Greenwire: Proposals for a limited-time run of ivory sales and restrictions on the coral trade both failed during the latest rounds of voting at the United Nations’ Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES.
Both Tanzania and Zambia brought forward ivory sale proposals; the former seeking a short-term sale and the latter proposing a compromise to allow future sales of elephant tusks. Tanzania’s proposal sought to sell almost 200,000 pounds of ivory. While the deal picked up support from the United States, it was defeated largely by the 23-nation African Elephant Coalition.
“This is a rare victory for elephants,” said Jason Bell-Leask, director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Southern Africa.
The vote came after delegates declined to ban trade in red and pink corals, which are often used in jewelry and homeopathic medicine. The 31 species that would have received protection under the proposal by the United States and Sweden largely stem from the Mediterranean Sea.
“Corals are the building blocks of many ocean ecosystems, and the science is clear: They are at great risk,” said Dawn Martin, president of SeaWeb. “And now, since action was not taken at CITES, red and pink coral populations will continue to decline at an alarming rate.”
Delegates to the conference did agree to ban international trade of Kaiser’s spotted newt, a rare Iranian salamander that is frequently sought as a pet. It is estimated that 1,000 of the animals remain alive, with some 200 traded each year (Michael Casey, AP/Washington Post, March 22; Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post, March 22). – PV