Overview
- Delegates from roughly 184 to 185 countries convened Nov. 24–Dec. 5 in Uzbekistan to decide 51 proposals affecting about 230 species, a new high cited by conservation groups.
- Namibia and other southern African states seek permission to sell ivory and rhino horn to fund conservation, a move NGOs say would open laundering loopholes and outstrip enforcement capacity in buyer markets such as Vietnam.
- Japan is lobbying against broader protections for eel species, arguing expanded listings could damage CITES credibility, raise prices and fuel poaching and smuggling.
- Marine measures on the table include first‑time trade bans for certain sharks and rays; the oceanic whitetip is proposed for the highest protection and experts expect strong support, though other shark listings remain contentious.
- Advocates also press for tighter controls on the live‑animal trade, warning that frogs, exotic birds and reptiles are funneled into markets through weak traceability and claims of captive breeding.