Global experts meet to review international trade in wildlife before the next major CITES conference

Geneva, 16 July 2018 – A record number of experts and scientists representing all the regions of the world are meeting in Geneva from 16 to 26 July for the 30th meeting of the Animals Committee and the 24th meeting of the Plants Committee of CITES - the world’s wildlife trade Convention.

The meetings will pay particular attention to the trade management of marine species, including eels, corals and sharks; trophy hunting, with a focus on leopards and lions; and high-value forestry resources, such as rosewood, ebony and palisander timbers, and medicinal plants.

“This will be the last time that the two scientific committees of CITES meet before the next World Wildlife Conference, CITES CoP18, is held in Sri Lanka in May 2019. The Committees will consider how best to regulate global trade in a wide range of key-stone species of wild animals and plants.”, said Tom De Meulenaer, Chief of Scientific Services at the CITES Secretariat. “CITES-listed wildlife is traded as food, furniture, medicine, wood, tourist souvenirs, clothing, pets, etc. Our scientific committees examine the sustainability of this trade, and formulate technical and scientific advice for consideration by the 183 Parties to the Convention.”

The Animals Committee is celebrating its 30^th meeting anniversary. The first meeting of this Committee took place in 1988 in a small classroom in the Municipal Zoo in Bern, Switzerland with just 20 participants. For the 30^th meeting, there are some 360 people registered to attend, demonstrating the ever-growing interest in the work of the scientific committees. Robust science is the backbone of CITES and its decision-making processes, and is receiving the global attention that it deserves.

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About CITES

With 183 Parties, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) remains one of the world's most powerful tools for wildlife conservation through the regulation of trade. Thousands of species are internationally traded and used by people in their daily lives for food, health care, housing, tourist souvenirs, cosmetics or fashion.

CITES regulates international trade in over 36,000 species of plants and animals, including their products and derivatives, to ensure their survival in the wild with benefits for the livelihoods of local people and the global environment. The CITES permit system seeks to ensure that international trade in listed species is sustainable, legal and traceable.

CITES was signed in Washington D.C. on 3 March 1973 and entered into force on 1 July 1975.

Learn more about CITES by visiting www.cites.org or connecting to: