I have a client that wants me to mount his African game. If the game is imported into this country legally, by his guide service, do I have to have any type of special license,other than a taxidermy license, to mount he animals. The animals he wants me to mount are a Greater Kudu,Gemsbok,Warthog,Steinbok,Sable,Zebra, and Leopard.
Thanks John
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If they are being sent to YOU, you must have an import license and that's a BIG headache and cash cow for the USDA. If the hunter receives them at the port of entry or pays an agent to do it for him, you don't need the license. If you have the hides sent directly to your tannery and THEY have an import license, they'll charge you a nominal fee, but at least you don't have to get involved and can pass that charge along to your customer.
All other things being equal, you don't need any extra licenses to perform the taxidermy work. I would suggest a rosary whether you're Catholic or not, however. You're gonna need it.
The Leopard is a CITES (sight-eez not cities)Appendix I listed specie and requires the appropriate CITES import permit on your end. Just so ya know - Appendix I permits are nearly impossible to get as these are the most highly regulated species. Even msueums and educational facilities often have difficulty in obtaining Appendix I permits! To get more information on how to get the permit - contact the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Huge potential legal and criminal problems for you regarding this issue if you don't have the proper paperwork - so be SURE to contact the USFWS and get all the info direct for them. Don't expect the Leopard to make it into the country. Depending on the specie of zebra you may have problems there as well. Cape mountian zebras and Grevy's Zebra are Appendix I and so extremely difficult to get like the leopard; Hartmans mountain Zebra are Appendix II and permits for those are easier to obtain. Your warthog is defined as a peccary I believe but look into this to be sure. Since it is not specificially listed as Appendix I - it by default becomes Appendix II. Again - Appendix II permits are easier to obtain and it is generally just a small fee of $25 or so.
Definately look into all the CITES stuff as many of species you mention are either lsited or potentially listed depending on current updates. My list is alil old and I'm due for a revised copy. They won't take speices out but will most certainly have added lots!
It's worth mentionning that the I in CITES stands for International. It is far easier to obtain a leopard from within the country it will be worked on. Even buying from within the same country you may have state level laws if you ship from state to state. When shipping Appendix I critters across international borders however - the rules really tighten up and the penalties for violating them even accidentily, increase.
I'm with George; get a roseary for this one!
As said above, you need to first decide who the importer is. You, or your client.
Then, you need to contact the USDA. They have the requirements for who can receive shipments for animals from Africa if they are not processed. You need to be licensed with them to receive raw animal shipments. Their requirements change all the time. So, they may still have to go to a USDA certified facility before they are transferred to you.
Then, once you get that hammered out, you or your client need to contact USFWS. If your client is hunting a leopard, he will need to have obtained a CITES permit from the US BEFORE he goes to Africa. The permits are issued all the time, but it is based on specific requirements for the country he is hunting the leopard in. The permit will be for your client, not for you. He/she will be responsible to make sure all the paperwork is done in both countries to get the trophies here properly.
The best way I have found is to have the client take care of all the import issues. The trophies arrive wherever the client sets it up with the African company to ship it to. They are cleared by Fish and WIldlife, then transferred to a USDA approved facility (either you or someone else) to make sure they are not carrying any nasty bugs or anything. Then you get them and do your magic.
My advise, is that you should not be involved as the importer. There are too many legal issues if your client screws up and does something illegal, and your name is all over it.
I always have them sent to the tanneries and pay attention to what Raven said about the Leopard skins,Big trouble if you don't.
John....I am a licenced import/export broker, and do not pay any attention to ravens post.....he reads more than he knows....Liz is totaly correct in that the Cities document would have been issued prior to your hunter ever leaving the USA for his hunt...Leopards are common harvested species, and permitts are not at all hard to obtain.....your Zebra will be either a Chapman's or Burchell and are totaly legal and are almost always included in hunt packages.....Your problem will be with the Warthog, which is not a peccary as raven stated....It will be handeled as any imported swine product by the USDA.......without the Warthog, USDA would have nothing to do with your shippment at all.....Your total shippment will have to go to an approved establishment because of the Warthog, unless it was shipped seperatly from the other trophies....most likely not......your shippment will also have to enter the US via a designated port...New York, Miami or Baltimore are the only designated ports on the eastern US....the exporting country, is responsible for all documentation including vet. certificates for swine cholera, hoof and mouth disease for all ruminent game.....your shippment will most likely end up in New York via London.......your best bet is to contact a customs brokerage at JFK in NY, and have your shippment sent directly in bond to an approved establishment for Sodium Bifloride dipping of the Warthog.....if you need any help or correct direction, please feel free to contact me at fishworks@friend.ly.net......again, you will have NO problems at all, if you use the proper procedure, and a customs broker.....Again, ravens ramblings are right from the CFR's, and it is not complicated at all....let me know if I can help
John....I am a licenced import/export broker, and do not pay any attention to ravens post.....he reads more than he knows....Liz is totaly correct in that the Cities document would have been issued prior to your hunter ever leaving the USA for his hunt...Leopards are common harvested species, and permitts are not at all hard to obtain.....your Zebra will be either a Chapman's or Burchell and are totaly legal and are almost always included in hunt packages.....Your problem will be with the Warthog, which is not a peccary as raven stated....It will be handeled as any imported swine product by the USDA.......without the Warthog, USDA would have nothing to do with your shippment at all.....Your total shippment will have to go to an approved establishment because of the Warthog, unless it was shipped seperatly from the other trophies....most likely not......your shippment will also have to enter the US via a designated port...New York, Miami or Baltimore are the only designated ports on the eastern US....the exporting country, is responsible for all documentation including vet. certificates for swine cholera, hoof and mouth disease for all ruminent game.....your shippment will most likely end up in New York via London.......your best bet is to contact a customs brokerage at JFK in NY, and have your shippment sent directly in bond to an approved establishment for Sodium Bifloride dipping of the Warthog.....if you need any help or correct direction, please feel free to contact me at fishworks@friend.ly.net......again, you will have NO problems at all, if you use the proper procedure, and a customs broker.....Again, ravens ramblings are right from the CFR's, and it is not complicated at all....let me know if I can help
Hello John,
To answer your question contace John Meehan at Fauna & Flora his number is 1-718-977-7700. He is an import agent for african game. The gentleman is correct about the swine in warthog's. Unless you are an USDA approved establishment you cannot have the safari shipped directly to you, otherwise if you do not have a warthog once the safari is cleared by an import agent it can be shipped to your taxidermy shop. If you have any questions e-mail me.
Have fun
Shane
High Desert Taxidermy
You not even close! I import and mount about 9 to 10 leopards for clients every year. They have to be a privet sport hunted trophy to get a permit but that's all. The deal with CITES II or III animals is they only need a CITES export permit NOT AN IMPORT PERMIT this includes mountain zebra, and also believe it or not rhino and elephant (I had clients import 3 rhinos and two elephants one of them live size last year). I was a little suprised my self a couple of years ago when I received my first rhino and elephants.
And A warthog is not a peccary! LoL Lol Lol!
On the subject of warthogs USDA actually did away with the restrictions on warthog as long as they are dry. My USDA Inspector DR. Summer brought me the memo that states it in writing. The only problem is probably less than one percent of the moron inspectors know about it. I have showed the memo to serval and they are just dumb founded. If any one would like a copy of this USDA memo just ask and I will send you a copy.
Good luck and I found the best way to find out about this stuff is to call fish and wild life them self's. Other wise you will have raven thinking you'll be going to prison.
Mike
I'm hearing alot of nightmare stories about bad taxidermy work in africa and also importing the goods to the US. Can somebody give me an idea on the cost to have my animals shipped from Namibia to Houston, Texas.
Shoulder mounts Tanned
1 Kudu 1 Hartebeest
1 Wildebeest
1 Warthog
1 Hartebeest
1 Springbok
1 Blesbok
1 Duiker
1 Oryx
Thanks