Your Tax Dollars at Work: State of Maryland Now Protecting Two Extinct Species from Wildlife Trafficking

ANNAPOLIS, MD News (11/2/2022) – Effective October 1, 2022, the State of Maryland is now prohibiting “purchasing, selling, offering for sale, or possessing with the intent to sell” animal parts from a list of 17 covered animal species. The intention of the bill is to protect threatened and endangered species. However, two of the species on the list, mammoths and mastodons, have not existed within the past 3,000 years.

Maryland House Bill HB0052, cross-filed with Maryland Senate Bill SB0381, makes it illegal to purchase or sell animal parts or items made from animal parts (such as knives, firearms, or musical instruments), which are made from any of the following:

• Bonobo
• Cheetah
• Chimpanzee
• Elephant
• Giraffe
• Gorilla
• Hippopotamus
• Jaguar
• Leopard
• Lion
• Mammoth
• Mastodon
• Orangutan
• Pangolin
• Rhinoceros
• Sea Turtle
• Tiger

The law allows exceptions for items classified as antiques over 100 years old. Since Mammoths have not existed for over 3,700 years, and Mastodons have not existed for the past 10,000 years, safe to say any items made from either species likely qualify as antiques.

There are of course other exceptions in the law as well. However, it is important to note that none of the remaining species are native to Maryland.

The bill was signed by Governor Hogan on April 21, 2022.

Article by Ken Buckler, President and Managing Editor of Radio Free Hub City.

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