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Defenders Magazine
Defenders in Action: Of Apes and Sharks
What do sharp-toothed great-white sharks and long-haired orangutans have in common? Not much, frankly, except for the fact that agreements made at a recent conference of world governments will lead to increased protections for both creatures.
The protections were adopted at a meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Countries attending the meeting agreed to new protections for dozens of species threatened by illegal or excessive trade, including the great white shark. Although conservationists, including representatives of Defenders, asked conferees to ban all trade in great whites, the final agreement was limited to requiring exporting countries to issue permits, certify that sharks are legally obtained and ensure that trade would not imperil the species’ survival.
Delegates also adopted new controls on international trade in ramin, a large hardwood tree found in Indonesia and Malaysia. Ramin forests are home to the world’s last remaining orangutans, as well as other endangered species such as Sumatran tigers. High demand for ramin baby cribs, picture frames, pool cues and other products in the United States and Europe drives a huge trade in illegally logged ramin that is destroying Indonesian forests and putting orangutans at risk of extinction. Under the conference’s decision, future ramin trade must comply with strict rules to ensure that the wood has been harvested legally and sustainably, and ensure that logs don’t come from protected areas that provide the orangutan’s last refuge.
Defenders worked hard for these actions. “These were victories not just for the great white shark and for ramin alone, but also for the broader health of the ocean and forest ecosystems in which they are found,” says Carroll Muffett, director of international programs for Defenders.
CITES delegates also voted to increase safeguards for other species such as the rare Irawaddy dolphin and two types of parrots—the lilac-crowned amazon and the yellow-crested cockatoo. Nearly 38,000 of our members sent comments in support of the species that received increased protections. Unfortunately, despite letters from more than 23,000 Defenders supporters, conferees failed to raise safeguards for elephants, rhinoceroses and lions.
