White Rhino © Martin Harvey / WWF-CanonIn July this year nearly 350 representatives from government, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations, gathered at the 62nd Standing Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Geneva to discuss a strong agenda of wildlife trade issues ranging from financial matters to livelihoods, compliance and enforcement.
Items of particular interest to members of the Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking (CAWT) included discussions on compliance, enforcement and species in trade, in particular elephants, rhinos and tigers.
Rhinos
The Standing Committee heard that there has been a dramatic increase in rhino poaching in South Africa, the country at the centre of the rhino poaching crisis. According to a recent report on the rhino horn trade by CAWT member, TRAFFIC, the number of rhinos illegally killed in South Africa rose from 13 in 2007 to 448 in 2011. Alarmingly, the official total for 2012 already stands at 339, with a projected total for the year to be in excess of 500.
The CITES rhino working group, chaired by the UK Government and former Chair of CAWT, reported on recent progress to address the crisis. This included efforts aimed at reducing the demand for rhino horn in consumer markets and work towards the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between South Africa and Vietnam to address illegal trade in Rhino horn. The Standing Committee endorsed the working group’s recommendations, including a request for Vietnam to submit a written report by 3 September 2012 on progress made in tackling the illegal rhino horn trade.
In September 2011, CAWT members were instrumental in convening a workshop in South Africa to devise ways to address the growing rhino poaching crisis. Key stakeholders at the workshop included government representatives from the rhino range States.
Elephants
The Standing Committee also noted with great concern the increased level of trafficking in elephant ivory. Large scale seizures of elephant ivory (more than 800 kg) are at record high levels according to an analysis of data from the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS). The ETIS is managed by CAWT member TRAFFIC on behalf of CITES. According to the latest information presented to the Standing Committee, a record 14 large scale seizures took place in 2011, with more expected to come to light.
These findings were also reflected in the CITES Monitoring Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) system, which estimated that tens of thousands of elephants are being poached each year in Africa. The highest levels of poaching since collection of data began. The role of organized crime in the trade was also noted. In particular, Asian syndicates are operating in Africa, with 68 per cent of the trade going through Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, mainly through to China and Thailand.
The Standing Committee made a number of recommendations to tackle the rising poaching of elephants and illegal ivory trade. Countries identified as significant source, transit or destination countries in the illegal ivory trade were requested to report on their progress in addressing the issue by January 2013. A range of other measures were also recommended, including tightening security on ivory stockpiles, collaboration and capacity building between Parties and improved enforcement activities on the ground, in ivory seizures follow-up and at ports of entry and exit along trade chains.
Tigers
On tiger conservation, concerns were raised regarding the proliferation of tiger farms and Parties were encouraged to comply with existing CITES decisions relating to large scale commercial breeding facilities. Parties were also requested to report on how they propose to address the issue of existing stockpiles of captive-bred or confiscated tiger body parts and derivatives.
Further details of the deliberations and outcomes from the Standing Committee can be found on the CITES website, a summary is available in the Earth Negotiations Bulletin.
Prepared by TRAFFIC on behalf of CAWT