28/10/2022
The Philippine government is asking other nations attending the upcoming CITES Conference of the Parties (CoP 19) to consider its proposal to transfer the Philippine population of Saltwater crocodiles in the Palawan Islands, from Appendix I to Appendix II, with a zero-export quota for wild specimens.
Itβs the largest crocodilian, a skilled hunter, with one of natureβs most forceful bites, but the Saltwater Crocodile is also hunted β mostly for its skin.
It is widely distributed β from India, through many parts of Southeast Asia and all the way to Australia.
In the Philippines, intense historical hunting left has reduced the populations to just a few locations, largely in southern Palawan.
The wild Saltwater Crocodile population in the Philippines is protected by law. It is also currently listed on Appendix I of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) which prohibits commercial international trade except from CITES-registered farms which mostly export skins of legally bred crocodiles.
The Saltwater Crocodile is also known to be hunted for skulls and teeth for souvenirs. The meat of captive bred crocs is considered a by-product and could be exported as well.
The Philippines reports that there is growing hostility towards Saltwater Crocodiles because of conflict with humans and this makes efforts to rebuild their numbers in the wild challenging. Authorities report that there have been 64 crocodile attacks between 2000 and 2020 with 32% of them fatal, and 68% of all attacks occurring in Palawan province.
The Philippine government is asking other nations attending the upcoming CITES Conference of the Parties (CoP 19) to consider its proposal to transfer the Philippine population of Saltwater crocodiles in the Palawan Islands, from Appendix I to Appendix II, with a zero-export quota for wild specimens.
More: https://www.traffic.org/about-us/working-with-cites/cites-cop19/
How will they vote? Stay tuned to find out.
CoP 19 takes place in Panama City from 14- 25 November 2022