December 23, 2004

Subject: Species Listing Changes Adopted at the 13th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)

Background:The CITES Party countries meet approximately every two years at a Conference of the Parties. During this meeting, the countries review and vote on resolutions and decisions to improve the effectiveness of CITES, and amendments to the listings of protected species on CITES Appendix-I and Appendix-II. Resolutions, decisions and amendments to the listing of protected species adopted at a CITES conference become effective 90 days after the end of a CITES conference unless an implementation delay has been adopted. The most recent meeting of the Party countries was held in Thailand from October 4-14, 2004.

Action: Effective January 12, 2005, the following amendments to the CITES list will be implemented. Any species imported into, or exported from, the United States on January 12, 2005, will require CITES documentation as appropriate under the amended listings. Shipments en-route with CITES documents reflecting the pre-January 12 listings must complete all import, export, or re-export activity before January 12. The official revised CITES appendices are available on-line on the CITES website at http://www.cites.org . Importers and exporters should review the updated CITES list of protected species available on the CITES website ( http://www.cites.org ) and monitor the website for any updates on resolutions or decisions.

Species Deleted from the Appendices

• Agapornis roseicollis Peach-faced Lovebird

Species Transferred from Appendix-II to Appendix-I

• Orcaella brevirostris Irrawaddy Dolphin
• Cacatua sulphurea Lesser sulphur-crested cockatoo
• Amazona finschi Finsch’s (Lilac-crowned) Amazon Parrot
• Pyxis arachnoides Spider Tortoise
• Chrysalidocarpus decipiens Palm

Species Transferred from Appendix-I to Appendix-II

• Ceratotherium simum simum Southern White Rhinoceros- ( Swaziland population) to allow trade only in live animals to appropriate and acceptable destinations and hunting trophies
• Haliaeetus leucocephalus Bald Eagle
• Crocodylus acutus American Crocodile (Cuban population)-prohibited import into the U.S.
• Crocodylus niloticus Nile Crocodile (Namibian population)
• Cattleya trianaei Christmas Orchid
• Vanda coerula Blue Vanda Orchid

Species Added to Appendix-II

• Hoodia spp. Hoodia medicinal plant- with annotation that designates all parts and derivatives except those bearing a label “Produced from Hoodia spp material obtained through controlled harvesting and production in collaboration with the CITES Management Authorities of Botswana/Namibia/South Africa under agreement no. BW/NA/ZA xxxxxx”.
• Taxus chinensis Asian Yew-with annotation that designates all parts and derivatives except seeds and pollen; and finished pharmaceutical products; whole artificially propagated plants in pots or other small containers under certain conditions are not subject to the provisions of the Convention (see the official CITES Appendices for specific details).
• Taxus cuspidata Asian Yew- with annotation that designates all parts and derivatives except seeds and pollen; and finished pharmaceutical products; whole artificially propagated plants in pots or other small containers under certain conditions are not subject to the provisions of the Convention (see the official CITES Appendices for specific details).
• Taxus fuana Asian Yew- with annotation that designates all parts and derivatives except seeds and pollen; and finished pharmaceutical products; whole artificially propagated plants in pots or other small containers under certain conditions are not subject to the provisions of the Convention (see the official CITES Appendices for specific details).
• Taxus sumatrana Asian Yew- with annotation that designates all parts and derivatives except seeds and pollen; and finished pharmaceutical products; whole artificially propagated plants in pots or other small containers under certain conditions are not subject to the provisions of the Convention (see the official CITES Appendices for specific details).
• Aquilaria spp. Agarwood- with annotation that designates all parts and derivatives except seeds, spores, pollen (including pollinia); seedling or tissue cultures obtained in vitro, in solid or liquid media, transported in sterile containers; and cut flowers of artificially propagated plants.
• Gyrinops spp. Agarwood- with annotation that designates all parts and derivatives except seeds, spores, pollen (including pollinia); seedling or tissue cultures obtained in vitro, in solid or liquid media, transported in sterile containers; and cut flowers of artificially propagated plants.
• Gonystylus spp. Ramin- with annotation that designates all parts and derivatives except seeds, spores, pollen (including pollinia); seedling or tissue cultures obtained in vitro, in solid or liquid media, transported in sterile containers; and cut flowers of artificially propagated plants.

Amended or New Annotations for Current Species Listings

• Loxadonta africana African Elephant- (Namibia population) annotation amended:
  -trade in hunting trophies for non-commercial purposes;
  -trade in live animals for in-situ conservation purposes;
  -trade in hides; hair goods; leather goods for commercial and non-commercial purposes;
  -trade in certain traditional jewelry for non-commercial purposes-prohibited import into the U.S.;
  -trade in registered raw ivory whole tusks and pieces under specific conditions- prohibited import into the U.S.
• Loxadonta africana African Elephant- (South Africa population) annotation amended:
  - trade in hunting trophies for non-commercial purposes;
  -trade in live animals for in-situ conservation purposes;
  -trade in hides and leather goods for commercial and non-commercial purposes;
  -trade in registered raw ivory whole tusks and cut pieces under specific conditions- prohibited import into the U.S.
• Ornithoptera spp. Birdwing Butterfly- removed annotation “sensu D’Abrera”
• Trogonoptera spp. Birdwing Butterfly- removed annotation “sensu D’Abrera”
• Troides spp. Birdwing Butterfly- removed annotation “sensu D’Abrera”
• Euphorbiaspp. Succulent plant- annotation amended to read “Succulent species only except those species in Appendix-I. Artificially propagated specimens of cultivars of Euphorbia trigona, artificially propagated specimens of crested, fan-shaped or colour mutants of Euphorbia lactea, when grafted on artificially propagated root stock of Euphorbia neriifolia, and artificially propagated specimens of cultivars of Euphorbia ‘Milii’ when they are traded in shipments of 100 or more plants and readily recognizable as artificially propagated specimens, are not subject to the provisions of the Convention”
• Orchidaceae spp. Orchids- annotation amended
  -Annotation designates all parts and derivatives, except: seeds and pollen (including pollinia); seedling or tissue cultures obtained in vitro, in solids or liquid media, transported in sterile containers; cut flowers of artificially propagated plants; and fruits and parts and derivatives thereof of artificially propagated plants of the genus Vanilla;
  -Artificially propagated specimens of hybrids of the genera Cymbidium, Dendrobium, Phalaenopsis, and Vanda are not subject to the Convention under certain conditions (see official CITES Appendices for specific details);
  - Artificially propagated specimens of Cymbidium: interspecific hybrids within the genus and intergeneric hybrids; Dendrobium: interspecific hybrids within the genus known in horticulture as “nobile-types” and “phalaenopsis-types”; Phalaenopsis: interspecific hybrids within the genus and intergeneric hybrids; Vanda: interspecific hybrids within the genus and intergeneric hybrids, are not subject to the provisions of the Convention under certain conditions (see official CITES Appendices for specific details)
• Cistanche deserticola Desert Cistanche- added annotation designates all parts and derivatives except seeds, spores, pollen (including pollinia); seedling or tissue cultures obtained in vitro, in solid or liquid media, transported in sterile containers; and cut flowers of artificially propagated plants
• Taxus wallichiana Himalayan Yew- amended annotation designates all parts and derivatives except seeds and pollen; and finished pharmaceutical products

Contact:
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Office of Law Enforcement
703-358-1949 703-358-2271 (fax)