Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

Illegal Imports for the Period 1/08/2003 to 15/09/2003
Department of Conservation
 

For many people, the first time they hear of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) is when something gets confiscated from them when entering the country.

CITES is an international agreement, to which 162 countries are party to. Each country administers the agreement under their own laws. In New Zealand it is administered under the TIES Act 1989.

35,000 species of plants and animals are protected by CITES, this is to protect them from extinction and exploitation through the demand for them in trade as whole animals or as ingredients in medicines etc. CITES does not prohibit the trade in these species, it monitors the trade of them through a system of permits and certificates.

The Department of Conservation is the CITES Management Authority in New Zealand. There are currently only two fulltime CITES Officers in New Zealand and they are based in Auckland as 98% of all CITES items confiscated are in Auckland.

MAF and NZ Customs are the border agents working on behalf of the Department of Conservation. Anything that is listed with CITES is surrendered to or seized by MAF and Customs and this is forwarded to the Department of Conservation.

A lot of time is spent processing confiscated items and following is a table showing the number of items confiscated that contain derivatives of CITES listed species, at least half of these items are Traditional Eastern Medicines.

ILLEGAL IMPORTS FOR THE PERIOD 1/08/2003 TO 15/09/2003:
 
  Quantity Percent
Large Cats – any parts of the animals 7 0.29%
Elephants – ivory products 3 0.12%
Marine mammals 10 0.41%
Bears – bear bile products and skins 23 0.94%
Deer – musk deer products 449 18.39%
Other mammals 21 0.96%
Parrots 2 0.08%
Birds of Paradise 1 0.04%
Turtles (includes shells) 38 1.56%
Tortoises 13 0.53%
Snakes 2 0.08%
Fish 1 0.04%
Clams – shells and meat 475 19.45%
Queen Conch – shells and meat 3 0.12%
Other Coral 395 16.18%
Orchids (this includes dendrobium) 167 6.84%
American Ginseng (slices and whole roots) 54 2.21%
Other plants (this includes aucklandia lappa, sassurea and gastrodia) 778 31.86%
TOTAL ITEMS SEIZED/SURRENDERED 2242 %
 

A large percentage of the confiscated Traditional Medicines contains musk from the Musk deer.

Musk gland secretions of the male musk deer are used in many traditional and patented medicines. The Musk deer, Moschus spp. is found in Asia. It is listed with CITES in Appendix I (Himalayan population), and Appendix II. Appendix I are all species that are critically endangered and seriously threatened with extinction by trade. Appendix II are all species that are endangered and threatened by trade.

To bring into New Zealand, any medicine containing musk, you must have a CITES export permit from the country of origin. If you do not have a permit when entering New Zealand, the medicine will be confiscated by either MAF or NZ Customs and will be forwarded to the Department of Conservation. This medicine will not be returned to you if it did not have a CITES permit.

Some medicines containing musk from the musk deer which you will need a permit for are:

Liu Shen Wan
Baozhengao
Chun Yang Zheng Qi Wan
Huatuo Zhaizao Wan
Qi Ying Wan
Musk hemorrhoids ointment
Musk plasters

If you would like to know more about what medicines require CITES permits you can call a CITES Officer on (09) 307 9279.