Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Useful links

1. Other environmental conventions

2. CITES Authorities

Joint websites of the biodiversity-related conventions

3. United Nations organizations

The official website locator of UN system organizations

4. Other relevant sites

Guidelines for transport

and preparation for shipment of live wild animals and plants

The 'Guidelines for transport and preparation for shipment of live wild animals and plants' were adopted by the Conference of the Parties to CITES at its second meeting (San José, 1979).
In Resolution Conf. 10.21, on Transport of live animals, the Conference of the Parties recommends inter alia that:
a) suitable measures be taken by the Parties to promote the full and effective use by Management Authorities of the Guidelines for Transport and Preparation for Shipment of Live Wild Animals and Plants and that they be brought to the attention of carriers, freight forwarders and international organizations and conferences competent to regulate conditions of carriage by air, land and sea or inland waterways;
b) Parties invite the above organizations and institutions to comment on and amplify these Guidelines, so as to promote their effectiveness.
and that
c) for as long as the CITES Secretariat and the Standing Committee agree, the IATA Live Animals Regulations be deemed to meet the CITES Guidelines in respect of air transport;
d) except where it is inappropriate, the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be used as a reference to indicate suitable conditions for carriage by means other than air.
These Guidelines can be viewed in the separate html pages below or downloaded as one single PDF file (2.9 MB). In the hope that the Guidelines can be improved, the Secretariat would welcome comments, which should be addressed to the Scientific Support Unit.
INTRODUCTION
ADVICE TO CARRIERS
PACKER'S GUIDELINES
Mm/1 Terrestrial mammals except elephants and ungulates
Mm/2 Terrestrial mammals – Elephants and ungulates
Mm/3 Sloths, bats, flying lemurs
Mm/4 Marine mammals – Whales, dolphins, porpoises, dugongs, manatees
Mm/5 Marine mammals – Seals
Mm/6 Mice, rats, cavies and other small mammals
Av/1 Water birds and large birds of non-perching habit
Av/2 Parrots, pigeons, passerines, near passerines
Av/3 Birds of prey and owls
Rp/1 Freshwater terrapins and turtles, marine turtles
Rp/2 Crocodiles, alligators, caimans, gavials
Rp/3 Tortoises and land turtles, snakes, lizards
Aph/1 Amphibians, aquatic forms
Aph/2 Amphibians, terrestrial forms
Ps/1 Fishes, except those species that cannot be contained in polythene bags
Ps/2 Fishes that would damage polythene bags
Inv/1 Aquatic invertebrates
Inv/2 Terrestrial invertebrates
GUIDELINES FOR TRANSPORTATION OF LIVE PLANT SPECIMENS

Parties should also note that the two publications by IATA Live Animals Regulations and Perishable Cargo Manual may be ordered from this website.

Note

In compliance with Resolution Conf. 10.21, the CITES Animals Committee conducts a systematic review of the scope and causes of the mortality and injury or damage to health of animals during the shipment and transport process and of means of reducing such mortality and injury or damage to health. “Transport of live animals” is consequently a standing agenda item at meetings of the Animals Committee.