CITES
Definition
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, a multilateral treaty signed in 1973 now with over 180 parties. CITES Appendix I lists species for which commercial trade is prohibited; Appendix II requires permits; Appendix III allows countries to list species requiring cooperation from other parties. DNA identification of CITES-listed taxa is central evidence in wildlife crime prosecutions.
- Full name
- Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
- Signed
- 1973
- Membership
- Over 180 parties
- Appendix I
- Commercial trade prohibited
- Appendix II/III
- Permit-controlled or cooperation-listed trade
Common questions
How does DNA evidence support a CITES prosecution?+
Species identification from tissue, hide, or processed product samples establishes that seized material belongs to a listed taxon, which is often the central factual question in a wildlife trafficking case since visual identification of processed goods, such as ivory carvings or dried products, can be unreliable.
What is the practical difference between Appendix I and Appendix II listing?+
Appendix I bans commercial international trade outright except in exceptional circumstances, while Appendix II permits trade under a licensing system intended to ensure it does not threaten the species' survival, so enforcement focuses on permit fraud and quota violations rather than an outright ban.
Can a species move between CITES appendices over time?+
Yes. Parties can propose reclassification at periodic Conference of the Parties meetings based on updated population data, so a species' appendix listing, and therefore what counts as illegal trade, can change and must be checked against the version in force at the time of an alleged offence.
Related terms
- Appendix I
- The highest protection tier in CITES, listing species threatened with extinction. Commercial international trade is prohibited; non-commercial trade requires both export and...
- Appendix II
- The intermediate CITES tier, covering species not yet threatened but requiring controlled trade. Export permits require a non-detriment finding from the exporting...
- BOLD (Barcode of Life Data System)
- A curated online reference database of barcode sequences maintained by the University of Guelph, Canada. Each entry includes a voucher specimen, taxonomic...
- COI (Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit I)
- The primary barcode gene for the animal kingdom under the Barcode of Life initiative. A 648-bp region within the COI gene is...
- Cross-Reactivity
- The capacity of an antibody raised against one analyte to bind structurally related compounds. In RIA, cross-reactivity is the main driver of...
- Cytochrome B (Cytb)
- A protein-coding gene in the mitochondrial genome used widely for vertebrate species identification. Its moderate mutation rate resolves most closely related species...
- DNA Barcoding
- Species identification using a short, standardised region of the mitochondrial genome. For animals, the primary barcode marker is a 648-base-pair segment of...
- ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay)
- A plate-based immunoassay format in which a target antigen is captured by an antibody bound to a solid surface, detected by a...
- EU Regulation 338/97
- The European Union's main wildlife trade instrument, implementing CITES and in many respects going further, applying to internal as well as international...
- Lacey Act
- US federal legislation originally from 1900, substantially amended in 1981 and 2008, that prohibits trade in wildlife taken in violation of any...
- Lateral-Flow Immunoassay
- A point-of-care competitive immunochromatographic format on a nitrocellulose strip. In the absence of drug, colloidal gold-labelled antibody is captured at a test...
- Monoclonal Antibody
- An antibody produced from a single B-cell clone, recognising a single specific epitope. In forensic species identification, monoclonal antibodies offer higher specificity...
Explained in these topics
- CITES Appendices and International Legal FrameworksThe Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, a 1973 treaty with 183 parties that regulates international trade in liste...
- Immunological Testing in Wildlife Crime and Food Fraud InvestigationsThe Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, an international agreement among 183 parties that regulates or prohibits t...
- Non-Human DNA and Species Identification