Organize
the specimens by species. Because of size and
morphology differences, specimens of each species
are processed separately. Package specimens of
each species separately.
Matson's
cementum aging models are species-specific.
For example, white-tailed deer I1 and mule deer
I1 are aged by different models because the
teeth erupt at different ages in the two species.
Place
teeth dry in small paper
envelopes of approximately 8 x 14 cm (coin envelopes
work well). Do not use preservative liquids, plastic
bags, or vials. Put envelopes in serial order
by identification number. Use rubber bands to
bundle the envelopes together in groups of 10
or 20 so they will remain in serial order during
transit.
Prepare
an Inventory List. This list should correspond
exactly to the organization of the envelopes so
technicians can use it to confirm specimen identification
at the start of laboratory processing. The list
can be on either hard copy or diskette.
The
inventory list should also include species
identification of the specimens
and an indication of date of kill.
Exact days should be recorded for dates between
February 1 and August 31.
The
cementum age of an unidentified non-standard
tooth type may be incorrect because the animal's
age at the time of tooth eruption may differ
from that of the standard type. Technicians
may not always recognize a non-standard tooth,
so each should be plainly designated on both
the tooth envelope and on the master inventory
list.
Package
specimens only in containers of the strongest
cardboard or, for small orders, in padded envelopes.
Light cardboard cartons will often be crushed
and torn during postal handling. Paper envelopes
will be torn by postal service canceling machines
and the contents will by lost. Pad the shipments
with shipping "popcorn" or paper to
help keep the envelope bundles intact.
Ship
packages properly. All shipments to Matson's
Lab from all countries outside the U.S. must use
regular government mail services. DO
NOT use any courier (Purolator, DHL, etc.) Ship
to: PO Box 308, Milltown MT 59851 USA.
International shipments
have additional requirements:
ENDANGERED OR THREATENED SPECIES (ESA) PERMITS:
Some species, the Woodland Caribou in
Southeast B.C. for example, are on the U.S. Endangered
or Threatened list but may not be listed in CITES
appendices. Special permits are required for these
species; if you have any reasonable expectation
that the species in your sample may be listed,
please check before continuing with shipment preparations.
The permitting process may take as long as 90
days, and must be started first by Matson's Lab.
Contact us first so we can apply to the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service for the permit.
CITES
PERMITS: In compliance with the International
Convention for Threatened and Endangered Species
(CITES), permits are required to send biological
specimens to Matson's Lab for processing. Permits
are required for mammals listed in CITES Appendix
I or Appendix II, either in the country of origin
or in the US. In addition, permits are also required
for mammals resembling threatened or endangered
species (for example: the North American black
bear).
Please enclose the original CITES permit and first
4 copies in an envelope inside the parcel plainly
marked CITES PERMIT ENCLOSED. Put the envelope
in a place where it will be easily found.
WARNING:
Actual
quantities and species of teeth sent to Matson's
Lab MUST MATCH EXACTLY the quantities
and species given in the accompanying CITES
permits. If these do not match, Matson's will
refuse processing of the sample until corrected
permits are received.
To
inquire about the status of the species for which
you have specimens, please contact Matson's Lab.
For permits, contact your closest government wildlife
management agency.
A
new requirement by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service to collect an Import Fee became effective
20 August 2008: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service will require the payment of a $55 import
fee for all shipments to our laboratory from outside
the U.S. Matson’s will pay the fee at the
time the parcel is received, and add the amount
to the laboratory processing and analysis charge.
New
requirement by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
for CITES species - Customs Validation at time
of export: The USFWS now requires Customs
validation of the CITES permit at the time of
export. The validation is placed in a box in the
lower portion of the permit. There are 3 ways
to comply with this requirement. Matson’s
will appreciate hearing from you regarding the
least inconvenient way you may have found to obtain
the validation.
1. Hand carry the parcel to a Customs office
near a government mail postal office and obtain
the validation just before mailing the parcel
2. Contact an export broker and arrange to have
the broker handle the validation of the permit
and mailing of the parcel
3. Contact a courier, such as FedEx, and arrange
to have the courier handle the validation of
the permit and mailing of the parcel
Matson’s
regrets the inconvenience caused by the requirement
to obtain Customs validation of the CITES permit,
and is attempting to get an exemption for teeth
of CITES species sent to the laboratory for age
analysis. We don’t know if our effort to
obtain the exemption will be successful.
IMPORTANT:
The CITES permit document has a “Valid
until” box in which the exporter
provides the date after which the permit is no
longer valid. This date must allow a minimum of
four months for unexpected delays in shipping,
and in processing at Matson’s Lab. For example,
if the permit date is 1 January and the samples
will be sent sometime during the month of January,
then the “Valid until”
date should be 1 April or later.
PACKAGE
MARKING: Put this language on customs
labels and/or an additional package label: CONTENTS
DRIED SPECIMENS FOR SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS. NON-ETIOLOGIC,
NON-HAZARDOUS, NON-PERISHABLE.
