The elephant and ivory trade in Thailand (PDF, 800 KB) - Traffic

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Appendix-I specimens bred in captivity for commercial purposes
Animals bred in captivity in accordance with Resolution Conf. 10.16 (Rev.).
Animals born in captivity (F1 or subsequent generations) that do not fulfil the
definition of “bred in captivity” in Resolution Conf. 10.16 (Rev.)
Source unknown
Confiscated or seized specimens
Pre-convention specimens
Table 2 presents a condensed version of the live Asian Elephant export data regarding Thailand between
1980 and 2005 in the CITES Trade Database maintained by the United Nations Environment Programme’s
World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). This comparative data table includes the data
reported to CITES by the export country (Thailand) and by the 15 countries which have imported elephants
from Thailand, and as such gives insight into the accuracy of reporting. Thailand declared exporting a total
of 178 elephants while the importing countries declared receiving only 134 elephants.
Box 1.
CITES regulations concerning trade in specimens listed in Appendix I
CITES specifies that international trade in specimens of species listed in Appendix I must only be authorized in
exceptional circumstances (Article II) and that the import permit for any Appendix I-listed species, required
before an export may take place, shall only be granted when a Management Authority of the State of import is
satisfied that the specimen is not to be used for primarily commercial purposes (Article III, paragraph 3 c).
Article VII of the Convention allows Parties to make certain exemptions to the general principle of not allowing
the international trade of an Appendix I species for commercial purposes. Paragraph VII.2 states that if the
specimen (i.e. live elephant in this case) was acquired before the Convention came into effect in 1976 it was
exempt from the articles prohibiting export. Paragraph VII.5 states that a specimen bred in captivity accompanied
by a Management Authority certificate so stating can be exported.Article VII.7 allows the export of any specimen
that is in either category specified in paragraphs 2 or 5 of this Article, which forms part of a travelling zoo,
circus, menagerie or other travelling exhibition.
Ambiguities arise in defining 'for commercial purposes' and 'bred in captivity'.These ambiguities were addressed
in subsequent resolutions at Conferences of the Parties.
Resolution Conf 5.10 (Definition of 'primarily commercial purposes'), recommends that ‘an activity can
generally be described as 'commercial' if its purpose is to obtain economic benefit, including profit (whether in
cash or in kind) and is directed toward resale, exchange, provision of a service or other form of economic use
or benefit’. The resolution also recommends that Parties define 'commercial purposes' as broadly as possible so
that any transaction that is not wholly 'non-commercial' will be regarded as 'commercial'. The Annex attached to
Resolution Conf. 5.10 provides examples of transactions where an importation of specimens of Appendix-I species
could be found to be not ‘for primarily commercial purposes’, and includes scientific purposes, education or
training and captive breeding.The display of animals at zoos/safari parks can fall within the category of education
although difficulties arise in defining these operations as 'non-commercial' when there is clearly a commercial
aspect to the display of animals to a fee-paying public.
Resolution Conf. 10.16 (Rev.) ('Specimens of animals bred in captivity') more strictly defines 'bred in captivity' to refer
to specimens in which both parents were also bred in captivity (F1) in a controlled environment. Specimens
eligible for export would therefore be second generation (F2) or subsequent generation (F3, F4, etc.).
The elephant and ivory trade in Thailand
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