Wildlife trade and conservation
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Wildlife trade factsheet
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, 2008
Please note: The material in this fact sheet is provided for general information only and should not be relied upon for the purpose of a particular matter. While efforts have been made to keep this material current, it may not exactly reflect Commonwealth legislation or Australia's international obligations. For further information call the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts on 02 6274 1900.
International wildlife trade has contributed to declines in a number of species of animals and plants. The scale of over-exploitation of wildlife for trade led to an international treaty being drafted in 1973 to prevent international trade from threatening species with extinction.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) entered into force on 1 July 1975 and became enforceable under Australian law on 27 October 1976. Member countries participate by controlling trade in an agreed list of species that are either endangered or that might become endangered if trade is not regulated. In Australia, CITES controls are administered by the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.