This document defines key terms used in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). It defines species as a species, subspecies, or geographically separate population. It also defines specimens, parts and derivatives, readily recognizable, and split-listing. Specimens include animals or plants, alive or dead, and recognizable parts or derivatives. Parts include skins, bones, shells, etc. Derivatives include blood, medicines, perfumes, and objects made from parts. Trade refers to export, re-export, import, and introduction from the sea.

1. 1
Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
Important CITES
definitions
www.CITES.org
© Copyright CITES Secretariat 2005

2. 2
Overview
• Article I of the text of the Convention defines
a number of terms used in CITES:
– species
– specimen
– trade
• Attention will also be given to the terms "parts
and derivatives", "readily recognizable", and
"split-listing"

3. 3
Definitions
Species =
– Species
or
– a subspecies
or
– a geographically separate population

4. 4
Example
Species
Also applies to all specimens
outside the natural range, such
as introduced populations or
captive specimens
Caiman crocodilus

5. 5
Example
Subspecies
Caiman crocodilus
fuscus

6. 6
Geographically
separate
populations
Example
Caiman crocodilus
fuscus

7. 7
Definitions
Split-listing
– Listing of a species in
more than one Appendix
should generally be
avoided in view of the
enforcement problems it
creates
– When split-listing does
occur, it should generally
be on the basis of
national or continental
populations, rather than
subspecies
Resolution Conf. 9.24 (Rev. CoP14)
Example:
Ostrich (Struthio camelus)
Only the populations of
Algeria, Burkina Faso,
Cameroon, the Central
African Republic, Chad, Mali,
Mauritania, Morocco, the
Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and
the Sudan are included in
Appendix I
All other populations are not
included in the Appendices

8. 8
A specimen is:
Animal or plant, alive or dead
or
Any readily recognizable parts or derivatives of
plant or animal species
Specific parts of Appendix-II plants or Appendix-III
animals and plants may be included or excluded
Definitions

9. 9
Skins or parts thereof
Skeleton or bones
Shells
Horn, tusks or teeth
Feathers
Eggs
Roots/leaves
Meat
Wood
Definitions
Parts

10. 10
Derivatives
Blood
Musk
Objects made from parts (ivory
piano keys, handbags, fur coats, belts,
watch straps, shoes, gloves etc)
Medicine containing CITES species
Perfume from CITES species
Preparations from meat
Definitions

11. 11
Definitions
Readily recognizable part or derivative
- The term 'readily recognizable part or derivative'
includes any specimen which appears from an
accompanying document, the packaging or a mark or
label, or from any other circumstances, to be a part or
derivative of an animal or plant of a species included
in the Appendices, unless such part or derivative is
specifically exempted from the provisions of the
Convention
Resolution Conf. 9.6 (Rev.)

12. 12
Definitions
Readily recognizable
- one can recognize it as a
CITES specimen, or
- from the label it appears that
it contains derivatives of
CITES specimens
e.g. animals (tiger, bear) or
plants (cactus, khut) in
medicines

13. 13
Definitions
Trade
- Trade is defined as:
export
re-export
import, and
introduction from the sea
= export of any specimen that
has previously been imported

14. 14
Definitions
• "Introduction from the sea" means transportation into
a State of specimens of any species which were
taken in the marine environment not under the
jurisdiction of any State
Article I
• "The marine environment not under the jurisdiction of
any State" means those marine areas beyond the
areas subject to the sovereignty or sovereign rights of
a State consistent with international law, as reflected
in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the
Sea
Resolution Conf. 14.6

15. 15
CITES Secretariat
Geneva