The U.S. government has united with China on an idea to ban
international trade on rare turtles. They have also decided to pair up against
Canada on the polar bear trade. These proposals will go before 178 countries
next week. The Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International
Trade on Endangered Species (CITES), is held one every two or three years. On
March 3, 2013 it will be held at Bangkok, Thailand. Now there is more than 178
parties to the treaty. Lebanon just recently joined as the 178th
party. CITES protects over 5,000 species of animals and some 29,000 species of
plans against over-exploitation through international trade. Director Dan Ashe
believes that Canada will oppose the U.S. polar bear proposal. He is quoted as
saying, “We don’t take this position lightly… Canada is a great partner of the
United States on wildlife conservation. It’s extremely rare to have a
difference.” The polar bear’s primary threat to its survival is the warming of
the planet. Global warming is melting their sea ice habitat. The commercial trade
in polar bear parts is increasing in value. Ashe calls this, “a disturbing
trend.” The value of one polar bear pelt has increased in value from $2,000 to
$5,000 over the last few years. Most recently a new record of $12,000 paid for
a single polar bear pelt was set. As
they go into the conference, only Russia supports the U.S. proposal. Canada and
Greenland oppose the U.S. Ashe is hoping that CITES can protect polar bears
just long enough to buy some time to tackle the warming climate issue.
Taylor Massey
3/1/2013
2:31PM
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