On March 3, 1973 in Washington, DC, delegates from 80 countries agreed upon the text of CITES to ensure the international trade in plants and animals does not threaten their survival in the wild. This marked the end of a historic three-week plenipotentiary conference hosted by the United States with support from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The launch of CITES, also referred to as the “Washington Convention” to honor its origins in the U.S. capital, followed more than a decade of international discussion on trade in rare and threatened wildlife species.

On July 1, 1975, CITES went into effect. The United States was the first of 21 original signatory countries to sign the Convention. Today, 185 Parties to CITES, including 184 member countries and the European Union, work together to protect more than 40,900 species of plants and animals by ensuring that international trade is legal and does not threaten their survival in the wild. To learn more about the history of CITES, please read our blog celebrating its 50th anniversary.

CITES monitors trade through a permitting system that facilitates a legal, traceable, and biologically sustainable trade in wild plants and animals and international cooperation in conservation and trade monitoring. CITES permits are issued only if a country’s Management and Scientific Authorities determine that trade is legal and does not threaten the species’ survival in the wild. The use of standardized permit forms allows inspection officials at ports of export and import to efficiently verify that CITES specimens are properly documented. They also facilitate the collection of species-specific trade data, which are used in the creation of CITES annual reports. These data help determine trends in trade, inform CITES decision making by the Parties, and ensure that trade in wildlife is biologically sustainable. This trade monitoring has created a substantial body of information on the management and use of CITES species worldwide.

A Secretariat, located in Geneva, Switzerland, administers the treaty. Permanent committees (Standing, Animals, and Plants Committees) provide technical and scientific support to member countries (called Parties). Each Party designates Management and Scientific Authorities to issue permits, make legal and scientific findings, and monitor trade. In the United States, the Management Authority and Scientific Authority are within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's International Affairs program.

Each country that implements CITES, referred to as a “Party,” must designate a Management Authority and Scientific Authority to carry out the treaty. Prior to issuing a permit, the Management Authority ensures that CITES-listed species are traded legally, and the Scientific Authority determines that the trade will not be detrimental to the survival of the species in the wild. Both Authorities, in making the required findings, may consult with specialists from across the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other U.S. and foreign entities as needed.

The CITES Parties, collectively referred to as the Conference of the Parties (CoP), meet approximately every three years to review CITES implementation and assess the status of species in the international trade. During this meeting, Parties review and vote on proposals to improve the effectiveness of the treaty and make amendments for the inclusion, removal, and transfer of species to Appendices I and II. Through the adoption of resolutions, decision, and species proposals, the CoP develops practical solutions to complex wildlife trade problems. Attendees include Party delegations, representatives of the CITES Secretariat, and approved observers, including conservation and industry organizations.

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) is a U.S. law established to protect fish, wildlife, and plants that are listed as threatened or endangered. It prohibits the importation, exportation, take (defined as harassing, harming, pursuing, hunting, shooting, wounding, killing, trapping, capturing, or collecting), and commercialization in interstate or foreign commerce of fish, wildlife, and plants that are listed as threatened or endangered species. It provides us the ability to prepare and implement plans for their recovery; collaborate with other agencies to avoid the take of listed species and issue permits for otherwise prohibited activities; and cooperate with states, including the authorization of financial assistance. The ESA also implements the provisions of CITES.

CITES protects wild plant and animal species (that are in international trade) under one of three Appendices. The CITES Appendices are not a list of the world's endangered species; instead, they include species that are, or may be, affected by international trade. Under CITES, the Parties determine under which Appendix to include the species, which then determines its level of protection and what appropriate permit(s) are needed in order to trade in the species. 

Wildlife can be protected under both the ESA and CITES as they are complementary, not duplicative.

There are currently more than 40,900 species included in one of the three CITES Appendices, including roughly 6,610 species of animals and 34,310 species of plants.

You can search for CITES-listed species on Species+, categorized by country or species.

To search by species:

1. Type the genus or common name in the search bar and click "Search."
2. Click on a species of interest for more information.
    

To search by importing or exporting country:

1. Choose the country from the "Locations" dropdown menu and click "Search."
2. Click on a species of interest for more information.

No. CITES does not ban wildlife trade. Instead, it ensures the trade of species included in its Appendices is legal, traceable, and biologically sustainable.

You will likely need a permit to travel with your CITES-listed exotic pet. 

You have a few permit options, including a pet passport for multiple travel and a one-time import, export, or re-export permit if you plan to travel only one time.

Given the high volume of applications we receive, please allow at least 60 days for us to process your application.

Other countries might have quarantine or other requirements, so it is best to check with the countries you are traveling to so you understand what other paperwork you may need.

After you receive your permit, please schedule an inspection at one of our Office of Law Enforcement's Wildlife Inspection Offices. 

Please note that except for budgies and parakeets, all Psittacine species (parrots, macaws, parrot-like birds) are listed in CITES. Our Traveling Abroad with Your Pet Bird webpage provides detailed information.