Do you sell any endangered species?
We don't sell any species on the U. S. Federal or State of California Endangered Species Lists. However, we do have some CITES (Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species) listed species. There is much confusion between these two lists. The Federal Endangered Species list is specific to the United States and controls the possession and interstate transportation of threatened and endangered species within the United States. The California list does the same thing for our state. CITES, on the other hand, is an international agreement that controls the exportation of species identified by their home country as in need of special protection. Because it this applies to international trade only, CITES species that were legally brought into the United States (either pre-act or with permits) are legal to sell within the United States, but not to re-export. In many cases, a species will be on one list but not the other (see the case of elephant ivory, below).
Because CITES is essentially a law governing international trade, many species common in captivity or the pet trade are listed. They are listed because a CITES designation allows countries to enforce export quotas on these native species, either to control trade or encourage captive breeding. Most exotic birds and reptiles commonly seen in the pet trade are CITES classified for this reason.
Many CITES species (particularly inects) are captive-bred or farmed in their home countries as a means of providing income to indigenous populations and for giving an incentive for habitat protection. These specimens are exported with CITES permits that vouch for their legal origin. In addition, The Bone Room only buys from reputable suppliers who follow legal procedure and maintain careful records of their trade in these specimens. Rest assured that The Bone Room does not participate in or support the illegal trade of threatened and endangered species.
For links to the full-text of laws governing Endangered Species, please see our Links.
Isn't it illegal to sell ivory ?
Elephants are identified by CITES as a protected species, but they are not listed on the Federal Endangered Species List. Therefore, elephant ivory (and any other elephant product) is illegal to export. But this does not restrict the possession or trade of ivory products that are already legally in the United States. Our elephant ivory is pre-act, that is, it was imported into the country before CITES was implemented. Pre-Act ivory is legal to sell , but cannot be re-exported. In addition, new ivory cannot be imported for sale.
We also carry various non-elephant ivories. Our largest collection consists of fossilized walrus ivory and mammoth ivory. Because these are fossil products,they are not subject to the same laws as contemporary elephant ivory. Tagua nut, or vegetable ivory, is another alternative that we carry, both as carving and raw nuts. Traditionally used as a practice material for carvers, this renewable rainforest product has come to be a respected ivory medium in its own right.
I'm looking for Raven/Hawk/Humming bird feathers. Why don't you carry these?
We only carry bird parts from domestic or game birds, such as chickens, ducks, pheasants, pigeons and emus. We do not carry parts of ravens, crows, hawks, owls, eagles, hummingbirds or any other wild bird species. These, and most other bird species, are fully protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Pieces or parts of the species listed by this act are illegal to sell or even to possess. This includes skulls, feathers, eggs and nest parts. However, we occassionally carry casts of some of these species, please inqure.
I found a whale bone on the beach. How much is it worth?
Truth is, a whale bone has no commercial value to us. And it may be worth a hefty fine or jail time to you. This is because almost all marine mammals, including whales and seals, are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. Like the Migratory Bird Act discussed above, this law prevents the trade or possession of Marine Mammals, in whole or in part. We occassionally carry fossil marine mammal parts as well as casts of many species.
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