Can CITES Regulations Help Protect Wildlife?

From 3-14 March, the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) is holding their Conference of Parties 16 (CoP16) in Bangkok, Thailand.  While some species will get the protection they so desperately need to survive in the wild, others seem to fall by the wayside.  What constitutes a species being placed on the coveted Appendix I list?  Is a down listing to Appendix II or III, or a delisting a death sentence for species?  Do CITES regulations really help protect endangered species or simply pay lip service to the angry mob? A great deal of confusion surrounds what CITES …

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The Changing Face of Poaching

In the past, poaching of wildlife for bushmeat or sale of animal products was typically carried out by people living locally to wildlife habitats.  Particularly in severely impoverished areas, poaching was done to feed and support families.  In the last few years the face of poaching has changed.  Poaching has become very sophisticated utilizing GPS, helicopters, and tranquilizers instead of tracking animals on foot and using snares or automatic weapons.  Rangers, veterinarians, and researchers who have sworn to protect and conserve vulnerable and endangered species are the very ones who are now participating in their demise.  Carcasses are left to …

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Exotic Animal Ownership

Since the exotic animal incident in Zanesville, Ohio a few weeks ago, I have received a lot of questions regarding the laws governing exotic animal ownership in the United States.  Ownership of exotic or non-native species in the US is a much debated subject.  In actuality, regulation is done on a state, not national, basis; which allows for a lot of inconsistencies and what appears to be very little regulation.  On one side of the argument are those individuals who own exotic species and want to continue to do so.  On the other side are people who want to regulate …

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