18.238, 18.239 & 19.200 to 19.204 Pangolins (Manis spp.)

The Secretariat shall, subject to external funding, work with the Species Survival Commission Pangolin Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and other relevant experts and in collaboration with the pangolin range States to develop conversion parameters for all pangolin species, that will enable the reliable determination of the number of animals associated with any quantity of pangolin scales seized, that can be used by Parties in cases where national legislation demands that such information be provided for court purposes.

The Animals Committee shall:

a) review the conversion parameters for all pangolin species, developed in accordance with the provisions of Decision 18.239, to enable the reliable determination of the number of animals associated with any quantity of pangolin scales seized, and that can be used by Parties in cases where national legislation demands that such information be provided for law enforcement and court purposes;

b) review existing identification materials concerning pangolin species, their parts and derivatives, and consider the need for new or additional materials to be developed, including to support the identification of seized pangolin specimens at species level;

c) review any information brought to its attention by the Secretariat in accordance with Decision 19.203, paragraphs b) and e); and

d) make recommendations, as appropriate, to the Standing Committee and the Secretariat.

All Parties are strongly encouraged to identify seized pangolin specimens at species level and report the seizures at species level in their annual illegal trade reports.

Parties in whose territories stocks of parts and derivatives of pangolins exist are encouraged to take urgent steps to establish and apply, where not yet done, strict control measures to secure these stocks, as called for in paragraph 3 of Resolution Conf. 17.10 (Rev. CoP19) on Conservation of and trade in pangolins and report on the implementation of this Decision to the Secretariat.

The Secretariat shall:

a) issue a Notification inviting Parties, international organizations, international aid agencies and non-governmental organizations that developed tools and materials that could assist Parties in the implementation of Resolution Conf. 17.10 (Rev. CoP19) or identification materials concerning pangolin species, their parts and derivatives, to bring such materials to the attention of the Secretariat;

b) bring any materials reported in accordance with paragraph a) of the present Decision to the attention of the Animals Committee or the Standing Committee, as appropriate, together with any recommendations it may have, and taking into account any subsequent recommendations from the Animals Committee or the Standing Committee, make such materials available to the Parties;

c) subject to external funding, provide training to Parties on the identification of pangolin specimens;

d) work with its partners in the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) to initiate activities and support the efforts of Parties to address illegal trade in Pangolin specimens;

e) report on the implementation of Decisions 18.238 and 18.239 to the Animals Committee, together with any recommendations it may have;

f) report on the implementation of Decision 19.202 to the Standing Committee, together with any recommendations it may have; and

g) report to the 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties on the implementation of the present Decision.