Introduction - CITES Species

Introduction - CITES Species

Background | Legislative Framework | CITES Species

CITES Appendices

Currently, over 2,500 animal and 25,000 plant species are included in the Appendices of CITES. Not all the species are exotic – some are native to the UK and other parts of Europe. The species included in Appendices I and II, and other matters relating to the implementation of CITES, are discussed at the biennial Conference of the Parties (COP) to CITES. Proposals to amend the Appendices are put forward by Parties to the Conference. These are voted on (each Party has one vote) and are adopted if they achieve a two-thirds majority. Amendments to Appendix III can be made by any Party at any time and no vote is required. Countries may have reservations on the listing of certain species. In these cases, for the purposes of trade, these countries are treated as if they were not a Party to the Convention. The different Appendices are as follows:

Appendix I includes species that may be threatened with extinction and which are or may be affected by international trade. International trade in wild specimens of these species is subject to strict regulation and is normally only permitted in exceptional circumstances. Trade in artificially propagated or captive-bred specimens is allowed, subject to license. Over 800 species are included in Appendix I at present, including tigers, great apes, certain parrots and certain species of orchids and cacti.

Appendix II includes species not considered to be under the same threat as those in Appendix I, but which may become so if trade is not regulated. International trade in these species is monitored through a licensing system to ensure that trade can be sustained without detriment to wild populations. Trade in wild, captive bred and artificially propagated specimens is allowed, subject to permit. Approximately 29,000 different species are included in Appendix II, including polar bears, Asiatic cobras, orchids, cacti and carnivorous plants.

Appendix III contains species that are not necessarily threatened on a global level, but that are protected within individual states where that state has sought the help of other CITES Parties to control international trade in that species. Examples include the Bengal fox from India, the Neotropical rattle snake from Honduras, and mahogany from Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico and Bolivia and the Basking shark from the UK.

EC Regulation Annexes

In the European Union the CITES Appendices are replaced by Annexes to EC Regulation 338/97.

Annex A - includes all species listed in Appendix I of CITES, plus certain other species included because they look the same, need a similar level of protection, or to secure the effective protection of rare taxa within the same genus.

Annex B - includes all the remaining species listed in Appendix II of CITES, plus certain other species included on a "lookalike" basis, or because the level of trade may not be compatible with the survival of the species or local populations, or because they pose an ecological threat to indigenous species.

Annex C – includes all the remaining species listed in Appendix III of CITES.

Annex D – includes those non CITES species not listed in Annexes A and C which are imported into the Community in such numbers as to warrant monitoring.

Publications

Checklists and other publications on CITES species have been produced by the UK Scientific Authorities. Checklists are widely used by CITES Parties throughout the world and are an important reference tool for enforcement authorities involved in the prevention of illegal trade in endangered species. They are supported by references and give links to the CITES identification manual. The checklists were prepared by UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre and published by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. They include:

UNEP-WCMC. (2005). Checklist of herpetofauna listed in the CITES appendices and in EC Regulation 338/97. 10^th edition. JNCC Report No. 378. (1362Kb pdf)

UNEP-WCMC. (2005). Checklist of fish and invertebrates listed in the CITES appendices and in EC Regulation 338/97. 7^th edition. JNCC Report No. 379. (2425Kb pdf)

UNEP-WCMC. (2005). Checklist of mammals listed in the CITES appendices and in EC Regulation 338/97. 7^th edition. JNCC Report No. 380. (1671Kb pdf)

UNEP-WCMC. (2005). Checklist of birds listed in the CITES appendices and in EC Regulation 338/97. 8^th edition. JNCC Report No. 381. (2795Kb pdf)

These reports are also available from the publications department at JNCC

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Davis et al. (1999). The CITES Bulb Checklist. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK. A reference to Galanthus, Sternbergia (Liliaceae) and Cyclamen (Primulaceae).

Hunt, D. (1999). CITES Cactaceae Checklist. Second edition. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK. A CITES reference to the names of species included in the Cactaceae family.

Roberts, J. et al. (1995). CITES Orchid Checklist. Volume 1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK. A reference to Cattleya, Cypripedium, Laelia, Paphiopedilum, Phalaenopsis, Phragmipedium, Pleione and Sophronitis.

Roberts, J. et al. (1997). CITES Orchid Checklist. Volume 2. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK. A reference to Cymbidium, Dendrobium (selected sections), Disa, Dracula and Encyclia.

Sandison, M.S., M. Clement Muñoz, J. de Koning and M. Sajeva (1999), updated 2nd edition September 2002. CITES and Plants: A User's Guide. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK

Newsletter: 'CITES News'

Available from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, publications page.


www.jncc.gov.uk Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Monkstone House, City Road Peterborough, PE1 1JY United Kingdom.	www.defra.gov.uk/animalhealth/ Wildlife Licensing and Registration Service Defra, 1/17 Temple Quay House, 2 The Square,Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6EB United Kingdom.	www.rbgkew.org.uk Conventions and Policy Section, Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AE United Kingdom.