‘Do or die’ time for nature
Without the highest level of protection, many species risk dying out in the wild, say conservationists.
A global wildlife summit starting today is a ‘‘do or die’’ moment for endangered animals around the world, say conservationists, from iconic species such as elephants and lions to lesser-known, but equally troubled, creatures such as devil rays and the psychedelic rock gecko.
The summit in Johannesburg brings together 181 nations to crack down on wildlife trafficking, currently a US$20 billion-a-year criminal enterprise, and to ensure that the legal trade in food, skins, pets and traditional remedies does not threaten the survival of species.
The member nations of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) will vote on proposals to toughen or loosen trade bans and regulations for over 500 species.
A total trade ban is being sought for pangolins, an exotic scaled creature which is now the world’s most trafficked mammal, while more protections for sharks, parrots and frogs are also on the table.
But the most controversial proposals are for elephants: some southern African nations want to overturn the ban on selling ivory, while a rival proposal from 29 other African countries aims to make protections even tougher.
‘‘With so many of our wild animal and plant species facing serious threats from rapacious poaching and commercial trade, this Cites meeting represents a ‘do or die’ moment,’’ said Teresa Telecky, wildlife director of the Humane Society International.
‘‘Either countries do the right thing and give these imperilled species the highest level of protection possible against unsustainable exploitation, or we risk seeing them die out altogether in the wild.’’
‘‘The stakes are high for so many species, and we must make certain that sound science and the precautionary principle are deciding factors, and not short-term political or economic interests,’’ said Azzedine Downes, president of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).
Others are concerned that highprofile rows over the elephant proposals, which could fail to pass, will distract from work on enforcement to end the scourge of poaching.
Over 140,000 of Africa’s savannah elephants were killed for their ivory between 2007 and 2014, wiping out almost a third of their population. Elephants are still being killed every 15 minutes on average.
Nations where poaching, trafficking or illegal sales take place should have submitted action plans but Cameroon, Ethiopia, Gabon and Nigeria have not, and could face sanctions on all their wildlife-related trade.
‘‘We are concerned that the summit is likely to be a rerun of the old pattern, with proposals and counter-proposals on legal international ivory trade diverting attention from the real issues,’’ said the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
Swaziland has also proposed to legalise the sale of horn from rhino, whose populations have plummeted, but will face fierce opposition.
The species being evaluated for protection at Cites span the land, ocean and skies. African lions ought to get the strongest protection, according to scientists at the Zoological Society of London.
Pangolins, whose scales are sold in China and Vietnam as a supposed medicine, could also get stronger protection. More than a million have been taken from the wild in the past decade, according to WildAid, decimating Asian populations. As a result, poaching has also ramped up in Africa.
In June, over 11 tonnes of pangolin scales were seized in Hong Kong in just two shipments from Africa. ‘‘We could very soon see this amazing species disappear if the unsustainable trade continues,’’ says Mark Hofberg, IFAW’s pangolin expert.
In the seas, stricter protection is on the table for silky and thresher sharks, both heavily hit by the fin trade, and for devil rays, whose gills are sold in China.
The nautilus could also get its first trade protections, as it is being overfished for its beautiful shells, which are used for jewellery and ornaments.
Many turtle species are eaten in Asia and have suffered heavily as a result. Proposals to protect flapshell and softshell turtles will be voted on during the two-week summit.
In the air, African grey parrots, which are extraordinary vocal mimics, may get the highest level of protection. Scientists estimate that two to three million African greys were captured from the wild between 1975 and 2013. Despite successful captive breeding, wild populations have decreased by between 50 and 90 per cent, and in some places they are locally extinct.
There are many proposals for better protection for reptiles and amphibians. ‘‘A lot of lizards and frogs are traded illegally,’’ said John Scanlon, secretary general of Cites. ‘‘They are being taken primarily for the illegal pet trade, and primarily to Europe.’’