UNEP-WCMC technical report Overview of the conservation status of and trade in species currently subject to EU Reservations: Vulpes vulpes griffithi, Vulpes vulpes montana, Vulpes vulpes pusilla, Mustela altaica, Mustela erminea ferghanae, Mustela kathiah and Mustela sibirica (Version edited for public release) 1 Overview of the conservation status of and trade in species currently subject to EU Reservations: Vulpes vulpes griffithi, Vulpes vulpes montana, Vulpes vulpes pusilla, Mustela altaica, Mustela erminea ferghanae, Mustela kathiah and Mustela sibirica Prepared for The European Commission, Directorate General Environment, Directorate E - Global & Regional Challenges, LIFE ENV.E.2. – Global Sustainability, Trade & Multilateral Agreements, Brussels, Belgium Prepared September 2015 Copyright European Commission 2015 Citation UNEP-WCMC. 2015. Overview of the conservation status of and trade in species currently subject to EU Reservations: Vulpes vulpes griffithi, Vulpes vulpes montana, Vulpes vulpes pusilla, Mustela altaica, Mustela erminea ferghanae, Mustela kathiah and Mustela sibirica. UNEP-WCMC, Cambridge. The UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) is the specialist biodiversity assessment of the United Nations Environment Programme, the world’s foremost intergovernmental environmental organization. The Centre has been in operation for over 30 years, combining scientific research with policy advice and the development of decision tools. We are able to provide objective, scientifically rigorous products and services to help decision-makers recognize the value of biodiversity and apply this knowledge to all that they do. To do this, we collate and verify data on biodiversity and ecosystem services that we analyze and interpret in comprehensive assessments, making the results available in appropriate forms for national and international level decision-makers and businesses. To ensure that our work is both sustainable and equitable we seek to build the capacity of partners where needed, so that they can provide the same services at national and regional scales. The contents of this report do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of UNEP, contributory organisations or editors. 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, editors or publishers concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city area or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of a commercial entity or product in this publication does not imply endorsement by UNEP. UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DL, UK Tel: +44 1223 277314 www.unep-wcmc.org UNEP promotes environmentally sound practices globally and in its own activities. Printing on paper from environmentally 2 sustainable forests and recycled fibre is encouraged. Introduction Vulpes vulpes griffithi, Vulpes vulpes montana, Vulpes vulpes pusilla, Mustela altaica, Mustela erminea ferghanae, Mustela kathiah and Mustela sibirica were listed in CITES Appendix III by India in 1989. Nearly all EU Member States subsequently issued reservations against these listings and the taxa were included in Annex D of Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97, which contains "the species listed in Appendix III to the Convention for which a reservation has been entered" (a notification filled in by the importer is sufficient for Annex D specimens to be imported into and exported from the EU; no permits issued by the MA are required). The EU is now assessing whether the current EU treatment of these listings is still appropriate, with the following options being available: Option 1: Maintain the current EU approach against the implementation into EU law of the CITES Appendix III listing for the seven taxa concerned Arguments in favour: the rationale for opposing the Appendix III listing at the time remains valid. Next steps: the six remaining EU Member States which have not yet done so, as well as the EU itself, would need to enter reservations for the seven taxa concerned to ensure that they are not in situation of non- compliance with CITES. Option 2: Implement into EU law the CITES Appendix III listing Arguments in favour: the EU and its Member States have a clear policy in support of CITES listings and against the issuing of reservations, so reasons in favour of a reservation need to be particularly strong. The reservations were issued more than 15 years ago and need to be revisited. In addition, if the export from EU Member States takes place with CITES export permits or re-export certificates (see above), then in practice the situation is not different from an Annex C listing, and it would be logical to withdraw the reservations. Next steps: EU Member States would have to withdraw their reservations, and Regulation (EC) No 338/97 would have to be amended to transfer the seven taxa from Annex D to Annex C. Option 3: Consultation with India and SRG consultation Arguments in favour: clarify with India whether an Appendix III listing is still necessary and whether they would consider a delisting from the CITES Appendices. This would negate the need for the EU to maintain the reservations. Next steps: Commission to launch consultation with India and table their reply at a future Scientific Review Group meeting. The following section provides overviews of the conservation status and trade levels in these seven taxa to support the EU decision making process on the treatment of these reservations. 3 Overview of conservation status and trade levels SPECIES: Vulpes vulpes griffithi Kashmir Fox RANGE STATES: Afghanistan, Pakistan IUCN: Least Concern (Vulpes vulpes), 2008 CONSERVATION STATUS: Vulpes vulpes griffithi was reported to occur in the Himalayas, northern and western areas of Pakistan, including the mountains and valleys of Bluchistan and North West Frontier Province (Awan et al., 2004). It was reported to often occur in close association with humans and to avoid dense forests (Awan et al., 2004). Data on global population size or population trends were not found. In Pakistan, it was reported to be commonly distributed throughout the Machiara National Park from an altitude of 1500 to 3300m (Awan et al., 2004). A study in 2003 confirmed the presence of V. v. griffithi in all studied areas of Machiara National park, Pakistan, through trapping, visual sightings and reports from local communities (Awan et al., 2004). V. v. griffithi has been reported to kill poultry as well as feeding on Royle’s pika and pheasant (Awan et al., 2004). Foxes were reported to be subject to severe persecution and hunting pressure in Afghanistan, but while V. vulpes was listed as a harvestable species, regular monitoring of populations was reported to ensure that hunting does not qualify the species for a protected status in the future (Macdonald and Reynolds, 2008). TRADE: No trade was reported globally in V. v. griffithi over the period 2004-2013 (based on trade statistics in the CITES Trade Database). 4 SPECIES: Vulpes vulpes montana Tibetan Red Fox RANGE STATES: Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan IUCN: Least Concern (Vulpes vulpes), 2008 CONSERVATION STATUS: Vulpes vulpes montana was reported to be common in the Himalayas (Menon, 2014) and reported present in Sikkim and Punjab in India, Yunnan and Tibet in China Kumao in Nepal and Gilgit in Pakistan (Tiwari, 1999). In Nepal, the habitats of V. v. montana were reported to include thorn bushes, willows, scrub along dry rivers and cultivated land of subalpine zones between 300 and 5500m above sea level (Shrestha, 1997). It was reported that V. v. montana pair for life and its diet was reported to include rodents, grounds birds as well as fallen fruit and berries (Shrestha, 1997). In India, the subspecies was reported to occasionally predate young lambs (Namgail et al., 2007). In Pakistan, within the northern areas of Khunjerab National Park, a study in 1998 recorded 60 V. v. montana individuals, based on data from shepherds and tourist guides (Shafiq and Ali, 1998). The authors estimated the population size of the subspecies within the park to be 60 and reported that the population was gradually increasing (Shafiq and Ali, 1998). No further information on the global population status and trends, or details on threats to the subspecies were identified. TRADE: According to CITES trade statistics, the only direct trade globally in V. v. montana over the period 2004-2013 comprised of one captive-bred garment exported from the United States to the Netherlands in 2007, as reported by the exporter only, and one ranched skin exported from China to the United States in 2007, as reported by the importer only. All trade was for commercial purposes. The only indirect trade globally comprised one captive-bred garment originating in Finland and re-exported by the United States to the Netherlands in 2007 for commercial purposes, as reported by the exporter only. 5 SPECIES: Vulpes vulpes pusilla Desert Fox RANGE STATES: India, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Pakistan IUCN: Least Concern (Vulpes vulpes) CONSERVATION STATUS: In India, Vulpes vulpes pusilla was reported to be distributed in the desert of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan (Sharma and Sharma, 2013). It inhabits desert habitats and reportedly avoids dense forests (Sharma and Sharma, 2013). Gajera and Dharaiya, (2011) reported that V. v. pusilla was recorded as rare within the study area of north Gujarat, India and within this area, the subspecies was restricted to arid saline desert. In the Rajasthan desert, India, V. v. pusilla was considered to be rare (Sharma and Sharma, 2013). In Pakistan, bounties were reported to be offered on V. v. pusilla to protect valuable game birds such as Houbara Bustards Chlamydotis macqueenii (Macdonald and Reynolds, 2008). TRADE: According to CITES trade statistics, the only direct trade globally in V. v. pusilla over the period 2004-2013 comprised of one ranched garment exported for personal purposes from Canada to the United States in 2008, as reported by the importer only.