2012. Review of Significant Trade - Cites

Pandinus imperator
At the 23 rd meeting of the Animals Committee in 2008, regarding the selection of species for
trade reviews following CoP14, it was decided that P. imperator would not be retained in the
Review of Significant Trade process, but the Secretariat was requested to make available to
the AC the report on the mission carried out by the French National Natural History
Museum (AC23 Summary Record). The report was still not available at the 24 th meeting of
the Animals Committee due to ongoing discussions with the range States concerned and the
Committee decided to include the species in the Review of Significant Trade. The report was
eventually made available as an AC25 information document (Ineich, 2006; AC24 Doc. 7.4;
AC25 Doc. 9.5).
C. Country review
BENIN
Distribution in range State: Occurrence in Benin reported by Lourenço and Cloudsley-
Thompson (1996), Prendini (2004), Ineich (2006), Vignoli et al. (2006) and Vignoli and
Prendini (2008). The map in Lourenço and Cloudsley-Thompson (1996) suggested its
distribution is confined to the southern half of the country, while the map in Prendini (2004)
suggested a wider distribution throughout the country. Vignoli and Prendini (2008) reported
the species from the Department of Atakora, in the north-west of Benin.
Population trends and status: Ineich (2006) noted that exporters considered the species to be
very abundant in Benin.
Threats: Ineich (2006) expressed concerns regarding the sustainability of the trade from
Benin. No additional information appears to be available on specific threats to the species in
the country.
Trade: According to data in the CITES Trade Database, trade reported by Benin between
2000 and 2010 consisted of 76 700 live, ranched specimens exported for commercial purposes
(Table 1). Exports reported by Benin decreased over this period from 22 140 live, ranched
individuals in 2000 to 1425 individuals in 2010. No annual reports have been received from
Benin for 2003 or 2006. Importers reported lower volumes of trade in ranched specimens
from Benin over the same period (58 232 live, ranched individuals). The import of 16 002
live, wild-sourced specimens and 780 captive-bred specimens was also reported by
importers, but this trade was not confirmed by Benin (Table 1). Seizures and confiscations
were reported by the United Kingdom (999 live specimens) and the United States (three live
specimens), but no seizures have been reported since 2004.
Benin published export quotas for ranched P. imperator in every year 2000-2011; trade in
ranched specimens appears to have remained within the quotas in all years (Table 2). A
quota of 1000 wild-sourced specimens was published in 2010 and 2011; there has been no
wild-sourced direct trade from Benin reported since 2006.
Indirect trade in P. imperator reported between 2000 and 2010 principally comprised live,
ranched specimens traded for commercial purposes, with 4627 specimens reported reexported
and 3788 specimens reported imported. No indirect trade in ranched specimens
has been recorded since 2008 though re-exports of live wild-sourced specimens were
reported by the United States (515 and 25 specimens in 2007 and 2009, respectively); this
trade was not confirmed by the importers.
Management: Reported to be ‘produced’ by captive breeding in Benin by exporters in the
country (Ineich, 2006), although Ineich (2006) considered this would not be possible in view
of the facilities he observed during his visit to the country in 2004. The scorpions were held
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