Posted on 25 March 2013
| A look at WWF's successes at the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species
for our priority species from apes to turtles.
Click the headlines for full articles.
Ban on ivory trade pledged by Thai PM
Thai Prime Minister
Yingluck Shinawatra pledged at the opening
of CITES to end ivory trade in Thailand,
seizing a key opportunity to stem global
wildlife trafficking. She said Thailand
would take steps to end ivory trade – the
first time the Thai government has said
this publicly. Her statement came after
the call of nearly 1.5 million WWF and Avaaz
supporters.
“As a next step we will
forward amending the national legislation
with the goal of putting an end on ivory
trade and to be in line with international
norms,” Prime Minster Shinawatra said. “This
will help protect all forms of elephants
including Thailand’s wild and domestic elephants
and those from Africa.”
“We’re thrilled to hear
that Prime Minister Shinawatra took this
opportunity to seize the global spotlight
and pledge to end ivory trade in her country.
But the fight to stop wildlife crime and
shut down Thailand’s ivory markets is not
over. Prime Minister Shinawatra now needs
to provide a timeline for this ban and ensure
that it takes place as a matter of urgency,
because the slaughter of elephants continues,”
said Carlos Drews head of WWF’s delegation
to CITES.
Thai Buddhist leaders pray for poached elephants,
call for end to ivory use
Revered Thai Buddhist
leaders held the first-ever Buddhist merit-making
ceremony to pray for the tens of thousands
of elephants poached annually. They also
called on their congregations and other
temples to reject the use and trade of ivory.
“Having prestigious
leaders from the Buddhist community in Thailand
lead this ceremony here, which is usually
practiced for a family member who has passed
away, emphasizes that we are all interdependent
and part of one great web of life,” said
Phansiri Winichagoon, country director of
WWF-Thailand.
Historic vote protects
sharks and manta rays at CITES
A historic vote occurred
at CITES to regulate trade of five species
of sharks and two of manta ray. Science
prevailed over politics and this decision
will put a major dent in the uncontrolled
trade in shark meat and fins, which is rapidly
destroying populations of these precious
animals to feed the growing demand for luxury
goods.
“These timely decisions
to have trade in sharks and manta rays regulated
by CITES show that governments can muster
the political will to keep our oceans healthy,
securing food and other benefits for generations
to come – and we hope to see similar action
in the future to protect other commercially
exploited and threatened marine species,
both at the national and international level.”
said Carlos Drews head of WWF’s delegation
to CITES.
Large numbers of threatened
reef fish still traded
One of WWF`s footprint
species the humphead wrasse, a tropical
reef fish, is still suffering from illegal
and unreported international trade despite
being listed by CITES. Discussions held
by governments meeting in Bangkok, Thailand
outlined a number of ways to help curb this
problem and maintain protection of this
threatened fish.
“Regulating the trade
throughout Asia aims to protect humphead
wrasse from overfishing and encourages sustainable
fishing which will ensure a future for this
species.” said Dr Colman O Criodain, WWF`s
Policy Analyst, International Wildlife Trade.
Rhinos offered more protection by governments
CITES governments made
a clear choice to offer more protection
to rhinos by agreeing on timelines that
will help two of the worst offenders in
the rhino horn trade, Viet Nam and Mozambique,
clean up their act.
The challenge now is to ensure that Viet
Nam and Mozambique make progress on their
CITES commitments within the agreed time
frame to avoid trade sanctions in the summer
of 2014.
"This is a big
step forward for the protection of rhinos,
a prehistoric animal that are being butchered
for their horns at alarming rates to feed
demand primarily in Viet Nam,” said Carlos
Drews, head of WWF’s delegation at CITES.
Governments fall short on immediate efforts
to curb illegal ivory trade at wildlife
trade meeting
Governments at CITES
opted against immediate trade sanctions
against several countries that have repeatedly
failed to tackle the trade in ivory. Despite
an early discussion on potential trade sanctions
against countries failing to regulate their
ivory markets, governments did not enact
those rules against offenders.
“We’re disappointed
by the lack of urgency from governments
to speed up the sanctions process against
countries that have failed to act for years
to curb the illegal ivory trade in their
countries, while the slaughter of thousands
of elephants continues in Africa,” said
Carlos Drews, head of WWF’s CITES delegation.
World`s valuable timbers
protected against illegal trade
Precious ebony and rosewood
timbers have secured protection by CITES
in recognition of possible extinction due
to illegal logging and the significant increased
demand in international trade. Both kinds
of timber are exported for use in making
musical instruments, furniture and decorative
items, such as chess pieces, due to their
unusual heartwood.
“This is a good decision
by the governments of CITES and we hope
that this will ensure the future of these
precious trees” said Dr Colman O Criodain,
WWF`s Policy Analyst, International Wildlife
Trade.
Guinea sanctioned for illicit wildlife trade,
including great apes
Governments at CITES
have decided to suspend trade in listed
species with Guinea. The West African country
has been reported to issue fraudulent permits
for a number of animals, including great
apes.
The sanctions prevent
Guinea from importing and exporting all
the 35,000 species listed by CITES. They
have been sanctioned due to concerns over
the issuance of invalid CITES permits, which
facilitated illegal trade for protected
species. Great apes such as chimpanzees
and gorillas, among other species, have
been exported from Guinea, reaching foreign
markets, especially in Asia.
Rare turtle sets Japanese
precedent
Japan is asking the
world’s governments to help protect the
Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle, a rare
turtle found on only three small islands
in the Okinawa group.
The appearance of the
species in the pet trade outside Japan strongly
suggests illegal activity is taking place.
Governments at CITES chose to accept the
Japanese listing proposal, which will see
this unique turtle gain better protection
against illegal international trade.
“The proposal to list
the Ryukyu black-breasted leaf turtle is
a small but significant step for Japan,”
said Kahoru Kanari, Senior Programme Officer
with TRAFFIC and an author of the report.
“
Apes swing into CITES
Governments at CITES
agreed to develop a comprehensive reporting
mechanism on the illegal killing and trade
of great apes.
WWF believes that the
real number of apes killed and traded is
double or even triple this figure, due to
the larger, more influential and significant
bushmeat trade, which needs greater attention.
Especially in Central Africa, ape meat is
still a sought after commodity for mid-high
level socio-political functions.
“CITES has shown it
can take strong measures to tackle international
trade in great apes, for example by agreeing
CITES trade sanctions for Guinea last week
partly due to illegal ape trade,” said Wendy
Elliott, from the WWF Illegal Wildlife Trade
Campaign.
Worst offenders in ivory trade held to account
Governments mandated
China, Kenya, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Thailand, Uganda, Tanzania and Viet Nam,
considered the worst offenders in failing
to properly regulate the ivory trade in
their countries, to implement timebound
plans to deal with the problem and report
back on their progress or face possible
trade restrictions.
Under CITES rules, failure
by those countries to take action would
lead to a compliance process potentially
leading to sanctions. The treaty allows
CITES member states to recommend that parties
stop trading with non-compliant countries
in the 35,000 species covered under the
convention, from orchids to crocodile skins.
“After years of inaction,
governments today put those countries doing
little or nothing to regulate the ivory
trade on watch, a move that will help stem
the unfettered slaughter of thousands of
African elephants. The gains made to better
protect species here in Bangkok are a major
milestone.” said Carlos Drews, head of WWF’s
CITES delegation.