5 October 2016: The UN Environment Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) launched a report on wildlife trade in Southern Africa and a factsheet on wildlife trade in the Amazon at the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP17) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). UNEP-WCMC and the Government of Ecuador also released a report, titled ‘Ecuador’s Wildlife Trade.’

Titled ‘Southern Africa’s Wildlife Trade: An Analysis of CITES Trade in SADC Countries (CoP 17 Inf.78),’ the report provides a baseline of information on trade levels and trends in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) between 2005-2014, with the aim of informing SADC’s future trade management. Hunting trophies, live parrots and reptiles, crocodile skins and meat, live plants and plant derivatives dominated CITES trade in the region, with 18,000 individuals exported annual from the region, primarily from the wild. The report also highlights: US$340 million annually from CITES-listed exports from the region; an increasing trend in exports of captive-bred trophies from Panthera leo (African lion); the US and the European Union (EU) as the main import markets for mammal trophies; an increasing trend of live parrot exports to western Asia; and high volumes of export of Hoodia gordonii (Bitter Ghaap) seeds, particularly in 2007-2008, when international pharmaceutical companies were researching its properties as a dietary supplement. The report recommends, inter alia: ensuring equitable sharing of benefits with local communities; investing in adequate monitoring of populations; and putting in place robust non-detriment findings (NDFs) for species in trade and monitoring the effects of trade.

The report titled ‘Wildlife Trade in the Amazon Region’ presents an overview of CITES-listed trade in wildlife in the eight Amazonian countries between 2005-2014. The factsheet displays the main trade routes and exports by species, over time and by country, and highlights exports of wild-source mammals, birds and timber and captive-bred and artificially propagated reptile skins, live fish and orchids. Peru and Bolivia are the main countries of export of timber by volume. The Amazon report is part of an effort by UNEP-WCMC and Germany’s Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), in collaboration with members of the Amazonian Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO), to analyze CITES trade in Amazonian countries. Further results are expected to be presented in 2017.

The report titled ‘Ecuador’s Wildlife Trade’ provides a baseline of trade levels and trends in Ecuador between 2004-2014, with the aim of informing future trade management and ensuring its legality, sustainability and traceability. The report highlights Ecuador’s: high amphibian species diversity and high concentration of threatened species; an emerging amphibian pet trade; shark by-catch, with fins being exported to China and Hong Kong; an ornamental fish trade that is often unreported or lacks data on species type and origin; and increasing orchid exports.

UNEP-WCMC launched the reports at an event organized by the South African CITES Scientific Authority (SANBI), which focused on promoting science-based decision making. [UNEP-WCMC Press Release] [Southern Africa’s Wildlife Trade: An Analysis of CITES Trade in the SADC Countries] [Wildlife Trade in the Amazon Region] [Ecuador’s Wildlife Trade] [IISD RS Coverage of CITES CoP17]