The CITES species

Roughly 5,000 species of animals and 28,000 species of plants are protected by CITES against over-exploitation through international trade. They are listed in the three CITES Appendices. The species are grouped in the Appendices according to how threatened they are by international trade. They include some whole groups, such as primates, cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises), sea turtles, parrots, corals, cacti and orchids. But in some cases only a subspecies or geographically separate population of a species (for example the population of just one country) is listed. The table below shows the approximate numbers of species that are included in the CITES Appendices as of present*. A more detailed table is available here.

Appendix I Appendix II Appendix III FAUNA   Mammals 277 spp. + 16 sspp. + 14 popns 295 spp. + 12 sspp. + 12 popns 45 spp. + 8 sspp. Birds 152 spp. + 11 sspp. + 2 popns 1268 spp. + 6 sspp. + 1 popn 35 spp. Reptiles 75 spp. + 5 sspp. + 6 popns 527 spp. + 4 sspp. + 4 popns 55 spp. Amphibians 16 spp. 98 spp. - Fish 15 spp. 71 spp. - Invertebrates 62 spp. + 4 sspp. 2100 spp. + 1 ssp. 17 spp.   FAUNA TOTAL 597 spp. + 36 sspp. + 22 popns 4359 spp. + 23 sspp. + 17 popns 152 spp. + 8 sspp.   PLANTS 295 spp. + 3 sspp. 28674 spp. + 3 sspp. + 2 popns 8 spp. + 1 ssp. + 1 popn   GRAND TOTAL 892 spp. + 39 sspp. + 22 popns 33033 spp. + 26 sspp. + 19 popns 161 spp. + 9 sspp. + 1 popn

Any type of wild plant or animal may be included in the list of species protected by CITES [see Resolution Conf. 9.24 (Rev. CoP14)] and the range of wildlife species included in the Appendices extends from leeches to lions and from pine trees to pitcher plants. While the more charismatic creatures, such as bears and whales, may be the better known examples of CITES species, the most numerous groups include many less popularized plants and animals, such as aloes, corals, mussels and frogs.