Animal rights organisation World Animal Protection (WAP) wants the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) to end the multibillion-dollar animal trade, terming its impact on wildlife populations across the world devastating.

According to WAP, 1.6 trillion wild animals are traded every year — dead or alive — and an end to the trade would protect Africa’s wildlife from cruelty and exploitation.

WAP’s investigations exposed shocking images of African grey parrots pulling their feathers out, cheetah cubs dead from dehydration and lions so thin their ribs protruded, locked in cramped cages waiting to be shipped out, undetected.

“Being legal doesn’t make it right. It is animal exploitation and abuse,” states Edith Kabesiime, WAP’s wildlife campaigns manager.

Exotic pet trade

Cites is an international agreement between governments to ensure trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival in the wild.

Cites data between 2011 and 2015 shows that around 1.5 million live animals were traded as exotic pets and 1.2 million skins were legally exported.

“The top five species from Africa being exported for the exotic pet trade at present are the savanna monitor lizard, leopard tortoise, emperor scorpion, African grey parrot and the ball python,” said Patrick Muinde, WAP’s research manager. “The trade can lead to their extinction in the wild. Wildlife is being taken out of Africa every day.”

Other targeted animals are pangolins, lions and elephants.

Cites Appendix Two gives countries quotas to export some commodities because they have viable animal populations. Appendix 1 allows no trade whatsoever. Pangolins are listed on Cites Appendix 1 but illegal trade in pangolin scales, mostly for the traditional Chinese medicine, is rife.

“The sheer magnitude of wildlife interference is not only impacting animals, but also the people and our planet. It is high time that Cites parties acknowledged that wild animals are not commodities to be exploited. Cites export quotas provisions need to be completely brought to zero to end wildlife trade and protect wild animals in their habitats,” said Dr Kabesiime during this year’s World Wildlife Day on March 3.