USFWS International Affairs

... and it's a wrap at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)'s 33rd meeting of the Animals Committee and 27th meeting of the Plants Committee. Thank you to the CITES Secretariat, Parties, observer organizations, and interpreters for successfully concluding the last set of technical meetings before the 20th Conference of the Parties of CITES. Congratulations to the U.S. delegation (pictured here) for their leadership and contributions to these meetings!

🌍🐾 Exciting Announcement! 🌍🐾

We are thrilled to share that International Affairs' Division of International Conservation has been named an Evidence Champion by the U.K.-based project ConservationEvidence.com and is the first government office in the world to receive this designation! 🎉

This designation highlights our unwavering commitment to integrating scientific evidence into our conservation practices, ensuring more effective protection of wildlife and habitats worldwide. Now that we know better, we are obligated to do better and by promoting evidence-based practices, we are setting a new standard in conservation, fostering international partnerships, and encouraging our peers globally to embed evidence in their efforts.

Learn more about Division of International Conservation's role as an Evidence Champion.
👉 https://ow.ly/aLQs50SrZGS

It's TURTLE TIME!

Here are 5 ways you can be a good turtle neighbor:

1. Protect turtles’ privacy: don’t share exact locations of where you saw them. Specific locations like parks and roadsides could lead turtle poachers to a site.

2. Leave wildlife wild and give turtles space.

3. Don't dump your pet turtles - they could harm wildlife and introduce diseases. Instead, rehome unwanted pets to a local pet store, shelter, or rescue.

4. Report wildlife crime if you see suspicious behavior. Familiarize yourself with state and national laws. It's illegal to collect any native turtle from the wild.

5. Help turtles thrive in nature by looking for volunteer opportunities to plant native vegetation and cleanup debris in turtle habitats.

🐢❤️

Top: Photo of a common snapping turtle hatchling by USFWS. Bottom: Photo of a western painted turtle by Courtney Celley/USFWS

Did you know that green sea turtles are nature's lawn mowers? They graze on seagrass beds which make them more productive and keep them healthy. In turn, the seagrass cover serves as crucial habitat for a number of crustaceans, fish and shellfish.

Photo of a green sea turtle by NOAA

Summer's here and our turtle friends are out and about! Be sure to slow down for all of our cold-blooded critters while cruising on the road.

Desert tortoises (left) live in a variety of desert habitats. If you see a desert tortoise out in the wild, give them space and do not pick them up. They may empty their bladder when picked up or scared, and that loss of water can be fatal.

Western pond turtles (right), found throughout the Pacific Northwest, often hangout near bodies of water and will occasionally choose roads to sunbathe on (other aquatic turtles, snakes and lizards do this too) to regulate their body temperatures. Please spread the word and be on the lookout. 🐢

Photo of a desert tortoise by NPS and photo of a western pond turtle by USFWS

It's ! Join us as we all week long and share how we're protecting these important species. 🐢

The U.S. is a global hotspot for turtle biodiversity, home to more than 60 known turtle species and play important roles in the environment.

The bog turtle may be the smallest turtle species in North America, but it is without a doubt “turtley enough for the turtle club.” With happy, yellow spots near its tympanic membranes, and its diminutive size, it is practically impossible not to utter “aw” at the sight of a bog turtle.

Join us as we all week long and share how the Service and partners protect these scute and important species.

Protected spaces give bog turtles a reason to come out of their shell- > https://ow.ly/gC6a50QGjko

Celebrate wetlands all day, every day!

Great news! Each year, the Whitley Awards recognize conservation leaders all around the world. A big congratulations to our very own MENTOR-Manatee Fellow, Dr. Aristide Kamla, for this well-deserved recognition! Aristide graduated from our MENTOR-Manatee Program in 2018, and we’ve been celebrating his accomplishments ever since!

To learn more about our MENTOR program and its impact on conservation leadership in Africa, visit our comments below.

Photo of Dr. Aristide Kamla by USFWS

From migratory birds and butterflies flying thousands of miles to various mammals, reptiles and amphibians, North America is home to incredible wildlife! The Trilateral Committee, involving the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, is working together to conserve our shared species.

Visit our comments to learn more about the 28th annual Trilateral Committee meeting taking place this week.

Learn more about the Trilateral Committee, meeting this week in San Diego, California: https://www.fws.gov/international-affairs/trilateral-committee

North America's grasslands are among the world's most endangered ecosystems, and grassland bird populations suffer some of the steepest declines of any group of birds, decreasing in populations by 53%.

That's why the Letter of Intent developed through the Canada/Mexico/U.S. Trilateral Committee for Wildlife and Ecosystem Conservation (Trilateral Committee) is so important for conservation. It creates a framework for numerous agencies to renew and strengthen their collaborative efforts to preserve the grasslands of the Great Plains of North America.

This year, the Trilateral Committee will be meeting in San Diego, California next week to exchange innovative approaches and strengthen collaboration to further safeguard North American wildlife and ecosystems.

Learn more: https://ow.ly/JvuT50RmH4F

Photos by USFWS

It’s Bat Appreciation Day so let’s give it up for these superstar pollinators and pest controllers! 🎉🦇

Meet one of our all-star pollinators - the lesser long-nosed bat! Found throughout the Southwest, they're important pollinators of plants like blue agave and are just 1 of 3 nectar-feeding bats in the U.S.

Little brown bats, found throughout North America, are MVP pest controllers and can eat about 1,000 insects in an hour. Due to their winter hibernation, these bats are more at-risk from a fungal disease called white-nose syndrome (WNS).

WNS has claimed the lives of more than 5 million bats since its discovery in 2006 and has spread across North America at alarming rates. The fungus can be transmitted from bat to bat, cave to bat and even cave to cave as people inadvertently carry the fungus on shoes, clothing or equipment.

Across the continent, we’re working with partners to protect bats, research treatments to halt the spread of white-nose syndrome and raise awareness of just how incredible these mammals are!

This week, we and Bat Conservation International launched the MENTOR-Bat Program in Manizales, Colombia. The program brings together an international and transdisciplinary team of early-career conservation professionals from Colombia, Indonesia, and Cameroon to promote healthy human-bat coexistence.

Photo of a lesser long-nosed bat courtesy of Bruce D. Taubert, Bat Conservation International

Photo of a little brown bat courtesy of Michael Durham/Minden Pictures, Bat Conservation International

African elephants once roamed sub-Saharan Africa, with as many as 26 million during the 18th century. Today, they are protected as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, with only around 415,000 remaining across the African continent.

In response to recent conservation threats, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is amending Section 4(d) rule of the Endangered Species Act for African elephants to enhance the species’ conservation in the wild and ensure live African elephants in the U.S. are well cared for throughout their lifetimes: https://ow.ly/j1xH50R4VqY

Photo 1: African elephant with calf by Michelle Gadd/USFWS
Photo 2: African elephant by Joe Milmoe/USFWS
Photo 3: African elephant by Michelle Gadd/USFWS
Photo 4: Generations of African elephants by Matt Luizza/USFWS

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service invites the public to provide information and suggestions on potential proposals to amend Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendices I and II, and issues and agenda items the United States should consider submitting for consideration at the 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (CoP20), which is scheduled to be held during the last quarter of 2025. The public comment period closes on May 21, 2024. More: https://ow.ly/PG2E50R4eIt

Photo of a Ouachita map turtle (Graptemys ouachitensis) by Sam Stukel/USFWS

🦏❤️

Direct, on-the-ground protection and monitoring is critical for conserving the small number of rhinos left in the world. Our Rhino and Tiger Conservation Fund provides support for “boots on the ground” — the day-to-day core operational costs for those on the front line of rhino conservation in key areas. This includes actual boots, technology, training, and equipment needed for rhino monitoring and to prevent poaching and trafficking. While World Rhino Day was last week, you can make everyday World Rhino Day by purchasing the Tiger Stamp. A portion of each Tiger Stamp purchase goes directly to conserving endangered species around the world. More: https://www.fws.gov/program/tigerstamp

Photo of a eastern black rhino by Michelle Gadd/USFWS

SONGBIRD TRADE FUNDING OPPORTUNITY! U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Combating Wildlife Trafficking Branch recently announced its 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity for the new Species Conservation Catalyst Fund (SCCF) on Songbird Trade. It seeks proposals to reduce the illegal, unsustainable international trade of songbirds native to the Guiana Shield and Caribbean for singing competitions.

See below for highlights and visit our website for more info: https://www.fws.gov/service/species-conservation-catalyst-fund
Proposals due Dec. 8, 2023.

Happy ! Did you know there are seven species of sea turtles, of which six are found in U.S. waters and protected under the Endangered Species Act? In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Endangered Species Act ( ), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service created a series of listed species portraits, including this one of Kemp's Ridley turtles by artist Cal Robinson, a public affairs specialist at our Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office.

Sea turtles migrate vast distances throughout the oceans, making it essential for government agencies, non-governmental organizations, researchers, local communities, and others to work together around the world to support and conserve these important animals.

In 2004, Congress responded to the decline of sea turtles by passing the Marine Turtle Conservation Act, paving the way for us to support the conservation of sea turtles and their nesting habitats and address threats to the survival of these species around the world.

Thanks to Congress and the American people, we fund approximately 50 sea turtle conservation projects annually, supporting some of the world's most important and critically endangered nesting populations and helping to ensure that these species will be here for generations to come.

Image: Kemp's Ridley turtles by Cal Robinson/USFWS

Illegal harvesting for meat consumption and the pet trade remain the main threats for musk turtles. Today, CITES Parties adopted by consensus to include musk turtles (Sternotherus species) in CITES Appendix II. This will ensure future international trade in musk turtles will be evaluated to determine it is legal and biologically sustainable.

During 2013-2019, almost 1.5 million live Sternotherus turtles were exported from the United States, with the majority of specimens (60.1 percent) sourced from the wild and exported to East Asia for commercial purposes. Without a complete picture of the population size of these species, it is difficult to determine if this level of harvest and export is biologically sustainable.

Musk turtles are native to the freshwaters of North America, ranging from southeastern Canada to southeastern Florida. Their preferred habitat is slow-moving, permanent, freshwater with soft substrates for burrowing, and fallen trees, overhanging banks, and submerged logs and rocks for shelter and basking.

The name of this turtle refers to the musky smell they secrete from two glandular openings on each side of their body near their carapace. These small aquatic turtles rarely leave the water, though some emerge to bask.

Photo: Musk turtle (Sternotherus odoratus) by Leah/ CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Today, protection for three kinds of softshell turtles native to the United States, Canada, and Mexico has been adopted by consensus. The Parties have agreed to transfer the genus Apalone spp. from Appendix III to Appendix II.

Biological and life history traits make these species highly vulnerable to exploitation. The growing demand is troublesome because the turtle trade follows a boom-and-bust pattern in which exploitation in one species shifts to another when the former becomes so depleted that it is no longer commercially exploited or when it becomes subject to stricter regulations.

For example, softshell turtle species in Asia were overharvested, leading to population loss and the implementation of stricter trade regulations in 2013. Exploitation then shifted to African softshell turtles until they too required stricter trade regulations in 2016. This pattern may continue with North American species, and data collected since their inclusion in Appendix III suggest this may be the case. The U.S. worked with Asian countries (CoP16) and African countries (CoP17) to protect all softshell turtles.

Softshell turtles are found in rivers, streams, lakes, and reservoirs, and often bury themselves in the mud or sand where they sleep or wait for food to swim by. Unlike most other turtles, softshell turtles have flat, leathery shells that are flexible, rather than hard and rigid. Some compare their appearance to a pancake. These aquatic turtles are well adapted for the water, with webbed feet, long necks, and tubular snouts that resemble a snorkel.

While these species can be bred in captivity, they are easily caught and trapped in the wild, thereby making wild populations vulnerable to over-exploitation.

Photo: Smooth softshell turtle (Apalone mutica) by Sam Stukel, USFWS.

Today, at CITES CoP19, the Parties adopted by consensus the proposal co-submitted by Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, and the United States, to include mud turtle species Kinosternon cora and K. vogti in Appendix I and all other mud turtle species (Kinosternon spp.) in Appendix II.

The 22 species of mud turtles are distributed in 21 countries, ranging from the United States to Argentina and Paraguay.

Mud turtles face a particularly high risk of extinction due to growing human-caused stressors, including the degradation and destruction of suitable habitat, overexploitation – for consumption, arts and curios, and the pet trade, invasive species, pollution, and climate change.

The United States plays a significant role in the international trade of mud turtles, and unsustainable and at times illegal trade is a major concern. By providing mud turtles with additional protection through CITES, we are taking the necessary steps to ensure legal and biologically sustainable trade.

Photos: Mud turtle (Kinosternon spp.) by Melody Ray-Culp, USFWS. Yellow mud turtle (Kinosternon flavescens) by Mark Watson/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

At CITES CoP19, Parties adopted the United States’ proposal to transfer the alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) and the common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) from Appendix III to Appendix II to provide the species with increased protection.

These ancient reptiles are primitive in appearance, characterized by a large head, long tail, and a powerful upper jaw with a strong hooked beak. Males can weigh more than 200 pounds, while females top out around 60 pounds. Snapping turtles are rarely seen on land.

The alligator snapping turtle is found only in river systems in the U.S. that flow into the Gulf of Mexico, from the Suwanee River in Florida west to the San Antonio River in Texas.

The primary threats to the alligator snapping turtle are bycatch associated with commercial fishing, habitat alteration, nest predation, and both the legal and illegal harvest — including for export. They are traded commercially in high numbers, with trade driven largely by demand for turtle meat in East Asia.

Hatchlings of the two species are difficult to distinguish from one another. Different states have different conservation and trade management strategies. Fragmented approaches make it easier for trafficking and unsustainable trade to continue, putting turtles at risk of extinction. The CITES Appendix II listing – confirmed today -- will complement U.S. state management efforts, reduce the risk of overharvesting, and support sustainable use and legal trade in U.S. native turtles.

Read more at http://ow.ly/ScY150LNJXG

If the population of a species declines by nearly 50 percent each year, how long will it persist? The answer depends on whether we intervene. Today, at the 19th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES ), Parties adopted a decision for strict enforcement of the gillnet ban in the Upper Gulf of California to save Mexico's endemic porpoise — and the world’s most endangered marine mammal — from imminent extinction.

You can learn more at: http://ow.ly/x58t50LNbLY

Photo: A vaquita mother (right) and her calf (left) can be seen as they surface in blue waters, by Paula Olson NOAA.

Good news at CITES ! The Committee recommended by consensus increased protection for Rhodiola genus by inclusion in Appendix II. This proposal was co-sponsored by the European Union and the United States, and submitted by the European Union.

Rhodiola is a diverse genus of perennial herbs with a wide distribution spanning across the northern hemisphere. Although species within the genus are found across a wide altitudinal range, they are commonly associated with subarctic and alpine areas.

Members of the genus are generally long-lived and slow growing, sometimes taking 20 years to reach maturity in the wild. The horizontal underground stems (or rhizomes) of some species of Rhodiola, known as “roseroot”, have historically been part of traditional medicine systems across most of the genus’ range.

In addition, harvest is focused on reproductively mature individuals, so commercial levels of exploitation have an increased potential to impact long-term population viability.

End products include cosmetics, teas, capsules, and tinctures. Although artificial propagation of Rhodiola species is possible, the current scale is small and there are few commercial growers.

Learn more about Rhodiola and our other CITES CoP19 Spotlight Species at: https://www.fws.gov/cites/spotlight-species

Photos: Rhodiola rhodanthum by Bryant Olsen, CC BY-NC 2.0. Rhodiola integrifolia by Patrick Alexander, CC0 1.0. Rhodiola rosea growing by Apollonio Tottoli, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. Rhodiola rosea by S. Rae/CC BY 2.0.

Huge win at CITES CoP19: the Committee just recommended by consensus the inclusion of glass frogs (Centrolenidae spp.) in Appendix II. This proposal was co-sponsored by Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Cote d’lvoire, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Gabon, Guinea, Niger, Panama, Peru, Togo, and the United States.

Glass frogs are charismatic species with large eyes. These medium-sized frogs have unique transparent skin on their underside. When looking at them from below, you can see their bones and internal organs – including their beating heart! Unfortunately, this uniqueness has made them desirable as pets. International trade adds to the numerous threats glass frogs already face, including habitat loss and fragmentation, climate change, invasive species, and emerging infectious diseases.

In the United States, demand for glass frogs in the pet trade has increased exponentially, from 13 live individuals imported in 2016 to 5,744 individuals in 2021.

Glass frogs are critical species in riverine food webs and are indicators of ecosystem health. They also form part of the ecological groups that keep insect populations under control, including those that can transmit diseases to humans, such as malaria, zika, and dengue.

Learn more about glass frogs and other CITES CoP19 Spotlight Species at: https://www.fws.gov/cites/spotlight-species 🐸

How do you ship a shark between countries?

Very carefully, but also according to regulations for humane transport of live specimens, which are required by CITES. Read more about the proposal (co-sponsored by the U.S.) to improve access and implementation of these regulations: http://ow.ly/eztX50LKT64

Photo: A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Inspector examines a live animal shipment. Office of Law Enforcement, USFWS.

Congratulations to Special Agents Paul Montuori and Ryan Bessey with the Service’s Office of Law Enforcement and Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors with DOJ! They were each awarded a Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award, presented annually to a selection of courageous individuals who have gone beyond the call of duty in their commitment to combating wildlife crime.

The awards were presented during a reception at CITES COP19.

Learn about their work in stopping individuals and organizations who engaged in the illicit trafficking of thousands of turtle species, orangutans, elephants, pangolins, hornbills, reptiles, scorpions, tarantulas, sharks, and other wildlife parts and products protected by CITES and the Endangered Species Act.

Read the full story at: http://ow.ly/bLml50LKP0b

Photos: Service Director Martha Williams accepted the award — a sculpture of a jaguar mounted on a burlwood base — on behalf of Montuori, and Senior Wildlife Inspectors Rhyan Tompkins and Jennifer Irving accepted the awards on behalf of Bessey and Connors. By Frank Kohn, USFWS.

In the 1960s, the American alligator was nearing extinction. Twenty years later, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed the American alligator from the endangered species list. Thanks to collaborative efforts by the Service and state partners, populations had rebounded across its range, and the species was thriving.

Notably, the market for American alligator skins was thriving as well.

How is that possible?

Check out our story: "What Happens to Species on CITES Appendix II? See: American Alligator" at http://ow.ly/2VMU50LKgOP

Photo: American alligator by Robert H. Burton, USFWS.