FWD: Species to save

October 5, 2004

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eatures

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Tuesday October 5, 2004

Species to save

The 13th Conference of Parties (CoP13) to the Convention on International Trade

in Endangered Species opened in Bangkok last Saturday, with participants all set

to deliberate on some 50 proposals to update trade rules. HILARY CHIEW looks

into the arguments in support of the listing of several species.

FOR the first time in its near 30-year history, the Convention on International

Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) opened in Bangkok – one of the world’s

thriving capitals for wildlife trade – last Saturday. The 13-day meet will see

the participation of government officials from 166 member nations, wildlife

conservationists and the boisterous animal activists.

Bringing the meeting to this region is made all the more significant with the

inclusion of Laos early this year into the world’s foremost conservation treaty

governing wildlife. It would also spell full participation from Asean in the

inter-governmental agreement that regulates global trade on selected species of

flora and fauna, estimated to be worth billions of dollars annually.

Since the convention was signed in Washington DC in 1973 by an initial 80

countries and entered into force in 1975, trade in more than 30,000 wildlife

species is currently being regulated under three appendices aimed at promoting

sustainable use.

Appendix I applies the most stringent controls on species threatened with

extinction, Appendix II regulates trade that could potentially lead to the

extinction of certain species, while Appendix III includes species listed by an

individual country in an effort to enlist international cooperation to control

trade from their country. As the impact of trade makes itself felt on a

population or species, the species can be added or removed from the appendices,

or transferred from one appendix to another. A two-thirds vote from parties is

needed to effect any amendments to the Appendices.

Over the years, Cites has fine-tuned the criteria it uses for listing a

species. It puts the onus on the proposing government to make its case on the

basis of scientific criteria. To do this, the government must provide as much

detailed information and data as possible on population status and trade trends.

It is worth noting that when a species is transferred to a lower category, this

does not necessarily mean that it is accorded less protection. Rather, it can be

a sign of success that a species’ population has recovered to the point where

well-regulated trade, using a Cites trade permit, may be possible.

Cites also argues that by allowing a species to be commercially traded at

sustainable levels, an Appendix II listing can actually enhance protection by

giving local people a greater stake in the species’ survival.

While high-profile species like the African elephant and whales that had hogged

previous debates, are expected to take up substantial deliberation time at the

conference in Bangkok, delegates will also decide on the appropriate level of

protection to be accorded to less majestic but equally threatened species in

world trade.

These include the great white shark, the ramin timber tree, the Chinese yew (a

medicinal shrub), the yellow-crested cockatoo and the lilac-crowned parrot, five

Asian turtles, the white rhinoceros, the Nile and American crocodiles and the

European date mussel.

Out of the 50 proposals, several are of direct concern to Malaysia, the first

South-East Asian country to accede to the convention in 1977.

Ramin

Struggling to control the illegal trading of ramin, Indonesia has submitted a

proposal to upgrade all species of ramin from Appendix III to Appendix II. This

will set a precedent for the inclusion of a highly-valued commercial timber

species in Appendix II. Out of the 30 species of Gonystylus, six are of

commercial importance with the G. bancanus being the most heavily exploited

species.

After Indonesia, Malaysia is the second largest exporter of this tropical

hardwood. Allegations of illegal sourcing of ramin – comprising sawn logs and

even finished products like picture frames and billiard cues – have caused

concern among international buyers.

Ramin populations have been so severely depleted that timber production has

fallen drastically in recent years. According to a report by wildlife monitoring

network, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, the declining status of the Gonystylus spp can

be inferred from the drop in the annual volume harvested in Indonesia. From a

peak of 1.5 million cu.m in the 1970s, it dropped to 131,307 cu.m in 2000.

Malaysian’s harvest dropped from a peak of 600,000 cu.m in 1989 to 137,512 cu.m

in 2000.

Agarwood-producing species

The escalating market price for the fragrant heartwood, particularly the

Aquilaria spp, is fuelling unsustainable harvest in the range states from India

to South-East Asia. The critically-endangered Aquilaria population in India

prompted the government to push for the listing of one of the species –

Aquilaria malaccensis – on Appendix II in 1995.

Current demands from the Middle East and Asia are met largely by unmanaged,

wild-harvested stocks, many of which are declining as a result. Widespread

illegal harvest and trade are also reported. Trade in Gyrinops species has

increased in recent years. Malaysia has complained about the encroachment of

Thai collectors in its forested areas. The valuable resin from Aquilaria trees

is much sought after by perfumeries and the traditional medicine industry.

TRAFFIC International recommends member parties to support the proposal by

Indonesia to include all species in these two genus in Appendix II for effective

Cites implementation as identification of agarwood-products in trade is

extremely difficult.

Humphead wrasse and great white shark

Regarded as the most commercially significant proposals, the inclusion in

Appendix II of the large reef fish and the great white shark is another step

towards using Cites trade rules to protect valuable fish species. The wrasse is

traded live for the restaurant business, while the great white shark is hunted

for its teeth and fins. The whale shark and basking shark were listed under

Cites at CoP12.

Asian turtles

The United States and Indonesia proposed the listing of four genera and one

family of freshwater turtles under Appendix II. The turtles were classified as

vulnerable by the authoritative International Union on Conservation of Nature

and Natural Resources (IUCN). This included the critically-endangered Roti

Snake-necked turtle which is endemic to Roti Island in Indonesia.

Large-scale harvest within range states, prompted by the notorious Chinese food

market, has resulted in substantial decline of these reptiles. Listing at the

genus and family level will facilitate Cites implementation, should the genus or

family be split into more than one species in future. In addition to proposals

submitted by the various parties, the meeting will examine a number of

strategic, conservation and implementation issues. For example, the European

Community (EC) wants Cites to urge the Convention on Biological Diversity, the

Food and Agriculture Organisation, and others to address more actively the bush

meat crisis caused by the over-hunting of local wildlife in Central Africa.

The EC also calls on Cites to adopt a resolution on the great apes, urging all

governments to take stronger action to protect these primates. It is also

recommending stronger action to protect Central Asia’s saiga antelope which

continues to suffer declining numbers despite being listed in Appendix II in

1995.

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