C.I.T.E.S

Governments need to start implementing the laws and become much more strict when enforcing such laws. To prevent overexploitation from happening, there is a need for education, economic alternatives for the people involved, and strict control and management of the trade at the points of import and export. First, many species migrate across international boundaries; therefore, these species must be protected wherever they are at the time and the habitats they will occupy when they migrate. For example, hunting and fishing laws which were implemented in the US in the 1890s to conserve the resources for future use of hums rather than to preserve the species for its own sake. Only when every country starts working out together will we solve these problems. The rhino horns, elephant tusks, tiger bones, turtle eggs, even black bear gallbladders are in high demand for different purposes.

Persuasion and public pressure are the principal means used to induce countries to enforce treaty provisions and prosecute violators, although funding through treaty organizations seems to help as well.

The biggest problems that every international treaty (not just CITES) is facing is that participation is voluntary and countries can withdraw from participating at any time they desire to do so or if they find that the rules and norms they have to follow are too difficult to comply with.

The Endangered species act (ESA) of 1973, which sets different categories for the degree of danger or risk animals of all kinds (not just game animas like the fishing and hunting laws) to disappear, and to save as much biodiversity as possible.

The protection of biological diversity has to be addressed at many levels of government. Every country is in need of their biological diversity for purposes ranging from agriculture, medicine and industry to the ecosystems that help regulate the climate and those which are of importance for ecotourism and biological research. NGO’s such as the IUCN, WWF, TRAFFIC network, and WCMC provide advice and assistance to the authorities. This flaw was highlighted when several countries walked out of the International Whaling commission due to the ban on whale hunting.