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Conservation of and trade in pangolins (Rev. CoP20)

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Table of Contents

  1. Preamble
  3. Paragraph 2.
  4. Paragraph 3.
  6. Paragraph 5.
  7. Paragraph 6.
  8. Paragraph 7.
  9. Paragraph 8.
  10. Paragraph 9.
  11. Paragraph 10.
  12. Paragraph 11.
  13. Paragraph 12.

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14 Nov, 2022 24 Sep, 2016
04 Dec, 2025 en 14 Nov, 2022 en 24 Sep, 2016 en

Conservation of and trade in pangolins (Rev. CoP20)

CONCERNED that all eight species of pangolins, Manis spp., are considered critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable, by the combined effects of habitat degradation, overexploitation and illegal trade;RECALLING that the Conference of the Parties decided in 1994 to include all species of pangolins, Manis spp., in Appendix II, and to amend this listing in 2000 with the annotation, “a zero annual export quota has been established for Manis crassicaudata, M. culionensis, M. javanica and M. pentadactyla for specimens removed from the wild and traded for primarily commercial purposes”;MINDFUL that the trade in specimens, parts and derivatives of Manis spp. of wild origin has been the subject of the Review of Significant Trade, in compliance with Resolution Conf. 12.8 (Rev. C0PI8)1 on Review of Significant Trade in specimens of Appendix-II species;1Corrected by the Secretariat following the 18th meeting of the Conference of the PartiesCONCERNED that these measures have not prevented declines of pangolin populations, and that the Conference of the Parties at its seventeenth meeting included all pangolins in Appendix I prohibiting commercial international trade in all species, their parts and derivatives;NOTING with concern that significant illegal international trade in specimens of nearly all pangolin species continues in response to demand for their parts and products, further threatening the long term survival of these species in the wild;COMMENDING the efforts made by some range, transit and consumer States and other Parties to address the illegal and unsustainable trade in pangolins and their parts and derivatives;ENCOURAGING all stakeholders to take note of the recommendations of the final report of the First Pangolin Range States Meeting, held from 24 to 26 June 2015 in Da Nang, Viet Nam, the findings contained in the IUCN’s report on the Implementation of CITES Decisions 17.239 b) and 17.240 on Pangolins (Manis spp.) (CITES SC69 Doc. 57, Annex 2), and the conclusions from the IUCN’s report on the Implementation of CITES Decision 18.240 paragraph c) on Pangolins (Manis spp.) (CITES SC74 Doc. 73, Annex 2);EMPHASIZING that pangolin populations in the wild are difficult to research, manage and monitor, and that more comprehensive data on the population size and conservation status of pangolin species are urgently needed;RECOGNIZING also that pangolin populations are vulnerable to overexploitation because of their low reproduction rates and ease of capture;RECOGNIZING further that strengthened technical cooperation between range and non-range States and financial support, would contribute to more effective conservation of pangolins;ACKNOWLEDGING that increased political commitment, financial resources and expertise in some range and consumer States will significantly improve control of the illegal killing of pangolins, trade in their parts and derivatives and protection of their habitats;RECALLING also that, in Resolution Conf. 17.8 (Rev. CoP20)2 on the Disposal of illegally traded and confiscated specimens of CITES-listed species, the Conference of the Parties urges Management Authorities, in consultation with Scientific Authorities and other bodies concerned, to develop action plans to deal with seized and confiscated live specimens, and RECALLING the importance for Parties to develop such plans for pangolins;2Corrected by the Secretariat following the 19th and 20th meetings of the Conference of the Parties.RECALLING that, in accordance with the provisions of Resolution Conf. 10.16 (Rev. CoP19)3 on Specimens of animal species bred in captivity, pangolin breeding facilities should be able to demonstrate the legal origin of any founder stock and ability to successfully breed pangolins to at least the F2 generation in a controlled environment;3Corrected by the Secretariat following the 19th meeting of the Conference of the Parties.RECALLING further that, in Resolution Conf. 10.19 (Rev. CoP14) on Traditional medicines, the Conference of the Parties recommends that Parties work closely with groups of traditional-medicine practitioners and consumers in developing public education and awareness programmes to work towards the elimination of illegal use of endangered species, and developing awareness of the need to avoid over-exploitation;RECOGNIZING also that long-term solutions to the protection, conservation and management of pangolins and their habitats requires the adoption of bold and innovative actions based on a sound base of information; andRECALLING also that Resolution Conf. 17.4 (Rev. CoP19)4 on Demand reduction strategies to combat illegal trade in CITES-listed species urges Parties where there is a significant market for illegally traded wildlife products to develop strategies to reduce the demand for illegal products of wild animals and plants through demand reduction campaigns and to enhance, as appropriate, policy, legislation and law enforcement in this regard, and EMPHASIZING the importance for Parties to develop such plans for pangolins;4Corrected by the Secretariat following the 19th meeting of the Conference of the Parties.
1.URGES all:
a)Parties and non-Parties, especially range and consumer States, to adopt and implement comprehensive national legislation or, where applicable, review existing legislation, that makes provision for deterrent penalties to address illegal trade in specimens of native and non-native pangolin species;
b)Parties, especially range, transit and consumer States, to ensure strict enforcement controls to address illegal trade in pangolin specimens including by applying a range of tools such as anti-money laundering approaches, forensic analytical techniques, intelligence-led enforcement and working with online platform and transportation companies, and, as a matter of priority, strengthen enforcement efforts in key border regions, and develop, support and/or improve implementation of regional enforcement networks, where possible;
c)Parties and non-Parties to further strengthen national inter-agency cooperation and international cooperation and to enhance collective efforts as range, transit and destination States to coordinate activities, investigations and enforcement, including by implementing systems for the recording of information relating to illegal trade in pangolin species and the exchange of information on trade routes and patterns and law enforcement responses to combat illegal trade in pangolin specimens, where possible and allowed by national legislation;
d)Parties in whose jurisdiction there is a legal domestic market for specimens of pangolins that is contributing to poaching or illegal trade, take all necessary legislative, regulatory and enforcement measures to close their domestic markets for commercial trade in pangolin specimens and report such closures to the Secretariat;
e)range States to seek to ensure enforcement units and personnel receive relevant and effective support in anti-poaching operations including through the acquisition of equipment and other means to combat poaching, such as canine units and identification manuals; the gathering, use, and sharing of intelligence; targeting offenders; wildlife crime investigative techniques; collecting evidence; inter-agency liaison and cooperation; and preparing cases for prosecution;
f)Parties to carry out capacity-building activities with a particular focus on:
i)methods and techniques to detect and identify illegally traded pangolins, including specimens from alleged captive-breeding operations;
ii)best practice protocols for safe handling, care and rehabilitation, and release back into the wild of live confiscated pangolins; and
iii)promoting the understanding of legal provisions concerning trade in and use of pangolins; and
g)Parties and non-Parties to promote the development of techniques, including the application of forensic science, for identifying parts and derivatives of pangolins in trade;
2.URGES Parties in whose territory there are pangolin breeding facilities to ensure that such facilities have in place effective management practices and controls to prevent parts and derivatives from entering illegal trade, including through the registration of breeding facilities, and regular monitoring and control;
3.ENCOURAGES Parties on whose territories stockpiles of parts and derivatives of pangolins exist, to take urgent steps to establish and apply, where not yet done, strict control measures to secure and monitor these stockpiles, and inform the Secretariat of the level of stockpiles each year, indicating the type and numberof specimens, the species, the source of the specimens, management measures, and the reasons for any significant changes in the stockpile compared to the preceding year;
[paragraph 3 amended by item 59 of CoP20 Plen. Rec. 2 (Rev. 1) Summary record of the second plenary session]
4.URGES Parties to:
a)submit reports annually to the Secretariat before 28 February with information to help understand the trade in pangolins including inter alia markets, seizures, legal and illegal trade and breeding operations; and
b)make every effort to identify seized pangolin specimens at the species level and to report such seizures at the species level in their annual illegal trade report;
[paragraph 4 amended by item 79.1 of CoP20 Plen. Rec. 3 (Rev. 1) Summary record of the third plenary session]
5.STRONGLY ENCOURAGES consumer, transit and range States to increase awareness among the law enforcement community including the judiciary, about the illicit trade in pangolins, the conservation status of the species, and the threats posed to their survival by illegal trade, so that they can ensure the necessary expertise to take effective and targeted actions;
6.STRONGLY ENCOURAGES consumer, transit and range States to raise awareness among local communities, including hunters, relevant business sectors such as courier companies, and consumers about the conservation status of pangolins and the threats posed to their survival by illegal trade;
7.ENCOURAGES Parties and non-Parties to convene workshops on law enforcement needs associated with illegal cross-border movement of specimens of pangolins, including the extent of the trade, smuggling routes, methods, and final consumer markets for live specimens and parts and derivatives, with technical assistance from the CITES Secretariat and, where available, financial support from interested governments and organizations;
8.ENCOURAGES range States to work with local communities to develop non-consumptive livelihood programmes and educational programmes and material to assist local communities in sustainably managing pangolin populations;
9.ENCOURAGES consumer States to conduct in-depth and regular research on the uses of pangolin specimens, and on consumers and their motivations for consumption of pangolin parts and derivatives, such as scales, meat, leather and other cultural uses, to implement measures to reduce the demand for illegal pangolin specimens on the basis of the results of such research, and to initiate targeted communication campaigns;
10.URGES range States to work with appropriate bodies and experts to develop and implement in situ pangolin management and conservation programmes, which include population assessments, the making of non-detriment findings for trade in the species, monitoring, and management and conservation measures;
11.RECOMMENDS that consumer States of pangolin specimens, where necessary and appropriate, remove references to parts and derivatives of pangolins from the official pharmacopoeia and include acceptable substitute products that do not endanger other wild species, and introduce programmes to educate the industry and user groups in order to eliminate the use of substances derived from pangolins and promote the adoption of appropriate alternatives;
12.CALLS UPON all governments, intergovernmental organizations, international aid agencies and non-governmental organizations to support the efforts of range, transit and consumer States concerned with the illegal trade in pangolin specimens, including parts and derivatives, in implementing this Resolution and tackling this trade, including through the promotion of sustainable livelihoods and the provision of capacity-building interventions, technical assistance, operational support, funding support, educational interventions, and law enforcement support and cooperation, as may be needed; and
13.INSTRUCTS the Secretariat to:
a)prior to each meeting of the Conference of the Parties, and pending external funding, prepare a report in consultation with the pangolin range States and Parties affected by illegal trade in pangolins, on the conservation status of pangolins in the wild and measures put in place by Parties to comply with this Resolution and related relevant Decisions and to use an aggregated summary of the pangolin stockpile declarations of Parties and any other relevant information provided by Parties to inform the report; and
[paragraph 13 a) amended by item 79.1 of CoP20 Plen. Rec. 3 (Rev. 1) Summary record of the third plenary session]
b)work with ICCWC partners to promote increased capacity and training amongst the law enforcement community to tackle the serious nature and impact of illegal trade in pangolins, and to improve cooperation and a multidisciplinary approach in the detection, investigation and prosecution ofcrimes related to these species.