The Wild Life

In the past, profits from wildlife auctions went back into the general U.S. treasury. But thanks to legislation pushed through Congress by Representative Skaggs just before his retirement last fall, the proceeds from next month's wildlife auction will be funneled into wildlife preservation and education programs. That will free up another $750,000 for Fish and Wildlife's law-enforcement efforts. Although it's not a major windfall for an entire division that gets about $35 million each year, it will help. But even this money--made as a direct result of the agents' hard work--has to travel through a bureaucratic maze before it benefits them.

But when the bureaucratic jungle gets to be too much, special agents can always retreat to the wild--the very reason they got into this business to begin with. "Those that make it in this job have a compassion for the welfare of wildlife and the environment and a good sense of right and wrong," says special agent Gephart. "For some folks, sitting out in the rain and cold all day is not very exciting. We happen to like that kind of thing."

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