Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference

Motivations and human behaviors that have resulted in importation of nonnative wildlife to North America, as well as other locations, are discussed. Historical attitudes, including immigrants’ desires to see birds and other wildlife from their homeland, led to societies whose goal and purpose was to introduce songbirds and other species. Biologists, including C. Hart Merriam, opposed these introductions, as noted in his writings as early as 1886. Certain British colonies began to take note of the negative impacts of introduced species in the late 19th Century; for example, Western Australia passed the “Destructive Birds and Animals Act” in 1890. Despite the efforts of many, no significant federal legislation was in place in the U.S. until the Lacey Act passed in 1900, which was expanded by subsequent amendments in 1935 and 1960. In recent times, the advent of increased global trade and commerce, as well as air travel, brings new challenges in preventing accidental or intentional important of species that may be very destructive when placed in new environments.