Progress made for conservation of bigleaf mahogany, freshwater tortoises and turtles, snakes and Saiga antelope

On Tuesday, March 16, Committee I began by taking up several agenda items related to plants submitted by the Plants Committee for consideration. Of particular interest to the U.S. is the discussion on the control of the international trade in bigleaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla). A working group had been formed after the last CoP to review management plans in the range States for bigleaf mahogany and analyze the non-detriment findings of these range States in issuing permits for the trade in bigleaf mahogany. A range State is the term used for a country in which the species occurs.

Benito Perez, Chief of Law Enforcement joins John Sellar, Enforcement for CITES at press event