CITES

The United States is one of 185 Parties (signatories), including 184 member countries and the European Union, that has agreed to implement the CITES treaty to help control global over-exploitation of wildlife and the conservation of species.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s International Affairs program coordinates domestic and international efforts to protect, restore, and enhance the world’s diverse wildlife and their habitats with a focus on foreign and domestic species of international concern. We envision a world where all people value nature and conserve living resources for the well-being of life on Earth.

The International Affairs program carries out the provisions of CITES under the authority of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) through its Division of Management Authority and Division of Scientific Authority.

International wildlife trade is a billion-dollar industry involving hundreds of millions of live plants and animals, as well as their products. While sustainable, legal use of wild animals and plants can benefit domestic and global economies, unchecked illegal trade can drive species and associated markets to extinction. 

As issues of wildlife use grow more complex, CITES provides tools to effectively conserve the world’s diverse natural resources and a framework for cooperation and collaboration to regulate and sustain trade while ensuring it does not threaten species' survival in the wild.