GEF

Unit 5  |  The Importance of Biodiversity 119 An additional threat to biodiversity is the trade in endangered or threatened wildlife species. Many species of plants and animals are under threat of extinction, due to the illegal trade in wildlife for pets or wildlife parts. One example is the black rhinoceros, which is native to eastern and central Africa. Some forms of traditional Asian medicine highly value the horn of this critically endangered species. In countries such as Vietnam and China, rhino horn is valued up to $133 per gram, which is double the price of gold. Consequently, pressure on remaining black rhino populations is intense due to illegal hunting, or poaching . Since 1973, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora ( CITES ) has prohibited international trade of endangered or threatened wildlife through the use of official warnings, economic sanctions, and other legal tools. Although compliance with CITES is often inconsistent, only one species protected by the treaty, the Spix’s Macaw, has gone extinct in the wild. POACHING Illegal hunting of wildlife. CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, an international treaty to limit trade in endangered and threatened species. SUSTAINABILITY CONCEPTS One destructive example of an invasive species is the brown tree snake. Native to Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea, this species was accidentally introduced to the Pacific island of Guam shortly after WorldWar II. The native birds, reptiles, and small mammals of Guam had no defenses against predatory snakes. The brown tree snake rapidly killed off most of these animals. Tree snakes have even damaged electrical lines, causing widespread power outages. The brown tree snake is a destructive invasive species.