Sharks, elephants and precious wood in balance at wildlife talks

Sharks, elephants and precious wood in balance at wildlife talks
Sharks, elephants and precious wood in balance at wildlife talks

 The fate of mako sharks, African elephants and their ivory, and precious wood used to make musical instruments are on the agenda of member states attending negotiations of the U.N. wildlife watchdog opening on Saturday, officials said.

The Convention onInternational Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) regulates the buying andselling of species at risk of extinction around the world, either by imposingoutright bans or by requiring permits so that rare animals and plants are notover-harvested.

The 183 stateswhich are signatories of CITES meet in Geneva from Aug 17-28 to consider 56proposals to expand a legally binding treaty which already covers 36,000species.

"Poaching and illegal trade in wildlife involving organised crime groups continue to pose a very serious threat to many animal and plant species. And for this reason this will again be a major issue of discussion," Ben Rensburg, CITES chief for enforcement support, told a news briefing ahead of the consultation which held is held every three years.

Species targeted by wildlife criminals and on the agenda include pangolins – an ant-eating mammal hunted for its huge protective scales which are used in traditional Chinese medicine – as well as rhinos, Asian big cats, and cheetahs, he said.

Elsewhere, a global trade in shark fins is driving demand for mako sharks, guitarfishes and wedgefishes and is pushing them to extinction, according to CITES. The European Union and others have proposed that those three types of sharks and rays be listed on appendix II, meaning trade must be legal and sustainable.

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