Summit

DELEGATES from around the world have gathered in Thailand to work out a mechanism to restrict trade in wildlife and save endangered animals, including sharks, manta rays, polar bears, elephants and rhinos.

About 2,000 delegates from 178 member nations of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora are in Bangkok for the 16th CITES conference, held every three years.

The delegates are to consider dozens of proposals on increased or decreased trade protection for endangered species by listing them on Appendix I, which prohibits all traffic in a species, or Appendix II, which restricts trade to ensure it is sustainable.

Conservationists are calling on Australia to take a stand to protect several shark species threatened by the multi-million dollar shark fin trade to Asia, especially China.