28th Meeting of the Animals Committee (AC28) of the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

AC28 participants convened for the last day of the meeting. In the morning, they discussed sturgeons and paddlefish and proposals for possible consideration at CITES CoP17. Shortly before lunch, they began tackling the reports and recommendations of the ten working groups that met over the preceding two days.

In the afternoon, participants completed the agenda. Highlights include recommendations to: delete the polar bear from the review of significant trade in all range states, who are encouraged to apply a cautious approach in relation to the management of sub-populations assessed as declining or data deficient; support a new resolution concerning compliance with the Convention for specimens declared as having been produced in captivity; and conduct more detailed assessments of the four snake species categorized as “likely to be threatened by trade” and for the three species categorized as “may be threatened by trade.”

During the closing plenary, the CITES Secretariat noted that a joint AC and PC meeting is provisionally scheduled from 24 July to 3 August 2017 in Geneva, Switzerland. AC Chair Caceres thanked the Israel Parks and Nature Authority and the Government of Israel for hosting the meeting. The meeting was gaveled to a close at 6:55 pm.