CITES

CITES (shorter <a href="/facts/Acronym/nlHK7aRt">acronym</a> for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention) is a <a href="/facts/Multilateral_treaty/mvP09VqQ">multilateral treaty</a> to protect endangered plants and animals from the threats of international trade. It was drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of the <a href="/facts/International_Union_for_Conservation_of_Nature/QwV8JXup">International Union for Conservation of Nature</a> (IUCN). The convention was opened for signature in 1973 and CITES entered into force on 1 July 1975.
Its aim is to ensure that international trade (import/export) in specimens of animals and plants included under CITES does not threaten the survival of the species in the wild. This is achieved via a system of permits and certificates. CITES affords varying degrees of protection to more than 40,900 <a href="/facts/Species/oDg6b96r">species</a>.
As of December 2024, the Secretary-General of CITES is <a href="/facts/Ivonne_Higuero/zg70B6rM">Ivonne Higuero</a>.

CITES open-in-new

CITES