This article was previously published in Bird Breeder magazine and is reprinted here with permission of the author.

CITES Update (1997 changes)

by Laurella Desborough

More commonly known as CITES, the Conference on International Trade in Endangered Species held the 10th Conference of the Parties to CITES (COP10) June 9 through 20 in Harare, Zimbabwe, in Africa. The regular meeting discussed the proposed listing of species of fauna and flora on the CITES Appendices, and made resolutions and decisions regarding the trade and transportation of live species and products made from live species (hides, skins, horns, etc.). A draft of decisions and resolutions has been published and is presented here. When the final version will be published by the CITES Secretariat, there may be some additions or changes to be noted. This information on COP10 is prepared from the publications on CITES issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and from personal communication with conference attendees.

Much of the work of CITES is done at the regularly scheduled meetings of various CITES committees that are held twice a year in the interim between the major CITES conferences, which meet every two to three years. For instance, the Animals Committee reviewed the definitions of "commercial purposes" and "bred-in-captivity." These definitions are important because they form the basis upon which countries decide that specific animals, including birds, may or may not be legally exported and imported. The only organization representing the interests of aviculture, the American Federation of Aviculture (AFA) sent a representative to the Animals Committee meetings and presented documents that detailed the concerns of aviculturists regarding these definitions. The work of the committees is then presented to the CITES delegates at their conference in the form of proposed resolutions and documentation supporting those proposals.

In addition to the delegates who attend the CITES meetings, NGOs (representatives from nongovernment organizations) also attend but cannot vote on proposals or resolutions. NGOs include humane organizations such as the Humane Society of the United States; animal rights organizations, such as the Environmental Investigation Agency; representatives of the many and varied user groups (those who use animals or their parts for any purpose), such as the Safari Club, which conduct photo ad trophy-hunts; the alligator and turtle farmers; importers of exotic fish; the whaling associations; and zoological organizations. (Those who import exotic birds for any purpose are all considered users.) NGOs also include conservation entities, such as the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and T.R.A.F.F.I.C., which gathers data on the international trade in animals.

There are two basic approaches to the use of wildlife: nonuse or sustainable use. Nonuse for any purpose is the stance of some government agencies, conservative conservation groups and animal rights groups. Sustainable use, which is limited and monitored use, is based on the numbers in the populations of animals and their situations in their environments. Sustainable use is the stance of most user groups, some conservation groups, delegates representing sane nations, depending on the species in question and the available scientific data. At COP10, sustainable use of wildlife resources was the concept most followed.

Draft Results of Species Proposals for avian species at CITES COP10 are as follows. Species most commonly of interest to aviculturists are noted thusly (*).

Order Galliformes: Helmeted curassow (Pauxi pauxi); proposed to include in Appendix II by the Netherlands; proposal withdrawn.

Order Galliformes: Horned curassow (P. unicornis); proposed to include on Appendix II by the Netherlands; proposal withdrawn.

Order Gruiformes: Black-breasted buttonquail (Turnix melanogaster); proposed for deletion from Appendix II by Australia; proposal adopted.

Order Charadriiformes: Plains wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus); proposed for deletion from Appendix II by Australia; proposal adopted.

Order Gruiformes: Eastern weka rail (Gallirallus asutralis ectoti); proposed for deletion from Appendix II by New Zealand; proposal adopted.

Order Psittaciformes: Black-billed parrot (Amazona agilis); proposed for transfer from Appendix II to I by Germany; proposal withdrawn.

Order Psittaciformes: Green-cheeked Amazon (Amazona viridigenalis); proposed for transfer from Appendix II to I by Mexico, the U.S. and Germany; proposal adopted. (This bird originates from Mexico.)

Order Psittaciformes: Lesser sulphur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea); proposed for transfer from Appendix II to I by Germany; proposal withdrawn.

Order Psittaciformes: Ouvea horned parakeet (Eunymphicus cornutus uvaeensis); proposed for transfer from Appendix II to I by Germany; proposal withdrawn.

Order Psittaciformes: Kuhl's lorikeet (Vini kuhlii); proposed for transfer from Appendix II to I by Germany; proposal rejected.

Order Psittaciformes: Tahitian lorikeet (V. peruviana); proposed for transfer from Appendix II to I by Germany; proposal rejected.

Order Psittaciformes: Ultramarine lorikeet (V. ultramarina); proposed for transfer from Appendix II to I by Germany; proposal adopted.

Order Coraciiformes: Writhe-billed hornbill (Aceros waldeni); proposed for transfer from Appendix II to I by Germany; proposal withdrawn.

Order Passeriformes: Straw-headed bulbul (Pycnonotus zeylanicus); proposed for inclusion in Appendix II by Netherlands and the U.S.; proposal adopted.

Order Passeriformes: Silver-eared mesia (Leiothrix argentauris); proposed for inclusion on Appendix II by the Netherlands; proposal adopted.

Order Passeriformes: Pekin robin (L. lutea); proposed for inclusion in Appendix II by the Netherlands; proposal adopted.

Order Passeriformes: Grey-faced liocichla (Liocichla omeiensis); proposed for inclusion in Appendix II by the Netherlands; proposal adopted.

Order Passeriformes: Seven-colored tanager (Tangara fastuosa); proposed for inclusion in Appendix II by Germany and the Netherlands; proposal adopted.

Order Passeriformes: Java sparrow (Padda oryzivora); proposed for inclusion in Appendix II by the Netherlands; proposal adopted.

Order Passeriformes: Green avadat (Amandava formosa); proposed for inclusion in II by the Netherlands; proposal adopted.

Order Passeriformes: Hill mynah (Gracula religiosa); proposed for inclusion in Appendix II by the Netherlands and the Philippines; proposal adopted.