What is CITES?

Roughly 5,000 species of animals and 28,000 species of plants are protected by CITES against over-exploitation through international trade, including whole groups such as primates, cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises), sea turtles, parrots, corals, seahorses, sturgeon, cacti and orchids.

Twenty-one nations signed the Convention on 3 March 1973; on 1 July 1975 CITES entered into force. Although the Parties to CITES are legally bound to implement the Convention, it does not take the place of national laws. Each Party is obliged to adopt its own domestic legislation to implement CITES regulations at the national level.

CITES provides mechanism in the world for regulating and monitoring the international trade in wildlife worldwide.

CITES addresses the issue of species conservation through trade regulation on several levels.

International trade is endangering the survival of some species. Other species not yet facing extinction are diminishing in numbers so much that their unregulated use may threaten their survival in the future. There are also some species that are not at risk internationally, but a country of origin may want to protect its populations internally, and therefore needs the cooperation of other nations to control trade.

Species are grouped in the Appendices according to how threatened they are or may become as a result of international trade.

In some cases, only a subspecies or geographically distinct population is listed: for example, the population of a species in just one country such as elephants in South Africa, Botswana, Simbawe and Namibia. In others, a species may be listed on Appendix II -- and an export quota of zero set -- because enforcement problems require such a restriction.

Species are grouped in the CITES Appendices according to how threatened they may be by international trade.