Verification Mission by CITES

A verification mission by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has highlighted the risks associated with the "illegal harvest of wild animals" misrepresented as "captive bred". It recommends India to halt the import of critically-endangered species such as gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees, and snow leopards, until robust due diligence and control systems are established.

CITES Overview

• CITES is a global treaty with 185 signatories, aimed at regulating international trade in endangered species.
• India has been a party to CITES since 1976.
• International shipments of endangered species require export and import permits from the CITES authorities of the involved countries.

Observations from the CITES Standing Committee

The CITES Standing Committee, in its February meeting in Geneva, reviewed information about the trade of live animals to the Greens Zoological Rescue & Rehabilitation Center (GZRRC) in Gujarat, India.

Verification Mission Findings

The mission, conducted in September, noted the following:

• All imports to India were accompanied by necessary CITES permits.
• Concerns remain regarding the origin of several specimens, exemptions sought, and due diligence practices.
• India's Wildlife Protection Act mandates that zoos acquire or transfer animals only from recognized zoos.
• Imports are primarily under source code C (captive bred) and purpose code Z (zoo).
• Verification of exporting facilities as registered zoos is crucial to prevent illegal wildlife trade.

Recommendations

• India should urgently review and strengthen its import procedures to ensure animals sourced from the wild are not misrepresented as captive-bred.
• Import verifications should be conducted with source or transit countries, such as Congo, Germany, Guyana, Iraq, Mexico, Syria, and the UAE.

Further Actions

The CITES Secretariat recommends that the CITES Standing Committee, meeting in Uzbekistan on November 23, urge India to take the necessary actions and report back within 90 days.