ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON (ZSL) SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS: CITES CoP17, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS: CITES COP17, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA. 1 CITES COP 17 website - https://cites.org/cop17 Provisional agenda and working documents - https://cites.org/eng/cop/17/doc/index.php For more information please contact: Paul De Ornellas, Lead, Illegal Wildlife Trade, CoP 17, [email protected], Tom Jennings, Senior Press Officer Science and Conservation, [email protected] 2 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS: CITES COP17, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA. Founded in 1826, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is an international scientific, conservation and educational charity whose mission is to promote and achieve the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats. Our mission is realised through our ground-breaking science, our active conservation projects in more than 50 countries and our two Zoos, ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo. ZSL presents its recommendations on the documents being considered at the 17th CITES Conference of the Parties (CoP) prioritising focal issues for the society and based on key considerations: • Applying evidence-based recommendations; • Strengthening protection for species adversely affected by international trade; • Reinforcing capacity for effective implementation of the Convention; • Supporting and enhancing initiatives through CITES that address wildlife crime and its impacts on people and wildlife. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS: CITES COP17, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA. 3 APPENDIX LISTING PROPOSALS ZSL SUMMARY RECOMMENDATIONS PROPOSAL NUMBER AND PROPONENT PROPOSAL ZSL RECOMMENDATIONS CoP17 Prop. 4. Transfer of African populations of SUPPORT [Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Guinea, Panthera leo from Appendix II to Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria and Appendix I ZSL feels that evidence shows a marked Togo] decline in lion populations across much of the species range. Although a range of factors Panthera leo are driving this decline, a precautionary (African lion) approach should be taken to reviewing the data that would support a transfer of all African populations to Appendix I. CoP17 Prop 6. South Africa transfer of the Cape SUPPORT [South Africa] mountain zebra Equus zebra zebra from Appendix I to Appendix II The population of Cape mountain zebra Equus zebra zebra has experienced a steady increase and (Cape Mountain Zebra) provided a Biodiversity Management Plan is put in place as planned, ZSL supports a transfer to Appendix II CoP17 Prop 7. To alter the existing annotation on the OPPOSE [Swaziland] Appendix II listing of Swazilands white rhino, adopted at the 13th Conference of ZSL strongly opposes this proposal that Ceratotherium simum simum Parties in 2004, so as to permit a limited would permit trade in white rhino horn. (Southern white rhinoceros) and regulated trade in white rhino horn This is based on: the severe and ongoing which has been collected in the past threat posed by illegal trade to all rhino from natural deaths, or recovered from species, lack of a viable legal trade poached Swazi rhino, as well as horn to mechanism and the absence of evidence be harvested in a non-lethal way from on the relationship between trade and a limited number of white rhino in the demand demonstrating that legal trade future in Swaziland will reduce pressure on wild populations. CoP17 Prop 9. Transfer Manis crassicaudata from CITES SUPPORT [Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka Appendix II to CITES Appendix I ZSL considers that the existence of sustained and the United States of America] ongoing illicit trade despite a zero quota for Manis crassicaudata Asian spp. under their Appendix II listing (Indian pangolin) supports all Asian pangolin species to be transferred to Appendix I. CoP17 Prop 10. Transfer Manis culionensis from SUPPORT [Philippines and the United States of Appendix II to Appendix I America] ZSL considers that the existence of sustained ongoing illicit trade despite Manis culionensis a zero quota for Asian spp. under their (Philippine pangolin) Appendix II listing supports all Asian pangolin species to be transferred to Appendix I. CoP17 Prop. 11 Transfer Manis javanica and M. SUPPORT [The United States of America and pentadactyla from CITES Appendix II to Viet Nam] Appendix I ZSL considers that current evidence shows a marked decline in Chinese and Manis javanica Sunda pangolin populations across much (Sunda pangolin) of their ranges, and that they therefore Manis pentadactyla meet the biological criteria for a transfer (Chinese pangolin) to Appendix I. 4 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS: CITES COP17, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA. PROPOSAL No. AND PROPONENT PROPOSAL ZSL RECOMMENDATIONS CoP17 Prop. 12 Transfer Manis tetradactyla, M tricuspis, SUPPORT [Angola, Botswana, Chad, Côte M. gigantea and M. temminckii from d'Ivoire, Gabon, Guinea, Kenya, CITES Appendix II to Appendix I ZSL considers that there is sufficient Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, South evidence of a large and rapidly increasing Africa, Togo and the United States threat from trade for all African pangolin of America] species to justify a transfer of all four taxa to Appendix I. Manis gigantea (Giant pangolin) Manis temminckii (South African pangolin) Manis tetradactyla (Long-tailed pangolin) Manis tricuspis (White-bellied pangolin) CoP17 Prop. 14 Delete the annotation to the listing of the OPPOSE [Namibia] Namibian African elephant population in Appendix II by deleting any reference to ZSL is opposed to deleting the reference Loxodonta africana Namibia in that annotation to Namibia from the annotation and any (African elephant) resumption of international trade in ivory at the current time. CoP17 Prop. 15 Amend the present Appendix II listing OPPOSE [Namibia and Zimbabwe] of the population of Zimbabwe of Loxodonta africana by removing the ZSL is opposed to deleting the annotation Loxodonta africana annotation in order to achieve an and any resumption of international (African elephant) unqualified Appendix II listing trade in ivory at the current time. CoP17 Prop. 16 Include all populations of Loxodonta OPPOSE [Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African africana (African elephant) in Appendix ZSL does not consider that the available Republic, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, I through the transfer from Appendix evidence supports transfer of the Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, II to Appendix I of the populations of populations of African elephant of Sri Lanka and Uganda] Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe Botswana, Namibia, South Africa Loxodonta africana and Zimbabwe to Appendix I based (African elephant) on the biological criteria laid out in Resolution Conf. 9.24 (Rev. CoP16) nor that a transfer of these populations to Appendix I would help address the current threats facing the species. CoP17 Prop. 19 Transfer Psittacus erithacus from SUPPORT [Angola, Chad, the European Union, Appendix II to Appendix I Gabon, Guinea, Nigeria, Senegal, African grey parrots have undergone Togo and the United States of significant declines across much of their America] range. Despite the success in captive breeding for this species in collections Psittacus erithacus across the world trade in wild caught (African grey parrot) birds is a significant factor in this decline. A transfer to Appendix I is warranted. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS: CITES COP17, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA. 5 PROPOSAL No. AND PROPONENT PROPOSAL ZSL RECOMMENDATIONS CoP17 Prop. 36 Include the following six species of SUPPORT [Burkina Faso, Chad, Gabon, Guinea, the Family Trionychidae in Appendix Liberia, Mauritania, Nigeria, Togo II: Cyclanorbis elegans, Cyclanorbis ZSL considers that high levels of demand and the United States of America] senegalensis, Cycloderma aubryi, for soft-shelled turtles in Asia, coupled Cycloderma frenatum, Trionyx triunguis with a decline in availability of Asian Cyclanorbis elegans and Rafetus euphraticus species is leading to increased pressure (Nubian flapshell turtle) on African and Middle Eastern species. Cyclanorbis senegalensis As a consequence Appendix II listing for (Senegal flapshell turtle) these species is warranted. Cycloderma aubryi (Aubrys flapshell turtle) Cycloderma frenatum (Zambezi flapshell turtle) Trionyx triunguis (Nile soft-shell turtle) Rafetus euphraticus (Euphrates soft-shell turtle) CoP17 Prop. 42 Include Silky shark Carcharhinus SUPPORT [Bahamas, Bangladesh, Benin, Brazil, falciformis in Appendix II Burkina Faso, Comoros, Dominican ZSL considers this species to have been Republic, Egypt, European Union, seriously impacted by poorly regulated, Fiji, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea- unsustainable fishing, primarily for the Bissau, Maldives, Mauritania, Palau, fin trade. As a consequence Appendix Panama, Samoa, Senegal, Sri Lanka II listing for the silky shark is clearly and Ukraine] warranted. Carcharhinus falciformis (Silky shark) CoP17 Prop. 43 Include the genus Alopias spp. in SUPPORT [Bahamas, Bangladesh, Benin, Brazil, Appendix II Burkina Faso, Comoros, Dominican ZSL considers that this genus has been Republic, Egypt, European Union, seriously impacted by poorly regulated Fiji, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea- unsustainable fishing, primarily for the Bissau, Kenya, Maldives, Mauritania, fin trade. Appendix II listing for Alopias Palau, Panama, Samoa, Senegal, spp. is therefore warranted. Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Ukraine] Alopias spp. (Thresher sharks) CoP17 Prop. 44 Include the genus Mobula spp. in SUPPORT [Bahamas, Bangladesh, Benin, Brazil, Appendix II Burkina Faso, Comoros, Costa Rica, Unregulated