DOCSLIB.ORG

Conservation Status of Plains Spotted Skunk in Texas, by Clint Perkins

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Conservation Status of Plains Spotted Skunk in Texas, by Clint Perkins CONSERVATION STATUS OF THE PLAINS SPOTTED SKUNK IN TEXAS CLINT PERKINS PRESENTED TO EL CAMINO REAL CHAPTER TMNP 11 MAY 2017 SKUNKS OF TEXAS •Hooded Skunk •Striped Skunk •Hog-nosed Skunk •Western Spotted Skunk •Eastern Spotted Skunk PLAINS SPOTTED SKUNK • Order: Carnivora • Family: Mephitidae • Genus: Spilogale • Scientific name: Spilogale putorius interrupta • Colloquial Name: Civet Cat NATURAL HISTORY • Small in size: Body < 12”; tail • Habitats: Prairies, closed canopy < 4-6” forests, juniper forests (thicker is better) • Weight: Males – 1.25lbs; • Will readily acclimate to man- Females - < 1 lb. made structures (especially • 1.43lbs in Waller County! farms) • Pelage: black with multiple • Diet: insects, fruits (persimmons), small mammals, broken white stripes • More carnivorous skunk species • Body elongate and weasel like • Arboreal! HISTORICAL CONTEXT • The plains subspecies has experienced a range wide decline • In Texas, harvest records did not distinguish between “civet cats” DISTRIBUTION • 3 recognized subspecies • Plains subspecies found from southern Canada to Tamaulipas, Mexico DISTRIBUTION • Texas Ecoregions: high plains, rolling plains, cross timbers, blackland prairie, post oak savannah, gulf prairie • Edwards plateau (?), south Texas plains (?), piney woods (?) BACKGROUND INFORMATION • Is being considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act (2012) • Texas species of greatest conservation need (S4) PROJECT GOALS • Create a species distribution model. • Test the efficacy of survey methods • Locate existing populations and areas with high localized abundance • Establish baseline genetic data to examine and test the overall genetic health of the species in Texas FIELD SURVEYS • Surveyed 10 counties • Used multiple techniques • 7 day sampling period • Deploy 120 devices SURVEY DEVICES TRACK PLATES TRAIL CAMERAS CROWD SOURCING • Historical museum records • Call for spotted skunk observations • Collaboration with academic, rehab, biological, and citizen scientist groups. CROWD SOURCING “Wanted poster” deployed to the public and citizen scientists Citizen scientist led trail camera surveys SURVEY RESULTS • Conducted from Sep. 2015 through Jan. 2017 • 8080 survey nights • 12 detections • Detected skunks using all 3 devices RESULTS: FIELD SURVEY • Traps>Cameras>TPs at detecting skunks • Traps: 6 (0.65%) • Cameras: 4(0.38%) • TPs: 2(0.21%) • Overall: 12(0.44%) RESULTS: CROWD SOURCING • 13 modern museum records from 9 counties • 29 from our Wanted poster and call for observations (14 counties) • 48 recent records from Fort Hood (2 counties) COMPARISON OF FIELD AND CROWD SOURCE SURVEYS RESULTS • 105 observations/detections • 26 total counties • Cross Timbers region: 9 counties and 59 observations • Gulf Prairies region: 4 counties and 24 observations Citizen scientist led camera surveys • Conducted in 6 counties • Great Results!!!! • 5 Detections in ~1100 camera nights (0.45%)! • 3 Surveys in Milam County USING GENETICS TO STUDY WILDLIFE • Helps determine the resiliency of populations to environmental change • Do they have the genetic variability present to adapt? • Helps answer many basic biological questions • Is population Y really different from population Z? • How do landscape alterations affect the dispersal of this organism? PROJECT GOALS • Assess the genetic variability of eastern spotted skunks in Texas • Compare genetic variability across the species range – from South Dakota, to Texas, to Florida, to North Carolina and everywhere in between • Test the validity of the three subspecies designations that were assigned on the basis of morphological differences MICROSATELLITE DATA DETECT STRUCTURE AND SUPPORT THE MORPHOLOGICAL SUBSPECIES DESIGNATIONS Principal Coordinates Analysis Texas S. p. interrupta South Dakota Florida S. p. putorius Alabama Axis Axis 2 (10.89%) North Carolina S. p. ambarvalis Axis 1 (25.58%) DISCUSSION • The plains spotted skunk is still widely distributed in Texas • Localized abundant populations: Fort Hood and Katy Prairie • Skunks detected in pristine prairie and juniper forests ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS • Texas Comptrollers Office • Texas Parks and Wildlife Department • Angelo State University • El Camino Real Chapter TMNP REPORTING SPOTTED SKUNK OBSERVATIONS • Email: [email protected] • Email: [email protected] • Cell: (318) 623-1678 • iNaturalist: http://www.inaturalist.org/proj ects/spotted-skunks-of-texas .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Museum of Natural History
    p m r- r-' ME FYF-11 - - T r r.- 1. 4,6*. of the FLORIDA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY THE COMPARATIVE ECOLOGY OF BOBCAT, BLACK BEAR, AND FLORIDA PANTHER IN SOUTH FLORIDA David Steffen Maehr Volume 40, No. 1, pf 1-176 1997 == 46 1ms 34 i " 4 '· 0?1~ I. Al' Ai: *'%, R' I.' I / Em/-.Ail-%- .1/9" . -_____- UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA GAINESVILLE Numbers of the BULLETIN OF THE FLORIDA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY am published at irregular intervals Volumes contain about 300 pages and are not necessarily completed in any one calendar year. JOHN F. EISENBERG, EDITOR RICHARD FRANZ CO-EDIWR RHODA J. BRYANT, A£ANAGING EMOR Communications concerning purchase or exchange of the publications and all manuscripts should be addressed to: Managing Editor. Bulletin; Florida Museum of Natural Histoty, University of Florida P. O. Box 117800, Gainesville FL 32611-7800; US.A This journal is printed on recycled paper. ISSN: 0071-6154 CODEN: BF 5BAS Publication date: October 1, 1997 Price: $ 10.00 Frontispiece: Female Florida panther #32 treed by hounds in a laurel oak at the site of her first capture on the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge in central Collier County, 3 February 1989. Photograph by David S. Maehr. THE COMPARATIVE ECOLOGY OF BOBCAT, BLACK BEAR, AND FLORIDA PANTHER IN SOUTH FLORIDA David Steffen Maehri ABSTRACT Comparisons of food habits, habitat use, and movements revealed a low probability for competitive interactions among bobcat (Lynx ndia). Florida panther (Puma concotor cooi 1 and black bear (Urns amencanus) in South Florida. All three species preferred upland forests but ©onsumed different foods and utilized the landscape in ways that resulted in ecological separation.
    [Show full text]
  • The 2008 IUCN Red Listings of the World's Small Carnivores
    The 2008 IUCN red listings of the world’s small carnivores Jan SCHIPPER¹*, Michael HOFFMANN¹, J. W. DUCKWORTH² and James CONROY³ Abstract The global conservation status of all the world’s mammals was assessed for the 2008 IUCN Red List. Of the 165 species of small carni- vores recognised during the process, two are Extinct (EX), one is Critically Endangered (CR), ten are Endangered (EN), 22 Vulnerable (VU), ten Near Threatened (NT), 15 Data Deficient (DD) and 105 Least Concern. Thus, 22% of the species for which a category was assigned other than DD were assessed as threatened (i.e. CR, EN or VU), as against 25% for mammals as a whole. Among otters, seven (58%) of the 12 species for which a category was assigned were identified as threatened. This reflects their attachment to rivers and other waterbodies, and heavy trade-driven hunting. The IUCN Red List species accounts are living documents to be updated annually, and further information to refine listings is welcome. Keywords: conservation status, Critically Endangered, Data Deficient, Endangered, Extinct, global threat listing, Least Concern, Near Threatened, Vulnerable Introduction dae (skunks and stink-badgers; 12), Mustelidae (weasels, martens, otters, badgers and allies; 59), Nandiniidae (African Palm-civet The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the most authorita- Nandinia binotata; one), Prionodontidae ([Asian] linsangs; two), tive resource currently available on the conservation status of the Procyonidae (raccoons, coatis and allies; 14), and Viverridae (civ- world’s biodiversity. In recent years, the overall number of spe- ets, including oyans [= ‘African linsangs’]; 33). The data reported cies included on the IUCN Red List has grown rapidly, largely as on herein are freely and publicly available via the 2008 IUCN Red a result of ongoing global assessment initiatives that have helped List website (www.iucnredlist.org/mammals).
    [Show full text]
  • Mammal Watching in the Pacific Northwest, Summer 2019 with Notes on Birding, Locations, Sounds, and Chasing Chipmunks
    Mammal watching in the Pacific Northwest, summer 2019 With notes on birding, locations, sounds, and chasing chipmunks Keywords: Sciuridae, trip report, mammals, birds, summer, July Daan Drukker 1 How to use this report For this report I’ve chosen not to do the classic chronological order, but instead, I’ve treated every mammal species I’ve seen in individual headers and added some charismatic species that I’ve missed. Further down I’ve made a list of hotspot birding areas that I’ve visited where the most interesting bird species that I’ve seen are treated. If you are visiting the Pacific Northwest, you’ll find information on where to look for mammals in this report and some additional info on taxonomy and identification. I’ve written it with a European perspective, but that shouldn’t be an issue. Birds are treated in detail for Mount Rainier and the Monterey area, including the California Condors of Big Sur. For other areas, I’ve mentioned the birds, but there must be other reports for more details. I did a non-hardcore type of birding, just looking at everything I came across and learning the North American species a bit, but not twitching everything that was remotely possible. That will be for another time. Every observation I made can be found on Observation.org, where the exact date, location and in some cases evidence photos and sound recordings are combined. These observations are revised by local admins, and if you see an alleged mistake, you can let the observer and admin know by clicking on one of the “Contact” options in the upper right panel.
    [Show full text]
  • Os Nomes Galegos Dos Carnívoros 2019 2ª Ed
    Os nomes galegos dos carnívoros 2019 2ª ed. Citación recomendada / Recommended citation: A Chave (20192): Os nomes galegos dos carnívoros. Xinzo de Limia (Ourense): A Chave. https://www.achave.ga"/wp#content/up"oads/achave_osnomes!a"egosdos$carnivoros$2019.pd% Fotografía: lince euroasiático (Lynx lynx ). Autor: Jordi Bas. &sta o'ra est( su)eita a unha licenza Creative Commons de uso a'erto* con reco+ecemento da autor,a e sen o'ra derivada nin usos comerciais. -esumo da licenza: https://creativecommons.or!/"icences/'.#n #nd//.0/deed.!". Licenza comp"eta: https://creativecommons.or!/"icences/'.#n #nd//.0/"e!a"code0"an!ua!es. 1 Notas introdutorias O que cont n este documento Neste documento fornécense denominacións galegas para diferentes especies de mamíferos carnívoros. Primeira edición (2018): En total! ac"éganse nomes para 2#$ especies! %&ue son practicamente todos os carnívoros &ue "ai no mundo! salvante os nomes das focas% e $0 subespecies. Os nomes galegos das focas expóñense noutro recurso léxico da +"ave dedicado só aos nomes das focas! manatís e dugongos. ,egunda edición (201-): +orríxese algunha gralla! reescrí'ense as notas introdutorias e incorpórase o logo da +"ave ao deseño do documento. A estrutura En primeiro lugar preséntase a clasificación taxonómica das familias de mamíferos carnívoros! onde se apunta! de maneira xeral! os nomes dos carnívoros &ue "ai en cada familia. seguir vén o corpo do documento! unha listaxe onde se indica! especie por especie, alén do nome científico! os nomes galegos e ingleses dos diferentes mamíferos carnívoros (nalgún caso! tamén, o nome xenérico para un grupo deles ou o nome particular dalgunhas subespecies).
    [Show full text]
  • Forest Carnivore Research in the Northern Cascades of Oregon (Oct 2012–May 2013, Oct 2013–Jun 2014)
    Final Progress Report Forest Carnivore Research in the Northern Cascades of Oregon (Oct 2012–May 2013, Oct 2013–Jun 2014) 2 July 2014 Jamie E. McFadden-Hiller1,2, Oregon Wildlife, 1122 NE 122nd, Suite 1148, Portland, OR 97230, USA Tim L. Hiller1,3, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Wildlife Division, 4034 Fairview Industrial Drive SE, Salem, OR 97302, USA One of several red foxes detected in the northern Cascades of Oregon. Suggested citation: McFadden-Hiller, J. E., and T. L. Hiller. 2014. Forest carnivore research in the northern Cascades of Oregon, final progress report (Oct 2012–May 2013, Oct 2013–Jun 2014). Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Salem, Oregon, USA. 1 Current address: Mississippi State University, Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, Box 9690, Mississippi State, MS 39762-9690, USA 2 Email: [email protected] 3 Email: [email protected] Oregon Cascades Forest Carnivore Research, Final Progress Report, Jun 2014 2 Habitat for American marten (Martes americana)4 typically includes late successional coniferous and mixed forests with >30% canopy cover (see Clark et al. 1987, Strickland and Douglas 1987). The Pacific Northwest has experienced intensive logging during the past century and the distribution of martens in this region is largely discontinuous because of fragmented patches of forest cover (Gibilisco 1994). Based on state agency harvest data, the average annual number of martens harvested in the Oregon Cascades (and statewide) has decreased substantially during recent decades, but disentangling the potential factors (e.g., decreasing abundance, decreasing harvest effort) attributed to changes in harvest levels continues to prove difficult (Hiller 2011, Hiller et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Standards for Caniform Sanctuaries
    Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries Standards For Caniform Sanctuaries Version: February, 2018 ©2012 Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries – Standards for Caniform Sanctuaries Table of Contents INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................... 1 GFAS PRINCIPLES ................................................................................................................................................... 1 ANIMALS COVERED BY THESE STANDARDS ............................................................................................................ 1 STANDARDS UPDATES……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4 CANIFORM STANDARDS ........................................................................................................................................ 4 CANIFORM HOUSING ............................................................................................................................ 5 H-1. Types of Space and Size ..................................................................................................................................... 5 H-2. Containment ...................................................................................................................................................... 7 H-3. Ground and Plantings ........................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • North American Hog−Nosed Skunk (Conepatus Leuconotus)
    FIELD GUIDE TO NORTH AMERICAN MAMMALS North American Hog−nosed Skunk (Conepatus leuconotus) ORDER: Carnivora FAMILY: Mephitidae Conservation Status: A subspecies, the Big Thicket Hog−nosed Skunk, Conepatus mesoleucus telmalestes, is Extinct. Skunks are seldom thought of as useful animals, but Hog−nosed Skunks can be helpful to farmers because they eat crop−destroying Conepatus leuconotus − eastern variant (base of tail is black) insects. They have powerful forelimbs and long claws, suited to Credit: painting by Consie Powell from Kays and Wilson's Mammals of North America, © Princeton University Press digging up insect larvae and grubs. They also eat plant matter and (2002) sometimes small rodents if the opportunity arises. Like Striped and Spotted skunks, they are best known for the scent produced by, and sprayed from, their anal glands. Spraying is a last resort. The skunk's dramatic black and white coat serves as a warning signal to other mammals, and its first response is to run. A frightened Hog−nosed Skunk may then turn around to face its adversary, stand on its hind feet, and take a few steps forward, then come down on all fours and hiss. If that doesn't work, the next step is to bare its teeth, raise its tail, and bite, spray, or both. Also known as: Gulf Coast Hog−nosed Skunk, White Backed Skunk, Rooter Skunk, Texan Skunk, Badger Skunk, Conepat Length: Average: 636.5 mm males; 589.7 mm females Range: 444−934 mm males; 445−840 mm females Weight: Range: 1,135−4,500 g http://www.mnh.si.edu/mna 1 FIELD GUIDE TO NORTH AMERICAN MAMMALS Hooded Skunk (Mephitis macroura) ORDER: Carnivora FAMILY: Mephitidae The Hooded Skunk is a desert animal, preferring rocky canyons and valleys, and the vegetation along stream edges.
    [Show full text]
  • Psw Gtr037 03Mammals Part1.Pdf
    Species List M001 Opossum M025 Brazilian Free-tailed Bat M049 Mountain Pocket Gopher Didelphis virginiana Tadarida brasiliensis Thomomys monticola M002 Mount Lyell Shrew M026 Pika M050 Little Pocket Mouse Sorex lyelli Ochotona princeps Perognathus longimembris M003 Vagrant Shrew M027 Brush Rabbit M051 Great Basin Pocket Mouse Sorex vagrans Sylvilagus bachmani Perognathus parvus M004 Dusky Shrew M028 Desert Cottontail M052 Yellow-eared Pocket Mouse Sorex monticolus Sylvilagus audubonii Perognathus xanthonotus M005 Ornate Shrew M029 Snowshoe Hare M053 California Pocket Mouse Sorex ornatus Lepus americanus Perognathus californicus M006 Water Shrew M030 White-tailed Jackrabbit M054 Heermann's Kangaroo Rat Sorex palustris Lepus townsendii Dipodomys heermanni M007 Trowbridge's Shrew M031 Black-tailed Jackrabbit M055 California Kangaroo Rat Sorex trowbridgii Lepus californicus Dipodomys californicus M008 Shrew-mole M032 Mountain Beaver M056 Beaver Neurotrichus gibbsii Aplodontia rufa Castor canadensis M009 Broad-footed Mole M033 Alpine Chipmunk M057 Western Harvest Mouse Scapanus latimanus Eutamias alpinus Reithrodontomys megalotis M010 Little Brown Myotis M034 Least Chipmunk M058 California Mouse Myotis lucifugus Eutamias minimus Peromyscus californicus M011 Yuma Myotis M035 Yellow Pine Chipmunk M059 Deer Mouse Myotis yumanensis Eutamias amoenus Peromyscus maniculatus M012 Long-eared Myotis M036 Allen's Chipmunk M060 Brush Mouse Myotis evotis Eutamias senex Peromyscus boylii M013 Fringed Myotis M037 Sonoma Chipmunk M061 Piñon Mouse Myotis thysanodes
    [Show full text]
  • Assessment of Short-Term Effectiveness of Artificial Resting
    ASSESSMENT OF SHORT-TERM EFFECTIVENESS OF ARTIFICIAL RESTING AND DENNING STRUCTURES FOR THE HUMBOLDT MARTEN (MARTES CAURINA HUMBOLDTENSIS) IN HARVESTED FORESTS IN NORTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA By Matthew S. Delheimer A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of Humboldt State University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in Natural Resources: Wildlife Committee Membership Dr. Micaela Szykman Gunther, Committee Chair Dr. Matthew Johnson, Committee Member Dr. William Zielinski, Committee Member Keith Slauson, Committee Member Dr. Yvonne Everett, Graduate Coordinator July 2015 ABSTRACT ASSESSMENT OF SHORT-TERM EFFECTIVENESS OF ARTIFICIAL RESTING AND DENNING STRUCTURES FOR THE HUMBOLDT MARTEN (MARTES CAURINA HUMBOLDTENSIS) IN HARVESTED FORESTS IN NORTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA Matthew S. Delheimer The Humboldt marten (Martes caurina humboldtensis) is a habitat specialist that requires large, old woody structures such as live trees, snags, and logs to provide suitable resting and denning locations. Many timber harvesting practices remove these woody structures and harvested forests typically have a poor availability of suitable resting and denning locations for martens. Artificial structures (“marten boxes”) may increase the availability of resting and denning locations for martens in harvested forests by acting as surrogates for natural woody structures. Increasing the availability of resting and denning locations may improve suitability of harvested forest stands and thereby accelerate marten recolonization of harvested forests. In 2013, I deployed 55 marten boxes among three study sites in northwestern California. I monitored animal visitation and animal use with remote cameras at 43 boxes for approximately 12 months and detected 10 mammalian species. Douglas squirrel (Tamiasciurus douglasii) was the most common small mammal species and fisher (Pekania pennanti) was the most common carnivore species visiting boxes.
    [Show full text]
  • Inventory of Terrestrial Mammals in the Rincon Mountains Using Camera Traps
    Inventory of Terrestrial Mammals in the Rincon Mountains Using Camera Traps Don E. Swann and Nic Perkins Saguaro National Park, Tucson, Arizona Abstract— The Sky Island region of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico is well-known for its diversity of mammals, including endemic species and species representing several different biogeo- graphic provinces. Camera trap studies have provided important insight into mammalian distribution and diversity in the Sky Islands in recent years, but few studies have attempted systematic inventories of one or more mountain ranges with a repeatable, randomized study design. We surveyed medium and large terrestrial mammals of the Rincon Mountains within Saguaro National Park, and compared the results with previous surveys of the Rincons. We sampled in random locations in four elevational strata from May 2011 through April 2012. We detected 23 native species of mammals and estimated species richness to be 24.8 species. We failed to detect four native species documented by other methods during 1999-2012, as well as five species (bighorn sheep, grizzly bear, jaguar, gray wolf, and North American porcupine) documented during 1900-1999 that may be extirpated from the Rincons. Advances in camera trap technology, as well an expanding use of this technology by educators and the public, suggest this method has the potential to be a cost-effective and reliable method for both inventory and long-term monitoring of terrestrial mammals of Sky Island region. Introduction using a randomized, repeatable study design that allows estimates to be made of measures such as native species richness (the number The Sky Island region of the southwestern United States and of native species that occur in an area).
    [Show full text]
  • MESOCARNIVORES of NORTHERN CALIFORNIA Biology, Management, & Survey Techniques
    MESOCARNIVORES OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA Biology, Management, & Survey Techniques August 12th -15th,1997 Humboldt State University Arcata CA presented by The Wildlife Society California North Coast Chapter This document consists of non-refereed papers submitted by the individual authors to serve as background material for the Mesocarnivores of Northern California: Biology, Management, & Survey Techniques Workshop. The included papers only received minor editorial review. The material presented herein is the opinion of the individual authors. This document should be cited as: Harris, John E., and Chester V. Ogan., Eds. 1997. Mesocarnivores of Northern California: Biology, Management, and Survey Techniques, Workshop Manual. August 12-15, 1997, Humboldt State Univ., Arcata, CA. The Wildlife Society, California North Coast Chapter, Arcata, CA. 127 p. Copies of this document may be obtained through The Wildlife Society, California North Coast Chapter. Requests should be mailed to: Mesocarnivore Manual California North Coast Chapter, TWS PO Box 4553 Arcata, CA 95518 or via E-mail at: [email protected] Mesocarnivore logo artwork by Joan Dunning Copyright Pending All Rights Reserved The Wildlife Society California North Coast Chapter © 1997 MESOCARNIVORES OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA: Biology, Management, & Survey Techniques Sponsored by The Wildlife Society California North Coast Chapter Assistance & Support Provided by: Americorps, Watershed Stewards Project California Department of Fish & Game California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection Hoopa Valley Tribe Humboldt State University Conservation Unlimited Humboldt State University, Department of Wildlife LBJ Enterprises Simpson Timber Company USFS, PSW, Redwood Sciences Lab, Arcata USFS, Six Rivers National Forest MESOCARNIVORES OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA: Biology Management, & Survey Techniques Speakers Dr. Steven Buskirk, Univ. of Wyoming Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • May 16, 2011 Federal Trade Commission Office of the Secretary
    May 16, 2011 Federal Trade Commission Office of the Secretary, Room H–113 (Annex O) 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20580 RE: Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking under the Fur Products Labeling Act; Matter No. P074201 On behalf of the more than 11 million members and supporters of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), I submit the following comments to be considered regarding the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) advance notice of proposed rulemaking under the federal Fur Products Labeling Act (FPLA), 16 U.S.C. § 69, et seq. The rulemaking is being proposed in response to the Truth in Fur Labeling Act (TFLA), Public Law 111–113, enacted in December 2010, which eliminates the de minimis value exemption from the FPLA, 16 U.S.C. § 69(d), and directs the FTC to initiate a review of the Fur Products Name Guide, 16 C.F.R. 301.0. Thus, the FTC indicated in its notice that it is specifically seeking comment on the Name Guide, though the agency is also generally seeking comment on its fur rules in their entirety. As discussed below, the HSUS believes that there is a continuing need for the fur rules and for more active enforcement of these rules by the FTC. The purpose of the FPLA and the fur rules is to ensure that consumers receive truthful and accurate information about the fur content of the products they are purchasing. Unfortunately, sales of unlabeled and mislabeled fur garments, and inaccurate or misleading advertising of fur garments, remain all too common occurrences in today’s marketplace.
    [Show full text]