Judge Maintains Federal Protections of Antelope

The government can give a reprieve to three species of captive-bred antelopes that are otherwise hunted under an Endangered Species Act exemption, a federal judge ruled. When the endangered scimitar-horned oryx, dama gazelle and addax joined the endangered species list in 2005, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service adopted a blanket captive-bred exemption to the hunting ban. It did this in purported recognition of the value of captive herds in conservation efforts. Animal rights groups fought the blanket exemption, however, and persuaded the the D.C. Circuit to strike it down in the 2009 resolution of Friends of Animals v. Salazaar. The court said activities otherwise prohibited under the Endangered Species Act must be approved on a case-by-case basis. To comply with the decision, the agency removed the captive-bred exemption. Two groups filed suit in response. Safari Club International, a hunting group, wanted the court to block the 2005 listing of the three antelope species as endangered. The Exotic Wildlife Association, representing ranchers, wanted to continue the exemption for captive-bred antelopes. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell rejected both maneuvers Tuesday. The groups have not shown a likelihood of winning the merits of their cases, and they have not shown the potential for irreparable harm if the regulations take effect before a full trial...more

The most "irreparable harm" will be to the antelope.