11 Sep CITES
What is CITES?
- CITES is a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants and animals which came into force in 1975. It forms a framework on which national legislation is based. CITES works by subjecting the trade in specimens of selected species to certain controls and licenses, which in the U.K. are managed by APHA (the Animal Plant and Health Agency).
- Plants and animals on the CITES register are grouped into three appendices based on their endangered status, with Appendix 1 being those which are at the highest risk of extinction.
- Legislation exists to protect these species, and applies to species in their natural environment and those bred in captivity.
CITES Regulations
- There are strict regulations around the trade of endangered species and this includes several species which are commonly breed and owned by people in the U.K., such as African Greys and Scarlet Macaws. A full list of controlled parrots is provided on the Cites 1 Appendix.
- You must apply for a permit or certificate to import, export or re-export any animal or plant species, and their parts or derivatives, that are on the CITES list. This includes if you move CITES specimens between Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and the EU, and Great Britain and Northern Ireland (NI).
- To sell a parrot listed on the CITES 1 appendix, you must have a Specimen Specific Certificate or apply for a Transaction Specific Certificate – even if that sale means the bird remains in the same country. More information here.
Requirements for keeping a Captive Bred Exotic Bird
If you intend to keep a captive bred ‘exotic bird’, such as a parrot you should check the legal status prior to obtaining it. If they are listed on the CITES 1 register, they need to be accompanied by documentation of proof of captive breeding and be fitted with an identification ring or microchip.
It is a criminal offence to use commercially
- any specimen listed under annex A of the CITES list without a valid certificate
- any specimen listed in annex B that has been imported illegally.
You could get a prison sentence of up to 5 years or an unlimited fine.