CITES

Hello! Our full name is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. That’s a very long name, so most people call us by our nickname, CITES. We are a special agreement that many countries from all over the world have made together. Our main purpose is to protect wild animals and plants. We work to make sure that none of them become endangered or disappear forever because people are buying and selling them across countries. This buying and selling is called “trade,” and our job is to make sure it is done carefully so that nature stays safe and healthy.

Many years ago, people began to notice a serious problem. Animals and plants were being taken from their homes in the wild and sold in other parts of the world. This was happening so often that some species were starting to become very rare. World leaders knew they had to work together to find a solution. So, people from 80 different countries came together for a big meeting in Washington, D.C., in the United States. On March 3rd, 1973, they all agreed on a set of important rules to protect wildlife. This agreement was the beginning of our work, and our rules started being used by countries in 1975.

So, how do we help all these animals and plants? Our most important job is to make sure that the trade of wildlife is legal and does not harm the survival of a species. To do this, we created a system of permits. A permit is like a special permission slip. Before a protected plant or animal can be moved from one country to another, it needs the correct permit. This system helps us and our member countries keep track of wildlife and make sure all the rules are being followed. We have rules for thousands of different plants and animals. Some species that are very close to extinction get the most protection. For these species, we have the strictest rules of all. No one is allowed to trade them for business reasons. This gives them the best chance to survive and for their populations to grow again.

Our work that began a long time ago is still very important today. Now, almost every country in the world is a member of our agreement. This means nearly everyone has promised to work with us to protect wildlife from dangerous trade. We help protect many amazing and famous animals that you might know. This includes large elephants, rhinos with their powerful horns, beautiful tigers, and ancient sea turtles that swim across the world’s oceans. These are just a few of the many species we watch over. By making sure trade is safe, we are working to protect the wonderful variety of life on our planet. We want future generations, including you, to enjoy a world full of amazing wild creatures.