The upcoming triennial World Wildlife Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa (CoP 17), 24 September-05 October 2016, is an important opportunity for signatories to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to recommit themselves to the protection of our wildlife and reverse the trend of many our species from going into endangerment and, worse, extinction.

The conference comes on the heels of a recent decision by the South African Supreme Court of Appeals to lift a 7-year ban on selling rhino horn. This will allow a free for all, which may well lead to the extinction of the rhino in South Africa, home to the world’s largest rhino population and nearly all of the world’s 20,000 white rhinos.  It may also set a dangerous precedent for other countries to follow.  Rhino, elephant and tiger poaching has reached epidemic proportions and we must fight to put an end to it.  

We call on governments participating in the triennial World Wildlife Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa (CoP 17) to take action to protect our wildlife, including:

• Putting in place a total ban on international and domestic rhino horn trade
• Committing to a complete and permanent ban on ALL trade in ivory
• Ending the international trade in big cats, particularly tigers
• Raising awareness in countries where there is a demand for rhino horn, ivory and tiger parts, and committing to domestic measures to criminalize the sale and possession of rhino horn, ivory and tiger parts
• Strengthening support to national parks and wildlife preserves
• Strengthening law enforcement and the support provided to wildlife rangers
• Cracking down on poachers through tougher penalties and a “no impunity” approach
• Banning international travel for the hunting of wild animals as well as all trophy and big-game hunting

We urge governments to: End the demand! End compromise!  End trade!  End the slaughter!

 Photo credit: Humane Society International