The international community hopes to soon restrict the international trade of more than fifty key species.
From the shy African okapi to the imposing white-tip sharks, and the enigmatic Galapagos marine iguana: all these species would be included.
The decision will be made at the 20th session of the Conference of the Parties to CITES in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. This will be held from November 24 to December 5.
There, the global community will review whether these creatures deserve greater protection against extinction.
In particular, the 185 member states will examine 51 proposals to regulate the international trade of threatened species: 39 related to fauna and 12 to flora.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species currently protects more than 35,000 species of fauna and flora since its adoption in Washington in 1975.
Its objective is to control commercial exchange that endangers the survival of wild plants and animals.
Species Trade: The Species to be Protected
The list of proposed species reflects a broad biological and geographical variety.
Among the fauna candidates are:
- the striped hyena;
- the golden-bellied mangabey;
- the giant Haitian lizard;
- the Ethiopian mountain snake;
- the Chilean palm;
- geckos;
- tarantulas;
- frogs;
- mollusks;
- songbirds.
Additionally, 10 proposals on fauna refer to commercially exploited aquatic species: sea cucumbers, abalone, eels, sharks, and rays.
On the other hand, regarding flora, the following are considered:
- ginseng;
- aloes;
- guggul;
- precious woods like padauk;
- Brazilwood
Two Levels of Protection According to Threat
The proposals seek to include species in two levels of protection: the first is the CITES Appendix I, which imposes a total ban on commercial trade.
The second is Appendix II, which allows limited trade under strict documentation and control.
The classification will depend on the level of threat each species faces.
Despite this request, some species could take the opposite path.
For example, the United States and Mexico proposed transferring the Guadalupe fur seal (also known as the Baja California fur seal) from Appendix I to Appendix II.
The nations argue that “international trade no longer poses a threat to this species,” whose populations have sufficiently recovered.
Once a species is included in CITES, international trade is subject to control that can range from strict regulation to total prohibition.
This mechanism seeks to prevent commercial exchange from driving the extinction of threatened plants, animals, and fish.
The Samarkand meeting will be crucial in defining the future of these species.
The decisions made there will set the course for the global wildlife trade in the coming years.
These could mean the difference between survival or disappearance of some of the planet’s most vulnerable creatures.
