2012. Review of Significant Trade - Cites

Pandinus imperator
Pandinus imperator (Koch, 1842): Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia,
Nigeria, Togo
Scorpionidae, Emperor Scorpion.
Selection for Review of Significant Trade
Pandinus imperator was discussed at the 23 rd meeting of the Animals Committee (AC23), on
the basis of trade data provided in document AC23 Doc. 8.5. The inclusion of the species in
the Review of Significant Trade, however, was postponed due to the fact that a report on the
trade in this species was promised to be published shortly. Since this report was still not
available at the 24 th meeting of the Animals Committee (AC24), the species was included
then in the Review of Significant Trade as an urgent case (AC24 Summary Record). At the
25th Animals Committee, the working group decided to retain Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana,
Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Togo in the Review of Significant Trade.
A. Summary
Overview of Pandinus imperator recommendations.
Range
State
Provisional
category
Summary
Benin
Côte
d’Ivoire
Ghana
Guinea
Urgent
Concern
Conservation status unclear, considered abundant by exporters but
reported to be threatened by overcollection by some authors. Possibly
erroneous use of source codes and one author expressing doubts that
either captive breeding or ranching are properly developed in the country.
Relatively high levels of trade from the country, mainly in ranched
specimens. The establishment of quotas (e.g. 7000 ranched specimens in
each of 2010 and 2011) does not appear to take into account the status of
the species, and available information indicates that exports are occurring
without a scientifically based non detriment finding, therefore categorised
as Urgent Concern.
Least Concern Apparently widespread in Côte d’Ivoire, but status not known. No
international trade reported since 2003, therefore on the basis of no
anticipated international trade, categorised as Least Concern.
Urgent
Concern
Possible
Concern
Status not known although considered abundant by exporters. Very high
levels of trade reported (103 065 and 74 235 wild specimens in 2009 and
2010 respectively). No management measures known, no information on
the basis for non-detriment findings provided and impact of high trade
levels unknown, therefore categorised as Urgent Concern.
Status not known. Low levels of trade from the country, with 815 wildsourced
live specimens reported by the exporter 2000-2010. While the
impact of current international trade levels is likely to be small, no
information was available on the implementation of Article IV and
therefore categorised as Possible Concern.
Liberia Least Concern Status not known. However, no international trade in the species reported
2000-2010, therefore on the basis of no anticipated international trade,
categorised as Least Concern.
Nigeria Least Concern Common in the late 1960s, particularly in the lowland rainforest zone, but
no recent information on the status of the species. No direct trade from
Nigeria reported 2000-2010, low level re-exports and seizures reported but
none since 2005. On the basis of no anticipated international trade,
categorised as Least Concern.
150