The GOOD and BAD News from 2016 CITES CoP17
An Animal Rights Article from All-Creatures.org

FROM

Animal Defenders International (ADI)
October 2016

ADI was on the ground ensuring the voice of millions of animals was heard and millions of animals have been saved.

The battle goes on to secure protection for lions and elephants, rest assured, we will not give up until these animals are safe from the hunters and other human threats.

wild animals

DI spent two intense weeks pushing for protection for animals at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) 17th Conference of Parties (CoP17) in Johannesburg. The CITES treaty has to be as much about ensuring the survival of species as well as about regulating trade, and that is the battleground.

Delegates from 183 countries voted on proposals to either restrict or allow further trade in animals. The ADI team met with delegates and provided detailed briefings on various issues. Out of more than 60 proposals, the votes on 73% had the outcome we supported, but of course we wanted more.

Big wins included securing protection for the Barbary macaque, to prevent its population being devastated by pet traders; blocking the attempts by Namibia and Zimbabwe to reopen ivory trading, and Swaziland's attempt to trade in rhino horn. But we were bitterly disappointed that the attempt to list declining wild lion populations on Appendix I (the highest level of protection), was blocked despite the desperate situation with only 20,000 lions left in the wild.

Some key results include:

THE GOOD NEWS:

  • All Asian and African Pangolin species, the Barbary macaque, and the African Grey parrot were moved up to Appendix I (no international commercial trade).
  • Helmeted hornbills (their beaks are being referred to as the next ivory product) received increased protection.
  • A proposal by seven African nations to end all trade in live elephants will move forward for study and consideration – an opportunity for the future.
  • The rejection of Zimbabwe’s and Namibia’s proposal to remove restrictions on commercial trade in elephant products.
  • Swaziland’s plea for renewed rhino horn trade rejected.
  • Canada’s proposal to downlist the Peregrine falcon was rejected, as was China’s call to delete a provision calling for an end to tiger farming and trade.

THE BAD NEWS:

  • The efforts to secure Appendix I protection for African lions and all African Elephants were defeated – so the situation remains the same for these animals whose populations are in dire decline – we must work again for CoP18 in three years.
  • Cape Mountain zebras, Honeyeaters, the American crocodile, and the Florida panther and Eastern cougar were all downlisted to Appendix II, reducing their protection.
  • Wood bison were deleted from Appendix II.

Thanks to your support ADI was on the ground ensuring the voice of millions of animals was heard and millions of animals have been saved. The battle goes on to secure protection for lions and elephants, rest assured, we will not give up until these animals are safe from the hunters and other human threats.


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