USFWS Pacific Region Wildlife Inspections

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Section 508

To monitor and assist in halting illegal wildlife trade, the Service employs approximately 93 uniformed wildlife inspectors at various ports of entry throughout the country. Approximately 30 of the Nation's wildlife inspectors are assigned to ports of entry in Region 1. These inspectors work with Customs and Agricultural inspectors to provide expertise in wildlife law and species identification. In addition to scrutinizing the legality of accompanying permits, wildlife inspectors conduct physical inspections, targeting repeat offenders and checking shipments on a random basis.

WIldlife inspector identifying a reptile species

Inspectors give priority to processing importations of live wildlife. In the early 1970s, the Service designated certain ports of entry for the importation and the exportation of wildlife. The concept of designated ports provides a funneling mechanism that consolidates wildlife shipments at a few specific locations to provide efficient service and to reduce the cost to the public. Originally the Service designated eight ports of entry for wildlife shipments, of which four are in Region 1. They are Los Angeles, CA; San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA; and, Honolulu, HI. In 1990, in response to public request, the Service added Portland, OR. In addition to these designated ports, certain ports of entry along the Canadian and Mexican borders were established for the importation and exportation of wildlife between the United States and those countries.

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