India has forwarded proposals pertaining to amendments in the listing of various animal and plant species, including the smooth-coated otter, small-clawed otter, Indian star tortoise, Tokay gecko, wedgefish, and Indian rosewood. This move is due to take place at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) secretariat meet-up scheduled for August 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Smooth-Coated Otter and Small-Clawed Otter
Inhabiting regions globally excepting Australia, New Zealand, Madagascar, and a few oceanic islands, otters are well represented in India with three of the thirteen global otter species residing there. These include the Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra), Smooth-Coated Otter (Lutra perspicillata), and Small-Clawed Otter (Aonyx cinereus). While the Smooth-Coated Otter can be found throughout India, the Eurasian Otter and the Small-Clawed Otter have a more restricted geographic spread, confined to the Himalayas north of the Ganges River and southern India.
Otters are heavily reliant on aquatic habitats and their numbers are severely threatened by habitat destruction from large-scale hydroelectric projects, conversion of wetlands to farmland or settlements, depleting prey, poaching, and contamination of water bodies by pesticides. Due to these threats, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified the Asian otter under its ‘vulnerable’ category. Ironically, to ensure the preservation of otters India, Nepal, and the Philippines have proposed to upgrade the otter’s status from CITES Appendix II to an Appendix I listing.
Indian Star Tortoise
The Indian Star Tortoise, found mainly in Central and Southern India, West Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, faces threats such as habitat loss due to agriculture and illicit harvesting for the pet trade. Therefore, it has been categorized as vulnerable by IUCN and is additionally protected under Schedule IV of Wild Life Protection Act, 1972 and CITES. Consistent with its efforts to protect wildlife, India has proposed to re-list the star tortoise from CITES Appendix II to Appendix I.
Tokay Gecko
Identified as one of the largest geckos globally the Tokay Gecko or Gekko gecko is primarily tree-dwelling, residing in rainforests across Northeast India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Southeast Asia. Despite falling under the ‘least concern’ category as per IUCN, this species is prone to illegal trading due to its use in traditional Asian medicine. To counteract this issue, India has proposed an upgrade of the Tokay Gecko’s status from CITES Appendix II to Appendix I.
| Species | Distribution | IUCN Status |
|---|---|---|
| Smooth-Coated Otter | India (countrywide) | Vulnerable |
| Small-Clawed Otter | India (Himalayas and southern regions) | Vulnerable |
| Indian Star Tortoise | Central and Southern India, West Pakistan, Sri Lanka | Vulnerable |
| Tokay Gecko | Northeast India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Southeast Asia | Least Concern |
Wedgefish
Known collectively with giant guitarfishes as ‘Rhino Rays’ due to their elongated snouts, Wedgefish are primarily coastal species living in shallow waters of the northern Indian Ocean and northwestern Pacific Ocean. They take the unenviable position of being the ‘most imperilled marine fish families in the world,’ according to IUCN’s vulnerable category listing. The degradation of their natural habitats due to loss of free flowing rivers and increasing agricultural and urban pollution has been identified as the major causes of their decline. Hence, India proposed to include Wedgefish in Appendix II of CITES.
Indian Rosewood
Also known as Dalbergia sissoo, the Indian rosewood tree is native to the Indian subcontinent but is also found in Nigeria, Kenya, Vietnam, the Philippines, and other parts of tropical Africa. Its utility lies in its fast growth rate and its timber, widely used for making furniture, plywood, and decorative wood products. However, the quick proliferation of this species has led to it becoming invasive in regions outside its native range. At present, the species is listed under CITES Appendix II; however, due to its ‘vulnerable’ IUCN status, India has proposed its removal from the Appendix II of CITES.
CITES Appendices and Their Significance
CITES Appendices I, II, and III serve as lists of species that need differing degrees of protection to safeguard them from over-exploitation. Species on these lists are granted different types of protection, with Appendix I holding the highest level of protection for the most endangered species. Listed species can move between these appendices, be added or removed through a decision by the Conference of Parties. However, species can be added to or removed from Appendix III unilaterally by any Party at any time.