Order Code RS21157
Updated March 6, 2007
Multinational Species Conservation Fund
Pervaze A. Sheikh
Analyst in Natural Resources Policy
Resources, Science, and Industry Division
M. Lynne Corn
Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
Resources, Science, and Industry Division
Summary
The Multinational Species Conservation Fund is a relatively small program within
the Fish and Wildlife Service that has generated enormous constituent interest, chiefly
concerning its funding levels. This report describes the fund briefly, and summarizes
recent and proposed appropriations levels.
The Multinational Species Conservation Fund (MSCF), which currently benefits
tigers, the six species of rhinoceroses, Asian and African elephants, marine turtles, and
great apes (gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, and the various species of
gibbons), has generated a tremendous amount of constituent interest. The fund supports
conservation efforts benefitting these species, often in conjunction with efforts under the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to which the United
States is a Party.1
The FY2008 request for the MSCF is $4.3 million. Funding for the Neotropical
Migratory Bird Conservation Fund (NMBCF) is requested separately at $4.0 million for
FY2008. The FY2008 funding request for the MSCF represents a 33% decrease from the
FY2006 enacted level, and is the same as the FY2007 requested level. For the NMBCF,
the FY2006 enacted level, FY2007 request, and FY2008 request are all similar. Final
appropriations for the MSCF and NMBCF for FY2007 have not been reported by the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service. While all programs proposed under the fund have lower
requests based on their FY2006 appropriations, the Marine Turtle Conservation Fund has
the largest percentage decrease (57% decrease). The NMBCF was funded as a separate
1 For more information, see CRS Report RL31654, Endangered Species Act: A Primer, by M.
Lynne Corn, Eugene H. Buck, and Pamela Baldwin, and CRS Report RL32751, The Convention
on the International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora: Background and
Issues, by Pervaze A. Sheikh and M. Lynne Corn.

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program for FY2006. Congress rejected the proposed transfer in FY2006, as it had done
in the four previous fiscal years. For FY2008, the Administration has proposed to fund
the MSCF and the NMBCF separately.
Table 1 shows funding levels for the MSCF and the NMBCF for FY2004-FY2006,
and the requested funding level for FY2007 and FY2008. The MSCF is authorized under
five acts, described below.
The African Elephant Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 4201) authorizes matching grants
for conservation, research, management, and protection of this species. Projects are
carried out in cooperation with African nations and non-governmental organizations
(NGOs). The authorization for appropriations expires in 2007.
The Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund (16 U.S.C. 5301) assists in conserving
tigers and the 6 species of rhinos. Matching grants support governments and NGOs in
projects to conserve habitat, survey populations, improve law enforcement, and educate
the public. The authorization for appropriations expires in 2007.
The Asian Elephant Fund (16 U.S.C. 4261) is similar to the above programs in
purposes and scope. An additional emphasis, where the elephants are draft animals, is
to promote their humane treatment and encourage captive breeding. The authorization
for appropriations expires in 2007.
The Great Ape Conservation Fund (16 U.S.C. 1603) is similar to the above programs
in purposes and scope. Species of interest are lowland and mountain gorillas,
chimpanzees, bonobos (a species very closely related to chimpanzees), orangutans, and
the species of gibbons (Genus Hylobates — about 8-10 species, according to
anthropologists). The authorization for appropriations expires in 2010.
The Marine Turtle Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 6601) was passed on July 2, 2004.
This law provides grants for the conservation of marine turtle populations and their
nesting habitats in the wild. This law authorizes $5 million in annual appropriations from
FY2005 to FY2009 for conservation efforts and establishes a marine turtle conservation
fund within the MSCF.
The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 6101-6109) provides
grants for the conservation of hundreds of bird species that migrate among North and
South America and the Caribbean. The act requires spending 75% of the funds on
projects outside of the United States. The act was reauthorized in 2006. The legislation
expands the program to include Canada, authorizes appropriations until 2009, and creates
a separate fund for the NMBCF. The NMBCF is no longer included in the
Administration’s request under the MSCF.

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Table 1. Funding for Multinational Species Conservation Fund,
FY2004-FY2006 and FY2007 Request
(in U.S. $, thousands)
Multinational Species
FY2004
FY2005
FY2006
FY2007
FY2008
Conservation Fund
Enacted
Enacted
Enacted
Requested
Requested
African elephant
$1,383
$1,380
$1,379
$990
$990
Tiger and Rhinos
1,383
1,478
1,576
990
990
Asian elephant
1,383
1,381
1,379
990
990
Great Apes
1,383
1,381
1,379
990
990
Marine Turtle
0
99
691
297
297
Neotropical Migratory
Bird Conservation Funda
[3,951]
[3,944]
[3,941]
[3,960]
[3,960]
Total
5,532b
5,719
6,404
4,257
4,257
a. This program was first authorized in FY2002, and is not part of the MSCF, although the transfer was
proposed in the President’s budgets for FY2002 - FY2007. However, because Congress has rejected
the transfer four times, the program is not included in the column totals for FY2004-FY2006, or for
the FY2007 request. The FY2008 request does not include the NMBCF in the MSCF.
b. Due to rounding, columns sum to slightly less than this total.

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