Exported illegally, threatened locally: South Africa in the global reptile pet trade

Endemic Vietnamese reptiles in commercial trade

International trade in endangered species: the challenges and successes of the 17th conference of parties to the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora (CITES)

Communities beyond geographical limitation: The network characteristics of international wildlife trade under the pandemic

Botswana, together with other range states, Namibia and South Africa, that is, countries exporting and trading in devil’s claw, was approached by Germany to try to argue for listing the devil’s claw on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) at CITES COP11 in April, 2000 in Nairobi, Kenya. The focal points for CITES (flora) in the range states discovered that there were still gaps in the knowledge of the population dynamics of the plant to agree with the suggestion by Germany. In addition to this knowledge gap, livelihoods of poor and marginalised communities in these countries depended on the devil’s claw trade for sustenance. The proposal for listing was therefore unsuccessful. Both exporting and importing countries were then tasked with looking at this matter for finalisation at subsequent CITES COP meetings. This article reviews the arguments by both importing and exporting countries for the proposal to list or not to list t he devil’s claw on Appendix II of CITES. It also outlines the chronology of events between COP11 when the proposal was made to COP13 when all the parties came to an amicable conclusion on the matter. It lays emphasis on lessons to be learnt for application to similar cases in the future. Key words: Devil’s claw, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), Harpagophytum

Introduction: The illegal trade in protected animals is increasing in places where laws are not respected, as if they weren't there. This is reflected in the decrease in the number of wildlife and the increase in the number of legal and illegal wildlife traders whose criminals do not face severe sanctions. The number of Sumatran tigers is decreasing, reaching around 400 individuals. In various parts of Sumatra, these endangered and protected animals continue to be hunted and traded for their organs. Apparently, in the near future, they succeeded in capturing or blocking the Medan tiger skin trade.Purposes of the Research: This writing aims to know and understand the Regulations regarding the protection of endangered species based on the 1963 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Implementation of CITES 1963 in Indonesia to protect the Sumatran Tiger.Methods of the Research: Normative research method with the type of research is qualitative analysis. The problem approach used is the statute approach, the conceptual approach and the case approach. The sources of legal materials used are Primary legal materials, Secondary legal materials, and Tertiary legal materials and are used as a technique for collecting legal materials, then processing and analyzing legal materials through methods of interpretation, harmonization, systematic and legal discovery.Results of the Research: The results of the study show that the arrangements regarding the protection of endangered species based on the 1963 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) are that as a whole, CITES is a convention that applies as a general guide to regulate matters relating to trade of all kinds. Wild plants and animals that live in nature. Specifically regarding the protection of Sumatran tigers as implementation of CITES 1963 is the enactment of Presidential Decree No. 43 of 1978 concerning Ratifying the Convention On International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, Law No. 5 of 1990 concerning Conservation of Natural Resources, Biology and Their Ecosystems, Regulations Government Number 8 of 1999 Utilization of Wild Plants and Animals, Minister of Forestry Regulation Number P.42/Menhut-II/2007 concerning Sumatran Tiger Conservation Plans and Actions.

Global trade in parrots – Influential factors of trade and implications for conservation

Trade in live reptiles, its impact on wild populations, and the role of the European market

Chapter 19 - Addressing trade threats to pangolins in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

Several international treaties contain provisions to regulate and reduce negative impacts of international trade on endangered plant species. Focusing on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), this paper aims to elaborate existing and potential linkages between provisions and activities of these conventions. Based on an evaluation of CITES documentation, fields of potential synergies and/or joint activities between CITES and the GSPC are indicated.

Simple SummaryUnderstanding the wildlife trade is crucial for effective conservation and policy development, particularly in South Africa, where native species face exploitation as exotic pets and wildlife products. The trade, influenced by socioeconomic factors, presents challenges in balancing conservation with local livelihoods. Our study highlights the gaps in current regulations, especially for non-CITES-listed species, and emphasizes the need for comprehensive data collection, stricter legal frameworks, and community involvement to protect vulnerable species while supporting sustainable practices.The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) aims to prevent the overexploitation of species by controlling their trade. However, there is currently no international regulatory framework to protect the trade of non-CITES species. We examined the LEMIS database, online trade, and scientific literature with the aim of identifying and compiling a list of South African native species traded as pets and wildlife products. We found that there are 223 non-CITES species traded as wildlife products and 95 species traded as pets. Mammals and birds were the most traded taxa for wildlife products, while reptiles and amphibians were mostly traded as pets. At the least, species traded as wildlife products and pets are currently not facing extinction, as most are categorized as Least Concern. However, some endemic species have an unknown population size, with Sclerophrys pantherina and Neamblysomus gunningi being Endangered. The international pet trade involves 10 countries, with the USA, the Czech Republic, and the UK being the largest importers. The trade of species as wildlife products involves 20 countries, with the USA being the major importer. This study emphasizes the necessity of strict regulations and international cooperation to control the wildlife trade effectively.

The global pet trade is a thriving multibillion-dollar industry, involving the international exchange of various species and regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). South Africa plays a significant role as both an importer and exporter within this market. By analysing over 13 million records from the CITES database, spanning from 1975 to 2023, we aimed to access South Africa’s role in the international pet trade and to analyse trade volume and trends over time. Our findings indicate that alien species dominate exports, particularly birds and mammals, while native species are traded in lower volume, involving only a few species. The top 10 traded species for birds and mammals belong to the genera Agapornis and Callithrix, while 80% of reptile exports were native, with Stigmochelys pardalis being the most exported species. Bird and mammal exports are primarily composed of captive-bred individuals, whereas both captive-bred and wild-sourced individuals contribute to reptile exports. Approximately 100 countries import various species from South Africa, with Asia and Europe as major importers of birds. The extensive exportation of South Africa’s native species, particularly reptiles, raises significant conservation concerns regarding the potential impact on local biodiversity.

This research examines the implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora in dealing with illegal timber trade in Indonesia. As a convention, CITES helps Indonesia deal with the illegal timber trade by making rules for timber traders. The problem of illegal logging and timber trade is a global crime. This action has damaged forests and even caused extinction for wildlife due to illegal logging for the benefit of certain groups. In this research, the author uses the literature study method by collecting information from reading which is then analyzed to get results. The purpose of this research is to find out the implementation of CITES in Indonesia in dealing with illegal timber trade that causes forest damage and loss. From the results of the study it can be found that Indonesia has ratified CITES and implemented it in the form of laws and Ministerial regulations. CITES is an international treaty that deals with plant and animal trade. Every country that ratifies CITES must be able to trade legally. By ratifying and making rules in Indonesia, timber trade can be carried out legally and pay attention to various aspects related to the environment. The implementation of CITES has an impact on forest protection, people can trade timber legally and protect animals in the forest.

The 1973 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is one of the oldest multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs). A specific tool rather than a global solution, it addresses one of the principal causes of biodiversity loss – the international wildlife trade. Since its inception, CITES has been seen as the flagship wildlife agreement. Most perceive it as effective, although there has never been a thorough empirical assessment of the effectiveness of CITES – or of the extent to which it is truly implemented and enforced at national level.

Unsustainable and illegal wildlife trade are contributing to the unprecedented levels of biodiversity loss and possible extinction of one million species. Law enforcement and the criminal justice system have a role to play in helping to regulate and monitor such trade. The main international instrument to regulate wildlife trade is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This mixed methods study researched the lessons learned and best practice in regards to implementation of and compliance with CITES. As part of the study, three countries were identified as case studies and Canada was selected as one of these. Lessons can also be learned from Canada’s Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act, which is cumbersome to update when species protections change within CITES. Canada has several elements of good practice, such as the remit, effectiveness and relationships of the three CITES authorities located within Environment and Climate Change Canada, the public health approach to some wildlife imports, and the protection of native CITES species. CITES needs to be improved to further protect endangered species and lessons from Canada and other countries can contribute to this improvement.

Aim Online reptile trade poses new challenges to species conservation and requires automated monitoring. Range‐restricted and endemic reptile species are especially vulnerable to wildlife trade and unsustainable exploitation. In this study, we investigated the magnitude and geographic distribution of online trade of 96 endemic and range‐restricted reptile species from the Lesser Antilles. Location Global. Methods We developed methods for automated collection, filtering and processing of wildlife trade content for the targeted species from publicly accessible online platforms. Results We identified 599 relevant advertisements originating from 231 different advertisers and 41 websites focusing on 43 species. Species advertised included threatened species according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and species listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendices. Among threatened species, five are Critically Endangered, three are Endangered and two are Vulnerable according to the IUCN Red List. Moreover, three of the six most advertised species were classified as Near Threatened. Germany was the country with the highest number of advertisements ( N = 124), followed by the United States ( N = 55), the Netherlands ( N = 15) and United Kingdom ( N = 15). Based on data from sale advertisements that included price and currency data, prices ranged from one to over a thousand Euros. Main Conclusions We present a framework for automated analysis of online trade in reptiles that can be extended to other taxonomic groups. Our results highlight countries, such as Germany and the United States, where enhanced monitoring actions would be important to assess the origin (i.e. captive bred or wild sourced individuals) and the legality of the trade. Immediate conservation actions, such as population monitoring, are also needed to ensure wildlife trade is not threatening the persistence of endemic reptile populations in the wild.