I have brought 6 finished taxidermy birds back from Cape Town. I was a working crew member so I brought them as carry-on luggage. I contacted USFWS in Atlanta (my port of entry) and they were very helpful in detailing what I needed to do. Here is the email they sent to me:
Updated 12/08/2023 - Thank you for contacting the US Fish and Wildlife Service - Office of Law Enforcement - Port of Atlanta. This mailbox is monitored and serves as the preferred method of contact for this office. Please review the information below as it may help answer any questions you have. If your question cannot be answered by the information provided, you will receive a response from a Wildlife Inspector.
Process: In order to avoid delays with your shipment's FWS clearance, submit your eDec as soon as possible, upload documents (one file) and pay fees. Ensure your eDec is correct, or it will be rejected. Ensure the following is in the documents provided- Genus and Species, Common name, Country of origin of the wildlife, Source (wild, farmed, ranched, captive, etc). Failure to do so may delay your clearance.
You must notify this office when your ocean, rail or truck shipment arrives at the Port of clearance. When the shipment arrives, email
atl_inspectors@fws.gov stating eDec Confirmation number _____ has arrived at the Customs Bonded Location on the eDec. It is preferred that you use the FIRMS code -
https://www.cbp.gov/document/report/acs-public-firms-code-report in block 10 of the eDec. i.e, "Atlanta" is not a bonded location.
Submission of documents to FWS Port of Atlanta: Do not submit any documentation to this office without a copy of the USFWS Declaration form 3-177 attached. Doing so results in lost documents and delays in clearance.
For exports or live or perishable imports: You must schedule an appointment and the freight must be consigned to the carrier at the Port of Atlanta or at the seaport when authorized by a DPEP. For live or perishable shipments, you must inform this office at least 48 hours or 2 business days in advance of the arrival.
For eDec account questions:
https://edecs.fws.gov/eDecsHome.cfm
For eDec problems: contact the Help Desk at 303-275-2355 ---Declaration packages may be submitted via email to this account (
atl_inspectors@fws.gov) or delivered to the address listed below. You can also submit documents via eScan (Electronic Scanning), this is the preferred method.
All original permits (export, re-export, CITES, etc.) are collected by USFWS and must be delivered to this office. We cannot clear your shipment without the original permits.
Normal business hours are Monday thru Friday - 0800-1630. If your overtime shipment requires clearance outside of those hours, please contact this office to schedule an appointment. Overtime clearances will require additional fees.
The e-dec is fairly straight forward and any questions I had were answered within a day.
Biggest pain in the ass, other than hand carrying the boxes, was dealing with agriculture at baggage claim. a bit of a long process but they were professional and helpful.
Contacting USFWS at your port of entry airport is the best first step.
Hope this helps
