NEWS
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CITES( the United Nations’ Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between governments and 180 signatories, which ensures the international trade in and exploitation of wild animals and plant specimens, worth billions of dollars, doesn’ t threaten their survival. The 17th triennial CITES summit was held in Johannesburg in late September and early October. It was the largest meeting to date, with 3 500 attendees, and 152 governments making decisions on 62 species-listing that were proposed by 64 countries. Here are some of the outcomes.
RHINO
Swaziland’ s bid to sell rhino horn to raise conservation funds was rejected, keeping in place the international ban on the sale of rhino horn implemented in 1977.
ELEPHANT
Namibia and Zimbabwe’ s bid to sell ivory for the funding of conservation efforts was strongly rejected by Kenya, which has been burning its ivory stockpiles. Ivory sales were banned in 1989, although CITES allowed once-off auctions in southern Africa in 1999 and 2008. CITES, which already regulates cross-border trade, recommended that countries with legal domestic ivory markets close down as they contribute to poaching. Despite this, the southern African elephant was not upgraded to Appendix I status to provide it with added protection.
CITES COP17
LION
The global trade in bones, claws and teeth of wild lions is prohibited, but an exemption is in place for those taken from South African captive-bred lions. Conservationists argue this legal market incentivises poachers to launder bones from wild lions too in order to sell them in Asia for use in Chinese traditional medicine.
AFRICAN GREY PARROT
The African grey was placed on Appendix I due to its decline in the wild across central and western Africa due to deforestation and the pet industry.
PANGOLIN
The Pangolin doesn’ t draw as much attention as certain bigger animals, but it’ s the world’ s most poached mammal. CITES members voted to include all eight pangolin species on Appendix I. Pangolin meat is a delicacy in Asia and its hard keratin scales are also used in traditional medicines.
SHARKS AND RAYS
The silky shark, nine species of devil ray( related to the manta ray), and three species of thresher shark were placed on the Appendix II listing. Devil ray gill plates are used in China for health tonics. This legislation controls the trade so species aren’ t threatened due to overharvesting. Read more about the great white shark on page 55
60 Travel Update | issue 9