World to discuss fate of endangered species

Delegates from 183 countries discuss urgent ways to tackle illegal trade in wildlife at a crucial meeting in Johannesburg

African elephant: Proposals by Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa to sell ivory stockpiles to fund conservation initiatives radically opposed by 29 other countries that want to tighten international ban on ivory trade. Around 30% of Africa’s elephants have disappeared in last seven years

Pangolin: Proposals by 19 countries may ban all international trade in all nine pangolin species in Africa and Asia. Pangolin is most trafficked mammal on earth with more than a million poached in past decade

White rhino: Swaziland wants to sell 330kg of rhino horn from stockpiles and sell another 20kg per year of horn harvested from live rhinos. Opponents argue proposal would exacerbate current poaching crisis

Sharks: Three proposals for stringent conditions on trade in silky and thresher sharks as well as devil rays, to be considered. Species decline due mainly to overfishing spawned by growing appetite for fins in Asia

African lion: Nine west African countries want ban in commercial trading of lions. Populations have declined by more than 40% in two decades

Rosewood:  Five proposals could affect trees that are threatened with legal and illegal logging around the world

Sources: Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), International Union
for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Pictures: AP, Newscom, Getty Images