No. 738 Lausanne, 20 April 1993 CONCERNING: Decisions of the Standing Committee on Rhinoceroses and Tiger At its 29th meeting, 1-5 March 1993, the Standing Committee discussed the trade-related problems of conservation of rhinoceros species (Rhinocerotidae) and the tiger (Panthera tigris). Taking into account the information available from Parties, non- governmental organizations, UNEP and the Secretariat, the Standing Committee adopted decisions on actions that should be taken for the conservation of these species within the scope of CITES. The decisions of the Standing Committee are attached to this Notification. Decision of the Standing Committee on the Tiger Washington, D.C., 1-5 March 1993 The Standing Committee: 1. Acknowledging that the most recent population estimates for all remaining populations of Panthera tigris give rise to the most serious concern, due to poaching and smuggling of tigers and tiger parts and derivatives to sustain markets for traditional medicines; 2. Expressing its deep concern over the critical problem of tiger conservation; decided to: 3. Call upon all Parties to the Convention, and on consumers, whether Parties or non-Parties, to take such measures as are required to halt the illegal trade in tigers and tiger parts and derivatives; 4. Ask the relevant authorities to provide full reports to the Standing Committee through the Secretariat, by July, on the measures they are taking to stop the illegal trade in tigers and tiger parts and derivatives; 5. Ask the Animals Committee and the IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group to report to the Secretariat before the next meeting of the Standing Committee on the plight of the tiger and on further measures that may be taken in the context of CITES to halt the decline in this species; 6. Ask the Secretariat to refer the matter of tiger conservation to range States, with a request to know what action is being taken to conserve tiger populations, and what assistance CITES might be able to provide; 7. Ask the Secretariat, having taken advice from the IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group, to give information on the plight of the tiger to the news media so as to bring world attention to bear on this matter; 8. Review progress in tiger recovery at its next meeting and to make recommendations for concerted action by CITES Parties if there is no evidence that range and consumer States are taking the action necessary to improve tiger conservation. Decision of the Standing Committee on Rhinoceroses Washington, D.C., 1-5 March 1993 The Standing Committee: 1.Acknowledges the desperate situation faced by African and Asian rhinoceros populations; 2.Acknowledges repeated calls for action by various resolutions of the Conference of the Parties and by the Standing Committee on the need for strengthened enforcement measures to reverse the downward trend in rhinoceros populations; 3.Is conscious that the Conference of the Parties in Resolution Conf. 6.10 urges all Parties to: prohibit all internal and international sales of, and commercial trade in, rhinoceros parts and derivatives; destroy all government and parastatal stocks of rhinoceros horn; and take firm action against middlemen and poachers involved in trafficking in horn; 4.Notes that the Conference of the Parties in Resolution Conf. 6.10 recommends that Parties: use all appropriate means (including economic, political and diplomatic) to exert pressure on countries continuing to allow trade in rhinoceros horn (including the 'passive' allowance of such trade), to take the necessary action to prohibit such trade and to enforce such a prohibition; 5.Acknowledges that Annex 2 of the Summary Report of the 28th meeting of the Standing Committee stated that it: "regards the existence of substantial illegal stockpiles of rhinoceros horn in some countries, including Parties to the Convention, as totally unacceptable to and incompatible with implementation of the Convention, and accordingly calls for direct action to acquire and destroy rhinoceros horn on the part of government agencies responsible for CITES matters. It notes that failure to take such action would be viewed as a serious infraction, likely to result in a call for trade bans or other appropriate actions"; 6.Reviewed the report of the Secretariat (document SC.29.16 and its annexes), and findings of the UNEP Special Envoy as reported by the UNEP Representative at the 29th meeting of the Standing Committee, in particular information that several governments and entities: a) continue to tolerate imports and/or engage in internal commercial trade in rhinoceros horn; b) have not, in accordance with the recommendations of Resolution Conf. 6.10 and Annex 2 of the Summary Report of the 28th meeting of the Standing Committee: i) enacted, enforced and implemented prohibitions on all sales of, and commercial trade, internal and international, in rhinoceros parts and derivatives; ii) destroyed all government and parastatal stocks of rhinoceros horn; and iii) taken firm action against middlemen involved in trafficking in horn; 7.Is convinced that the failure to implement measures pursuant to the above is a serious threat to the survival of rhinoceros species and undermines: the effectiveness of the Convention; the efforts of range States to protect their rhinoceros populations; and the development of alternative conservation measures for the species; and 8.Directs the Chairman to send letters to the Governments of China, the Republic of Korea, and Yemen, informing them of the concerns of the Standing Committee noted above, and of the decision taken by the Standing Committee; urges all Parties to strengthen their enforcement and implementation efforts to conserve rhinoceros species; and strongly encourages Parties to immediately take stricter domestic measures in this regard. The Chairman is also directed to send a letter to the authorities issuing CITES-equivalent documents in Taipei.