Crocodile leather on agenda at CITES meeting in Bangkok
Thailand hopes to ease restrictions on exports of crocodile leather and is petitioning its case at the meeting of the signatories to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, currently under way in Bangkok.
The new director-general of Thailand's Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation hopes they can transfer freshwater and saltwater crocodiles from Appendix I to Appendix II of the convention to boost domestic crocodile farming.
Appendix I covers animals and plants in which all international commercial trade is prohibited except in rare circumstances. In this category are 530 animal species including tigers, white rhinos and gorillas. Appendix II is much bigger. Trade is allowed in these animals and plants but strictly controlled by permit. Over 4,460 animals and 28,000 plants are in this grouping, including polar bears and some shark species.
Delegates will discuss 70 proposals for amending the rules relating to specific species at the week-long meeting. Elephant, rhino and bear hunting are high up the agenda.
