Siam Crocodile Retains Top C I T E S Protection Listing

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Siam Crocodile retains top CITES protection listing
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation


Siam crocodile. File photo, source: Wikipedia.org

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's proposal to downgrade the Siamese freshwater crocodile from Appendix I, the list of most endangered species, has once again been defeated.

Fishery Department’s director general Wimol Jantrarotai on Wednesday asked the plenary meeting of the 16th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), currently being held in Bangkok, to reopen the vote to move the crocodile from the top protection under the CITES’s Appendix I to Appendix II, which would allow Thailand to export captive crocodiles to other countries, subject to certain controls.

The proposal was defeated last Friday as it did not get the two-thirds majority vote from participants.

The department again submitted the proposal to the meeting in the hope to winning a majority vote.

But the proposal was defeated again by the plenary meeting, with a large number of delegates having already taken a final decision not to delist this type of crocodile from the top protection.

Delegates from Switzerland said that the number of Siamese freshwater crocodiles in their natural habitat is still low and should not be withdrawn from the top list.

Thailand now has over 200 crocodiles in the natural habitats nationwide. About 200,000 Siamese crocodiles and 20,000 saltwater crocodiles have been bred in the 800 commercial crocodile farms across the country.

The crocodile skin, meat and related products could make more than Bt 4 billion a year for farmers.

"We will ensure CITES that no Siamese freshwater crocodiles hunted in their natural habitat are sold for the commercial market. We also ask for a zero quota for the exported number of this kind of crocodile from its natural habitat," Wimol said.

"Third countries will also be invited to monitor our reintroduction programme," he added.

However, his proposal was not adopted by the majority of 138 delegates who attended the plenary meeting.


-- The Nation 2013-03-14

[bigbamboo]

Crocodiles 1 Reptiles 0.

[robblok]

Big slap in the face for Thailand, good thing too because who can check a corupt country for following the rules. Though i really doubt that they would kill the last 200 animals for export.

[Payboy]

The proposal was defeated last Friday as it did not get the two-thirds majority vote from participants.

The department again submitted the proposal to the meeting in the hope to winning a majority vote.

A coup was out of the question here, I guess.

[Chang_paarp]

So this is not about a criminal former leader who is trying to get his status downgraded.

[A Member]

Crocodiles 1 Reptiles 0.

When the other species of Thai crocodiles, the politicians , find out how much money is in this trade there will be none of the originals left

[chuenyongman]

I am very partial to a bit a crocodile. you can buy it in Macro. But I would not like to see them exterminated . They breed them for human consumption in Australia.

[Dibbler]

The proposal was defeated because members of the Conference of the Parties could see that the Thai government did not have an adequate protection plan in place for the last 200 wild crocodiles. Indeed the Dept of National Parks, Wildlife and Plants cannot guarantee the security of the wild populations in Kaeng Krachan, Pang Sida, Khao Ang Rue Nai and other smaller populations (1 animal is known from Khao Yai but it's likely a captive animal that was released). As the species is near extinction in this country it is pure folly to suggest it should be downgraded in trade protection status. Such a decision would spell the end with the last wild animals quickly poached to add wild genetic stock to the existing captive populations. Wild Siamese crocodiles 1, Crocodile breeders 0

croc.BMP

[A_Traveller]

Though off topic glad to hear that the oceanic whitetips, porbeagle and hammerhead shark protection has remained in force despite efforts by a group headed by Japan and China today.

[wolfmanjack]

Maybe the breeders should take 10% of their 200,000 crocs and release them into the wild.

[Jonathanukthai]

The proposal was defeated because members of the Conference of the Parties could see that the Thai government did not have an adequate protection plan in place for the last 200 wild crocodiles. Indeed the Dept of National Parks, Wildlife and Plants cannot guarantee the security of the wild populations in Kaeng Krachan, Pang Sida, Khao Ang Rue Nai and other smaller populations (1 animal is known from Khao Yai but it's likely a captive animal that was released). As the species is near extinction in this country it is pure folly to suggest it should be downgraded in trade protection status. Such a decision would spell the end with the last wild animals quickly poached to add wild genetic stock to the existing captive populations. Wild Siamese crocodiles 1, Crocodile breeders 0

croc.BMP

That is pure coggles walk!

Do you know how cheaply you can buy these farmed and how much effort would go into poaching these remaining 200? There are so many in farms, it is cheaper and easer to steel them from farms than steel them from the wild.

You can still export skins, it really effects the export of live animals and exports to the US, so many are already sold in asia and even Italy that poachers (if they could be bothered and its was cost and time efficient) can make the same amount of money now as they would if they reclassified.