Transport of live animals by sea
In the wake of the Spiridon II and her 3,000 wandering cows, a global coalition of animal welfare organisations was born. The initiative originated in Australia. The first action taken by Stop Live Exports is to send a letter to the Secretary-General of the IMO (International Maritime Organisation).
Beastly Christmas!
Press release CITES CoP20 n°11
Of the 185 countries that are signatories to CITES, 165 were present (157 had the right to vote after being accepted by the Credentials Committee). The CoP20 registered a record participation.
Review of Tuesday December 2 and Wednesday December 3, 2025
Press release CITES CoP20 n°10
Fifteen pieces of good news
– South Africa obtained consensus for the transfer of the endemic euphorbia Euphorbia bupleurifolia from Appendix II to Appendix I.
The globalisation of frog legs is in a bad way
Press release CITES CoP20 n°8
Will six years of work, she wondered, exchanges with around fifty NGOs from around the world and more than 500 veterinarians sensitive to the cruelty of the market, discussions with experts from the French National Museum of Natural History and contacts with the Ministries of Agriculture and Ecology fall into the water, will the chapter “Frogs hunted, frozen, falsified, irradiated” from the Atlas du business des espèces menacées (“Atlas of the Business of Endangered Species“, 2019) and the publication of the report “Deadly Dish” in 2022 be of any use, did the side events on November 22, 2022 in Panama and Friday November 28, 2025 in Samarkand have a positive echo, will Türkiye stand its ground, what will Indonesia’s position and influence be? All the euphoria and discouragement that accompany any long-term campaign come to her mind at this crucial moment.
Review of Saturday, November 29, 2025
Press release CITES CoP20 n°7
Enhanced protection for dorcas gazelles (Gazella dorcas)
The proposal by Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan and Tunisia to list dorcas gazelles in Appendix II was accepted by consensus.
Eight pieces of good news and two pieces of bad news for marine fauna
Press release CITES CoP20 n°6
Excellent news for eel traffickersThe proposal by the European Union, Honduras and Panama to list all eel species of the genus Anguilla in Appendix II with an implementation delay of 18 months was rejected by 35 votes in favour, 100 against and 8 abstentions after a secret ballot. A real beating.
Coke and livestock at sea
The sea transport of cows and sheep serves as a cover for international cocaine trafficking. In its report about “78 EU-approved livestock carriers” (2021) written with the support of the German NGOs Animal Welfare Foundation and Tierschutzbund Zürich, Robin des Bois had already noted that “during the trading life of livestock carriers, additional and illegal traffics have been reported or suspected.”
Opening of CITES CoP20 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Press release CITES CoP20 n°3
CITES Conferences of the Parties are not just hot air. Their decisions are binding. CITES, also known as the Washington Convention, is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. 185 countries are signatories.
Spiridon II – The ghost livestock carrier
Press release n°4 – 9:15 a.m.
Update – November 27, 2025, 12:30 a.m.
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