More than 50 MEPs and around 50 conservation organizations on Sunday called on parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to ban trophy hunting targeting endangered animals like rhinos and elephants.
This issue is not on the CITES agenda
CITES prohibits all trade in more than 1,000 plant and animal species considered to be in danger of extinction, which are listed in Annex 1. In a letter to CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero, the signatories deplore the fact that trophies, having a recreational character and considered as "non-commercial", has escaped this prohibition.
>> READ ALSO - Why the future of African elephants is now playing out in Geneva
The letter was made public when thousands of delegates from more than 180 countries, environmental advocates and political leaders gathered in Geneva. They are to discuss 56 proposals to change the level of protection granted to wild animals and plants by the Convention. The issue of hunting trophies is not on the agenda of the conference.
MEPs demand "immediate moratorium"
"A considerable number of (Schedule 1) (Treaty) species of trophies are traded each year, including the IUCN Red List trophies (International Union for the Conservation of Nature). ) as species that no longer survive in the wild, are critically endangered (or at risk of extinction), vulnerable or close to threat thresholds, "says the letter.
The signatories call on the parties to the Convention to "treat hunting trophies in the same way as other forms of wildlife trade", and to "apply an immediate moratorium on imports of all (listed) species in the world. 'Annex 1".