Elephants

The scientific name used in CITES to describe the species covered by the Convention remains Loxodonta africana.

The CITES Appendices use scientific (latin) names to describe the species covered by the Convention and CITES Parties have adopted the following reference which applies to the name given to African elephants:

WILSON, D. E. & REEDER, D. M. (1993). Mammal Species of the World: a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Second edition. xviii + 1207 pp., Washington (Smithsonian Institution Press).

The practical effect of this that all African elephants are covered by CITES regulations under the scientific name Loxodonta africana - including animals referred to by some as African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis)*.

* The IUCN recognize two species: Loxodonta africana (African savanna elephant) listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM; and Loxodonta cyclotis (African forest elephant) listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species^TM.

CITES controls on international trade in live elephants

Paragraph 7 e) of Resolution Conf. 10.10 (Rev. CoP18) on Trade in elephant specimens urges certain Parties to annually declare details of their government-held ivory stockpiles and where possible, significant privately held stockpiles of ivory within their territory. The Parties who are urged to do this are Parties designated as ivory importing countries and those within whose jurisdiction:

• there is an ivory carving industry;
• there is a legal domestic trade in ivory;

• there is an unregulated market for or illegal trade in ivory; or

• ivory stockpiles exist.

These Parties are urged to maintain an inventory of government-held stockpiles of ivory and, where possible, of significant privately held stockpiles and inform the Secretariat of:

• the level of this stock annually;
• the number of pieces and their weight per type of ivory (raw or worked);

• (for relevant pieces, and if marked) their markings in accordance with the provisions of the Resolution;

• the source of the ivory; and

• the reasons for any significant changes in the stockpile compared to the preceding year.

Since November 2019, the Secretariat is requested to publish a regional summary of the weight of stocks declared every year.

In the exercise for 2020, a total of just over 620 tonnes of ivory stocks has been declared by 17 Parties. The regional summary of the weight of stocks declared in 2020 is available here. In the exercise for 2021, 796 tonnes of ivory stocks have been declared by 21 Parties. The regional summary of the weight of stocks declared as of 28 February 2021 is as follows:

2020 ivory stockpiles by region (in tons)
(declaration as of 28/02/2021)

Regional Meeting of the CITES MIKE Programme: