https://www.cites.org/eng/upda...18_species_proposals

CITES decisions so far on giraffes, elephants, markhors.

I’ve gotta ask, why is Israel trying to list Mamoths as Appendix II. Haven’t they been dead for 1000’s of years?

It’s my understanding it’s to protect both current elephants and protect fossil sites.

https://www.nationalgeographic...inct-yet-endangered/



Link for reason listing wooly mammoths as endangered.

In English, elephants in Zimbabwe?

It would be so nice if real science, data, logic, and common sense could govern management of African wildlife and not hyperesthetic fake emotional bullshit that is rapidly becoming the governing force behind everything.

It would be even better if the let Africa decide what to do with the own animals.

It looks like a mixed bag relating to elephants. They refused allowing commercial uses and sales of ivory, but also didn’t uplist elephants in Zimbabwe Botswana etc to CITES I. They didn’t allow a change, do hunting trophies are the same as they were from a CITES perspective.

Notably, that uplisting proposal came from other African states and Syria of all places...

And now giraffe are CITES II.

https://www.downtoearth.org.in...piles-rejected-66313



CITES CoP 2019: Proposals to resume sales of ivory stockpiles rejected

The last time sales of ivory stockpiles had been allowed in 2008, ivory smuggling had skyrocketed across Africa


By DTE Staff

Last Updated: Friday 23 August 2019


Governments on August 22, 2019, rejected proposals by southern African countries to resume international sales of their ivory stockpiles at the ongoing 18th Conference of Parties (CoP) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) at Geneva.

Zambia, which had floated a proposal to downlist its elephants to Appendix II of CITES, which in effect would have meant resuming the sale of its ivory stockpile, finally opted to only seek permission to export other elephant products, which also failed.

The proposal by Zambia to downlist its elephants to Appendix II was rejected by 102 votes against, with 22 votes of support and 13 abstentions.

A proposal by Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe to sell their and South Africa’s stockpiled ivory also failed when put to the vote. It was rejected by 101 votes, with 23 in support and 18 abstentions.

Any legal market in ivory presents opportunities for the laundering of illegal ivory, said Matt Collis, director of international policy, International Fund for Animal Welfare or IFAW, while welcoming the decision.

Collis said the last time ivory stockpiles had been allowed to be sold in 2008, poaching of elephants had skyrocketed across Africa.

Recent analysis corroborates Collis’ statement. There was an estimated 71 per cent increase in ivory smuggling out of Africa following the sales of ivory stockpiles in 2008.

At least 20,000 elephants are being illegally killed each year for their ivory. On an average, 55 elephants are poached every day in Africa, meaning roughly one every 26 minutes.

On August 21, a resolution calling for Japan and the European Union to close their legal domestic ivory markets was not adopted at the CoP.

A coalition of 30 African elephant range states in favour of elephant protection strongly criticised the failure of Japan and the EU to close their markets as recommended at the last CITES Conference, in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2016.

However, governments at CITES refused to back the call from these African countries to tighten language in the resolution to unequivocally call for the closure of all domestic legal ivory markets.

The CoP will continue till August 28.

https://ens-newswire.com/2019/...es-at-cites-meeting/



Governments Protect Giraffes at CITES Meeting

Posted by News Editor in Latest News, RSS, Wildlife on August 23, 2019 7:01 am / no comments



GENEVA, Switzerland, August 23, 2019 (ENS) – Giraffes will now be protected against trade in their body parts for the first time. Delegates from 183 countries to the tri-annual Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species decided to add giraffes to an endangered species list, voting to regulate the trade in products made from giraffes such as skins, bones and meat.

The goal is to protect endangered species such as giraffes at risk of over-exploitation as a result of international trade.



The United Kingdom’s International Environment Minister Zac Goldsmith said, “I am absolutely delighted by the decision to increase protection for giraffes. This is a very important step towards reducing the threat faced by these noble and iconic animals. I pay tribute to our own negotiators who made the case so firmly.”

Giraffe numbers have declined by almost 30 percent in just over three decades to approximately 111,000 in the wild. It is likely that giraffe numbered 10 times as many only a century ago, according to the nonprofit Giraffe Conservation Foundation.

The Foundation aims to secure and increase current giraffe numbers and their distribution throughout their range in Africa. The group says this goal is achievable, “especially in cooperation with other key conservation efforts where giraffes occupy the same landscapes as other focus species.”

On 21 and 22 August, the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime, ICCWC, convened the Third Global Meeting of Wildlife Enforcement Networks (WENs). The meeting brought together networks from around the world, and wildlife law enforcement officers as well as other relevant stakeholders to share experiences on strengthening efforts at the regional, sub-regional and global level to combat wildlife crime.

Guidelines for Wildlife Enforcement Networks aimed at further strengthening the role of Wildlife Enforcement Networks in the fight against wildlife crime are currently under development.

These guidelines will provide a self-assessment tool that can be drawn upon both when establishing a new Wildlife Enforcement Network, or to strengthen an already existing WEN. Targeted discussions will be held at the WEN meeting to further refine these guidelines.

Ivonne Higuero, Secretary-General of CITES said that until the close of the conference on August 28, CITES Parties will discuss a wide variety of matters and make critical decisions to protect wildlife.

“While much of the conversation will focus on ensuring trade is legal and sustainable, CoP18 will provide a crucial space for policymakers and law enforcement practitioners to come together, exchange best practices, and agree on measures to strengthen responses to wildlife crime,” Higuero said.

“Wildlife crime continues to pose a serious threat to many species, and the criminal groups involved are increasingly organized, and constantly adapting their tactics to conceal their illegal activities and avoid detection,” she said.

“The good news is,” said Higuero, “that the Consortium will continue to relentlessly work with the law enforcement community, building capacity and making available the tools and services they need to bring these criminals to justice by enabling them to mobilize the same measures against wildlife crime as those used against other serious domestic and transnational organized crimes.”

CITES Retweeted

CITES
✔
@CITES
Committee I of #CITESCoP18 voted against the proposal to transfer the population of Southern white #rhinos of Nambia from Appendix I to Appendix II for trade in live animals & hunting trophies, pending final decision by the Plenary http://bit.do/e5xUt #CoP18

https://www.cites.org/eng/CITE...or_wildlife_28082019



PRESS RELEASE

CITES conference responds to extinction crisis
by strengthening international trade regime for wildlife


Geneva, 28 August 2019 – The triennial World Wildlife Conference, known formally as CoP18 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), concludes here today after adopting an impressive list of decisions advancing the conservation and sustainable use of wildlife across the globe.



The Conference revised the trade rules for dozens of wildlife species that are threatened by unstainable trade linked to overharvesting, overfishing or overhunting. These ranged from commercially valuable fish and trees to charismatic mammals such as giraffes to amphibians and reptiles sold as exotic pets.

Continuing the trend of using CITES trade quotas and permits to promote sustainable commercial fisheries, the conference decided to add 18 more shark species to Appendix II. They included blacknose and sharpnose guitarfishes, which are highly valued for their fins and considered endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Shortfin and longfin mako sharks, together with white-spotted and other species of wedgefishes, were also listed in Appendix II.

Other marine species addressed by the conference included eels, teatfish (sea cucumber), queen conch, marine turtles, precious corals, sturgeons and seahorses. Governments furthermore agreed to examine the trade in live ornamental marine fish to assess what role CITES could or should play in regulating this trade.

Tropical timber trees comprise another wildlife market of high commercial value. Responding to high and increasing demand for African teak from western Africa, CITES broadened the need for trade permits to include plywood and other forms. Malawi’s national tree, the rare Mulanje cedar, and the slow-growing mukula tree (a type of rosewood) of southern and eastern Africa, were also added to Appendix II. All Latin American species of cedar were listed in Appendix II.

The conference amended an earlier Appendix II listing of rosewoods and related tree species to ensure that small finished items, including musical instruments, parts and accessories, could be carried across borders without the need for CITES permits.

Noting that giraffes have declined by 36-40% over the past three decades due to habitat loss and other pressures, the conference added the world’s tallest animal to Appendix II. Asia’s smooth-coated and small-clawed otters, threatened by habit loss and possibly by trade in live animals, were transferred from Appendix II to Appendix I, which prohibits all commercial trade in the species that it lists.

Because the growing exotic pet trade has put enormous pressure on many species of turtle, lizard and gecko, CITES added a range of these species to the Appendices.

The Parties established the CITES Big Cat Task Force with a mandate to improve enforcement, tackle illegal trade and promote collaboration on conserving tigers, lions, cheetahs, jaguars and leopards.

Recognizing a CITES success story – the revival of vicuña populations through sustainable use in Bolivia, Peru and parts of Argentina – the conference downlisted a regional vicuña population in Argentina from Appendix I to Appendix II. The American crocodile population of Mexico, another conservation success, was similarly downlisted in recognition of the population’s continued recovery.

Many countries and their CITES Management Authorities lack the necessary financial and institutional capacity to sustainably manage and conserve their wildlife. The conference took decisions promoting capacity building and other activities aimed at strengthening wildlife management and compliance with and enforcement of CITES trade rules.

In addition, the critical role of local and indigenous communities that live on the frontlines of wildlife conservation and sustainable management, and their need for adequate incomes and livelihoods, was widely recognized. Overcoming a wide range of differing views, the conference asked Parties to begin considering how to best engage indigenous peoples and local communities in CITES decision-making and implementation. The aim is to better achieve the objectives of the Convention while recognizing those people whose use of CITES-listed species contributes significantly to their livelihoods.

“Humanity needs to respond to the growing extinction crisis by transforming the way we manage the world’s wild animals and plants. Business as usual is no longer an option,” said CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero.

“CITES conserves our natural world by ensuring that international trade in wild plants and animals is legal, sustainable and traceable. Well-managed trade also contributes to human wellbeing, livelihoods and the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals,” she said.

The conference reviewed progress on the implementation of previous measures aimed at ensuring the conservation and sustainable management of already-listed species, such as European eels, sharks, rosewood, great apes and songbirds. These reviews often took advantage of new data and information on population trends, trade levels and national plans and actions.

On the sidelines of CoP18, the Third Global Meeting of Wildlife Enforcement Networks brought together over 105 representatives from WENs, law enforcement bodies, international organizations and other stakeholders. The participants focused on further strengthening their collaborative efforts.

The conference also:

adopted the CITES Strategic Vision Post-2020, positioning CITES as a leader in promoting transformative change; environmental, economic and social sustainability; and the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
increased quotas for trophy hunting of adult male black rhinos, almost doubling the current quota of five, subject to strict controls; however, proposed trade in southern white rhino horns from Eswatini (Swaziland) and live animals and hunting trophies from Namibia were not accepted.
reviewed the measures for the export of live African elephants to “appropriate and acceptable destinations”, whereby exports outside their natural range will be permitted in “exceptional circumstances” only, in consultation with relevant CITES and IUCN bodies, and only if they provide in “situ conservation benefits."
did not accept proposals to permit some limited trade in ivory from African elephants, which means that the existing trade ban remains in place.
urged Mexico to mobilize its legal authorities and navy to prevent fishers and vessels from entering the refuge for vaquitas, a near-extinct porpoise, and mandated the secretariat to assess the effectiveness of these measures by the end of 2019.
accepted a proposal by South Africa to exclude finished, retail-sales products of aloe, a popular medicinal plant, from the permitting system otherwise covering this plant; any possible impacts will be carefully monitored.
supported with unanimity a decision to examine trade in non-CITES listed songbirds, eels, Boswellia and rosewoods as a way of determining what role CITES could or should play in better conserving and managing these species.
held a meeting on the African Elephant Action Plan to encourage cooperation among the African elephant range states.
hosted over 80 side events that provided information and analysis to delegates on a wide range of CITES issues.
CoP18 was attended by 169 member governments (plus the EU) and some 1,700 delegates, observers and journalists. CoP19 will be held in 2022 in Costa Rica.



Note to journalists: For background information about the Convention and how it works, please visit “Discover CITES” at www.cites.org. For further information, please contact Michael Williams at michael.williams@un.org(until 31 August) or Yuan Liu at yuan.liu@cites.org or +41 79 652 0108.

For updates, please follow us on Twitter @CITES and #CITESCoP18.



About CITES

With 183 Parties, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) remains one of the world's most powerful tools for wildlife conservation through the regulation of trade. Thousands of species are internationally traded and used by people in their daily lives for food, health care, housing, tourist souvenirs, cosmetics or fashion. CITES regulates international trade in over 35,000 species of plants and animals, including their products and derivatives, to ensure their survival in the wild with benefits for the livelihoods of local people and the global environment. The CITES permit system seeks to ensure that international trade in listed species is sustainable, legal and traceable. CITES was signed in Washington D.C. on 3 March 1973 and entered into force on 1 July 1975.

Learn more about CITES by visiting www.cites.org or connecting to:

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