Protecting Endangered Species with CITES

Every year, billions of dollars’ worth of wild animals and plants are traded across international borders. From exotic leather goods and timber to live reptiles and medicinal herbs, the global wildlife trade touches nearly every corner of the world. Without proper regulation, this massive commercial activity could push thousands of species toward extinction. That is exactly the problem CITES – the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora – was created to solve.

What is CITES? 🔗

CITES is a multilateral treaty designed to ensure that international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. The idea for such a convention first emerged in 1963 at a meeting of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Back then, international discussion on regulating wildlife trade for conservation purposes was relatively new. But by the early 1970s, it became clear that unchecked trade was depleting wildlife populations at an alarming rate.

The text of the convention was finalized in Washington, D.C., in 1973, which is why it is also called the Washington Convention. It came into force on 1 July 1975 after the required ten countries ratified it. Today, CITES has 185 Parties – 184 countries plus the European Union – making it one of the most widely adopted conservation agreements in the world.

CITES is legally binding on all member nations. However, it does not replace national laws. Instead, each country must adopt its own domestic legislation to implement and enforce the convention’s provisions. For example, in the United States, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) serves as the primary legal instrument for carrying out CITES obligations.

The treaty currently regulates the trade of over 40,900 species – roughly 34,310 plant species and 6,610 animal species. These species are traded in many forms: live specimens, fur coats, dried herbs, wooden musical instruments, food products, tourist souvenirs, and traditional medicines.

CITES regulations and appendices 🔗

CITES works through a system of trade permits and species classifications. Every listed species is placed in one of three appendices, depending on how much protection it needs. The appendix determines the level of trade restrictions and documentation required before any specimen can cross an international border.

Appendix I: the most endangered species 🔗

Appendix I includes species that are threatened with extinction and are, or may be, affected by international trade. Commercial trade in wild-caught specimens of these species is essentially prohibited. Trade is only allowed under exceptional circumstances – for scientific research, educational purposes, or captive breeding programs. Both the exporting and importing countries must issue permits, and national scientific authorities must confirm that the trade will not be detrimental to the species’ survival.

Species on this list include tigers, gorillas, great apes, certain whale species, and many birds of prey. At the most recent Conference of the Parties (CoP20 in 2025), several new species were elevated to Appendix I, including the okapi, the golden-bellied mangabey, oceanic whitetip sharks, whale sharks, and all manta and devil rays.

Appendix II: species that could become threatened 🔗

Appendix II covers species that are not necessarily facing immediate extinction but could become endangered if their trade is not strictly controlled. This is the largest category – approximately 97% of all CITES-listed species fall under Appendix II. Trade in these species is permitted, but only when authorized by the exporting country’s management authority after a scientific assessment confirms the trade is sustainable.

An export permit is required, and it remains valid for a maximum of six months. Corals, certain orchids, many reptile species, and numerous shark species are listed here. At CoP20, two-toed sloths and the rose hair tarantula were among the newly added Appendix II species.

Appendix III: nationally protected species seeking international help 🔗

Appendix III is different from the other two. Any country can unilaterally place a species on this appendix if it already protects that species under its own domestic laws and needs cooperation from other nations to control the international trade. Trade requires either a CITES export permit (from the listing country) or a certificate of origin (from other countries).

For example, Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth has been listed on Appendix III by Costa Rica, and the African civet has been listed by Botswana. This appendix is a practical tool for countries that need support managing trade in species they are working to protect domestically.

It is worth noting that species can be split-listed, meaning different populations of the same species may appear on different appendices. The African elephant is a well-known example – populations in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe are listed under Appendix II, while all other populations fall under Appendix I.

Functions and impact of CITES 🔗

CITES is not just a static treaty. It operates through an active institutional framework that keeps it relevant and responsive to new conservation challenges.

The Conference of the Parties (CoP) 🔗

Every three years, member countries gather at the Conference of the Parties to review the status of species, propose changes to the appendices, adopt new resolutions, and strengthen enforcement mechanisms. CoP20, held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan in November-December 2025, saw nearly 3,500 participants from 164 Parties. They reviewed 50 proposals, adopted over 350 decisions, and added 82 new species listings.

The permit system 🔗

At its core, CITES functions through a permit-based system. Moving any CITES-listed species – whether a live animal, a product, or even a pet – across international borders requires proper documentation. National management authorities issue these permits only after national scientific authorities have determined that the trade will not harm the species’ wild populations. This process is known as a non-detriment finding.

International cooperation and enforcement partnerships 🔗

CITES does not fight wildlife crime alone. It works closely with the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC), a partnership of five organizations: the CITES Secretariat, INTERPOL, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the World Bank, and the World Customs Organization. Together, they provide technical assistance, training, and operational support to law enforcement agencies across the globe.

In 2024, ICCWC supported 124 countries in strengthening their criminal justice responses to wildlife crime. Operation Thunder 2024, a major enforcement campaign, brought together officials from 138 countries and resulted in the seizure of over 20,000 live animals and 36 arrests.

Trade data and monitoring 🔗

CITES also maintains a comprehensive trade database. Member nations submit annual reports on their wildlife trade, creating a substantial body of information used to track trade trends and ensure sustainability. The CITES Illegal Trade Database now contains almost 130,000 seizure records from 146 countries, providing invaluable intelligence for law enforcement agencies worldwide.

Challenges facing CITES 🔗

Despite its achievements, CITES faces significant challenges that limit its effectiveness.

Illegal wildlife trade 🔗

The UNODC World Wildlife Crime Report 2024 documented illegal trade across 162 countries affecting roughly 4,000 species – 3,250 of which are CITES-listed. Illegal wildlife trade is estimated to be worth up to $20 billion annually, and it is often linked to transnational organized crime networks that also traffic drugs, weapons, and people.

Products like elephant ivory, rhinoceros horn, pangolin scales, and rosewood are particularly targeted by criminal groups. In many cases, illegal trade has contributed to local or even global extinctions.

Weak enforcement in many countries 🔗

While CITES is legally binding, its effectiveness depends entirely on how well each country implements it domestically. Enforcement remains lax in many nations, with few traffickers arrested, fewer prosecuted, and light punishments for those convicted. Some countries lack the resources, legislation, or political will to enforce CITES provisions adequately.

Online wildlife crime 🔗

The rise of e-commerce and social media has created new avenues for illegal wildlife trafficking. Sellers can now reach buyers around the world without ever going through a physical border checkpoint. Recognizing this growing threat, CoP20 adopted enhanced measures specifically addressing wildlife crime linked to the internet.

The reservation system 🔗

CITES allows member countries to enter reservations against specific species listings. When a country files a reservation, it is treated as a non-party with respect to that species. While some safeguards exist, experience has shown that reservations can inadvertently encourage illegal trade between the reserving party and other members.

Species that slip through the cracks 🔗

Some species have become critically endangered or gone functionally extinct despite being listed in the CITES appendices. The northern white rhinoceros, for instance, was listed under Appendix I but still became functionally extinct in 2018 due to excessive poaching. Similarly, trafficking in nearly all tiger species has increased despite their Appendix I status.

Success stories under CITES 🔗

Despite these challenges, CITES has produced meaningful conservation victories. Here are some notable examples.

The ivory ban and African elephants 🔗

In 1989, CITES moved African elephants from Appendix II to Appendix I, effectively banning the international ivory trade. This decision led to a significant drop in poaching and helped elephant populations stabilize in several African countries. While poaching has fluctuated since then – partly due to legal loopholes and demand from Asian markets – the ban remains one of the most high-profile examples of CITES in action. At CoP20, parties formally recognized two separate species of African elephants, enabling more tailored conservation strategies for each.

The bontebok recovery 🔗

One of the most celebrated outcomes of CoP20 was the removal of the bontebok from the CITES appendices altogether. This South African antelope had been listed due to severe population decline, but sustained protection efforts led to such a strong recovery that it no longer needed international trade regulation – a rare and encouraging outcome.

Sharks and rays get historic protection 🔗

At CoP20, over 70 species of sharks and rays received new or upgraded protections. Oceanic whitetip sharks, whale sharks, and all manta and devil rays were moved to Appendix I, effectively ending their international commercial trade. This represented the single largest marine species protection action in CITES history.

Saiga antelope comeback 🔗

The saiga antelope in Kazakhstan has shown a remarkable recovery, with populations growing from just 48,000 in 2005 to more than 1.9 million. While CITES trade controls played a role, this success also reflects broader conservation efforts on the ground.

Reduced trafficking in elephants and rhinoceroses 🔗

At CoP20, the CITES Secretary-General noted positive outcomes, including reduced trafficking in elephants and rhinoceroses, while emphasizing that organized criminal groups continue to pose a serious threat.

How CITES is evolving 🔗

CITES has expanded significantly since its early days. Originally focused on luxury goods like furs demanded in Western markets, it now covers everything from manta rays and sea cucumbers to rosewood and songbirds. The convention’s scope at CoP20 underscored this evolution, with decisions touching on digital traceability systems, electronic permitting, risk assessment tools for customs officers, and stronger measures against corruption and illicit financial flows linked to wildlife crime.

The annual value of legal trade in CITES-listed species was approximately $1.8 billion for animals and $9.3 billion for plants between 2016 and 2020. Managing trade of this scale sustainably requires constant adaptation – and that is precisely what CITES continues to do.

The convention also increasingly focuses on the role of local communities and Indigenous Peoples in conservation outcomes. The next Conference of the Parties will be held in Panama, where these themes – along with continued enforcement strengthening and new species proposals – will be on the agenda once again.

What do you think? Can international trade regulations like CITES truly protect wildlife in an era of booming online markets and sophisticated criminal networks? And how should the balance between sustainable use of wildlife and strict conservation measures be determined?

References

1. https://cites.org/eng/disc/what.php
2. https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/cites
3. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/RL32751
4. https://www.fws.gov/international-affairs/cites
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6. https://www.unodc.org/e4j/en/wildlife-crime/module-2/key-issues/cites-and-the-international-trade-in-endangered-species.html
7. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/international-affairs/convention-international-trade-endangered-species-wild-fauna-and
8. https://cites.org/eng/news/iccwc-annual-report-2024-launched
9. https://cites.org/eng/prog/imp/enf/introduction
10. https://cites.org/eng/news/launch-of-world-wildlife-crime-report-2024
11. https://www.state.gov/2024-end-wildlife-trafficking-strategic-review
12. https://www.waza.org/blog/cites-cop20-outcomes-strengthening-wildlife-trade-policies-for-a-sustainable-future/
13. https://newsroom.wcs.org/News-Releases/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/25693/Landmark-decisions-at-CITES-CoP20-deliver-historic-safeguards-for-sharks-and-rays-okapi-Galapagos-iguanas-geckos-sloths-and-other-speciesmany-threatened-by-the-global-pet-trade.aspx
14. https://cites.org/eng/sg-statement/cites-cop20-closing-remarks-2025
15. https://www.admcf.org/unodc-world-wildlife-crime-report-2024-exposing-the-pervasive-and-destructive-global-wildlife-trade/