General Information
Activities to implement this Resolution from Activity Reports
| Relevant operative para(s) of Res/Rec | Activities Overview | Description | Status | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | Capacity building | France’s Ministry for Ecological Transition appointed AFdPZ to create and manage SAASS, its national assistance service for seized wildlife, launched in December 2024. Working with authorities, it centralises requests, coordinates placements when release is impossible, and monitors live seized wildlife nationwide. Europe’s first such scheme, it implements Annex 3 of CITES Resolution Conf. 17.8 (Rev. CoP20) on plans for seized live specimens. | On-going | Full activity report |
| All | Policy influencing/advocacy | Participation in numerous national and international meetings (CBD and CITES CoPs, CITES Secretariat, WAZA, EAZA, European Commission and French Interministerial Committee,...) to highlight the issue addressed by the resolution and France’s response through SAASS, share lessons learned, promote this service which is unique in Europe, and advocate for the effective implementation of relevant CITES and IUCN resolutions. | On-going | Full activity report |
| 1b, 2b, 2c, 2h | Convene stakeholders/Networking | With the IUCN CSS France: Strengthen coordinated national action to prevent and reduce illegal wildlife trade in France through collaboration among government authorities, conservation organisations, and IUCN SSC Specialist Groups |
Planned | Full activity report |
| 1, 2c, 2e | Scientific/technical activities | With the IUCN CSS France: Establish a national working group with key stakeholders and government to adapt and develop IUCN SSC guidelines on the management of confiscated live organisms to the national context. |
Planned | Full activity report |
| 2a, 2d, 2e, 2f | Capacity building | Zoo Berlin supports local authorities and customs authorities during confiscation operations through animal identification, safe handling and appropriate placement of seized wildlife. It also provides training for the fire service on handling dangerous animals, particularly venomous snakes, and receives confiscated animals for appropriate care, including venomous reptiles, invertebrates and fish. | On-going | Full activity report |
Actors involved from Activity Reports
| IUCN Members | IUCN Commissions | IUCN Secretariat | Other non-IUCN related organisations |
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Challenges / lessons learned from Activity Reports
| Challenges / lessons learned | Description | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Insufficient / lack of resources | A lack of suitable authorized placements (provided voluntarily and free of charge by host institutions: zoos and aquariums, sanctuaries, and so on) affects one-third of cases, while insufficient funding, particularly for transport, affects one-quarter. Transport costs can be especially challenging when the available placement is far from the animal’s location. |
Full activity report |
| Coordination issues | In France, confiscation falls under the jurisdiction of several competent authorities across different ministries, making effective communication and coordination essential. |
Full activity report |
| Coordination issues | Effective management of confiscated wildlife requires rapid identification, appropriate facilities and close coordination with authorities. Limited capacity for certain taxa highlights the importance of clear procedures and defined responsibilities between authorities and specialist zoological institutions. |
Full activity report |