credits: Francesco Cardia CITES (the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an
international agreement among governments to ensure that
international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does
not threaten their survival. The Convention entered into force
on 1 July 1975 and currently has a membership of 173 countries.
Roughly 5 000 species of animals and 28 000 species of plants
are protected by CITES (see CITES general overview). Those
species are listed in one of three Appendices, and international
trade in these species is controlled according to the degree of
protection they require. CITES member countries act by banning
commercial international trade in an agreed list of endangered
species and by regulating and monitoring trade in others that
might become endangered. It has established a world-wide system
of controls on international trade in threatened wildlife and
wildlife products by stipulating that government permits are
required for such trade. T