Thailand Fails To Get Crocodile Species Downgraded

[webfact]

Thailand fails to get crocodile species downgraded
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Thailand has failed to get major support from members of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to downgrade the protection for Siamese and saltwater crocodiles.

These two crocodiles are included in the list of 600 species threatened with extinction and international trade in these species or their parts is prohibited under CITES Appendix I.

However, the Fisheries Department called on the 129 nations present at the meeting to back Thailand to downgrade these two crocodile species from Appendix I to Appendix II so the Kingdom can continue exporting crocodile parts and products. This meeting was part of the 16th CITES summit being held in Bangkok from March 3-14.

Thailand is believed to have more than 200 crocodiles in the wild nationwide, while some 200,000 Siamese and 20,000 saltwater crocodiles are being bred in the 800 commercial crocodile farms across the country. Crocodile skin, meat and related products can earn the country more than Bt4 billion a year.

For the proposal related to protection of Siamese crocodiles, 69 of the countries present said yes, 49 were against it and 11 abstained, while 61 voted for lifting protection on saltwater crocodiles, 54 were against it, six abstained and the rest chose not to vote. However, the proposals could not go through because they did not get the two-thirds majority as required under CITES regulations.

"Countries who are against the proposal believe Thailand has too few crocodiles in the wild," Fisheries Department's director-general Wimol Jantrarotai said.


-- The Nation 2013-03-08

[Robby nz]

Good

[chainarong]

Disguise them as asian Elephants perhaps, just an idea.

[harrry]

I thought abstaining meant chose not to vote.

[DocN]

CITES is not Thailands mother....

[Payboy]

Time to switch to Polar Bear farms, Mr. Somchai. No wait!

[ginjag]

Good

With you on that

[casindonet]

It's all about the money. They want it off the list so that they can make money out pf selling the parts. Soon they'll be asking for elephant & tigers too.

[allan michaud]

Very happy these idiots lost. Unbelievable, these Siamese crocodile is very close to extinction in the wild and they want them downgraded to make more money. The stupid thing is the best skins are taken from the hybrids of the 2 species, which are not found in nature. Of course I am sure if the govt is releasing crocs into the wild they are picking suitable habitat and making sure with DNA tests that they release the right species

[Halion]

CITES is not Thailands mother....

Very true, Doubt if there would be many who would wish to take credit.

[CHANGOVER]

Why can't a ''Chinese whisper'' be arranged saying something like

''Tests have proven that when porn 'actors' were fed shark fin soup, rhino horn, crocodile meat and wore ivory trinkets they lost their libido.''

[Bobobirdiebuddy]

Dollars to doughnuts this will be widely ignored and the trade will continue.

[Sauliossiinthailand]

why would anybody care if crocodiles were extinct?? they're fuckin horrible things... its like saying lets breed as many mosquito's, scorpions and snakes as possible and set them free

[chrisboyo]

why would anybody care if crocodiles were extinct?? they're fuckin horrible things... its like saying lets breed as many mosquito's, scorpions and snakes as possible and set them free

You are an idiot arnt you? What right has man got to wipe out an entire breed of animal from this planet?

[MESmith]

Why did Thailand agree to host this conference? did they expect the whole world to come & give them a big slap on the back & thumbs up for their treatment of endangered species?

[Mosha]

why would anybody care if crocodiles were extinct?? they're fuckin horrible things... its like saying lets breed as many mosquito's, scorpions and snakes as possible and set them free

Every animal has a role to play. Look what happened in India when the slaughtered snakes. An explosion in the rodent population.

Edited March 8, 2013 by Mosha

[rbrooks]

The Thai count of wild Siamese crocodiles could be a little off so they can continue to export skins, parts and meat.

[Bluespunk]

why would anybody care if crocodiles were extinct?? they're fuckin horrible things... its like saying lets breed as many mosquito's, scorpions and snakes as possible and set them free

or even that most pointlessly destructive of species........us, or more accurately the moronic 'we have the right to do what we like because we can' aspect of our species.

[culicine]

why would anybody care if crocodiles were extinct?? they're fuckin horrible things... its like saying lets breed as many mosquito's, scorpions and snakes as possible and set them free

You are an idiot arnt you? What right has man got to wipe out an entire breed of animal from this planet?

Nevermind, crocs will still be roaming the earth long after humans have wiped themselves off of the planet.

[CHANGOVER]

why would anybody care if crocodiles were extinct?? they're fuckin horrible things... its like saying lets breed as many mosquito's, scorpions and snakes as possible and set them free

Wow! A neanderthal is still crawling on this planet! I thought those horrible things they were extinct.

[Locationthailand]

Sentiments revolve around two things, 200 crocs left in the wild and 4Billion Baht p.a. What else do the decisions makers need to know? With 800 farms and 220,000 crocs on farms, they would only have to release a few to up the ante but that would cost them money. Debate over.

[bigbamboo]

So it's OK to save polar bears but not crocodiles.

Good job Noah wasn't a Thai.

[jbrain]

why would anybody care if crocodiles were extinct?? they're fuckin horrible things... its like saying lets breed as many mosquito's, scorpions and snakes as possible and set them free

Every animal has a role to play. Look what happened in India when the slaughtered snakes. An explosion in the rodent population.

Could you explain the role of a crocodile in this society ?

[chrisboyo]

why would anybody care if crocodiles were extinct?? they're fuckin horrible things... its like saying lets breed as many mosquito's, scorpions and snakes as possible and set them free

Every animal has a role to play. Look what happened in India when the slaughtered snakes. An explosion in the rodent population.

Could you explain the role of a crocodile in this society ?

Crocs are considered the top of the food chain in their ecosystem. So if you have a healthy population of crocs, then generally you have a healthy stock of other animals in the same ecosystem.

I would say they are important.

[bigbamboo]

why would anybody care if crocodiles were extinct?? they're fuckin horrible things... its like saying lets breed as many mosquito's, scorpions and snakes as possible and set them free

Every animal has a role to play. Look what happened in India when the slaughtered snakes. An explosion in the rodent population.

Could you explain the role of a crocodile in this society ?

Well considering the croc is one of the longest surviving animals on the planet I guess it's earned the right to stick around.

You could take up the argument with one yourself if you want........

[lemonjelly]

why would anybody care if crocodiles were extinct?? they're fuckin horrible things... its like saying lets breed as many mosquito's, scorpions and snakes as possible and set them free

you get grazed knuckles when walking ?

[Yahooka]

Saving the Polar bear must be easy.Start breeding them here in LOS and let them loose inside the airconditioned buildings and cars and they will be very happy,it`s always freezing there anyway.........................................

[LeeThayer]

Why did Thailand agree to host this conference? did they expect the whole world to come & give them a big slap on the back & thumbs up for their treatment of endangered species?

Hub of endangered species.

[webfact]

WILDLIFE PROTECTION
Thailand fails to get crocodiles delisted
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation


A foreign participant displays a shark fin at the ongoing 16th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The forum is being held in Bangkok until March 14.

CITES votes to keep Siamese and saltwater crocs under protection list

BANGKOK: -- Thailand has failed to get major support from members of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to downgrade the protection for Siamese and saltwater crocodiles.

These two crocodiles are included in the list of 600 species threatened with extinction, and international trade in them or their parts is prohibited under CITES Appendix I.

However, the Fisheries Department called on the 129 nations present at the meeting to back Thailand to downgrade these two crocodile species from Appendix I to Appendix II so the Kingdom can continue exporting crocodile parts and products. This meeting was part of the 16th CITES summit being held in Bangkok from March 3-14.

Thailand is believed to have more than 200 crocodiles in the wild nationwide, while some 200,000 Siamese and 20,000 saltwater crocs are being bred in the 800 commercial crocodile farms across the country. Crocodile skin, meat and related products can earn the country more than Bt4 billion a year.

For the proposal related to protection of Siamese crocodiles, 69 of the countries present said yes, 49 were against it and 11 abstained, while 61 voted for lifting protection on saltwater crocodiles, 54 were against it, six abstained and the rest chose not to vote. However, the proposals could not go through because they did not get the two-thirds majority required under CITES regulations.

"Countries who are against the proposal believe Thailand has too few crocodiles in the wild," Fisheries Department director-general Wimol Jantrarotai said.

The proposal won support from China, Argentina, Sri Lanka, Congo, Costa Rica, Albania, Columbia, Venezuela, Cameroon and Cambodia, while those against it were the United States, the European Union, Belgium, Australia, Austria, Canada, Chile, Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland and Sweden.

The failure to have the two species de-listed will block Thailand's export of crocodile products, especially to the biggest buyers including the US, until it can prove the species are being preserved in their natural habitat.

Wimol said his department would submit the proposals once again at the main CITES meeting next week, but Thailand needed to win at least a one-third majority from the 150 countries attending the meeting in order to put the issue back on the agenda.

"We will explain that only crocodiles from commercial farms will be used, not those living in the wild," he said, adding that the department would ensure that Thailand is able to increase the number of crocs in the wild.

Meanwhile, the CITES meeting has studied 21 of the 70 proposals submitted by 55 countries in relation to the conservation and sustainable use of wildlife and timber. So far, about 14 proposals have been endorsed, including the protection of the Percy Island flying fox proposed by Australia. The species has been upgraded from Appendix II to Appendix I.

However, four proposals that were not endorsed include the one for polar bears, which the US wanted to be upgraded from Appendix II to I.

Next week, Thailand will seek a two-thirds majority for another proposal to list Siamese rosewood in Appendix II. Meanwhile, the proposal for marine species such as sharks and manta rays will be back in the limelight as CITES seeks to gain a balance between trade and conservation.


-- The Nation 2013-03-09

[Robby nz]

There are not that many croc farms I don't see why there shouldn't be some sort of registration of farms and branding of products from each.

Like clothing labels or car names it would show that the farms were taking pride in their products and would give control over exports.

It would mean that any Croc products were traceable back to their source farm.

Anything without the brand of a registered farm could then grabbed as they seem to be able to find pirated videos etc when they want to.

But then again we have the specter of corruption raising its ugly head.