How effective is CITES?
Almost the same controversies surrounded the proposal
from South Africa to lift the ban in exports of the Southern White Rhinoceros, which was also rejected by
the cop-10. South Africa, home to the largest population of
White Rhinos, wanted a zero quota initiaAy, until a trading
system with appropriate controls is set up to prevent lioandering of illegal products. fhe proposal pointed OLIt that the
trade ban has not been responsible for the increase in rhino
numbers - the population in South Africa has grown from 20
to more than 7,500 only because of effective protection and
management. Since the trade ban in 1977, the African Black
Rhino and the three Asianspecies have declined dramatically,
and poaching continues today (see box: Under siege: the
rhino). Between 1970 and 1993, more than 95 per cent of the
world's Black rhinoceroses disappeared and populations of
Javan and Surnatran rhinos are on the brink of extinction. In
India, poaching has decimated the population of the Greater
One-Horned Rhinoceros in recent years, despite measures to
protect the population, concentrated in Assam (see table:
Dwindling population).
The major immediate threat for all species of rhinos today
is use of the rhino horn in traditional Chinese medicine, and
for manufacturing traditional dagger handles in Yemen and
Oman. Rhino conservation in both Africa and Asia comes at a
very high cost - as much as $1000-1500 per sq km. The bulk
of this expenditure has been borne by the governments or private sector management authorities. Continuing this pendi
ture is one of the major problems facing conservation departments in Africa. Many conservationists feel that the only way
to curtail rhino poaching is to work with the practitioners of
Chinese traditional medicine. Two major workshops with traditional medicine communities from China have already been
conducted.
At the 9th CITES meeting, South Africa forwarded a proposal to have its population of White Rhinoceroses moved
from Appendix I to Appendix ii,. It also wanted live rhinos listed for sale and for hunting trophies. Because most of the
southern African populations live on private land, these countries want rhino horn trade legalised.
"The private sector plays an increasingly important role in rhino conservation - it already owns more than 20
per cent of the nation's stock," says
Michael Tsas-Roffes, a conservation
economist from South Africa. "By
expanding markets for rhino products, such as skins and eventually
horn, incentives to reinvest profits in
conservation will be greatly increased."
Meanwhile, South Africa's proposal has been strongly opposed by the
Indian delegation, headed by S C Dey.
It circulated a declaration signed by
about 250 members of Indian
Parliament, calling upon governments
participating in the cop to "forcefully
and publicly oppose" any proposal
for the legalisation of trade in rhino
horn, as this would provide an opportunity to poachers in India to pass
off horns from Indian rhinos into the
legal route (see report, 'No horn,
please', page 13).
Among other issues discussed at CITES which drew attention was the proposal from Finland, Bulgaria and Jordan to
move all Asian and European populations of brown bear
(Ursus arctos) from Appendix it to Appendix I. The proposal
on th'e brown bear was rejected on the grounds that most populations do not meet the necessary criterion, and that there
was a healthy population of the species. Jn countries like
Spain, France, Greece, and Italy the
brown bear has been threatened by
habitat destruction and illegal killing
animals, but the culprit
of problem
once again is not trade, it was maintained. "The most recent information
available does not confirm that international trade in bear parts is causing a
decline in their populations," said officials from TRAFFIC. The gall bladder of
the brown bear is used in traditional Chinese medicine.
A similar problem is faced with
regard to the Royal Bengal Tiger,
which has been poached heavily in
recent years. The bones of the animal
are used in traditional Chinese medicines. Despite efforts by the government of India and NGOS like the World
Wide Fund For Nature-India to protect the species, the tiger is endangered
and will remain so as long as illegal
trade continues (see box: Troubled tiger). But TRAFFIC cautions countries
against looking on CITES as a panacea
from poaching. National agencies are responsible for enforcement of anti-poaching measures and efforts against illicit
trade, it says.
In view of this admitted limitation of CITES in enforcing
what has been agreed by consensus by parties to the conven
tion, what, if any, has been the achievement of CITES?
As far as endangered species in India
and international trade is concerned, it is
apparent that CITES has been ineffective
in controlling illegal trade in the Royal
Bengal Tiger, the Greater One-horned
Rhino and the Asian elephant.
Populations of all three species are dwindling and the situation is alarming.
Unfortunately, there has been no evaluation of CITES even 20 years after it came
into being. Important questions remain
unanswered. Has, for instance, the imposition of a ban on trade in endangered
species brought down their international
prices~ Going by the figures on illegal
trade and poaching, CITES has only managed to drive trade underground and it is
still thriving. Countries continue to lose
their precious wildlife heritage. Those The last stand;-rileRoyal Bengal Tiger is at the mercy of poachers - which have little say or do not figure in terms of buying or selling of animal products are strapped for resources for conservation. So is CITES no more than a where the rich and the powerful can ensure that their trade interests are not compromised. Is it a convention where overt consensus is obtained by de~eloped countries like the us and to underhand tactics such as withdrawing realised that the South will not bow to pressure, that it is not or offering aid to developing countries~ Or is it a democratic forum which a country is free to join, an exercise in regulating
trade in species to fund genuine conservation needs whether
forum in the North or the South~ If the developed countries are so
concerned about protecting species even at the cost of
humans, let them fund conservation with no strings attached
and in a disinterested manner. It is time that the North Japan by resorting willing to accept the North's version of what constitutes 'sustainable development'.
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