50 years of the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
Exactly 50 years ago, in 1975, the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) came into force.
For citizens in Mainz, this means that anyone who keeps protected animal species - even in the private sector - must comply with certain legal requirements.
The aim of this international agreement was and is to regulate cross-border trade in wild animal and plant species in such a way that endangered species are preserved. Today, half a century later, this agreement is more important than ever – because protecting biodiversity is a global task, but also a local one.
Germany is also a signatory to CITES and has transposed the agreement into national law. The key legal basis for practical species protection is the Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSchG) and the Federal Species Protection Ordinance (BArtSchV). Among other things, these regulations specify which species are specially or strictly protected in Germany and what requirements apply to the keeping, breeding, or marketing of such species.
In Mainz, the Lower Nature Conservation Authority, which is located in the Parks and Environment Office, is responsible for enforcing these regulations. It monitors and supports compliance with species protection regulations in the city area and is the point of contact for keepers of protected species.
Greek tortoises
A clear example of how species conservation can be implemented in everyday life is the keeping of Greek tortoises (Testudo hermanni). These popular animals are subject to strict protection under the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and German species conservation regulations. However, many owners are unaware that keeping these animals involves a number of obligations, compliance with which contributes significantly to the conservation of the species.
The most important requirements include the obligation to register, the obligation to possess an EU certificate (formerly blue "CITES papers") for trading in protected species, and the obligation to provide photographic documentation if the animals are not marked with a transponder.
Obligation to report
EU certificate (previously blue "CITES papers")
Photo documentation
Support from the city administration
Compliance with these obligations is not a bureaucratic end in itself, but serves to actively protect endangered species. Only when the origin, keeping, and transfer of animals are documented can it be ensured that they have not been illegally taken from the wild.
The Mainz city administration supports citizens with questions about keeping protected species. The "Species Protection" team at the Lower Nature Conservation Authority can be contacted by email.