Conservation
Because of the impending extinction of short-tailed chinchillas, conservation measures were implemented in the 1890s in Chile. However, these measures were unregulated. The 1910 treaty between Chile, Bolivia, Argentina, and Peru brought the first international efforts to ban hunting and commercialization of chinchillas. Unfortunately, this effort led to great price increases, thus led to the further decline of the remaining populations. The first successful protection law passed in Chile was not until 1929. Today, both the short-tailed and long-tailed chinchillas are listed at “endangered” in Chile and as “Critically Endangered” by the IUCN. Because of successful reproduction in captive environments, chinchillas are less hunted in the wild.
Read more about this topic: Short-tailed Chinchilla
Famous quotes containing the word conservation:
“The putting into force of laws which shall secure the conservation of our resources, as far as they may be within the jurisdiction of the Federal Government, including the more important work of saving and restoring our forests and the great improvement of waterways, are all proper government functions which must involve large expenditure if properly performed.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)
“A country grows in history not only because of the heroism of its troops on the field of battle, it grows also when it turns to justice and to right for the conservation of its interests.”
—Aristide Briand (1862–1932)