Meeting seeks trade protection for sharks, polar bears, elephants

BANGKOK: -- The world's main mechanism for restricting trade in wildlife kicked off in Bangkok Sunday with sharks, manta rays, polar bears, elephants and rhinos high on the agenda.

About 2,000 delegates from 178 member nations of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora gathered in Bangkok for the 16th CITES conference, which meets every three years.

The delegates are to consider dozens of proposals on increased or decreased trade protection for endangered species by listing them on Appendix I, which prohibits all traffic in a species, or Appendix II, which restricts trade to ensure its sustainable.

The European Union, the US and several South American countries are hoping to list two manta ray species and five shark species, including the porbeagle shark - the largest marine predator in European waters - on Appendix II.

"This conference can be the turning point, finally, for better protection of marine species under CITES," said Elsa Nikel, head ofthe German delegation.

Three of the hammer head shark species designated for Appendix II are popular for use in shark fin soup, a Chinese delicacy.

The United States proposed that the polar bear, whose survival is being threatened by melting ice around the Arctic Circle, be placed on Appendix I.

China and Japan have traditionally voted against efforts to include marine animals under convention protections.

"I think it is going to be a tight vote," said John Scanlon, CITES secretary general.

The conference is scheduled to end March 14.

-- The Nation 2013-03-03

Very strange considering Thailand track record.

This, in the Australian Newspaper today---

"GLOBAL conservationists converged on Bangkok for the start of endangered species talks, as host Thailand was forced onto the defensive over the rampant smuggling of ivory through its territory.

The plight of elephants and rhinos - threatened by poaching networks driven by insatiable demand for tusks and horn from Asian nations - are set to dominate the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which lasts until March 14.

Thailand, seen as a hub for traffickers of all endangered species, is facing particular pressure over its ivory market."

Not only the magic word yet again, but this could put Thailand in a difficult position.....there will be quite some pressure applied I would imagine, given the volume of animal parts that pass through, and also originate from here.

How about putting ex-pats on a safety watch list? Elephants get bumped off for ivory, ex-pats get bumped off for money - they could watch both at the same time?

They left out that rare species the Thaskin, ranges far and wide, very elusive , sometimes seen at night, has been known to leave home habitat to travel thousands of kilometres, known to return to the parents lair after eleven years., short n square in appearance , might bite if approached from behind, shares sometimes with family and friends , little in common with the peasant rat.

How about putting ex-pats on a safety watch list? Elephants get bumped off for ivory, ex-pats get bumped off for money - they could watch both at the same time?

ex-pats can make a choise , elephants can't

Yes all nice to gather people around the world and even making the BBC news...it won't fly..too many people making money...lets ban prostitution..sounds like a very good moral issue right..how will that fly..replace the worry about endangered species with endangered women...oh yes let talk about "Copy Right" in Thai it is translated to "Right to Copy".... too many Shark Fin appetites, just too many people to change their wants..for what?...the issue is Save the Earth..we talk a lot and text a lot...like we are going to change..no...sad to say but we are just human and have not reached enlightenment... time to reflect and see WHAT I can do to lessen my consumption of earthly goods or lengthen my time on earth, it is up to me and you. My peace I leave with you and peace be with you...now that is what we need to SAVE.

I can see the Thai headlines now: We are completly shutting down any trade in Polar Bear parts from Thailand.. No Polar Bears will ever again have to fear hunters here.. Ok, now about those Rhino's.. what's a Rhino again? (confused look)

How about putting ex-pats on a safety watch list? Elephants get bumped off for ivory, ex-pats get bumped off for money - they could watch both at the same time?

ex-pats can make a choise , elephants can't

Neither can Thai so do we have to watch them?

Meeting Seeks Trade Protection For Sharks, Polar Bears, Elephants

and Charlerm - burp

I don't see any mention of Dinosaurs. Don't they need protection, too? We need all these man-eating animals to slow down the ever increasing population growth on the planet earth, don't we? There is the Universal Convention of Human Rights, or whatever is called. Animals need a convention like that too, don't they?

How about putting ex-pats on a safety watch list? Elephants get bumped off for ivory, ex-pats get bumped off for money - they could watch both at the same time?

ex-pats can make a choise , elephants can't

Sharks can't make a choice either, numbers are dropping world-wide, as their fins are removed and the still living sharks are dumped back into the ocean to drown.

...yet supermarkets here continue to sell frozen shark fins. or were they reared in special breeding tanks??

Elephants, yes, Tigers yes, Sharks definitely, but they seem to keep plucking the same species out of a book because they think it is popular. Back in the early 80's the Polar Bear population was considered to be as low as 5000, now at 25000+ it has never been so good. Yes, Polar bears are desperate for food, not because of global warming, but because there are so many of the bloody things. They are venturing far south down into Alaska and starting to feed in towns and garbage sites. Time to let the inuits get their wife's some new fur coats. There is a responsibility with conservation and the dramatic increase in the Polar bear population has become an undeniable threat to Humans in the far North.