Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of
Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
by: Camille A. Teruel, LLB 2A
The Convention on
International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
(CITES) is an international
agreement between governments.
Its aim is to ensure that
international trade in specimens of
wild animals and plants does not
threaten their survival.
Important Terminologies:
Endangered Species - species
threatened by extinction or a
species whose numbers are so few,
or are declining so quickly, that the
animal, plant, or other organism
may soon become extinct.
Exploitation unfair treatment or
use; the practice of taking selfish
or unfair advantage of something
in order to gain a benefit
Extinct - the gradual process by
which a group of related organisms
dies out
Survival - staying alive; the fact of
remaining alive or in existence
Trade - the activity of buying and
selling, or sometimes bartering or
exchanging
CITES
Annually, international
wildlife trade is estimated to be
worth billions of dollars and to
include hundreds of millions of
plant and animal specimens. The
trade is diverse, ranging from live
animals and plants to a vast array
of wildlife products derived from
them, including food products,
exotic leather goods, wooden
musical instruments, timber, tourist
curios and medicines.
Many wildlife species in trade
are not endangered, but the
existence of an agreement to
ensure the sustainability of the
trade is important in order to
safeguard these resources for the
future.
Presently, CITES accords
varying degrees of protection to
more than 35,000 species of
animals and plants, whether they
are traded as live specimens, fur
coats or dried herbs.
How CITES works?
CITES works by subjecting
international trade in specimens of
selected species to certain
controls. All import, export, re-
exports and introduction from the
sea of species covered by the
Convention has to be authorized
through a licensing system.
Classification of Species
The species covered by CITES
are listed in three Appendices,
according to the degree of Republic Act No. 9147: Wildlife
protection they need. Resources Conservation and
Protection Act
Appendix I: Includes species Dedicated to the
threatened with extinction. Trade in conservation of the countrys
specimens of these species is wildlife resources and their
permitted only in exceptional habitat for sustainability.
circumstances.
Republic Act No. 8550: The
Appendix II: Includes species not Philippine Fisheries Code
necessarily threatened with SEC. 11. Protection of Rare,
extinction, but in which trade must Threatened and Endangered
be controlled in order to avoid Species.
utilization incompatible with their The Department shall declare
survival. closed seasons and take
conservation and rehabilitation
Appendix III: Contains species that measures for rare, threatened
are protected in at least one and endangered species, as it
country, which has asked other may determine, and shall ban
CITES Parties for assistance in the fishing and/or taking of rare,
controlling the trade. threatened and/or endangered
species, including their
CITES and the Philippines eggs/offspring as identified by
The Philippines is one of the existing laws in concurrence
180 countries which is a Party to with concerned government
CITES. agencies.
CITES is an international
agreement to which States adhere SEC. 97. Fishing or Taking of
voluntarily. Although it is legally Rare, Threatened or
binding on the Parties, it does not Endangered Species.
take the place of national laws.
Rather it provides a framework to It shall be unlawful to fish or
be respected by each Party, which take rare, threatened or
has to adopt its own domestic endangered species as listed in
legislation to ensure that CITES is the CITES and as determined by
implemented at the national level. the Department.

Pertinent National Laws Republic Act No. 8485: Animal

Welfare Act
 Protects and promotes the
welfare of all animals in the
Philippines by supervising
and regulating the
establishment and operations
of all facilities utilized for
breeding, maintaining,
keeping, treating or training
of all animals either as
objects of trade or as
household pets.
Sources
http://www.cites.org
http://checklist.cites.org
http://www.speciesplus.net
bmb.gov.ph
http://mwwphilippines.org/2013/
08/06/philippine-and-
international-laws-on-marine-
wildlife-protection/
http://www.unep-wcmc-
apps.org/isdb/CITES/Taxonomy
http://www.arkive.org