Published in September 2019 

Regional Perspective: Eastern and Southern Africa - added in April 2020 

 

 
  This module is a resource for lecturers  

 

Exercises

 

Pre-class exercise

Students should choose one of the species from the list below and find out if and where they are listed within CITES' Appendices and, if so, when they were listed and if States Parties have entered any reservations. Students should also check whether the species is included on IUCN's Red List. Insofar as possible, students should try to locate other information about how these species are affected by trafficking and what other factors threaten their survival.

  • Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus).
  • Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia).
  • Ruddy mongoose (Herpestes smithii).
  • Grizzled tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus inustus).
  • Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula).
 

Useful checklists

 

In-class exercise

The purpose of this exercise is for students to critically reflect on the class content and the international framework.

Option 1

Working in groups, students should identify gaps across and within the areas of international law examined in class in respect of wildlife trafficking.

After identifying these gaps, students should explore the potential for a new treaty addressing wildlife trafficking, noting how it would fit in with current instruments and highlighting which deficiencies in existing treaties it would address.

This activity could take the form of a debate, with students defending a 'for or against' such a new treaty.

Option 2

Working in groups, students should prepare and discuss arguments in support of/against the need for an additional Protocol to the UNTOC focusing specifically on wildlife trafficking. Depending on class size, a third group could be debating in favour of a standalone convention on wildlife trafficking, as opposed to an additional Protocol to the UNTOC.

This activity could take the form of a debate, with students defending a 'for or against' such an additional Protocol.

Regional perspective: Eastern and Southern Africa
 

In-class exercise 2

A foreign citizen is arrested at the airport security in your country with a consignment of 62kg of ivory which is packed in two blue leather suitcases.  The passenger has documents that prove that he has been cleared by all the relevant institutions involved in clearing  the cargo for export.

  • Identify the wildlife International Convention(s) applicable in this case.
  • Which institutions are responsible for handling the case?
  • What challenges are likely to affect effective conclusion of the case?
 
Next: Possible class structure
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