|
(Doha)—The Species Survival Network congratulated CITES delegates in
Doha for taking their first actions to add species to the CITES
Appendices today when they considered the plight of five species of
tree frogs threatened by the pet trade.
Central American tree frogs—including the famous red-eyed tree
frog—are headed for CITES Appendix II thanks to a vote taken at today’s
CITES meeting. The proposal to list five similar species of tree frogs
in the genus Agalychnis, submitted by Honduras and Mexico, was
supported by all ten range States where the species exist.
“These beautiful jewels of the neo-tropical forest are snatched from
the wild in huge numbers,” said Alejandra Goyenechea, international
counsel for Defenders of Wildlife and Chair of the Species Survival
Network Amphibian Working Group. “Listing on CITES Appendix II will
help ensure that, from now on, this trade does not threaten the
viability of wild populations and that the frogs are shipped under
humane conditions.”
Tree frogs are threatened by over-collection for the international
pet trade. The United States, for instance, imports more than 20,000
annually.
One of the traded species—the black-eyed tree frog—is critically
endangered having suffered an 80 percent population decline over the
past ten years; another—the golden-eyed tree frog—is endangered having
suffered a 50 percent population decline over the same period. Red-eyed
tree frog populations are also in decline. Individual frogs can command
as much as $150 each.
|
