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New protections for sharks, songbirds, frogs and more at CITES trade summit

By Elizabeth Claire Alberts - Mongabay The 19th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES, known as CoP19, ended Nov. 25 in Panama, after two weeks of negotiations.Member states agreed on new trade regulations for more than 600 animal and plant species, including the protection of sharks, glass frogs, turtles, songbirds and tropical timber species.Experts say that while these new regulations are essential, implementing and enforcing the rules will have the most significant conservation impact. Amid a global biodiversity crisis,...

CITES places temporary ban on the export of live elephants from African countries

By Lenin Ndebele, News 24 he ongoing Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), in Panama, placed a temporary ban on live elephant exports from Africa and shut the door on the ivory trade. The brief ban has compromised countries, such as Zimbabwe and Namibia, who have been trading in live elephants. On 6 March this year, Namibia announced that 22 live, wild-caught elephants had been exported to the United Arab Emirates, in what it called a private transaction, amid an outcry by animal activists. In 2019, Zimbabwe sold more than 90 elephants to...

Kenyan delegation thwarts bid to reopen ivory trade

By Gilbert Koech, The Star A Kenyan delegation to a crucial conservation conference has dashed the hopes of countries keen to reopen the international ivory trade. Various African countries were proposing the reopening of the trade at the ongoing 19th meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP19) in Panama City. CoP19 is scheduled to run until November 25. The proposal to reopen the ivory trade failed to achieve the two-thirds majority required to pass it. Fifteen governments voted in favour, 83...

Mixed results for African elephants at the world wildlife trade conference in Panama

By Adam Cruise & Keith Lindsay PANAMA CITY: During the 19th Conference of the Parties (CoP19) in Panama of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the plight of African elephants has once again been prominent on the agenda. The 170 nations (called Parties) present at CoP19, which runs from the 14th to 25th of November, will decide whether measures must be adopted to afford endangered species of plants and animals stronger or weaker protection from exploitation for international trade. Adoption of proposals is decided through voting in which a two-thirds...