Cities Members Submit 67 Proposals on Endagered Species Protection

Geneva (ANTARA/Xinhua-OANA) - More than 50 countries have submitted 67 proposals to change the list of species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITIES) , it was announced here on Friday. The proposals, including improving the conservation and sustainable use of marine species, timber species, ornamental and medicinal plants and many other animals and plants, will be considered at the world's wildlife conference, to be held in Bangkok, Thailand on March 3-14, 2013, CITIES Secretary-general John E. Scanlon told reporters here. Scanlon said that at the conference, which will coincide with the 40th anniversary of CITIES, 176 member states will also be asked to consider how the convention can further enhance efforts to combat the illegal trade in elephant ivory and rhino horn. The conference will also review the potential impacts of the convention measures on the livelihoods of the rural poor, who are often on the frontlines of using and managing wildlife, and discuss whether March 3, the adoption date of CITIES in 1973, should be declared the United Nations World Wildlife Day. CITIES regulates international trade in nearly 35,000 species of plants and animals, including their products and derivatives, ensuring their survival in the wild with benefits for the livelihoods of local people and the global environment. The CITIES permit system seeks to ensure that international trade in listed species is sustainable, legal and traceable.