August 28, 2019

Andrew Campbell 

The 18th Conference of the Parties (CoP) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), was just held at Geneva of Switzerland from August 17 to 28.  138 countries and regional economic integration organizations came here to discuss issues relevant to international trade in wild animals and plants.

During the CoP meeting, Humane Society International (HIS), working around the globe to confront wildlife cruelty, has alarmingly condemned that there were more than 100 baby elephants had been captured and exported to zoos in China since 2012. After days of debate, CITES finally passed by 87 votes to 29 in plenary to ban trading of wild African elephants to overseas zoos.

The ban had brought strong protest from African nations like Botswana and Zimbabwe. But EU voted in favor of the ban by reserving some amendments, which only allow elephant trade under exceptional circumstances and in emergent situations. It would require permission from the CITES Animals Committee and the African Elephant Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The move will hopefully provide African elephants with proper protection and conservation; that is, protect them from being brutally split apart from their families and traded off to zoos overseas.

Photo:Webshot.