CoP17 Prop. 22

Delete the zero quota for wild specimens traded for commercial purposes from theAppendix II listing of the population of Mexico of Morelet’s Crocodile Crocodylus
moreletii
Proponent: Mexico
Summary: Morelet’s Crocodile Crocodylus moreletii is a small to medium-sized crocodilian that occurs infreshwater lagoons, swamps, streams and backwaters in forested areas or those with dense waterside
vegetation in Belize, Guatemala and Mexico. It was included in Appendix I in 1975. In 2010 the populationsof Mexico and Belize were transferred to Appendix II with a zero quota for wild specimens for commercialpurposes. The population of Guatemala remains in Appendix I.
Surveys indicate that Mexico’s population has continued to increase since its transfer to Appendix II, from anestimated 54,000 (of which almost 13,500 were adults) in 2010 to ca. 100,000 (of which some 19,000 wereadults) in 2015. The population structure is pyramidal, generally accepted as reflecting a healthy population.
The species is present throughout its natural range in Mexico of around 400,000km2 of which 25,277km2 isconsidered optimal habitat.
Management is based around Wildlife Management Units known as UMAs which must have seven basicelements: registration with the CITES Management Authority; an approved management plan; management
and conservation of habitat; monitoring of the harvested wild populations; submission of regular reports andinventories; technical supervision visits; and marking or labelling (in line with the universal tagging system inRes. Conf. 11.12 (Rev. CoP15)).
The Supporting Statement indicates that Mexico’s population of C. moreletii may have the potential to beharvested in all size classes. However, the current intention is that wild harvest will be restricted to eggs withthe resulting hatchlings raised in UMAs. No quotas or harvest limits are mentioned in the proposal, although
the Supporting Statement notes that many programmes in use around the world for different species ofcrocodilians suggest that 50-80% annual removal of eggs can be sustainable1.
The Mexican Government is developing a pilot project on sustainability, production systems and traceability
for C. moreletii skins in collaboration with RESP (Responsible Ecosystem Sourcing Platform). The
programme aims to involve local communities in the conservation of the species and its habitat throughranching. The CITES Scientific Authority of Mexico (CONABIO) is funding the development of a ranching
protocol in conjunction with experts to support the implementation of the pilot project. This protocol will
include aspects of population monitoring and nests; monitoring and habitat management; estimation ofsustainable harvest rates for ranching; management of nests, extraction and transfer of eggs; incubation(including details on the infrastructure, equipment and materials); and care of offspring from birth to sale.
This will be available as an Information Document at CoP17.
Because the population of C. moreletii was not transferred to Appendix II for ranching in accordance withRes. Conf. 11.16 (Rev. CoP15) Mexico intends to export specimens with the source code “w” (wild) althoughinitially eggs will be harvested from the wild and raised – that is effectively ranched.
Since 2011 Mexico has implemented a monitoring programme for the species over its entire range, which
includes the monitoring of 73 permanent sites in Mexico. Monitoring within Mexico is considered to besophisticated and sufficient to detect any adverse impacts of harvesting on the population1.
Analysis: There are no explicit guidelines in Res. Conf. 9.24 (Rev. CoP16) for assessing removal of a zeroquota for wild specimens from an Appendix-II listed species. However, such removal may be seen as
analogous to a transfer from Appendix I to Appendix II. Mexico’s population of Crocodylus moreletii evidently
does not meet the criteria for inclusion in Appendix I: it is not small nor does it have a restricted range, and it
has been increasing for at least the past 10 years.
The precautionary measures set out in Annex 4 of Res. Conf. 9.24 (Rev. CoP16) can be met in variousways, including the Parties being satisfied with the range State’s implementation of the Convention,
particularly Article IV, and with its enforcement controls and compliance with the Convention, or if an integral
part of the amendment proposal is a special measure approved by the CoP, based on management
measures described in the Supporting Statement, provided that effective enforcement controls are in place.
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In this case, the intent only to harvest eggs from the wild population in the coming years could be taken as
such a special measure. Management measures and enforcement controls described in the Supporting
Statement appear to be sufficient to ensure that such harvest will not have an adverse impact on thepopulation. Further details should be provided in the ranching protocol under development.
References:
Information not referenced in the Summary section is from the Supporting Statement.
1 IUCN SSC Crocodile Specialist Group (2016) In litt. to the IUCN/TRAFFIC Analyses Team, Cambridge, UK.

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