列入《濒危野生动植物物种国际贸易公约》附录的物种的新标准

ＣＩＴＥＳ（濒危野生动植物国际贸易公约）是一个通过控制贸易的方法来维护物种生存及其持续利用的国际法规,其附录中所列的物种是重点管理的对象,主要根据现有的Ｂｅｒｎｅ标准来确定。但是,长期的实践证明,它已不能满足实际的需要。１９９２年６月ＣＩＴＥＳ常务委员会要求世界保护联盟协助制定一个简明、实用、科学和客观的新标准,本文对此作一简介和讨论。     

The trade in bear parts from Myanmar: an illustration of the ineffectiveness of enforcement of international wildlife trade regulations

We assessed the effectiveness of national and international wildlife trade regulations in Asia by surveying four wildlife markets in Myanmar for bears and bear parts. Bears are protected in Myanmar and neighbouring countries, and are included in CITES Appendix I, precluding international trade. Three of the four wildlife markets were situated at the border with neighbouring countries (China and Thailand) whereas the fourth, situated in Myanmar’s interior, also catered to international markets. During seven checks (1999–2006) we recorded 1,200 bear parts, representing a minimum of 215 individual bears. Most items were from Asiatic black bears Ursus thibetanus but also sun bear Helarctos malayanus parts were offered for sale. There were significant temporal and spatial differences in what items were offered for sale. Prices were low (USD 4–40 per item) and the total monetary value of the items for sale was USD 6,500–9,500 (not including gall bladders). Carcasses, skulls, canines, paws, claws, whole skins, pieces of skin, gall bladders and derivates, were openly displayed, with vendors being frank about prices, origin, and potential buyers. Only in the interior were prices quoted in the local currency; at the other three markets currencies of the neighbouring countries were used. Legal (international) trade in bears or bear parts from Myanmar is virtually non-existent, and the observed trade in bear parts strongly indicates a serious lack of enforcement effort. International trade in bear parts from Myanmar is significant, and open, and we conclude that the enforcement of wildlife trade regulations, at least when they concerns bear species, have by and large failed.     

Revisiting Green Data species lists

The management and active enforcement of the increasing number of conservation-related instruments (e.g. the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), The World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red Data Lists and pending invasive species regulations), and the number of listed plant and animal taxa that they are likely to incorporate, are already straining national regulatory, enforcement and border control agencies. Against the backdrop of increasing capacity constraints (financial and logistic) and uncertainty faced by these authorities, we support calls for a radical shift in the traditional approach to the management of threatened species (either Red Data List or CITES listed) and the maintenance of the integrity of biological systems (viz. the control of potentially invasive species). This entails the establishment of National Green Data Species Lists (proposed by Imboden (1989) in World Birdwatch 9:2). The Green List would be a reciprocal list of species that are not threatened (not Red Data listed), not affected by trade (not CITES listed) or pose little threat of invasion according to importing authorities. This reciprocal list does not require negotiation of new international treaties and will simply piggy-back on existing treaties. In addition, it will shift the 'burden of proof', including the financial investment required for species Green Data listing, the verification of origins, taxonomic and conservation status determination, from regulating authorities to traders.     

Turkish graveyards as refuges for orchids against tuber harvest

Harvest of orchid tubers for salep production is widespread in southwestern Asia and the Balkans and constitutes a major conservation risk for wild orchid populations. Synanthropic habitats, such as graveyards, are important refuges for orchids and other organisms and could offer protection from salep harvesting because of their special cultural role. However, little is known about the occurrence and factors influencing harvesting of salep in graveyards. During field surveys of 474 graveyards throughout Turkey, we observed 333 graveyards with orchids, 311 graveyards with tuberous orchids, and salep harvest in 14 graveyards. Altogether, 530 individuals of 17 orchid species were collected, representing 9% of the individuals recorded. Harvesting intensity was relatively low, and populations were usually not wholly destroyed. However, some species were clearly more affected than others. Salep harvesting risk of orchid species was significantly associated with flowering time, with early‐flowering species being more affected. A marginally significant positive relationship between harvesting risk and species‐specific tuber size was also detected. Our data suggest that graveyards might offer some protection against salep harvesting in Turkey, but they also show that some orchid taxa are much more affected than others. Overall, our observations add more weight to the conservation value of these special habitats.     

A cryptic invasion within an invasion and widespread introgression in the European water frog complex: consequences of uncontrolled commercial trade and weak international legislation

In Western Europe, many pond owners introduce amphibians for ornamental purposes. Although indigenous amphibians are legally protected in most European countries, retailers are circumventing national and international legislation by selling exotic nonprotected sibling species. We investigated to what extent non‐native species of the European water frog complex (genus Pelophylax) have become established in Belgium, using morphological, mitochondrial and nuclear genetic markers. A survey of 87 sampling sites showed the presence of non‐native water frogs at 47 locations, mostly Marsh frogs (Pelophylax ridibundus). Surprisingly, at least 19% of all these locations also harboured individuals with mitochondrial haplotypes characteristic of Anatolian water frogs (Pelophylax cf. bedriagae). Nuclear genotyping indicated widespread hybridization and introgression between P. ridibundus and P. cf. bedriagae. In addition, water frogs of Turkish origin obtained through a licensed retailer, also contained P. ridibundus and P. cf. bedriagae, with identical haplotypes to the wild Belgian populations. Although P. ridibundus might have invaded Belgium by natural range expansion from neighbouring countries, our results suggest that its invasion was at least partly enhanced by commercial trade, with origins as far as the Middle East. Also the invasion and rapid spread of Anatolian lineages, masked by their high morphological similarity to P. ridibundus, is likely the result of unregulated commercial trade. We expect that Anatolian frogs will further invade the exotic as well as the native range of P. ridibundus and other Pelophylax species elsewhere in Western and Central Europe, with risks of large‐scale hybridization and introgression.     

The catch and trade of seahorses in Vietnam

Catch monitoring and surveys were used to assess the seahorse trade in Vietnam. Despite low daily catch rates, potentially 6.5 t of dried seahorses (~2.2 million seahorses) were taken annually as bycatch by trawlers operating out of five coastal provinces of Vietnam. Individual seahorse catches were collated by a few local buyers, who supplied wholesalers in three major markets: Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong City and Da Nang. Domestic consumption was small and most seahorses were exported, generally through unofficial and unregulated channels across the northern border into Guangxi province of China. Overall, the seahorse trade was of low economic value to Vietnam, but may constitute an important source of income to upper level buyers and exporters. Most fishers and buyers surveyed reported that seahorse catch had declined over time. This paper should help in meeting the new CITES requirements – through implementation of an Appendix II listing in 2004 – that all international trade in seahorses must be monitored and managed for sustainability.     

The dynamics of trade in live wildlife across the Guangxi border between China and Vietnam during 1993–1996 and its control strategies

A survey on trade in live wild animals was conducted along the Guangxi border between China and Vietnam during 1993–1996. The results showed that there were 55 species, which were underestimated, involved in the trade, including 15 species of mammals, 10 species of birds, 29 species of reptiles and 1 species of amphibian. Many of them were species listed on Appendices I and II of CITES and on China's protection list (known as ASSP). During the investigation, about 2.29–29.325 tons of wildlife per day were imported to China form Vietnam. Some species with a large volume of trade may be over-exploited. Sixty-three percent of middle–high quality restaurants in three border cities and Nanning in Guangxi sold wildlife foods. Twenty kinds of wild animals were eaten at the restaurants. Although numbers of species involved in the trade remained fairly stable over the survey period, numbers of species listed in Appendices I and II of CITES and the state protection list had declined. The scale of wildlife markets in border cities of Guangxi and consumption levels of wildlife in the restaurants had been reduced because border control measures were enforced on the trade by local governments of China. However, the prices of the 5 main species in wildlife markets were still going up. This suggested that demand for wildlife in Guangxi was strong and will facilitate the illegal trade. The key steps to control the illegal wildlife trade between the two countries should focus on (i)suppression of illegal wildlife markets and prohibition of the sale of wildlife food in restaurants consisting of species listed in the ASSP inventory; (ii) international cooperation in the control of the trade; (iii) tighter enforcement of CITES for both countries; (iv) control of invasion of exotic species and epidemics of disease in the trade in China; and (v) education for wildlife conservation in China.