FROM THE ARCHIVE

Interior to allow eagle taking in park

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OCTOBER 30, 2000

After delaying the decision for nearly a year, the Department of Interior plans to allow the Hopi Tribe of Arizona to collect baby golden eagles from the Wupatki National Monument.

Members of the tribe have been collecting the eagles from Wupatki, which was once tribal land, for generations. But in 1999, the National Park Service intervened, because federal law prohibits the taking of any wildlife from national parks.

Unlike the bald eagle, golden eagles are not listed as threatened or endangered. But both are protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, which prohibits the taking, possession, transport, or sale of eagles or eagle parts.

However, Native Americans are exempt from the act and can receive permits from US Fish and Wildlife to take or possess them. In the case of the Hopi, tribal members have 40 permits to gather golden eaglets.

Tribal members take the eaglet, which is later smothered to death during ceremony. Left in the wild, the eaglet is often killed by an older sibling.

The problem facing the Park Service is that the permits don't say where the Hopi members can take the eaglets. The US Forest Service honors the permits on federal forest land.

The Interior decision, which has not yet been published, would establish rules for the Hopi to take eagles from Wupatki. But other tribes may ask the Department to allow the taking of wildlife in other national parks.

A decision to remove the golden eagle from the endangered species list is also under consideration by US Fish and Wildlife. Last year, President Clinton announced a proposal to remove the eagle and said a decision might come by July of this year.

Officials are trying to figure out how to manage the population once it is delisted.

Related Stories:
Hopi eagle plan under consideration (Enviro 08/01)
Eagle rule subject of protest (The Talking Circle 07/12)
The Eagle Rule (Tribal Law 07/12)
Man indicted for selling eagle feathers (Tribal Law 7/10)
Govt delays eagle decision (Enviro 7/6)
Hopi decision is sensitive (Enviro 7/5)
EDITORIAL: Unmasking Cultural Prejudice (The Talking Circle 12/99)
President Clinton Announces Proposal to Remove Our National Symbol From Endangered Species List (US Fish and Wildlife July 1999)

Relevant Links:
The Hopi Tribe of Arizona - www.hopi.nsn.us
Wupatki National Monument - www.nps.gov/wupa/
Eagle FAQ, US Fish and Wildlife Service - www.fws.gov/~r9extaff/pafaq/featherfaq.html
American Indian Liason Office - www.cr.nps.gov/ailo/
Eagle The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act - laws.fws.gov/lawsdigest/baldegl.html