International conference on endangered species ends in Panama

PANAMA CITY: An international conference on trade in endangered species ended Friday Nov 25 in Panama, with protections for over 500 species being established.

The measures were approved by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, known as CITES.

The conference agreed to tighten trade regulations on sharks targeted by the fin trade and tiny frogs with translucent skin.

Annual deaths are more than 100 million due to the decline of global shark populations. Sharks are mainly sought for their fins, which are used in shark fin soup, a popular delicacy in China and elsewhere in Asia.

Over two weeks, the 184 nation gathering tried to combat trade in species facing extinction.

The international wildlife trade treaty, which was adopted 49 years ago in Washington, DC, has been praised for helping stem the illegal and unsustainable trade in ivory and rhino horns as well as whales and sea turtles.

Joaquin de la Torre, International Director for the International Fund for Animal Welfare, said that the translucent or glass frogs have been hit hard by habitat loss, diseases and their popularity in the pet trade.

De la Torre said that they had been waiting for this for three years. They are very charismatic species. The conference also voted to restrict trade in South American freshwater turtles known as Matamata, whose spikey, prehistoric appearance has made them popular among collectors.

CITES approved 46 of the 52 proposals, including restrictions on dozens of tree species.

Fans of hippos, found in more than three dozen African countries and regulars in nature documentaries, had hoped that the convention would ban commercial trade, but that proposal was not approved.

The proposal to ban hippo trade was opposed by the European Union, some African countries and several conservation groups, who argue that many countries have healthy hippo populations and that trade isn't a factor in their decline.