REVIEW OF TRADE IN RANCHED BIRDWING BUTTERFLIES Prepared for the European Commission Directorate General E - Environment ENV.E.2. – Development and Environment by the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre 2007 Prepared and produced by: UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Cambridge, UK Copyright: European Commission, 2008. ABOUT UNEP WORLD CONSERVATION MONITORING CENTRE www.unep-wcmc.org The UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre is the biodiversity assessment and policy implementation arm of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the world’s foremost intergovernmental environmental organisation. UNEP-WCMC aims to help decision-makers recognize the value of biodiversity to people everywhere, and to apply this knowledge to all that they do. The Centre’s challenge is to transform complex data into policy-relevant information, to build tools and systems for analysis and integration, and to support the needs of nations and the international community as they engage in joint programmes of action. UNEP-WCMC provides objective, scientifically rigorous products and services that include ecosystem assessments, support for implementation of environmental agreements, regional and global biodiversity information, research on threats and impacts, and development of future scenarios for the living world. The contents of this report do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of UNEP or contributory organisations. The designations employed and the presentations do not imply the expressions of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNEP, the European Commission or contributory organisations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or its authority, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 4 2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION ................................................................................... 4 2.1. CONCEPT OF RANCHING ................................................................................... 4 2.2. BUTTERFLY RANCHING ...................................................................................... 5 2.3. BIRDWING BUTTERFLIES IN TRADE ................................................................... 6 2.4. DISCUSSIONS AND OPINIONS OF CITES AND THE SRG ................................ 9 3. BUTTERFLY RANCHING IN THE MAIN COUNTRIES OF EXPORT ................................ 10 3.1. AUSTRALIA ....................................................................................................... 11 Birdwing trade from Australia ............................................................................. 11 Legislation............................................................................................................ 11 Birdwing ranching in Australia ............................................................................ 11 3.2. INDONESIA ....................................................................................................... 11 Birdwing trade from Indonesia ............................................................................ 11 Legislation............................................................................................................ 11 Birdwing ranching in Indonesia ........................................................................... 11 3.3. PAPUA NEW GUINEA ........................................................................................ 12 Birdwing trade from Papua New Guinea ............................................................. 12 Legislation............................................................................................................ 12 Birdwing ranching in Papua New Guinea ........................................................... 12 3.4. PHILIPPINES ...................................................................................................... 13 Birdwing trade from the Philippines .................................................................... 13 Legislation............................................................................................................ 14 Birdwing ranching in the Philippines .................................................................. 14 3.5. SOLOMON ISLANDS ......................................................................................... 15 Birdwing trade from the Solomon Islands ........................................................... 15 Legislation............................................................................................................ 15 Birdwing ranching in the Solomon Islands .......................................................... 15 4. ANNEX 1: TRADE TABLES ......................................................................................... 17 4.1. AUSTRALIA ....................................................................................................... 17 4.2. INDONESIA ....................................................................................................... 20 4.3. PAPUA NEW GUINEA ....................................................................................... 26 4.4. PHILIPPINES ...................................................................................................... 32 4.5. SOLOMON ISLANDS ......................................................................................... 34 5. REFERENCES ............................................................................................................. 36 3 1. INTRODUCTION The present review provides background information on the concept of ranching particularly as applied to birdwing butterflies, an overview of the trade in ranched butterflies and a summary of discussions in the CITES arena. Trade and ranching in the five countries exporting the majority of ranched birdwing butterflies –Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and Solomon Islands- are considered, and detailed trade tables for these five countries are provided. 2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION 2.1. CONCEPT OF RANCHING Ranching generally refers to the collection of eggs or juveniles from the wild, to be then transferred to controlled raising facilities, where the wild-caught specimens are grown for commercial purposes. In a CITES context, this concept was first used when certain crocodilian species were transferred from Appendix I to Appendix II for this purpose. Since then, ranching facilities have also been operating for other taxonomic groups, including birds, other reptiles and invertebrates, although it is not widely practised for these other groups (CITES, 2001). Unlike closed-cycle captive breeding, ranching relies on maintaining a healthy wild population from which individuals are removed on a regular basis. Resolution Conf. 11.161 on ‘Ranching and trade in ranched specimens of species transferred from Appendix I to Appendix II’ defines the term 'ranching' as the rearing in a controlled environment of specimens taken from the wild. Although the title of this Resolution indicates that this definition only applies to instances where species are transferred from Appendix I to Appendix II for ranching purposes, another Resolution (Resolution Conf. 12.32 on permits and certificates) notes that source code R refers to “specimens produced in a ranching operation” without further specification, and many non-crocodilian Appendix II specimens have been reported in trade using source code R. In the case of a species down-listed from Appendix I to Appendix II, a ranching operation “must be primarily beneficial to the conservation of the local population”. However, for Appendix-II species in trade and from ranching operations, the trade must satisfy the non- detriment requirements of Article IV of the Convention. However, there is no requirement to demonstrate benefit to the wild population (CITES, 2001). Resolution Conf.11.16 recommends that annual reports on all relevant aspects of each approved ranching operation be submitted to the Secretariat by the Party concerned, and include any new information on the following: i) the status of the wild population concerned; ii) the number of specimens (eggs, young or adults) taken annually from the wild; iii) an estimate of the percentage of the production of the wild population that is taken for the ranching operation; iv) the number of animals released and their survival rates estimated on the basis of surveys and tagging programmes, if any; v) the mortality rate in captivity and causes of such mortality; vi) production, sales and exports of products; and vii) conservation programmes and scientific experiments carried out in relation to the ranching operation or the wild population concerned; 1 http://www.cites.org/eng/res/11/11-16.shtml 2 http://www.cites.org/eng/res/12/12-03R13.shtml 4 As a result of the title and wording of Resolution Conf 11.16, there has been confusion over what constitutes ranching of Appendix II species and it has been noted that a clear definition that applies to all Appendix II species as well as to those transferred from Appendix I to Appendix II is needed (e.g. IUCN, 2004). In response to this, at the 20th meeting of the Animals Committee, a Working Group was established and recommended that Resolution Conf. 11.16 be amended to include operations other than those linked to a down-listing from Appendix I to Appendix II. The following definition for “Ranching”