Is the Wildlife Convention working for the World's endangered Species?

THE issue which has arguably dominated the mass media organs in Tanzania and elsewhere in the world of wildlife conservation is the escalating illegal trade in endangered wild species.

The trade relentlessly fuels poaching, especially in
Africa, the last bastion of fauna and flora habitats. This is happening despite the ‘Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) supposedly ranged against poaching and illegal international trade in endangered species.

The trade involves live or dead species and trophies thereof, including especially ivory (elephant tusks) and rhino horn! Illegal exports of wildlife on-the-hoof include giraffes, antelopes, reptiles and birds smuggled out of Tanzania to grace the private gardens and mini-zoos of the wealthy and powerful in the Middle East and elsewhere!

Records show that poaching has escalated by ‘astronomic proportions’ in Tanzania. The country’s elephant population is virtually being decimated at the alarming rate of 37 beasts a day!

The pachyderm’s population has slumped from 110,000 head in 2009 to around a mere 13,000 today ― and still counting! This raises the 64,000-dollar question: ‘is the Wildlife Convention working for Africa, where the problem is foremost? CITES (a.k.a. the ‘Washington Convention’) was signed in Washington D.C. on March 2, 1973, and entered into force on July 1, 1975. Tanzania is a practising member of its provisions.
Thirty-nine years after CITES, not much seems to have been achieved on the ground regarding its otherwise noble objectives. Why? It’s a very sad state of affairs indeed that Tanzania/Tanganyika ― whose world-famous national parks and game reserves were ‘home’ to 350,000 elephants at ‘Independence from foreign rule’ in 1961― could only muster a mere 55,000 of the beasts in 1987!

Apparently, this was the inescapable result of intensified poaching in the 1970s and ’80s: a killing (mostly illegal) rate of 11,346 elephants a year; 31 a day! (Daily News: Feb. 14, 2014). Coming on the scene of the CITES institution in 1975 may have started to change the scenario in 1989 when CITES finally banned international trade in endangered species: a 14-year grace (?) period for poachers, perhaps?

It was also in 1989 when the relevant Tanzanian authorities started to grapple with the poaching problem in earnest. Thereafter, the national elephant population creep-crawled back to 110,000 head by 2009. Then things fell apart once more ― and the country can today account for a measly13,000 of the hapless beasts!

(This is to say nothing of threatened rhinos, giraffes, antelopes, reptiles, birds...!) That 64,000-dollar question hauntingly raises its ugly head again: is CITES effectively working for Africa and the target species? CITES is rooted in a resolution adopted by the 1963 Eighth General Assembly of IUCN in Nairobi expressing concern about the wildlife trade, and advocated a regulatory mechanism for it.

Drafting the text started in 1964 and, after worldwide consultations, the final text was adopted in 1973, becoming one of the largest conservation-oriented Conventions ever! Briefly put, CITES is an agreement between governments which combines wildlife and trade themes with a legally binding instrument for achieving conservation, and ensuring that wild fauna and flora in international trade aren’t exploited unsustainable.

There are, however, misconceptions regarding the institution. For instance, it’s not correct that CITES deals with all aspects of wildlife conservation, and regulates domestic trade. It deals only with international trade in certain of the world’s endangered species as listed in its Appendices.

The Convention doesn’t ban all wildlife trade. It only regulates international trade in the listed species, which are either endangered or on the way to being endangered ― and wanton international trade may expedite them to their death, destruction and disappearance from the Planet Earth!

CITES establishes international legal frameworks with common procedural mechanisms for the prevention of international commercial trade in endangered (and threatened) species. The convention and its Appendices are legally-binding. National legislation is also required to apply the convention’s provisions, such as prohibiting trade in violation of the convention; penalizing such trade, and authorising confiscation of specimens illegally traded or possessed. Signatory states must also put in place a management authority and a scientific authority.

The latter is responsible for advising the former on non-administrative aspects of implementation of the convention, detriment findings and other scientific aspects. The management authority is responsible for implementation and monitoring of national reports on trade, legislation, permits, annual and biennial reports, etc, as well as communication with other CITES agencies...

But, what are we still doing wrong, as poaching and illicit international trade in endangered/threatened wildlife escalates ― CITES notwithstanding? That’s yet another 64,000- dollar question we must find an answer to soonest. Otherwise, the International Wildlife Convention will not work as intended – much to the detriment of the world’s gifts by the Almighty, Mother Nature and Father Time...

(israellyimo@gmail.com)