High-level workshop bolsters battle against major threat to Costa Rica’s biodiversity
Humane Society International / Latin America
HSI/Latin America
SAN JOSE— This week, top officials from national judicial bodies and ministries convened at the National Police Academy in Pococi, Limon Province, to intensify their fight against the illicit trade ravaging Costa Rica’s native wildlife. Backed by Humane Society International, the four-day training is a direct response to the escalating plunder and trade of wildlife species.
Wildlife trafficking has become not only a threat to hundreds of species but also one of the most lucrative illegal trades in the world, with an annual value of up to USD 20 billion. Animals such as glass frogs and beetles are increasingly illegally extracted from the Costa Rican rainforest to be paraded as exotic pets while birds, sea turtles and butterflies are killed to turn their parts into trinkets.
“Latin America is a region with a great diversity of species and, in particular, Costa Rica is considered ‘megadiverse.’ This generates a spotlight on wildlife, which becomes a resource under pressure due to human action. Wildlife trafficking in this region is a considerable threat to our biodiversity,” said Jose Pablo Gonzalez, deputy environmental prosecutor and National Environmental Security Commission coordinator.
Enhancing coordination among law enforcement agencies and hands-on drills to identify wildlife crimes at airport checkpoints were some of the topics addressed at the second workshop of the series “Combating wildlife trafficking in Costa Rica and its manifestations at the regional and national level.”
More than 40 representatives of national authorities gathered to ramp up efforts in investigating and prosecuting wildlife crime originating or transiting through Costa Rica, including officials from the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the Judicial Investigation Agency and its Forensic Sciences Laboratory, the Attorney General’s office, and the National Animal Health Service.
This series of workshops, as well as a previous donation of specialized equipment, are part of a project funded by the United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs and administered by Humane Society International/Latin America, in coordination with Costa Rica’s National Environmental Security Commission. The workshops were organized by the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
“At HSI, we view wildlife trafficking as a major threat to species around the world, including endangered ones. These animals suffer greatly and end their days as pets, decorations or souvenirs, and this is unacceptable. Therefore, we are pleased to support authorities in their investigation and prosecution efforts to reduce wildlife trafficking that originates or transits through Costa Rica,” said Andrea Borel, HSI/Latin America executive director.
“Wildlife trade encourages other illegal activities, is extremely cruel to animals, and represents a risk to human health. For this reason, we are very grateful and honored to collaborate with Costa Rican authorities in improving their capacities to combat this environmental crime,” said Joaquin de la Torre, IFAW’s regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Donation includes kennels and night cameras that will contribute to law enforcement agencies’ investigative work
Humane Society International / Latin America
HSI
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica— As wildlife trafficking has become a threat to hundreds of species, Humane Society International/Latin America is supporting Costa Rican authorities in their fight against it by donating equipment needed in wildlife trafficking investigations
The equipment, which includes animal carriers, herpetological bags, animal handling gloves and cameras, is valued at more than USD $100,000.
The donated equipment will support work done by three parts of the government: the Judicial Investigation , the Ministry of Environment and Energy, and the Ministry of Public Security.
Andrea Borel, HSI/Latin America executive director, explained that this donation is part of a project funded by the United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs and administered by HSI with the goal of improving Costa Rica’s capacity to combat wildlife trafficking.
“Wildlife trafficking is a major threat to species around the world, including endangered ones. These animals suffer greatly and end their days as pets, decorations or souvenirs, and this is unacceptable. Therefore, we are pleased to support authorities in their investigation and prosecution efforts to reduce wildlife trafficking that originates or transits through Costa Rica,” said Borel.
Shirley Ramirez, member of the National Commission for Biodiversity, said: “In recent years, we have detected an increase in cases of wildlife trafficking in Costa Rica, both aimed at national and international markets. The complexity and organization of these criminals evolves every day; hence, the importance of equipment, such as the one donated, that allows us to achieve successful investigations and subsequent legal processes.”
Wildlife trafficking is also one of the most lucrative illegal trades in the world. According to INTERPOL data, wildlife trafficking has an annual value of up to USD $20 billion. In Costa Rica, animals such as glass frogs, butterflies, beetles, birds and sea turtles are victims of the wildlife trade.
ENDS
Media Contact: Andrea Borel: +506 7300 5706; aborel@hsi.org
Humane Society International
David Paul Morris HSUS
PARIS—The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has, for the first time, included animal welfare in its Guidelines for Multinational Enterpriseson Responsible Business Conduct, urging businesses to uphold animal welfare in their policies and practices. These guidelines, regarded as a global benchmark for ethical business practices, could have far-reaching positive implications for animals across the 38 member countries of the OECD, which collectively account for approximately three-quarters of global trade.
This move aims to speed up the adoption of business practices that respect animal welfare by multinationals—regardless of size, ownership or sector—that operate in or do business with OECD member countries. It builds on the OECD’s longstanding focus on animal welfare in its Test Guidelines Programme for chemicals and has the potential to positively impact billions of animals in farms, laboratories, in the pet industry and in the wild. The revamped OECD guidelines embrace the World Organisation for Animal Health’s definition of animal welfare, effectively recognizing the sentience of animals. Although not legally binding for industry, the OECD’s 38 signatory governments are obligated to establish a complaint mechanism. The text’s power to inspire change is significantly amplified by the inclusion of provisions that empower civil society to voice their concerns through the grievance mechanism and directly engage with enterprises, holding them accountable for their neglect of animal welfare throughout their entire value chains.
Jeffrey Flocken, president of Humane Society International, says: “When we compare the OECD’s groundbreaking guidelines with the grim reality that billions of animals endure for corporate profit, the need for immediate action becomes all too obvious. Millions of animals in laboratories are forced to inhale massive doses of chemicals without any pain relief,mother pigs on factory farms are confined in narrow metal crates that deprive them of basic movement, and millions of animals on fur farms and in egg production endure a monotonous existence in tiny wire cages devoid of any enrichment whatsoever. For the OECD’s global standards to have real impact for these animals, they must serve as a rallying cry for both corporations and governments to take action to eradicate these inhumane practices.”
Marian Ingrams, director of OECD Watch, a global network of non-governmental organizations that led civil society’s advocacy to update the OECD Guidelines, says: “The meaningful inclusion of animal welfare is one of the most positive and most significant improvements, along with the inclusion of strong language on climate change, that we have been able to secure in the updated OECD Guidelines, and long overdue. We are thrilled to have collaborated with Humane Society International and other allies to secure this important success for animals, people and the planet.”
The OECD’s latest guidelines reflect a larger trend where more investors, companies and institutions are actively prioritizing the welfare of animals. Within the last several years, many financial institutions have adjusted their public environmental, social and governance policies and internal procedures to include animal welfare. This list includes large institutions like the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Rabobank and Standard Chartered. In 2011, around 50 companies committed to ending the purchase and production of eggs from caged hens. Now, over 2,000 companies worldwide have joined this pledge. The OECD’s inclusion of animal welfare is one of many signals indicating the importance of animal welfare in basic principles for good business conduct.
Media contact: Cassie Bodin-Duval (They/them), international media relations coordinator for Humane Society International: cbodinduval@hsi.org
These iconic animals return to their natural habitat, thanks to NGOs, ARCAS and HSI/Latin America
Humane Society International / Latin America
HSI
PETEN, Guatemala—Thirteen spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi), an iconic species in Latin America, were released in the Yaxha Nakum Naranjo National Park, in Peten, Guatemala, after they were rescued from illegal trafficking and went through a rigorous rehabilitation process.
These mammals’ release resulted from a joint effort by non-governmental, non-profit organizations, Asociacion Rescate y Conservacion de Vida Silvestre and Humane Society International/Latin America, who have been working together since 2007 in wildlife protection and conservation in Guatemala.
Under the guidance of the National Council for Protected Areas, ARCAS Wildlife Rescue Center and HSI staff facilitated the return of 13 spider monkeys to the forest; some, victims of wildlife trafficking and others, of negative interaction with human beings.
According to ARCAS director, Fernando Martinez, its rescue center carries out physical, medical and ethological rehabilitation of the different species that enter the facility as a result of illegal trafficking. ARCAS’ approach follows strict scientific management standards and results in animals being released in the Maya Biosphere Reserve.
“The Rescue Center’s mission is to reinforce existing wildlife populations, to prevent the extinction of species, and thus ensuring that there are healthy populations capable of adapting and reproducing in their natural habitat,” Martinez said.
Grettel Delgadillo, deputy director for HSI/Latin America, explained that negative interactions between people and wildlife are becoming more frequent in Guatemala, as well as the illegal trafficking of animals such as spider monkeys.
“That is why at HSI/Latin America and ARCAS we work to ensure a successful rehabilitation of these animals and thus give them a second chance to live in freedom. Also, through different education and public awareness initiatives, we urge everyone to refrain from buying these animals as pets, to not purchase objects that contain parts or derivatives of wild animals, and to report to the authorities any suspicious activity regarding wildlife,” Delgadillo said.
The released spider monkeys will be monitored for six months, using telemetric collars and follow-up in the field.
Humane Society International / South Africa
Urge the South African government to prohibit keeping big cats as pets and commodities and ban public contact with them.
158 glass frog species and 95 species of sharks and guitarfishes receive new protection; international trade in hippo parts for commercial purposes will continue
Humane Society International / Global
GCF Collection/Alamy
PANAMA—The 19th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora—known as CITES—is concluding today. Delegates from the 184 member countries considered 42 proposals to increase or decrease protections for 356 species of wild animals during the past two weeks in Panama.
345 wild animal species will now have new or increased protection from international trade. Sharks, guitarfish rays, stingrays, glass frogs, lizards, turtles and birds are among the animals who benefitted from the meeting. The Parties also agreed to reduce by 610 the number of leopard hunting trophies and skins for personal use that can be exported from a list of African parties. At the request of Kenya, Malawi and Ethiopia, Ethiopia’s annual export quota for leopards was slashed from 500 to 20 and Kenya and Malawi were entirely removed from leopard export quota allocations. In addition, the participating nations refused to adopt dangerous proposals that would have opened international trade in horns of southern white rhino and African elephant ivory.
Of the greatest disappointments is the failure of the Parties to increase protection of hippos by ending the legal international trade in hippo parts, mainly their ivory teeth, for commercial purposes. The European Union, which cast its 27 votes against the proposal, ignored the pleas of hippo range nations for help and left open this avenue actively used by wildlife traffickers.
“Ninety-five species of sharks and guitarfishes received new protection on CITES Appendix II,” said Rebecca Regnery, senior director for wildlife at Humane Society International. “These species are threatened by the unsustainable and unregulated fisheries that supply the international trade in their meat and fins, which has driven extensive population declines. With Appendix II listing, CITES Parties can allow trade only if it is not detrimental to the survival of the species in the wild, giving these species help they need to recover from over-exploitation.”
“Glass frogs received new protection on CITES Appendix II,” said Grettel Delgadillo, deputy director for Humane Society International/Latin America. “Glass frogs will finally receive the protection they badly need, in face of the horrific, increasing and often illegal international pet trade. It was crucial that all 158 species of glass frogs were included in Appendix II since it is difficult to distinguish the species of glass frogs in trade. The listing will keep these highly sought-after and threatened frogs safe from the international wildlife trade.”
“At the request of Kenya, Malawi and Ethiopia, the parties agreed to significantly reduce, by 610 leopards per year, those countries’ quotas for exports of leopard hunting trophies and skins for personal use, eliminating Kenya and Malawi’s quotas altogether,” said Sarah Veatch, director of wildlife policy at Humane Society International. “This is significant because leopard populations have declined 30% over the last three generations in sub-Saharan Africa—contrary to consistent overestimations by many pro-hunting range countries—and we are missing adequate data to truly understand the extent of the leopard’s plight. Excessive trophy hunting quotas based on foreign hunting interests—not science—are adding dangerous pressure on leopards who are also threatened by habitat loss and other factors. While we applaud this step taken at CITES this week to protect these iconic animals, Parties still have more work to do in zeroing out leopard export quotas for all countries if we are to protect this beautiful species from disappearing.”
“We are severely disappointed that the parties did not adopt a proposal to halt the tragic, legal international trade in hippo ivory and other parts for commercial purposes,” said Sophie Nazeri, program coordinator of wildlife for Humane Society International. “The common hippopotamus is threatened by poaching for their ivory teeth which are laundered into the legal hippo ivory trade. Unfortunately, the parties, especially the European Union which cast its 27 votes against the proposal, ignored the pleas of hippo range states for help and have left open this dangerous, cruel avenue used by wildlife traffickers. Humane Society International will continue to fight for the protection of this incredible species.”
CITES members increased or provided new protection for:
95 shark species, including 54 species of requiem sharks, the bonnethead shark, three species of hammerhead shark and 37 species of guitarfishes, traded internationally for their fins and meat.
Seven species of freshwater stingrays and the zebra pleco traded internationally in the aquarium fish trade.
160 amphibian species including 158 species of glass frogs, the lemur leaf frog and the Laos warty newt, traded internationally as exotic pets.
52 turtle species including the Amazon matamata turtle, the Orinoco matamata turtle, the alligator snapping turtle, common snapping turtle, five species of broad-headed map turtles, the red-crowned roof turtle, the Indochinese box turtle, nine species of neotropical wood turtles, the narrow-bridged musk turtle, 19 species of mud turtles, the Mexican musk turtle, the giant musk turtle, six other species of musk turtles, three species of American softshell turtles and Leith’s softshell turtle, traded internationally as exotic pets and for their meat and other body parts for human consumption.
Two bird species, the white-rumped shama and the straw-headed bulbul, traded internationally for the songbird trade.
Three species of sea cucumbers, traded internationally for human consumption.
25 lizard species including the Chinese water dragon, the Jeypore hill gecko, the helmethead gecko, 21 species of horned lizards and the pygmy bluetongue lizard, traded internationally as exotic pets.
HSl/Europe welcomes the European Commission’s adoption of the revised EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking
Humane Society International / Europe
HSI
BRUSSELS— The European Commission today adopted the revised EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking, a few days before the 19th Conference of the Parties for CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) kicks off in Panama. The new Action Plan recognises the role played by the EU in wildlife trafficking as an important destination market and a transit hub for the unsustainable legal and illegal wildlife trade; the latter is believed to have generated at least EUR 4.7 million in 2019.
The revised EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking includes many laudable commitments to prevent the scourge of wildlife trafficking and address its root causes, as well as to bolster the EU’s legal and policy framework, improve enforcement and strengthen global partnerships to combat the the illegal trade in source, consumer and transit countries. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the report notably includes a consideration of the risk of zoonotic disease transmission via the wildlife trade and the need to follow a “One Health” approach in its regulation.
Dr Joanna Swabe, senior director of public affairs at Humane Society International/Europe, says:
“It is fantastic to see that the European Commission is taking concrete policy action to address civil society’s concerns about the EU’s failures to comprehensively tackle both the legal and illegal trade in wildlife. We are delighted that the Action Plan includes a commitment to looking at the development of new tools to tackle the issue of ‘stolen wildlife.’ For many years, we have been calling on the Commission to close the loopholes in the existing legislation by criminalising the trade in illegally sourced wildlife for the exotic pet trade, which is decimating imperiled species, particularly reptiles and amphibians, such as glass frogs, in other parts of the globe.”
She adds: “We also welcome that the Commission intends to apply greater scrutiny to imports of hunting trophies and be more transparent about decision-making concerning country-species combinations for trophy imports. While a comprehensive ban on trophy hunting imports would certainly have been preferable, the very least that the EU can do is to ensure that import permits are required for all trophies from threatened and endangered species.”
The Commission is also seeking to strengthen the engagement of local communities in the management and conservation of wildlife to support the development of sustainable livelihoods in source countries. Regrettably, it misguidedly lists “well-managed trophy hunting” as a form of sustainable income.
Dr. Swabe clarifies: “The claim that trophy hunting is well-managed is highly contentious. There is a long history of a lack of proper regulation of oversight when it comes to trophy hunting. Even where trophy hunting is legal and follows management guidelines, there is evidence of population declines, indirect negative effects on populations, biologically unsustainable quotas, offtake of restricted individuals like breeding females and cubs, poor population estimates and monitoring, quotas assigned at the incorrect spatial scale, and a lack of transparency. The regulations are insufficient in ensuring populations are not negatively impacted. Studies also find that trophy hunting does not provide meaningful employment opportunities or revenues for the majority of community members, and can instead contribute to wealth inequalities. Community-based natural resource management approaches should not make the poor poorer and the rich richer.”
The EU is well-placed to demonstrate global leadership in the fight against wildlife trafficking by ensuring strict regulation of wildlife trade and their effective enforcement. The question is whether the EU will live up to this leadership role in the upcoming CITES meeting (which begins on November 15), given its failure thus far to support the hippo, glass frogs and other proposals.
FACTS:
HSI/Europe’s feedback on the roadmap for the revision of the action plan, which outlines HSI/Europe’s position on the import of hunting trophies and the need to close the loopholes in the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations, can be found here.
The EU is the second-largest importer of animal trophies in the world, according to HSI/Europe’s report. Since 2016, the EU is the largest importer of lion trophies globally. Trophies from at least 15,000 internationally protected mammals from 73 CITES-listed species have been legally imported to the EU during the period 2014-2018 and there has been an increase of nearly 40% of trophy imports during this period.
At present, the EU legal requirement for hunting trophies to be accompanied by import permits relates only to species in Annex A of the EU Wildlife Trade Regulation and six additional species listed in Annex B, namely the African elephant, common hippopotamus, African lion, southern white rhinoceros, polar bear and Argali sheep.
Legally obtained hunting trophies of the species covered by these rules can only be imported into the EU after a Member State has issued an import permit and verified that such imports have been legally acquired and will not be detrimental to the conservation of the species. There is no transparent process for the issuance of such permits and non-detriment findings. Hunting trophies of all other species are exempted from this rule.
With respect to the need to close the loopholes in the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations, the CITES does not cover all illegal wildlife trade. Many threatened species are protected from exploitation in their home countries but are not protected from being traded, either through domestic legislation or by CITES, and such domestic protections are often poorly enforced. In addition, many demand-focused countries have no protections for non-native species. As a result, wildlife traffickers are able to easily smuggle these animals into legal (or illegal) international trade flows, and once out of their countries of origin, little can be done to stop the trade in these species.
Many demand-focused countries have no protections for non-native species. As a result, wildlife traffickers can easily smuggle these animals into legal—or illegal—international trade flows, and once out of their countries of origin, little can be done to stop the trade in these species. HSI/Europe is urging the EU to adopt supplementary legislation prohibiting the importation, transshipment, purchase and sale of wildlife taken illegally in the country of origin.
ENDS
Media contact: Yavor Gechev, Humane Society International/Europe: ygechev@hsi.org; +359889468098
Humane Society International / Europe
Vanessa Mignon
BRUSSELS—Humane Society International/Europe, Pro Wildlife, Born Free Foundation, Eurogroup for Animals and Pan African Sanctuary Alliance today presented a new report at an event at the European Parliament, which was hosted by German MEP Manuela Ripa ÖDP, Greens/EFA. The report highlights how the recreational killing of threatened and protected animals for trophies undermines the EU’s efforts to meet its ambitions to better protect wildlife and halt biodiversity loss. The NGOs are calling on the EU to take action to ban the import of hunting trophies from threatened and protected species. Just lastweekthe European Parliament passed a resolutionalso calling for an EU wide import ban of hunting trophies from species protected under the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) treaty.
Dr. Joanna Swabe, senior director of public affairs for Humane Society International/Europe, says:“In its Biodiversity Strategy to 2030, the European Commission loudly trumpets its goal of halting global biodiversity loss, yet the EU continues to be the second largest importer of hunting trophies in the world. It is only a tiny minority of wealthy European citizens who choose to travel to other countries to kill endangered and threatened species for their own twisted pleasure. Their trophy hunting poses a completely unnecessary and additional threat to biodiversity. Many wildlife populations across the globe are already under pressure from habitat loss and degradation, climate change, over-exploitation and poaching, they really don’t need a bunch of ego ists stalking them with high-powered rifles or bows just so they can hang their body parts on the walls of their homes as proof of their hunting prowess. The EU must take action to halt these vile imports.”
Dr. Mark Jones, head of policy for the Born Free Foundation, adds:“It is high time that the EU reconsiders its policy towards consumptive wildlife use, of which trophy hunting is an egregious example. Each year, hundreds of thousands of wild animals suffer and die at the hands of wealthy hunters for ‘trophies’ to skin, stuff, and hang on a wall. Not only does wildlife have an intrinsic value, but wild animals, such as giraffes, elephants, polar bears and rhinos, are ultimately worth more alive than dead. Many of these trophies are imported into EU countries. We believe that the EU should be looking at how it can encourage and reward investment in protecting wildlife, and explore the benefits that can be gained by local communities through its non-consumptive and ecologically sustainable use.”
Dr. Mona Schweizer of Pro Wildlife adds:“The trophy hunting industry is always quick to claim that their activities help poor indigenous communities in Africa and elsewhere. Yet, there is ample evidence that little money trickles down to individual local community members or households. There are limited job opportunities for locals working for trophy hunting outfitters, which are usually operated by white, foreign business owners. In major exporting countries such as South Africa and Namibia trophy hunting largely takes place on private farms. Any benefits there may be from trophy hunting are not distributed equally. Few people in communities where trophy hunting programmes are operated profit from them. Indeed, trophy hunting even perpetuates wealth inequalities. The European Commission should stop taking industry claims about supporting livelihoods at face value and consider who really benefits from this bloodsport? It’s neither local communities nor wildlife! ”
Reineke Hameleers, CEO of Eurogroup for Animals, says:“There is strong public support for banning hunting trophies imports. It is no wonder that there has already been movement in a number of Member States with regard to halting the import of hunting trophies from threatened and endangered species. Earlier this year, the Belgian Federal Parliament unanimously passed a resolution demanding that the government immediately stop authorising trophy import permits of species protected under certain international trade regulations. If the responsible Minister takes action, she will be following in the footsteps of the Netherlands, which used the same legal path to ban hunting trophy imports from over 200 species back in 2016. Last week, the European Parliament adopted a Resolution that includes a call for the Commission and Member States to take ‘immediate effective action in the framework of its commitments outlined in the EU biodiversity strategy to ban the import of hunting trophies derived from CITES-listed species’. The long-awaited revision of the EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking should provide an ideal opportunity for them to do so.”
Trophies from at least 15,000 internationally protected mammals from 73 CITES-listed species have been legally imported to the EU during the period 2014-2018 and there has been an increase of nearly 40% of trophy imports during this period. If you add other taxa and species that aren’t afforded international protection, the true number is far higher.
The top five EU Member States to import mammalian hunting trophies were Germany, Spain, Denmark, Austria and Sweden.
At present, the EU legal requirement for hunting trophies to be accompanied by import permits relates only to species in Annex A of the EU Wildlife Trade Regulation and six additional species listed in Annex B, namely the African elephant, common hippopotamus, African lion, southern white rhinoceros, polar bear and Argali sheep.
Legally obtained hunting trophies of the species covered by these rules can only be imported into the EU after a Member State has issued an import permit and verified that such imports have been legally acquired and will not be detrimental to the conservation of the species . There is no transparent process for the issuance of such permits and non-detriment findings. Hunting trophies of all other species are exempted from this rule.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s World Commission on Environmental Law Ethics Specialist Group calls for an end to hunting trophy imports under ethical, ecological and legal reasons.
The Belgian Federal Parliament unanimously passed a resolution demanding that the government immediately stop authorising trophy import permits of species protected under certain international trade regulations.
This year, the governments of Italy, Spain and Poland are actively considering policy options to ban the import and export of certain hunting trophies supported by strong public opinion polls; based on a 2021 representative survey, the majority of citizens in each country support a hunting trophy import ban.
Prior to these developments, the Netherlands and France pioneered this paradigm shift in Europe. In 2015, France implemented a ban on the import of lion hunting trophies. In the same year, the Dutch government adopted a decision to ban the trophy imports of over 200 species, which came into force in 2016.
A recent policy statement signed by around 170 conservation and animal protection non-governmental organisations from around the globe is also calling for an urgent end to trophy hunting. Several of these organisations are from key source countries for hunting trophies.
Hippopotamus with Cattle Egret on back, in reeds at edge of River Nile at Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda
WASHINGTON—The 19th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora—known as CITES—will meet November 14-25 in Panama City, Panama, where delegates from the 184 member countries will consider 52 proposals to increase or decrease protections for 600 species of wild animals and plants. Key issues on the table include increasing protections for hippos, elephants, glass frogs and sharks, and amending annual leopard trophy export quotas.
Humane Society International experts will be attending the meeting to lobby countries to support proposals that could help ensure species are not pushed further toward the brink of extinction by overexploitation through international trade in their parts and products. The HSI delegation will be available for comment throughout the proceedings.
Key species listing and other proposals to be discussed include:
Hippos: Ten African countries propose to include the common hippopotamus in Appendix I of CITES, which would effectively prohibit international commercial trade in hippo parts and products. Hippos are threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching for their meat and ivory, and they continue to be targeted for commercial trade in ivory, skins and trophies, including by poachers. Current legal and illegal exploitation levels are predicted to lead to wild population declines, indicating the need to enact a higher level of protection for this species. HSI released an undercover investigation earlier this year into the robust sale of hippo parts in the U.S.
Adam Peyman, director of wildlife programs for HSI, said: “Hippos are an iconic African species, yet the scale of the international trade in their parts and products such as tusks, teeth, skins, skulls and trophies is shocking. We urge CITES Parties to adopt this proposal to ensure that this commercial trade ends. This pointless industry of selling animal parts, along with other threats facing hippos, is pushing these incredible animals to the brink of extinction.”
Glass frogs: Fourteen countries in Central and South America are proposing to include the family of glass frogs in Appendix II of CITES. Twelve members of this family are highly threatened, but it is nearly impossible to distinguish them from other, less threatened species, indicating the need to enact protection for all glass frogs. Listing them on Appendix II of the Convention would provide crucial monitoring and put measures in place to help ensure that future trade is legal and sustainable.
Grettel Delgadillo, deputy director, HSI Latin America, said: “Glass frogs, with their translucent skin, are an amazing family of species. Sadly that is what has attracted the attention of the pet traders, who will go as far as smuggling live frogs out of Central and South America to sell them. It is crucial that CITES Parties adopt this proposal to stem the illegal trade in these incredible frogs and put in place critical monitoring of legal trade to prevent overexploitation by the pet industry.”
Sharks: There are three proposals to list families of sharks and related species on Appendix II. The proposals are to list requiem sharks, hammerhead sharks and guitarfishes, which are related to sharks. All of these species have low reproductive output and several species in each species group are highly endangered. Fins are the primary products in trade derived from the endangered members of these families. As these fins are practically indistinguishable from those of other species, their families should be included in Appendix II so that international trade can be monitored to ensure it is sustainable and legal.
Rebecca Regnery, senior director of wildlife for HSI, said: “Several shark and guitarfish species have seen declines in their wild populations of up to 70-90%. It is unconscionable that trade in fins from these imperiled families is not monitored to ensure its legality or sustainability, especially since upward of 100 million sharks are killed each year for their fins. We urge CITES Parties to adopt the proposals to list requiem sharks, hammerheads and guitarfishes on Appendix II before it is too late.”
Leopard trophy hunting quotas: Although the leopard is threatened with extinction and trophy hunting is one of the major threats to its survival, CITES Parties have set export quotas for 12 countries that allow for the annual export of up to 2,648 leopard trophies or skins. These controversial export quotas are not based on science. Furthermore, trophy hunting has been shown to cause population declines. Two countries with such quotas, Kenya and Malawi, are asking for their quotas to be removed, while Ethiopia is asking for its annual quota to be reduced from 500 to 20 leopards. However, this leaves leopards in the remaining nine countries in the crosshairs, including two countries (Tanzania and Zimbabwe) with an outrageous annual export quota of 500 leopards each.
Southern white rhino and African elephant proposals: HSI is urging countries to oppose a dangerous proposal that would reduce CITES protection for southern white rhinos in Namibia, which are under severe threat due to poaching for rhino horn. If adopted, the proposal would ease control over international trade in hunting trophies of the species. In addition, HSI is supporting a proposal to increase CITES protection of African elephants in Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, which would increase regulation of international trade in hunting trophies. Given the serious and long-lasting impacts of trophy hunting on species survival, it is imperative that member countries restrict the trade world-wide in hunting trophies of species listed under this Convention.
Sarah Veatch, director of wildlife policy for HSI, said: “CITES is the international oversight authority for trade between member countries in hunting trophies of leopards, elephants, rhinos, lions and others. As highly sought-after trophies, it is imperative that members take a precautionary approach here. Quotas based on outdated data, unreliable data or inaccurate methods are unacceptable and should be invalidated. CITES Parties have the opportunity to give these species the necessary protections and oversight to avoid overexploitation, and we urge them act with prudence before we reach a point of no return.”
Members of the Humane Society International delegation to CITES include:
Jeff Flocken, HSI president
Rebecca Regnery, HSI senior director wildlife, U.S.
Madison Miketa, HSI wildlife scientist, U.S.
Sarah Veatch, HSI director, wildlife policy, U.S.
Sophie Nazeri, HSI wildlife program coordinator, U.S.
Grettel Delgadillo, deputy director, HSI/Latin America, Costa Rica
Lawrence Chlebek, marine biologist, HSI Australia
Mai Nguyen, wildlife program manager, HSI in Viet Nam
STRASBOURG, France—Today, the European Parliament adopted a resolution unequivocal in its demands regarding the European Union’s objectives for the upcoming meeting of the parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
While Parliament is making clear statements about eliminating the scourge of wildlife trafficking, closing the loopholes in the EU wildlife trade regulations and ending the imports of hunting trophies from CITES-listed species, Humane Society International/Europe has concerns as to whether the European Commission and the Member States will pay heed to the Parliament’s demands.
In November, representatives of the countries that have signed the CITES treaty will meet in Panama for the 19th meeting of the parties. At COP19, they will decide whether an array of threatened and endangered species, including the common hippopotamus, African elephants, requiem sharks and glass frogs, should be given stronger, or weaker, international protection from overexploitation for commercial trade. Humane Society International/Europe is deeply concerned that the Commission has already recommended that the EU should not support a proposal from 10 African range states to transfer the common hippo to CITES Appendix I, which would prohibit all commercial international trade in hippo parts and products and throw a lifeline to this imperilled species. In addition, the Commission has recommended that the EU abstain on the proposal from 14 CITES Parties to list glass frogs on Appendix II, which would provide crucial protections and trade monitoring of these imperilled amphibians.
Dr Joanna Swabe, senior director of public affairs for Humane Society International/Europe, says: “We are delighted that MEPs have adopted such a strong resolution in advance of the CITES COP19 meeting, recognizing the persistent threat posed to wildlife by international trade. Given that the EU is a highly influential bloc in CITES decision-making, they are often in the position to make or break decisions. Failure to support the hippo, glass frogs and other proposals put forward by range States, who are seeking to gain much-needed extra protection for their endemic species whose survival is threatened by overexploitation for commercial trade, may push them further towards the brink of extinction. It is unconscionable for the EU not to support such proposals given its own loudly trumpeted biodiversity strategy commitments to do all it can to halt global biodiversity decline.”
In addition to demonstrating its support for various CITES proposals, the European Parliament’s resolution recognizes that the EU’s role in the global fight against wildlife trafficking needs further strengthening. MEPs echo Humane Society International’s call for the Commission to take action to close the loopholes in the existing EU wildlife trade regulations by delivering a legislative proposal to criminalize the import, export, sale, acquisition or purchase of wild species that are taken, possessed, transported or sold in violation of the law of the country of origin.
HSI also welcomes the European Parliament’s call for urgent action to be taken to prohibit the import of hunting trophies derived from CITES-listed species. The EU is the world’s second largest importer of hunting trophies behind the United States. EU law continues to allow hunters to import trophies from threatened species, many of which are protected internationally through CITES and the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations and Habitats Directive.
Liam Slattery, Humane Society International/Europe’s trophy hunting campaign director, said: “The European Parliament’s call for urgent action to curb the import of CITES-listed species hunting trophies is a move supported by a clear majority of the public across member states. The Netherlands and France have already implemented bans on certain species of trophy. The Belgian Federal Parliament has passed a unanimous resolution demanding the government stop authorising trophy import permits. And the Environment Ministry in Germany has expressed an intention to restrict import of hunting trophies from protected animal species. With other Member States also actively considering proposals to limit or prohibit trophy imports, the Commission must display leadership on this issue in line with such measures, and the EU’s own biodiversity strategy.”
Facts:
HSI strongly urges the EU to support the CITES COP19 Proposal 1 to list the common hippo on Appendix I. Wild hippo populations are declining or unknown in 65% of countries they inhabit. Hippo ivory is popular among consumers and nearly 80,000 hippo products—nearly all wild sourced—were imported in the most recent decade for which data are available. Poaching and trafficking are a primary threat to hippos, and the illegal trade is often intermingled with legal trade. Further, the current levels of offtake—both legal and illegal—are predicted to result in future declines in wild hippo populations. This indicates the need to curtail international commercial trade in this species due to conservation concerns and the risk of promoting the illegal killing and trade. The EU contributes to the exploitation of hippos—nearly 800 hippo trophies were imported by EU Member States between 2014 and 2018.
HSI strongly urges the EU to support the CITES COP19 proposal to list glass frogs on Appendix II. Half of the species in this family are threatened with extinction, and individuals of highly threatened species are indistinguishable from others, necessitating the inclusion of the entire family in Appendix II. As the males of many of these frog species actively defend clutches of eggs, removal of males results in depredation of entire clutches, causing high mortality rates. Further, glass frogs have become increasingly popular in the international pet trade, and much of the trade happens illegally. Listing the family on Appendix II would bring much-needed monitoring of international commercial trade and help to stem illegal trade in these species.
HSI strongly urges the EU to support all of the proposals to add or increase protection for reptile and amphibian species. There are 21 of these covering 239 species which includes 53 turtle species. All these vulnerable species face threats including overexploitation for international trade. It is alarming that the Commission is not recommending support for many of these proposals from range states seeking assistance from importing countries including EU countries in controlling trade to ensure wild populations are not decimated.
Between 2014 and 2018, the EU imported nearly 15,000 hunting trophies—around eight per day—of 73 internationally protected species.
The number of trophies coming into the EU increased by 40% in five years, despite opinion polls indicating that the vast majority of EU citizens surveyed are clearly against trophy hunting and would like to see an end to this brutal industry.
ENDS
Media contact: Cassie Bodin-Duval, international coordinator media relations: cbodinduval@hsi.org ; +32 (0) 469 149 469
