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Putting an End to the Illegal Wildlife Trade (CITES)
Since the turn of the 20th century, the West African ivory trade has led to major declines in the elephant population. The loss of habitat and illegal killing has raised deep concerns about the future of this endangered, highly charismatic species.
To combat the problem, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) organized The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1973. This convention is an international agreement between governments aimed at ensuring that the international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.
The international wildlife trade endangers hundreds of millions of plant and animal specimens each year - but when a particular species is listed under CITES, a management plan is created for governments to monitor and sustainably manage that plant or animal.
In the case of Africa's elephants, government representatives have implemented an action plan to deal with illegal domestic ivory markets. CITES has also established monitoring tools to assess the illegal hunting of elephants - ensuring that elephant populations in Africa are managed in sustainable ways.
With cooperation from local communities and their governments, UNEP's CITES agreement is the best hope for many species on the verge of extinction.
For more information, visit http://www.cites.org/
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