Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), Secretariat

This comprehensive publication presents a history of the evolution of CITES. It begins with the basics and guides the reader through its complex structure. The provisions of the Convention are clearly highlighted in the book, and the numerous resolutions and decisions are explained.

The CITES handbook has been compiled to provide for the Parties to CITES and others who are interested the most essential texts fo the implementation of the Convention in one single reference book. It comprises the text of the Convention, Appendices I and II, Appendix III, the standard CITES export/import permit - re-export certificate, the Resolutions and the Decisions of the Conference of the Parties to CITES in effect after the 12th meeting (Santiago, 2002)

The 2003 version of the CITES Checklist not only provides an alphabetical list of the fauna and flora included in Appendices I, II and III of CITES as adopted by the Conference of the Parties, but includes as well a CD-ROM containing the Annotated Appendices which have an index to family names and common names.

Use of and trade in wildlife is a fact of life for human society around the globe. Article IV of the CITES Convention requires that exporting countries restrict trade in Appendix II species to levels that are not detrimental either to species’ survival, or to their role within the ecosystems in which they occur (known as the “non-detriment finding”).

This comprehensive publication presents a history of the evolution of CITES. It begins with the basics and guides the reader through its complex structure. The provisions of the Convention are clearly highlighted in the book, and the numerous resolutions and decisions are explained.