16 May 2007 - Gland, Switzerland
– Ahead of the world’s major meeting on
wildlife trade, WWF releases its top ten
list of species needing urgent global action
to reduce threats from trade.
Delegates from 171 countries are expected
to attend the Conference of the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species
(CITES), from 3-15 June in The Hague, The
Netherlands.
Some of the species on WWF’s top ten priority
list are among the most endangered. For
example, the tiger and the Asian rhino have
required constant and urgent action over
the past decades because of ever-present,
pervasive threats to their survival, including
poaching and illegal trade. Others, particularly
marine species, are on the list because
their populations have declined massively
in recent years due to global market demand.
"CITES has been addressing the trade
threat to some of these species for more
than 30 years, with many successes, while
others are new on the agenda,” said Dr Susan
Lieberman, Director WWF’s Global Species
Programme.
“For some, there are new threats, others
are new on the agenda due to changing trade
dynamics in the global economy, while for
yet others, organized criminal elements
continue to ply their trade across the globe.”
“Whatever the problem,” added Dr Lieberman,
“nothing will change unless governments
take this trade and its impacts on conservation
and local people’s livelihoods seriously.”
WWF’s top ten “to do” list for the world’s
governments includes the following species:
Porbeagle – Porbeagle shark is a powerful,
medium-sized, highly migratory shark. There
is international demand for, and trade,
in its high-value meat and fins. It is also
used as fertilizer. WWF calls upon governments
to include the species in CITES Appendix
II.
Spiny dogfish – Spiny dogfish is a slender,
smaller sized white-spotted shark that grows
to about one metre long and travels in schools.
It is found in cool, coastal waters worldwide.
Known as rock salmon, it is used in fish
and chips in the UK and as a smoked meat
delicacy in Germany, called Schillerlocken.
WWF calls upon governments to include the
species in CITES Appendix II.
Sawfish – Populations of the seven species
of sawfish have drastically declined. They
are traded as live animals for public aquariums,
and also for their fins and meat. Their
distinctive saw-like snouts are sold as
souvenirs and ceremonial weapons, while
other body parts are used for traditional
medicines. WWF calls upon governments to
include these species in CITES Appendix
I.
Tigers – In addition to continuing threats
from habitat loss and forest conversion,
an old threat is about to re-emerge in China,
which could put the last remaining tigers
further at risk – the potential re-opening
of trade from tiger ‘farms’. WWF calls upon
governments to take concerted action to
stop all trade in tigers, particularly in
China, and to improve enforcement efforts
across Asia (e.g., India).
Asian rhinos – Historically hunted for
their horn, a prized ingredient in traditional
Asian medicines, and devastated by the destruction
of their lowland forest habitat, Asian rhino
populations are now distressingly small.
An upsurge in poaching over the last few
is taking its toll even on populations that
were thought to be stable. WWF calls upon
governments to step up enforcement efforts,
and assist countries such as Nepal to stop
the poaching.
Red and pink coral – A jewel that comes
from reefs and atolls, it is the most valuable
of all the precious corals. Pink coral has
been fished for over 5,000 years and used
for jewellery and decoration. Over-harvesting
and the destruction of entire colonies by
bottom trawls and dredges have led to dramatic
population declines. WWF calls on governments
to include all species of red and pink coral
in CITES Appendix II.
European eel – The European eel comes from
coastal and freshwater ecosystems throughout
Europe, including Mediterranean countries.
Stocks have declined dramatically over the
past several decades due to overfishing
and poaching. There is significant international
demand for this species, both for live juvenile
eels (shipped from Europe to Asia) for rearing
in aquaculture and for the highly valued
meat of adults. WWF calls on governments
to include this species in CITES Appendix
II.
Elephants – The ongoing poaching of elephants
and illegal international trade in ivory
is stimulated by rampant ivory sales in
some countries, particularly in Africa and
Asia. Despite previous CITES decisions,
and valiant efforts of some countries, these
markets persist. The time has come to put
political will behind serious efforts to
close down these illegal and unregulated
ivory markets, the true driver of elephant
poaching.
Great apes – Wild populations of great
apes (gorillas, chimpanzees and orangutans),
continue to decline drastically and are
threatened by the combined effects of illegal
trade in live animals (usually for pets),
poaching for meat, disease and habitat disturbance,
fragmentation and destruction. WWF calls
on governments and CITES to stop this trade
– including by adequately enforcing existing
laws and imposing deterrent penalties.
Bigleaf mahogany – This highly valuable
South and Central American rainforest tree
species was listed in CITES Appendix II
in 2002, in response to population declines
and high levels of illegal logging and trade.
Only one country still exports large commercial
quantities, Peru, and after five years,
these problems continue, and concerted action
is needed.
END NOTES:
• Species are listed on one of three Appendices
according to the level of threat they face:
Appendix I bans international commercial
trade in species.
Appendix II regulates international trade
in species that may be threatened without
regulation of the level of trade. Commercial
trade is allowed on the condition that specimens
are legally obtained and that the trade
is not detrimental to the wild population.
Appendix III lists species that are protected
in at least one country, where that country
has asked other CITES Parties for assistance
in controlling the species trade.
• This is the first time the CITES Conference
has been held in the European Union, and
will see the largest-ever such gathering
devoted to the trade in endangered species.
Joanna Benn, Communications Manager
WWF Global Species Programme
Olivier van Bogaert, Senior Press Officer
WWF International
