="" products="" including="" those="" in="" the="" domestic="" market="" are="" to="" be="" inventoried="" and="" registered="" and="" all="" new="" products="" or="" wool="" fibers="" will="" also="" be="" registered.="" any="" non-registered="" vicuna="" products="" will="" in="" the="" future="" be="" considered="" illegal.="" the="" only="" wool="" that="" will="" be="" allowed="" for="" commercial="" purposes="" will="" be="" that="" obtained="" from="" live-shorn="" vicuna="" that="" have="" been="" captured="" according="" to="" regulations.="" only="" raw="" wool="" for="" the="" manufacture="" of="" cloth="" will="" be="" exported.="" bolivia="" does="" not="" have="" a="" textile="" industry="" with="" the="" capability="" to="" manufacture="" vicuna="" wool="" cloth="" (dncb="" 1997,="" pers.="" comm.).="" under="" the="" regulations,="" the="" harvesting="" of="" vicuna="" wool="" will="" only="" be="" allowed="" in="" organized="" campesino="" communities="" which="" (1)="" have="" the="" rights="" to="" capture="" and="" shear="" vicuna="" and="" utilize="" vicuna="" wool="" and="" (2)="" have="" delegated="" authority="" to="" work="" with="" government="" authorities="" in="" the="" management="" and="" conservation="" of="" the="" vicuna.="" these="" campesino="" communities="" are="" the="" only="" legal="" benefactors="" of="" the="" sale="" of="" vicuna="" wool.="" the="" national="" vicuna="" conservation="" program="" will="" be="" carried="" out="" in="" these="" communities="" and="" will="" contain="" habitat="" and="" vicuna="" management="" plans="" and="" vicuna="" census="" and="" distribution="" data.="" this="" information="" will="" be="" basic="" to="" decisions="" to="" conduct="" vicuna="" drives,="" and="" in="" the="" conduct="" of="" capture="" and="" shearing="" operations.="" monitoring="" information="" will="" be="" provided="" by="" game="" guards="" and="" recommendations="" for="" management="" actions="" will="" be="" produced="" in="" the="" campesino="" communities.="" government="" authorities="" will="" be="" present="" when="" vicuna="" capturing="" and="" shearing="" occurs.="" the="" authorities="" will="" register="" the="" number="" of="" vicuna="" captured,="" the="" number="" shorn,="" the="" weights="" of="" fleeces,="" etc.,="" and="" supervise="" the="" bagging,="" weighing,="" marking="" and="" sealing="" of="" vicuna="" wool.="" this="" information="" is="" provided="" to="" the="" cites="" authorities="" for="" reference="" purposes="" and="" information="" later="" provided="" in="" support="" of="" export="" permit="" applications="" must="" correspond="" to="" the="" on-site="" records.="" the="" netherlands="" government="" has="" provided="" financial="" support="" to="" underwrite="" initial="" efforts="" to="" implement="" the="" national="" vicuna="" conservation="" program.="" the="" initial="" effort="" of="" the="" national="" vicuna="" conservation="" program="" will="" be="" at="" the="" pilot="" center="" of="" sud="" lipez="" and="" its="" objective="" will="" be="" to="" demonstrate="" the="" potential="" worth="" of="" the="" vicuna.="" the="" pilot="" project="" will="" include="" the="" capture="" and="" shearing="" of="" live="" vicunas="" and="" the="" manufacture="" of="" fabric="" and="" eventually="" the="" sale="" of="" vicuna="" fiber="" for="" the="" manufacture="" of="" textiles="" to="" demonstrate="" the="" potential="" economic="" benefit="" to="" campesino="" communities.="" the="" vicuna="" populations="" of="" the="" conservation="" units="" of="" mauri-="" desaguadero,="" ulla="" ulla="" and="" lipez="" chichas="" were="" transferred="" from="" cites="" appendix="" i="" to="" appendix="" ii="" at="" cop10,="" effective="" september="" 18,="" 1997.="" a="" zero="" annual="" export="" quota="" presently="" exists.="" future="" exports="" will="" be="" limited="" to="" wool="" shorn="" from="" live="" animals="" and="" to="" cloth="" and="" articles="" made="" from="" such="" cloth,="" including="" luxury="" handicrafts="" and="" knitted="" articles.="" the="" reverse="" side="" of="" cloth="" and="" cloth="" products="" must="" bear="" the="" [[page="" 48752]]="" logo="" adopted="" by="" countries="" signatory="" to="" the="" vicuna="" convention="" and="" the="" words="" ``vicuna-bolivia-artesania.''="" all="" specimens="" not="" meeting="" any="" of="" the="" above="" conditions="" will="" be="" deemed="" to="" be="" subject="" to="" the="" prohibition="" against="" primarily-commercial="" trade.="" the="" regulations="" also="" establish="" the="" system="" for="" the="" protection="" of="" the="" vicuna="" (svv)="" which="" provides="" for="" the="" development="" of="" an="" inter-community="" network="" for="" the="" management="" and="" protection="" of="" the="" species.="" these="" persons="" will="" have="" direct="" control="" over="" activities="" such="" as="" wool="" sales,="" and="" will="" also="" have="" responsibilities="" for="" determining="" status="" and="" trends="" in="" vicuna="" populations.="" the="" svv="" will="" be="" composed="" of="" game="" guards="" who="" will="" be="" responsible="" for="" the="" protection="" and="" control="" of="" vicuna="" in="" each="" conservation="" unit,="" made="" up="" of="" local="" vicuna="" protection="" officers="" and="" park="" rangers="" who="" are="" the="" enforcement="" officers="" within="" protected="" areas="" such="" as="" national="" parks.="" protection="" and="" control="" efforts="" will="" also="" be="" supported="" by="" special="" units="" of="" the="" national="" police.="" the="" military="" will="" also="" assist="" in="" patrols,="" inspections="" and="" the="" seizures="" of="" illegal="" products.="" customs="" will="" assist="" in="" the="" control="" of="" the="" export="" and="" import="" of="" wool="" at="" the="" ports="" of="" entry,="" border="" posts="" and="" airports="" to="" assure="" that="" cites="" requirements="" are="" fulfilled.="" the="" secretariat="" for="" natural="" resources="" and="" the="" environment="" (snrnma)="" will="" regulate="" and="" coordinate="" the="" activities="" and="" participants="" within="" the="" svv.="" the="" vicuna="" does="" not="" appear="" to="" be="" endangered="" by="" inadequate="" regulatory="" mechanisms="" in="" bolivia.="" the="" species,="" however,="" should="" be="" considered="" threatened="" by="" this="" factor="" because="" many="" of="" the="" regulatory="" mechanisms="" are="" in="" early="" stages="" of="" implementation,="" and="" we="" are="" still="" unclear="" about="" the="" status="" of="" proposed="" regulations="" dealing="" with="" the="" management,="" protection,="" capture="" and="" shearing="" of="" vicuna,="" and="" the="" commercialization="" of="" vicuna="" products.="" the="" vicuna="" will="" remain="" threatened="" by="" this="" factor="" until="" appropriate="" conservation="" mechanisms="" are="" fully="" implemented="" and="" the="" populations="" fully="" recover.="" through="" this="" proposed="" rule,="" the="" service="" seeks="" information="" on="" the="" status="" of="" proposed="" regulations="" and="" the="" implementation="" of="" other="" regulatory="" mechanisms,="" such="" as="" svv,="" within="" bolivia.="" regulatory="" mechanisms:="" chile="" the="" existing="" regulatory="" mechanisms="" in="" chile="" are="" presently="" dedicated="" to="" the="" protection="" of="" vicuna.="" chile="" has="" not="" yet="" authorized="" the="" capture="" of="" vicunas="" to="" develop="" a="" vicuna="" wool="" industry="" and="" the="" only="" exports="" of="" raw="" wool="" have="" been="" to="" obtain="" analyses="" of="" the="" wool's="" physical="" properties.="" it="" is="" illegal="" to="" possess="" vicuna="" parts="" and="" products="" so="" no="" mechanisms="" have="" been="" developed="" for="" registering="" or="" identifying="" raw="" wool,="" or="" for="" establishing="" warehouses="" for="" storing="" wool="" (sag="" 1997,="" pers.="" comm.).="" law="" no.="" 4.601="" passed="" in="" 1929,="" modified="" by="" law="" no.="" 19.473="" passed="" in="" 1996,="" indefinitely="" closed="" the="" hunting="" season="" for="" vicuna="" throughout="" the="" republic="" of="" chile.="" the="" hunting,="" capturing="" and="" selling="" of="" vicuna="" (and="" vicuna="" parts)="" is="" outlawed.="" persons="" possessing,="" transporting="" or="" involved="" in="" commercial="" operations="" with="" vicuna="" products="" need="" to="" prove="" their="" actions="" are="" authorized="" by="" these="" laws.="" the="" servicio="" agricola="" y="" ganadero="" (sag)="" of="" the="" ministry="" of="" agriculture="" is="" the="" cites="" management="" authority,="" and="" has="" a="" department="" for="" the="" protection="" of="" renewable="" natural="" resources="" and="" a="" wildlife="" division.="" authorized="" customs="" officers="" (uniformed="" police),="" accredited="" officials="" from="" sag,="" and="" representatives="" of="" the="" national="" forest="" corporation="" provide="" protection="" to="" vicunas="" within="" the="" national="" system="" of="" protected="" wild="" areas.="" preliminary="" plans,="" should="" a="" vicuna="" wool="" industry="" become="" authorized,="" indicate="" that="" the="" responsible="" party="" would="" need="" to="" provide="" an="" application="" to="" sag="" indicating,="" among="" other="" things,="" the="" likely="" number="" of="" animals="" to="" be="" captured="" and="" sheared,="" the="" expected="" yield="" of="" the="" wool="" harvest,="" the="" logistics="" of="" the="" capture="" and="" shearing="" operation,="" where="" and="" how="" the="" wool="" would="" be="" stored="" and="" its="" eventual="" destination.="" sag,="" should="" they="" approve="" the="" application,="" would="" oversee="" the="" capture="" process,="" register="" the="" quantity="" of="" harvested="" wool,="" and="" seal="" the="" warehouse="" where="" the="" wool="" is="" stored.="" sag="" would="" also="" provide="" the="" necessary="" export="" permits,="" after="" determining="" that="" the="" quantities="" for="" export="" correspond="" to="" quantities="" authorized="" and="" actually="" harvested.="" preliminary="" plans="" also="" suggest="" that="" a="" mechanism="" would="" be="" established="" to="" deal="" with="" the="" production="" and="" sale="" of="" luxury="" handicrafts="" and="" knitted="" articles.="" that="" organization="" would="" be="" responsible="" for="" receiving="" the="" wool,="" registering="" and="" offering="" the="" wool="" products="" for="" sale,="" for="" recording="" the="" sale="" of="" registered="" craft="" items="" and="" providing="" an="" accounting="" of="" the="" sale="" of="" registered="" craft="" items="" (sag="" 1997,="" pers.="" comm.).="" chile="" has="" succeeded="" in="" having="" certain="" vicuna="" populations="" in="" the="" paranicota="" province,="" region="" of="" tarapaca="" (specifically,="" the="" populations="" in="" the="" caquena="" management="" zone="" and="" the="" vicuna="" national="" reserve)="" transferred="" from="" cites="" appendix="" i="" to="" appendix="" ii="" in="" 1987="" (at="" cop6).="" any="" future="" export="" of="" vicuna="" products="" would="" be="" limited="" to="" wool="" sheared="" from="" live="" animals="" in="" appendix="" ii="" populations="" and="" to="" cloth="" and="" items="" made="" from="" that="" cloth="" including="" luxury="" handicrafts,="" and="" knitted="" articles.="" the="" reverse="" side="" of="" cloth="" and="" cloth="" products="" would="" need="" to="" bear="" the="" logo="" adopted="" by="" countries="" signatory="" to="" the="" vicuna="" convention="" and="" the="" words="" ``vicuna-chile-artesania.''="" all="" specimens="" not="" meeting="" any="" of="" the="" above="" conditions="" would="" be="" deemed="" to="" be="" subject="" to="" the="" prohibition="" against="" primarily-commercial="" trade.="" the="" vicuna="" is="" not="" considered="" to="" be="" endangered="" by="" inadequate="" regulatory="" mechanisms="" in="" chile.="" however,="" as="" a="" vicuna="" wool="" industry="" could="" potentially="" be="" approved="" in="" chile,="" the="" vicuna="" remains="" threatened="" by="" this="" factor="" until="" such="" time="" as="" regulatory="" mechanisms="" for="" harvest="" and="" commercialization="" are="" demonstrated="" to="" be="" adequate.="" regulatory="" mechanisms:="" peru="" a="" complex="" regulatory="" mechanism="" exists="" for="" peru="" and="" it="" controls="" commerce="" in="" vicuna="" wool="" products.="" the="" infrastructure="" promoting="" vicuna="" management="" includes="" the="" national="" council="" of="" south="" american="" camelids="" (conacs)="" which="" is="" a="" public="" decentralized="" organization="" of="" the="" ministry="" of="" agriculture="" in="" charge="" of="" the="" promotion,="" standardization,="" and="" control="" of="" activities="" with="" the="" south="" american="" camelids.="" conacs="" has="" offices="" in="" lima="" and="" throughout="" the="" vicuna="" range,="" and="" is="" the="" proprietor="" of="" the="" trademarks="" ``vicuna-peru''="" and="" ``vicuna-peru-artesania.''="" the="" institute="" of="" natural="" resources="" (inrena)="" is="" also="" a="" public="" decentralized="" organization="" of="" the="" ministry="" of="" agriculture,="" and="" is="" in="" control="" of="" all="" renewable="" natural="" resources="" in="" peru,="" and="" is="" the="" cites="" management="" authority="" for="" peru.="" the="" national="" society="" of="" the="" vicuna="" (snv)="" is="" a="" private="" organization="" which="" represents="" the="" 660="" campesino="" communities="" and="" coordinates="" vicuna="" management="" within="" and="" between="" campesino="" communities="" (``communal="" committees="" of="" the="" vicuna'')="" and="" with="" conacs="" at="" both="" regional="" and="" national="" levels="" (hoces="" r.="" 1997,="" pers="" comm.).="" several="" national="" laws="" protect="" vicuna="" and="" regulate="" its="" management.="" law="" 26496="" is="" especially="" important="" as="" it="" promotes="" protection="" and="" provides="" penalties="" for="" the="" illegal="" hunting="" of="" vicuna,="" gives="" the="" custodianship="" of="" vicuna="" herds="" that="" occupy="" campesino="" community="" lands="" to="" those="" campesino="" communities="" and="" allows="" the="" campesinos="" to="" be="" responsible="" for="" the="" conservation,="" management="" and="" the="" utilization="" of="" the="" species.="" the="" law="" also="" establishes="" the="" official="" registry="" of="" the="" vicuna="" which="" provides="" a="" record="" keeping="" process="" that="" [[page="" 48753]]="" controls="" and="" tracks="" volumes="" of="" wool="" from="" the="" time="" of="" vicuna="" shearing="" in="" the="" field="" to="" the="" time="" that="" fiber="" is="" sold="" as="" cloth="" or="" merchandise="" on="" the="" international="" market.="" other="" laws="" recognize="" the="" vicuna="" convention="" and="" the="" cites="" convention.="" pertinent="" laws="" are="" implemented="" through="" the="" 660="" ``communal="" committees="" of="" the="" vicuna''="" which="" form="" the="" basis="" for="" the="" national="" system="" of="" conservation.="" there="" is="" a="" system="" of="" park="" rangers="" shared="" by="" groups="" of="" communities="" and="" these="" park="" rangers="" can="" access="" the="" national="" ecological="" police="" and="" peruvian="" army="" units="" to="" help="" control="" the="" illegal="" killing="" of="" vicuna.="" conacs="" and="" inrena="" authorize="" and="" control="" management="" activities,="" including="" vicuna="" capture;="" since="" 1996="" they="" manage="" a="" limited="" captive="" breeding="" program="" where="" enclosures="" of="" approximately="" 1,000="" ha="" (``modules="" of="" sustainable="" use''),="" each="" with="" about="" 250="" vicuna,="" are="" developed="" or="" are="" to="" be="" developed="" within="" individual="" campesino="" communities.="" the="" shearing,="" collecting,="" processing="" and="" commercialization="" of="" vicuna="" wool="" from="" wild="" vicunas="" or="" from="" groups="" contained="" within="" the="" permanent="" enclosures,="" is="" controlled="" by="" conacs="" and="" inrena.="" the="" processing="" and="" commercialization="" of="" the="" wool="" is="" done="" by="" a="" single="" company="" that="" obtained="" that="" right="" through="" a="" competitive="" bidding="" process="" at="" a="" supervised="" auction.="" a="" cooperative="" agreement="" exists="" between="" the="" snv="" and="" the="" company="" winning="" the="" competitive="" bid,="" apparently="" to="" ensure="" that="" campesino="" communities="" will="" be="" correctly="" represented="" in="" the="" distribution="" of="" monies="" from="" the="" sale="" of="" vicuna="" wool="" and="" wool="" products.="" there="" is="" an="" authorized="" season="" for="" shearing="" and="" the="" act="" of="" shearing="" is="" supervised="" by="" personnel="" representing="" conacs,="" snv="" and="" inrena.="" pertinent="" information="" is="" gathered="" at="" the="" time="" of="" shearing="" and="" a="" report="" describing="" the="" shearing="" operation="" (numbers="" of="" animals,="" wool="" weights="" per="" animal,="" etc.)="" signed="" by="" representative="" of="" the="" communal="" committee="" and="" conacs,="" becomes="" part="" of="" the="" record="" at="" the="" official="" registry="" of="" the="" vicuna.="" a="" second="" source="" of="" legal="" wool="" is="" from="" vicuna="" that="" die="" from="" natural="" causes="" or="" are="" found="" or="" obtained="" by="" campesinos="" or="" park="" rangers,="" or="" from="" skins="" that="" are="" seized="" in="" successful="" anti-poaching="" operations.="" such="" specimens,="" to="" become="" legal,="" must="" be="" declared="" to="" snv="" and="" conacs="" and="" entered="" into="" the="" vicuna="" registry.="" legal="" wool="" is="" gathered="" and="" stored="" in="" private="" warehouses="" belonging="" to="" the="" campesino="" communities,="" registered="" in="" the="" vicuna="" registry,="" and="" is="" under="" the="" control="" of="" conacs.="" illegal="" wool="" is="" prevented="" from="" entering="" commerce="" because="" it="" is="" not="" registered="" with="" the="" vicuna="" registry,="" and="" consequently="" not="" included="" in="" the="" wool="" stores="" represented="" in="" the="" single="" legal="" auction.="" the="" vicuna="" registry="" records="" weights="" of="" wool="" sheared="" or="" collected,="" carded="" or="" cleaned,="" and="" these="" weights="" are="" used="" by="" conacs="" and="" snv="" throughout="" the="" processing="" and="" commercialization="" process="" to="" indicate="" whether="" final="" products="" likely="" only="" contain="" legal="" wool.="" the="" cites="" management="" authority="" controls="" commerce="" by="" requiring="" records="" of="" wool="" weights="" and="" opinions="" from="" conacs="" before="" any="" products="" (fiber,="" cloth="" or="" articles)="" can="" be="" legally="" either="" imported="" or="" exported="" from="" peru.="" the="" processing="" of="" vicuna="" fiber="" and="" the="" commercialization="" of="" vicuna="" products="" involves="" a="" joint="" venture="" ``association="" in="" participation''="" between="" snv="" and="" the="" consortium="" that="" won="" the="" auction="" for="" vicuna="" wool.="" the="" snv="" provides="" the="" wool="" to="" the="" consortium="" which="" includes="" a="" peruvian="" company="" that="" fabricates="" cloth="" from="" the="" vicuna="" fibers,="" which="" is="" then="" sent="" to="" an="" italian="" manufacturing="" plant="" where="" luxury="" clothing="" items="" are="" produced.="" a="" second="" italian="" firm="" then="" handles="" the="" promotion="" and="" marketing="" of="" the="" finished="" vicuna="" products="" (hoces="" r.="" 1997,="" pers.="" comm.).="" conacs="" supervises="" production="" to="" guarantee="" that="" all="" articles="" will="" contain="" 100="" percent="" vicuna="" wool.="" this="" process="" is="" designed="" to="" maximize="" the="" financial="" returns="" from="" the="" vicuna="" fibers;="" the="" profits="" from="" the="" final="" sales="" are="" distributed,="" under="" the="" supervision="" of="" conacs="" and="" inrena,="" to="" the="" campesino="" participants.="" raw="" vicuna="" wool="" currently="" sells="" for="" $500/kg="" of="" fiber="" and="" additionally="" a="" percentage="" of="" the="" final="" sale="" price="" on="" the="" completed="" product="" goes="" to="" the="" campesino="" communities.="" the="" vicuna="" populations="" of="" pampa="" galeras="" national="" reserve="" and="" nuclear="" zone,="" pedregal,="" oscconta="" and="" sawacocha="" (province="" of="" lucanas),="" sais="" picotani="" (province="" of="" azangaro),="" sais="" tupac="" amaru="" (province="" of="" junin),="" and="" salinas="" aguada="" blanca="" national="" reserve="" (provinces="" of="" arequipa="" and="" cailloma)="" were="" transferred="" from="" cites="" appendix="" i="" to="" appendix="" ii="" in="" 1987="" (at="" cop6).="" all="" remaining="" peruvian="" vicuna="" populations="" were="" transferred="" to="" appendix="" ii="" in="" 1994="" (cop9),="" effective="" february="" 16,="" 1995.="" all="" exports="" are="" limited="" to="" cloth="" fabricated="" from="" the="" 3,294="" kg="" (7,260="" lbs)="" of="" stored="" wool="" present="" in="" november="" 1994="" or="" from="" the="" wool="" stores="" obtained="" from="" the="" recent="" authorized="" shearing="" of="" live="" animals="" or="" from="" dead="" animals="" listed="" in="" the="" vicuna="" registry,="" and="" items="" made="" from="" that="" cloth="" and="" to="" certain="" luxury="" handicrafts="" and="" knitted="" articles="" produced="" in="" peru.="" the="" reverse="" side="" of="" cloth="" and="" cloth="" products="" must="" bear="" the="" logo="" adopted="" by="" countries="" signatory="" to="" the="" vicuna="" convention="" and="" the="" words="" ``vicuna-peru-artesania.''="" this="" trademark="" will="" also="" occur="" on="" all="" luxury="" artisan="" products="" and="" knitted="" articles="" of="" vicuna="" wool.="" peru="" also="" plans="" to="" add="" to="" the="" produced="" articles,="" a="" seal="" or="" identification="" tag="" with="" codes="" indicating="" the="" origin="" of="" the="" product,="" the="" assigned="" trademark="" or="" label="" and="" the="" cites="" permit="" number.="" all="" specimens="" not="" meeting="" any="" of="" the="" above="" conditions="" will="" be="" subject="" to="" the="" prohibition="" against="" primarily="" commercial="" trade.="" the="" vicuna="" is="" not="" considered="" to="" be="" endangered="" by="" inadequate="" regulatory="" mechanisms="" in="" peru.="" the="" species="" is,="" however,="" considered="" to="" be="" threatened="" by="" this="" factor,="" and="" will="" continue="" to="" be="" threatened="" until="" appropriate="" conservation="" mechanisms="" are="" fully="" implemented="" and="" the="" populations="" fully="" recover.="" e.="" other="" natural="" or="" human-made="" factors="" affecting="" its="" continued="" existence="" the="" great="" potential="" threat="" to="" the="" vicuna="" is="" that="" pelts="" can="" be="" easily="" obtained="" from="" poached="" animals="" and="" that="" the="" wool="" industry="" may="" actually="" prefer="" the="" longer="" fibers="" that="" can="" be="" obtained="" by="" soaking="" and="" pulling="" hairs="" from="" pelts,="" rather="" than="" the="" clipped="" hairs="" from="" legal="" fleeces="" (canedi="" 1997,="" pers.="" comm).="" the="" vulnerability="" of="" the="" vicuna="" to="" political="" instability="" is="" well="" documented.="" for="" example,="" vicuna="" populations="" in="" peru="" were="" estimated="" at="" about="" 60,000="" in="" 1980="" and="" 1981="" but="" were="" overexploited="" and="" in="" 1982="" populations="" were="" reduced="" to="" about="" 25,000.="" a="" slow="" recovery="" was="" observed="" until="" 1988="" when="" populations="" were="" again="" estimated="" at="" about="" 60,000.="" vicuna="" populations="" were="" again="" reduced="" to="" low="" levels="" from="" 1989="" to="" 1993="" when="" vicuna="" wool="" from="" poached="" animals="" was="" used="" to="" help="" finance="" guerilla="" activities="" in="" some="" countries.="" the="" vicuna="" represents="" one="" of="" the="" most="" significant="" economic="" resources="" available="" in="" many="" andean="" highlands="" that="" have="" limited="" human="" populations="" with="" limited="" economic="" resources="" at="" their="" disposal.="" indigenous="" people="" fully="" realize="" that="" a="" poached="" vicuna="" can="" be="" used="" once="" but="" that="" the="" managed,="" live-sheared="" vicuna="" can="" be="" used="" repeatedly="" (wheeler="" and="" hoces="" r.="" 1997).="" assigning="" the="" responsibility="" of="" vicuna="" management="" to="" campesino="" ranchers="" and/or="" campesino="" communities="" and="" granting="" those="" people="" the="" opportunity="" to="" legally="" realize="" economic="" gains="" from="" their="" management="" and="" protection="" efforts="" represents="" a="" significant="" bio-political="" decision.="" it="" is="" also="" significant="" that="" governments="" in="" four="" range="" countries="" have="" cooperated="" in="" the="" development="" of="" a="" vicuna="" wool="" industry="" and="" that="" scarce="" resources="" have="" been="" [[page="" 48754]]="" devoted="" to="" the="" management="" of="" this="" species.="" vicuna="" management,="" as="" described="" herein,="" is="" one="" of="" the="" better="" examples="" of="" the="" economic="" gains="" to="" be="" realized="" from="" the="" sustainable="" use="" of="" a="" biological="" resource.="" distinct="" vertebrate="" population="" segment="" the="" definition="" of="" ``species''="" in="" section="" 3(16)="" of="" the="" act="" includes="" ``any="" distinct="" population="" segment="" of="" any="" species="" of="" vertebrate="" fish="" or="" wildlife="" which="" interbreeds="" when="" mature.''="" distinct="" vertebrate="" population="" segments="" for="" purposes="" of="" listing="" under="" the="" act="" are="" defined="" in="" the="" service's="" february="" 7,="" 1996,="" policy="" regarding="" the="" recognition="" of="" distinct="" vertebrate="" population="" segments="" (61="" fr="" 4722).="" for="" a="" population="" to="" be="" listed="" under="" the="" act="" as="" a="" distinct="" vertebrate="" population="" segment,="" three="" elements="" are="" considered:="" (1)="" the="" discreteness="" of="" the="" population="" segment="" in="" relation="" to="" the="" remainder="" of="" the="" species="" to="" which="" it="" belongs;="" (2)="" the="" significance="" of="" the="" population="" segment="" to="" the="" species="" to="" which="" it="" belongs;="" and="" (3)="" the="" population="" segment's="" conservation="" status="" in="" relation="" to="" the="" act's="" standards="" for="" listing="" (i.e.,="" is="" the="" population="" segment,="" when="" treated="" as="" if="" it="" were="" a="" species,="" endangered="" or="" threatened?).="" international="" borders="" may="" be="" used="" to="" delineate="" discrete="" population="" segments="" where="" there="" are="" significant="" differences="" in:="" (1)="" the="" control="" of="" exploitation;="" (2)="" management="" of="" habitat;="" (3)="" conservation="" status;="" or="" (4)="" regulatory="" mechanisms="" on="" each="" side="" of="" the="" border="" (61="" fr="" 4722).="" discrete="" population="" segments="" can="" also="" be="" defined="" by="" marked="" physical,="" physiological,="" ecological,="" or="" behavioral="" separation="" from="" other="" populations="" of="" the="" same="" taxon.="" we="" recognize="" the="" vicuna="" population="" of="" ecuador="" as="" a="" distinct="" vertebrate="" population="" segment="" for="" purposes="" of="" listing="" under="" the="" esa.="" the="" vicuna="" population="" of="" ecuador="" is="" geographically="" isolated="" and="" separate="" from="" other="" vicuna="" in="" argentina,="" bolivia,="" chile,="" and="" peru.="" historically,="" the="" vicuna="" was="" eliminated="" from="" ecuador.="" a="" small,="" disjunct="" population="" has="" been="" recently="" reintroduced="" to="" ecuador.="" the="" population="" was="" established="" from="" 100="" animals="" exported="" from="" bolivia="" in="" 1993.="" this="" was="" accomplished="" within="" the="" multilateral="" frameworks="" of="" both="" the="" conveno="" para="" la="" conservacion="" y="" manejo="" de="" la="" vicuna="" (convention="" for="" the="" conservation="" and="" management="" of="" the="" vicuna,="" or="" the="" vicuna="" convention)="" and="" the="" cites="" convention.="" it="" should="" be="" noted="" that="" ecuador="" is="" also="" a="" party="" to="" the="" vicuna="" convention.="" ecuador's="" population="" remains="" listed="" in="" cites="" appendix="" i,="" and="" there="" is="" no="" plan="" to="" commercially="" utilize="" the="" species="" in="" the="" near="" future.="" furthermore,="" the="" parties="" to="" the="" vicuna="" convention="" view="" this="" as="" a="" separate="" population,="" worthy="" of="" special="" recovery="" efforts.="" although="" the="" countries="" of="" the="" region="" that="" are="" parties="" to="" the="" vicuna="" convention="" view="" this="" as="" an="" ``experimental''="" population,="" that="" should="" not="" be="" seen="" in="" the="" domestic="" u.s.="" context="" of="" experimental="" populations="" under="" the="" act,="" where="" criteria="" and="" definitions="" differ.="" for="" these="" reasons,="" the="" ecuadoran="" population="" of="" vicuna="" satisfies="" the="" discreteness="" and="" significance="" criteria="" of="" the="" dvps="" policy,="" and,="" therefore,="" merits="" treatment="" as="" a="" distinct="" population="" segment="" under="" the="" esa.="" in="" contrast="" to="" the="" rather="" strict="" requirements="" for="" listing="" entities="" (species,="" subspecies,="" or="" distinct="" vertebrate="" population="" segments)="" under="" the="" esa,="" cites="" has="" retained="" a="" degree="" of="" flexibility="" in="" the="" listing="" process="" through="" the="" use="" of="" annotations.="" there="" is="" no="" specific="" requirement="" that="" populations="" be="" delimited="" by="" national="" borders="" or="" marked="" biological="" differences.="" cites="" article="" i="" defines="" a="" species="" as="" ``any="" species,="" subspecies,="" or="" geographically="" separate="" population="" thereof'',="" and="" different="" populations="" of="" a="" species="" can="" be="" listed="" in="" different="" cites="" appendices.="" thus,="" it="" has="" been="" possible="" to="" transfer="" sub-national="" populations="" of="" vicuna="" in="" argentina,="" bolivia,="" and="" chile="" from="" appendix="" i="" to="" appendix="" ii.="" this="" accounts="" for="" the="" lack="" of="" perfect="" symmetry="" between="" populations="" proposed="" for="" threatened="" status="" and="" those="" currently="" listed="" in="" appendix="" ii="" of="" cites.="" summary="" of="" findings="" the="" service="" finds="" that="" the="" vicuna="" is="" a="" highly="" vulnerable="" species="" whose="" populations="" are="" generally="" increasing="" over="" a="" large="" area="" of="" very="" specific="" habitat--the="" high="" andean="" tablelands="" of="" argentina,="" bolivia,="" chile="" and="" peru.="" the="" current="" status="" of="" the="" vicuna="" and="" its="" future="" potential="" seems="" directly="" attributable="" to="" recent="" bio-political="" decisions="" made="" in="" the="" range="" countries="" to="" turn="" over="" the="" custodianship="" of="" the="" species="" to="" the="" native="" people="" sharing="" these="" landscapes.="" laws,="" decrees="" and="" infrastructures="" have="" been="" or="" are="" being="" developed="" to="" help="" the="" campesinos="" manage="" and="" protect="" the="" species.="" in="" return="" the="" campesinos="" are="" or="" are="" likely="" to="" receive="" critical="" financial="" benefits="" from="" that="" management="" that="" will="" benefit="" both="" individuals="" and="" their="" communities.="" the="" management="" and="" protection="" accorded="" to="" the="" vicunas,="" by="" campesinos="" in="" cooperation="" with="" governmental="" entities,="" provides="" the="" best="" opportunity="" for="" the="" vicuna="" to="" survive="" as="" a="" species="" and="" as="" a="" very="" important="" part="" of="" the="" puna="" and="" altoandina="" ecosystems.="" specifically,="" we="" find="" that="" the="" vicuna="" is="" threatened="" by="" the="" (1)="" present="" or="" threatened="" destruction,="" modification,="" or="" curtailment="" of="" its="" habitat="" or="" range,="" (2)="" previous="" or="" current="" overutilization,="" and="" (3)="" the="" possibility="" of="" inadequately="" controlled="" illegal="" harvest="" pressures="" including="" poaching,="" in="" argentina,="" bolivia,="" chile,="" and="" peru.="" a="" reclassification="" of="" the="" vicuna="" from="" endangered="" to="" threatened="" under="" the="" act="" will,="" with="" the="" attendant="" special="" rule,="" allow="" carefully="" regulated="" commerce="" of="" vicuna="" products="" into="" the="" united="" states.="" funds="" generated="" by="" opening="" the="" united="" states="" market="" will="" help="" provide="" the="" resources="" necessary="" to="" further="" manage="" the="" species.="" in="" response="" to="" the="" petition="" submitted="" by="" the="" international="" vicuna="" consortium,="" we="" find="" that:="" (1)="" reclassification="" of="" the="" vicuna="" from="" endangered="" to="" threatened="" is="" warranted="" for="" all="" range="" countries="" except="" ecuador;="" and="" (2)="" that="" a="" special="" rule="" is="" warranted="" for="" all="" appendix="" ii="" populations,="" with="" the="" exception="" of="" the="" appendix="" ii="" semi-captive="" populations="" of="" catamarca,="" jujuy,="" la="" rioja,="" salta,="" and="" san="" juan="" provinces="" in="" argentina,="" which="" are="" specifically="" excluded="" until="" such="" time="" as="" their="" conservation="" benefit="" for="" wild="" vicuna="" is="" demonstrated="" adequately.="" the="" present="" publication="" provides="" a="" 12-month="" finding="" on="" that="" petition="" and="" includes="" a="" proposed="" special="" rule.="" description="" of="" the="" proposed="" special="" rule="" the="" intent="" of="" the="" proposed="" special="" rule="" is="" to="" enhance="" the="" conservation="" of="" the="" vicuna="" through="" support="" for="" properly="" designed="" and="" implemented="" programs="" for="" vicuna="" conservation="" throughout="" their="" native="" range.="" the="" proposed="" special="" rule="" is="" intended="" to="" support="" the="" conservation="" efforts="" of="" the="" four="" range="" states="" of="" argentina,="" bolivia,="" chile,="" and="" peru,="" by="" acknowledging="" and="" deferring="" to="" certain="" of="" their="" management="" programs="" that="" allow="" utilization="" of="" vicuna="" wool="" from="" wild,="" live-sheared="" animals,="" with="" benefits="" accruing="" to="" indigenous="" communities.="" the="" proposed="" special="" rule="" clarifies="" that="" only="" properly="" identified="" vicuna="" products="" can="" be="" imported="" into="" the="" united="" states.="" the="" vicuna="" products="" that="" can="" be="" imported="" are="" only="" those="" items="" of="" either="" raw="" (unprocessed)="" vicuna="" wool="" or="" cloth,="" or="" items="" made="" from="" that="" wool,="" including="" luxury="" handicrafts="" and="" knitted="" articles,="" that="" are="" properly="" identified,="" and="" have="" accompanying="" valid,="" legal="" cites="" appendix="" ii="" export="" permits="" or="" re-export="" certificates.="" under="" the="" proposed="" special="" rule,="" an="" endangered="" or="" threatened="" species="" permit="" for="" individual="" shipments="" would="" not="" be="" required="" under="" 50="" cfr="" part="" 17.="" to="" be="" [[page="" 48755]]="" imported,="" vicuna="" products="" must="" originate="" in="" populations="" that="" are="" listed="" both="" as="" threatened="" under="" the="" act="" and="" in="" appendix="" ii="" of="" cites,="" with="" the="" exception="" that="" appendix="" ii="" semi-captive="" populations="" in="" catamarca,="" jujuy,="" la="" rioja,="" salta,="" and="" san="" juan="" provinces="" in="" argentina="" are="" excluded="" from="" the="" proposed="" special="" rule="" until="" such="" time="" as="" their="" conservation="" benefit="" for="" wild="" vicuna="" populations="" is="" demonstrated="" adequately.="" if="" adequate="" information="" is="" presented="" during="" the="" public="" comment="" period,="" these="" populations="" may="" be="" included="" under="" the="" final="" special="" rule.="" we="" are="" aware="" that="" there="" have="" been="" poaching="" and="" illegal="" trade="" problems="" with="" this="" highly="" valuable="" species="" in="" the="" past,="" and="" any="" loss="" of="" control="" would="" seriously="" undermine="" the="" conservation="" programs="" of="" these="" countries,="" thereby="" potentially="" jeopardizing="" vicuna="" populations.="" therefore,="" we="" propose="" not="" to="" allow="" the="" import="" of="" vicuna="" products="" from="" threatened="" and="" approved="" appendix="" ii="" populations="" if="" the="" countries="" of="" origin="" or="" the="" countries="" of="" manufacture="" or="" re-export="" have="" been="" determined="" by="" the="" cites="" conference="" of="" the="" parties="" or="" the="" cites="" standing="" committee="" to="" be="" not="" effectively="" implementing="" the="" convention.="" specifically,="" the="" proposed="" special="" rule="" would="" prohibit="" importation="" from="" countries="" of="" export="" or="" re-export="" that="" have="" either="" failed="" to="" designate="" a="" management="" authority="" or="" scientific="" authority,="" or="" have="" been="" identified="" by="" the="" conference="" of="" the="" parties="" to="" the="" convention,="" the="" convention's="" standing="" committee="" or="" in="" a="" notification="" from="" the="" secretariat="" as="" a="" country="" from="" which="" parties="" should="" not="" accept="" cites="" permits.="" commerce="" with="" the="" united="" states="" in="" vicuna="" products,="" if="" the="" proposed="" special="" rule="" is="" adopted="" as="" final="" at="" the="" conclusion="" of="" the="" regulatory="" process,="" will="" only="" be="" allowed="" with="" countries="" that="" have="" both="" designated="" cites="" management="" and="" scientific="" authorities,="" and="" that="" are="" not="" subject="" to="" a="" schedule="" iii="" notice="" of="" information="" for="" all="" wildlife="" or="" all="" cites-="" listed="" species.="" in="" the="" case="" where="" vicuna="" products="" are="" exported="" to="" a="" second="" country,="" for="" manufacturing="" purposes,="" and="" the="" finished="" products="" are="" re-exported="" to="" the="" united="" states,="" then="" neither="" the="" country="" of="" origin="" nor="" the="" country="" of="" re-export="" can="" be="" subject="" to="" schedule="" iii="" notice="" of="" information="" based="" on="" the="" criteria="" described="" in="" the="" special="" rule="" if="" imports="" are="" to="" be="" allowed.="" the="" u.s.="" management="" authority="" will="" provide="" on="" request="" the="" list="" of="" those="" countries="" subject="" to="" a="" schedule="" iii="" notice="" of="" information="" to="" those="" manufacturers="" in="" the="" country="" of="" re-="" export="" and="" to="" importers="" so="" that="" they="" may="" be="" advised="" of="" restrictions="" on="" vicuna="" products.="" at="" present,="" no="" countries="" are="" subject="" to="" a="" schedule="" iii="" notice="" of="" information="" for="" all="" wildlife="" or="" all="" cites-listed="" species.="" for="" vicuna="" and="" vicuna="" products,="" there="" is="" no="" personal="" effects="" exemption="" in="" the="" proposed="" special="" rule.="" that="" is,="" items="" purchased="" by="" travelers="" overseas="" or="" personal="" items="" owned="" by="" people="" moving="" to="" the="" united="" states="" will="" require="" appropriate="" cites="" export="" documents="" (permits="" or="" re-export="" certificates)="" to="" be="" imported="" legally="" into="" the="" united="" states.="" this="" is="" based="" on="" analysis="" of="" the="" annotation="" for="" the="" vicuna="" in="" the="" official="" cites="" secretariat="" list="" of="" the="" cites="" appendices,="" and="" dialogue="" with="" the="" cites="" secretariat="" in="" geneva.="" the="" vicuna="" annotations="" in="" the="" cites="" appendices="" are="" unique,="" and="" require="" that="" only="" certain="" products="" be="" exported="" from="" the="" range="" countries,="" under="" very="" strict="" conditions.="" for="" peru,="" for="" example,="" the="" only="" products="" that="" can="" be="" exported="" (even="" non-commercially)="" are="" those="" manufactured="" from="" the="" stockpile="" held="" at="" the="" time="" of="" the="" ninth="" meeting="" of="" the="" conference="" of="" the="" parties,="" in="" november="" 1994,="" and="" they="" all="" require="" cites="" appendix="" ii="" export="" permits.="" in="" argentina,="" for="" example,="" articles="" bought="" by="" a="" foreign="" tourist="" at="" a="" government="" authorized="" store="" can="" be="" exported="" as="" personal="" accompanying="" baggage="" only="" after="" a="" cites="" export="" permit="" has="" been="" obtained.="" in="" countries="" of="" re-export="" as="" well,="" very="" strict="" controls="" are="" required.="" the="" items="" manufactured="" from="" vicuna="" wool="" are="" very="" expensive="" luxury="" articles,="" and="" illegal="" trade="" poses="" a="" serious="" risk="" to="" the="" species="" and="" the="" conservation="" programs="" of="" the="" range="" states.="" furthermore,="" all="" range="" countries="" require="" cites="" permits="" for="" export="" of="" vicuna="" products,="" and="" do="" not="" recognize="" any="" personal="" effects="" exemption.="" it="" would="" be="" inappropriate="" and="" unfair="" to="" require="" export="" documents="" from="" range="" countries="" but="" not="" from="" countries="" of="" manufacture="" (re-export).="" therefore,="" in="" this="" proposal,="" tourist="" souvenirs="" or="" other="" personal="" items="" require="" a="" cites="" export="" document="" from="" the="" country="" of="" export="" or="" re-export="" in="" order="" to="" be="" legally="" imported="" into="" the="" united="" states.="" all="" products="" must="" comply="" with="" all="" product="" annotations="" as="" described="" in="" the="" cites="" secretariat's="" official="" annotated="" list="" of="" the="" cites="" appendices.="" if="" those="" product="" annotations="" change="" at="" a="" future="" meeting="" of="" the="" conference="" of="" the="" parties="" (cop)="" to="" cites,="" the="" service="" will="" have="" to="" re-evaluate="" its="" 4(d)="" finding.="" the="" criteria="" for="" determining="" if="" a="" vicuna="" product="" is="" properly="" identified="" are="" drawn="" from="" the="" cites="" appendices,="" and="" the="" product="" annotations="" for="" vicuna="" contained="" therein.="" for="" cloth="" and="" cloth="" products,="" the="" only="" products="" that="" can="" be="" imported="" are="" those="" where="" the="" reverse="" side="" of="" cloth="" and="" cloth="" products="" bear="" the="" logo="" adopted="" by="" countries="" signatory="" to="" the="" conveno="" para="" la="" conservacion="" y="" manejo="" de="" la="" vicuna="" (vicuna="" convention),="" and="" the="" words="" ``vicuna--(country="" of="" origin)--artesania''="" (country="" of="" origin="" is="" the="" name="" of="" the="" original="" exporting="" country="" where="" the="" vicuna="" wool="" in="" the="" products="" originated,="" either="" argentina,="" bolivia,="" chile,="" or="" peru).="" for="" finished="" vicuna="" products="" (including="" luxury="" handicrafts="" and="" knitted="" articles)="" and="" any="" bulk="" shipments="" of="" raw="" wool,="" the="" product="" or="" shipment="" must="" have="" a="" seal="" or="" identification="" tag="" with="" codes="" describing="" the="" origin="" of="" the="" vicuna="" product,="" the="" trademark="" or="" label="" (``vicuna--(country="" of="" origin)--="" artesania'')="" and="" the="" cites="" export="" permit="" number.="" this="" proposed="" special="" rule,="" and="" these="" criteria="" for="" properly="" identified="" vicuna="" products,="" are="" derived="" from="" the="" cites="" appendices="" themselves.="" the="" product="" annotations="" were="" proposed="" by="" the="" range="" countries="" and="" adopted="" by="" the="" cites="" conference="" of="" the="" parties.="" therefore,="" we="" are="" proposing="" to="" align="" u.s.="" importation="" practices="" with="" those="" approved="" by="" the="" cites="" parties,="" in="" order="" to="" facilitate="" effective="" conservation="" of="" the="" vicuna="" in="" range="" countries.="" in="" our="" judgment="" the="" protective="" regulations="" set="" out="" in="" the="" proposed="" rule="" contain="" all="" of="" the="" measures="" that="" are="" necessary="" and="" advisable="" to="" provide="" for="" the="" conservation="" of="" the="" vicuna="" in="" argentina,="" bolivia,="" chile,="" and="" peru.="" public="" comments="" solicited="" we="" intend="" that="" any="" action="" resulting="" from="" this="" proposal="" be="" as="" effective="" as="" possible.="" therefore,="" we="" are="" soliciting="" any="" comments="" or="" suggestions="" from="" the="" public,="" other="" concerned="" governmental="" agencies,="" the="" scientific="" community,="" the="" trade="" industry,="" or="" any="" other="" interested="" party="" concerning="" any="" aspect="" of="" this="" proposal.="" we="" are="" particularly="" seeking="" comments="" concerning="" biological="" or="" commercial="" trade="" impacts="" on="" any="" vicuna="" population,="" or="" other="" relevant="" data="" concerning="" any="" threat="" (or="" lack="" thereof)="" to="" the="" wild="" populations="" of="" vicuna="" in="" south="" america.="" final="" action="" on="" the="" proposed="" reclassification="" of="" the="" vicuna,="" and="" the="" promulgation="" of="" the="" special="" rule="" will="" take="" into="" consideration="" the="" comments="" and="" any="" additional="" information="" we="" receive.="" such="" communications="" may="" lead="" to="" adoption="" of="" final="" regulations="" that="" differ="" from="" those="" in="" the="" proposed="" rule.="" national="" environmental="" policy="" act="" we="" have="" determined="" that="" environmental="" assessments="" and="" environmental="" impact="" statements,="" as="" defined="" under="" the="" authority="" of="" the="" national="" environmental="" policy="" act="" of="" [[page="" 48756]]="" 1969,="" need="" not="" be="" prepared="" in="" connection="" with="" regulations="" adopted="" pursuant="" to="" section="" 4(a)="" of="" the="" endangered="" species="" act="" of="" 1973,="" as="" amended.="" a="" notice="" outlining="" our="" reasons="" for="" this="" determination="" was="" published="" in="" the="" federal="" register="" on="" october="" 25,="" 1983="" (48="" fr="" 49244).="" paperwork="" reduction="" act="" of="" 1995="" this="" rule="" does="" not="" contain="" any="" new="" information="" collection="" requirements="" under="" the="" paperwork="" reduction="" act="" of="" 1995.="" the="" existing="" omb="" information="" collection="" control="" number="" is="" 1018-0012.="" an="" agency="" may="" not="" conduct="" or="" sponsor,="" and="" a="" person="" is="" not="" required="" to="" respond="" to="" a="" collection="" of="" information="" unless="" it="" displays="" a="" currently="" valid="" omb="" control="" number.="" this="" rule="" does="" not="" alter="" that="" information="" collection="" requirement.="" required="" determinations="" we="" invite="" comments="" on="" the="" anticipated="" direct="" and="" indirect="" costs="" and="" benefits="" or="" cost="" savings="" associated="" with="" this="" proposed="" special="" rule,="" for="" vicuna.="" in="" particular,="" we="" are="" interested="" in="" obtaining="" information="" on="" any="" significant="" economic="" impact="" of="" the="" proposed="" special="" rule="" on="" small="" public="" and="" private="" entities.="" once="" we="" have="" reviewed="" the="" available="" information,="" we="" will="" determine="" whether="" we="" need="" to="" prepare="" an="" initial="" regulatory="" flexibility="" analysis="" for="" the="" special="" rule.="" we="" will="" make="" any="" such="" analysis="" or="" determination="" available="" for="" public="" review.="" then,="" we="" will="" revise,="" as="" appropriate,="" and="" incorporate="" the="" information="" in="" the="" final="" rule="" preamble="" and="" in="" the="" record="" of="" compliance="" (roc)="" certifying="" that="" the="" special="" rule="" complies="" with="" the="" various="" applicable="" statutory,="" executive="" order,="" and="" departmental="" manual="" requirements.="" under="" the="" criteria="" in="" executive="" order="" 12866,="" the="" proposed="" special="" rule="" is="" not="" a="" significant="" regulatory="" action="" subject="" to="" review="" by="" the="" office="" of="" management="" and="" budget.="" references="" cited="" all="" personal="" communications="" mentioned="" below="" were="" received="" by="" dr.="" henry="" l.="" short,="" amherst,="" massachusetts,="" a="" contractor="" working="" for="" the="" national="" fish="" and="" wildlife="" foundation.="" canedi,="" a.="" a.="" 1997.="" pers.="" comm.="" argentina="" responses="" to="" questions.="" august="" 25,="" 1997.="" canedi,="" a.="" a.="" and="" p.="" s.="" pasini.="" 1996.="" repoblamiento="" y="" bioecologia="" de="" la="" vicuna="" silvestre="" en="" la="" provincia="" de="" jujuy,="" argentina.="" pp.="" 7-24="" in="" animal="" genetic="" resources="" information.="" united="" nations="" environment="" programme.="" food="" and="" agriculture="" organization="" of="" the="" united="" nations.="" rome.="" cites.="" 1997a.="" proposal:="" transfer="" of="" the="" vicuna="" (vicugna="" vicugna)="" population="" in="" the="" province="" of="" jujuy="" (21="" 47's-24="" 38's;="" 64="" 80'w-67="" 19'w)="" from="" appendix="" i="" to="" appendix="" ii="" and="" of="" the="" populations="" in="" semi-captivity="" in="" the="" provinces="" of="" jujuy,="" salta,="" catamarca,="" la="" rioja,="" and="" san="" juan,="" with="" the="" sole="" purpose="" of="" permitting="" international="" trade="" in="" wool="" fibre="" from="" live="" vicuna,="" in="" cloth="" and="" manufactured="" products,="" under="" the="" trademark="" ``vicuna-argentina.''="" republic="" of="" argentina.="" cites.="" 1997b.="" proposal:="" transfer="" of="" the="" populations="" (vicugna="" vicugna)="" of="" the="" conservation="" units:="" mauri-desaguadero="" (17="" 30's-18="" 30's="" and="" 68="" 30'w-69="" 30'w),="" ulla="" ulla="" (14="" 45's-15="" 25''s="" and="" 69="" 00'w-69="" 20'w)="" and="" lipez-chichas="" (21="" 30's-23="" 00's="" and="" 66="" 20'w-68="" 10''w)="" from="" cites="" appendix="" i="" to="" appendix="" ii="" for="" the="" sole="" purpose="" of="" allowing="" international="" trade="" of="" fabrics="" made="" with="" fiber="" from="" the="" shearing="" of="" live="" animals="" under="" the="" trademark="" ``vicuna-bolivia.''="" republic="" of="" bolivia.="" cnvb.="" 1996.="" censo="" nacional="" de="" la="" vicuna="" en="" bolivia:="" gestion="" 1996.="" direccion="" nacional="" de="" conservacion="" de="" la="" biodiversidad.="" comision="" regional="" de="" la="" vicuna.="" 1994.="" acciones="" de="" las="" provincias="" argentinas="" para="" su="" conservacion="" y="" uso="" sustentable.="" republica="" argentina,="" salta.="" 25pp.="" dncb="" (direccion="" nacional="" de="" conservacion="" de="" la="" biodiversidad,="" unidad="" de="" vida="" silvestre).="" 1997.="" pers.="" comm.="" bolivia="" responses="" to="" questions.="" august="" 1997.="" galaz,="" j.="" 1997.="" pers.="" comm.="" august="" 1997.="" hoces,="" r.d.="" 1997.="" pers.="" comm.="" peru="" responses="" to="" questions.="" september="" 1997.="" infol.="" 1985.="" memoria="" vi="" reunion="" ordinaria="" de="" la="" comision="" tecnico="" administradora="" del="" convenio="" para="" la="" conservacion="" de="" la="" vicuna.="" la="" paz,="" bolivia.="" nowak,="" r.="" n.="" 1991.="" vicuna.="" pp.="" 1353-1357="" in="" walker's="" mammals="" of="" the="" world.="" fifth="" edition.="" volume="" ii.="" the="" johns="" hopkins="" university="" press.="" baltimore="" and="" london.="" sag="" (servicio="" agricola="" y="" ganadero).="" 1997.="" pers.="" comm.="" chile="" responses="" to="" questions.="" august="" 22,="" 1997.="" wheeler,="" j.c.,="" and="" d.="" hoces="" r.="" 1997.="" community="" participation,="" sustainable="" use,="" and="" vicuna="" conservation="" in="" peru.="" mountain="" research="" and="" development="" 17(3):="" 283-287.="" list="" of="" subjects="" in="" 50="" cfr="" part="" 17="" endangered="" and="" threatened="" species,="" exports,="" imports,="" reporting="" and="" recordkeeping="" requirements,="" transportation.="" regulations="" promulgation="" accordingly,="" the="" service="" hereby="" proposes="" to="" amend="" part="" 17,="" subchapter="" b="" of="" chapter="" i,="" title="" 50="" of="" the="" code="" of="" federal="" regulations,="" as="" set="" forth="" below:="" part="" 17--[amended]="" 1.="" the="" authority="" citation="" for="" part="" 17="" continues="" to="" read="" as="" follows:="" authority:="" 16="" u.s.c.="" 1361-1407;="" 16="" u.s.c.="" 1531-1544;="" 16="" u.s.c.="" 4201-4245;="" pub.="" l.="" 99-625,="" 100="" stat.="" 3500,="" unless="" otherwise="" noted.="" 2.="" section="" 17.11(h)="" is="" amended="" by="" revising="" the="" entry="" for="" the="" vicuna,="" under="" ``mammals'',="" on="" the="" list="" of="" endangered="" and="" threatened="" wildlife="" to="" read="" as="" follows:="" sec.="" 17.11="" endangered="" and="" threatened="" wildlife.="" *="" *="" *="" *="" *="" (h)="" *="" *="" *="" --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------="" species="" vertebrate="" --------------------------------------------------------="" population="" where="" critical="" special="" historic="" range="" endangered="" or="" status="" when="" listed="" habitat="" rules="" common="" name="" scientific="" name="" threatened="" --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------="" mammals="" *="" *="" *="" *="" *="" *="" *="" vicuna...........................="" vicugna="" vicugna.....="" argentina,="" bolivia,="" entire,="" except="" t="" 3,="" ____="" na="" 17.40="" (k)="" chile,="" ecuador,="" ecuador.="" peru.="" do="" ......do="" ......do="" ecuador............="" e="" 3,="" ____="" na="" na="" *="" *="" *="" *="" *="" *="" *="" --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------="" [[page="" 48757]]="" 3.="" paragraph="" (k)="" is="" added="" to="" sec.="" 17.40="" and="" reads="" as="" follows:="" sec.="" 17.40="" special="" rules--mammals.="" *="" *="" *="" *="" *="" (k)="" vicuna="" (vicugna="" vicugna)--(1)="" prohibitions.="" all="" provisions="" of="" sec.="" 17.31="" (a)="" and="" (b)="" and="" sec.="" 17.32="" of="" this="" part="" shall="" apply="" to="" vicuna="" and="" vicuna="" products="" from="" both="" populations="" listed="" in="" appendix="" i="" of="" the="" convention="" on="" international="" trade="" in="" endangered="" species="" of="" wild="" fauna="" and="" flora="" (cites)="" and="" the="" appendix="" ii="" semi-captive="" populations="" of="" catamarca,="" jujuy,="" la="" rioja,="" salta,="" and="" san="" juan="" provinces="" in="" argentina.="" except="" as="" provided="" in="" paragraph="" (k)(2)="" of="" this="" section,="" it="" is="" unlawful="" for="" any="" person="" to="" commit,="" attempt="" to="" commit,="" solicit="" to="" commit,="" or="" cause="" to="" be="" committed="" any="" acts="" described="" in="" paragraphs="" (k)(1)(i)-(ii)="" of="" this="" section="" with="" vicuna="" from="" all="" other="" populations="" listed="" in="" appendix="" ii="" of="" cites:="" (i)="" import,="" export,="" and="" re-export.="" (ii)="" sell="" or="" offer="" for="" sale,="" deliver,="" receive,="" carry,="" transport,="" or="" ship="" in="" interstate="" or="" foreign="" commerce="" in="" the="" course="" of="" a="" commercial="" activity.="" (2)="" exceptions.="" the="" import,="" export,="" or="" re-export="" of,="" or="" interstate="" or="" foreign="" commerce="" in="" vicuna="" products,="" consisting="" of="" either="" raw="" wool="" or="" items="" and="" cloth="" made,="" or="" partially="" made,="" from="" vicuna="" wool,="" may="" be="" allowed="" without="" a="" threatened="" species="" permit="" issued="" pursuant="" to="" 50="" cfr="" 17.32="" when="" the="" provisions="" in="" parts="" 13,="" 14,="" and="" 23="" and="" the="" applicable="" paragraphs="" set="" out="" below="" have="" been="" met:="" (i)="" the="" vicuna="" product="" must="" comply="" with="" all="" cites="" product="" annotations="" as="" given="" in="" the="" cites="" secretariat's="" official="" list="" of="" the="" cites="" appendices="" and="" found="" at="" 50="" cfr="" 23.23,="" and="" be="" identified="" as="" follows:="" (a)="" cloth="" and="" cloth="" products:="" the="" reverse="" side="" of="" cloth="" and="" cloth="" products="" must="" bear="" the="" logo="" adopted="" by="" countries="" signatory="" to="" the="" ``conveno="" para="" la="" conservacion="" y="" manejo="" de="" la="" vicuna'',="" and="" the="" words="" ``vicuna-(country="" of="" origin)-artesania'',="" where="" country="" of="" origin="" is="" the="" name="" of="" the="" original="" exporting="" country="" where="" the="" vicuna="" wool="" in="" the="" products="" originated.="" (b)="" finished="" vicuna="" products="" (including="" luxury="" handicrafts="" and="" knitted="" articles)="" and="" any="" bulk="" shipments="" of="" raw="" wool:="" the="" product="" or="" shipment="" must="" have="" a="" seal="" or="" identification="" tag="" with="" codes="" describing="" the="" origin="" of="" the="" vicuna="" product,="" the="" trademark="" or="" label="" (``vicuna-="" (country="" of="" origin)-artesania'')="" and="" the="" cites="" export="" permit="" number,="" where="" country="" of="" origin="" is="" the="" name="" of="" the="" original="" exporting="" country="" where="" the="" vicuna="" wool="" in="" the="" products="" originated.="" (ii)="" the="" accompanying="" cites="" permit="" or="" certificate="" must="" contain="" the="" following="" information:="" (a)="" the="" country="" of="" origin,="" its="" export="" permit="" number,="" and="" date="" of="" issuance.="" (b)="" if="" re-export,="" the="" country="" of="" re-export,="" its="" certificate="" number,="" and="" date="" of="" issuance.="" (c)="" if="" applicable,="" the="" country="" of="" last="" re-export,="" its="" certificate="" number,="" and="" date="" of="" issuance.="" (iii)="" at="" the="" time="" of="" import,="" for="" each="" shipment="" covered="" by="" this="" exception,="" the="" country="" of="" origin="" and="" each="" country="" of="" re-export="" involved="" in="" the="" trade="" of="" a="" particular="" shipment="" must="" not="" be="" subject="" to="" a="" schedule="" iii="" notice="" of="" information="" pertaining="" to="" all="" wildlife="" or="" to="" all="" cites-="" listed="" wildlife="" that="" may="" prohibit="" or="" restrict="" imports.="" a="" listing="" of="" all="" countries="" that="" are="" subject="" to="" such="" a="" schedule="" iii="" notice="" of="" information="" will="" be="" available="" by="" writing:="" the="" office="" of="" management="" authority,="" arlsq="" room="" 700,="" 4401="" n.="" fairfax="" drive,="" u.s.="" fish="" and="" wildlife="" service,="" arlington,="" virginia,="" 22203.="" (3)="" notice="" of="" information.="" except="" in="" rare="" cases="" involving="" extenuating="" circumstances="" that="" do="" not="" adversely="" affect="" the="" conservation="" of="" the="" species,="" the="" service="" will="" issue="" a="" schedule="" iii="" notice="" of="" information="" that="" identifies="" a="" restriction="" on="" trade="" in="" specimens="" of="" vicuna="" addressed="" in="" this="" paragraph="" (k)="" if="" any="" of="" the="" following="" criteria="" are="" met:="" (i)="" the="" country="" is="" listed="" in="" a="" notification="" to="" the="" parties="" by="" the="" cites="" secretariat="" as="" lacking="" both="" designated="" management="" and="" scientific="" authorities="" that="" issue="" cites="" documents="" or="" their="" equivalent.="" (ii)="" the="" country="" is="" identified="" in="" any="" action="" adopted="" by="" the="" conference="" of="" the="" parties="" to="" the="" convention,="" the="" convention's="" standing="" committee,="" or="" in="" a="" notification="" issued="" by="" the="" cites="" secretariat,="" whereby="" parties="" are="" asked="" to="" not="" accept="" shipments="" of="" specimens="" of="" any="" cites-listed="" species="" from="" the="" country="" in="" question.="" dated:="" august="" 23,="" 1999.="" donald="" j.="" barry,="" assistant="" secretary="" for="" fish="" and="" wildlife="" and="" parks.="" [fr="" doc.="" 99-23333="" filed="" 9-7-99;="" 8:45="" am]="" billing="" code="" 4310-55-p="">