INDIA’S PROPOSALS
TO REGULATE INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES ACCEPTED
India’s proposals
to strictly regulate international trade in endangered species
like Malabar Glory butterfly, Whale Sharks, Sea Horses and some
turtles have been accepted at the Conference of Parties to the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora (CITES) that concluded in Santiago, Chile on the
15th of this month. India’s proposals for inclusion
of these species in Appendix-II to CITES have been accepted with
overwhelming majority. Appendix-II include species which may become
extinct unless trade in these species is strictly regulated.
The success of the
Indian proposals in the context of stiff resistance from the countries
lobbying for unrestricted trade in the Whale Sharks has been welcomed
by many environmental groups as a benchmark in the international
efforts for the conservation of marine fishes. Henceforth, trade
in roofed turtles and some other species of turtles like Chitra
Turtle, Keeled Box Turtle and Giant Soft-shelled Turtle will also
be strictly regulated. Another success for India at the 12th
Conference of Parties to CITES was the extension of CITES resolution
on tiger to leopard, clouded leopard and snow leopard. This amended
resolution requires 160 countries to eliminate illegal trade in
respect of the Asian Big Cats and the products derived from them.
In a significant decision, the Conference rejected Japan’s attempts
to legitimise hunting of Minke Whales and Bryde’s Whales.
The Conference permitted
South Africa, Namibia and Botswana a one time sale of ivory from
the existing stocks of legally procured ivory in the Government
custody. The ivory will be exported only to countries having adequate
ivory – trade control system, and that too, after due verification
and certification by the CITES Secretariat. This one time sale
of ivory was permitted overruling the opposition of India and
some other countries following the consensus among African countries
on permitting ivory trade. However, regular ivory trade has
not been approved by the Conference. Even the one time ivory
trade will be permitted only after May 2004.
India was represented
at the Conference by Shri S.S.Bist, Director (Project Elephant)
and Dr. Rajesh Gopal, Director (Project Tiger) in the Ministry
of Environment and Forests.
