Namibia petitions Cites about crocodile trade

NAMIBIA has petitioned the United Nations body that protects endangered species to allow limited trade in the Nile Crocodile.

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism has asked the Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species (Cites) to put Namibia’s Nile Crocodile in Appendix II, to facilitate limited trade in trophies. The request will be tabled at the Cites 13th Conference to be held in Bangkok, Thailand, in October.The skin of the Nile Crocodile skin is used to make shoes, handbags and belts, while its teeth and claws are sold as souvenirs to tourists.In Namibia, the largest number of Nile Crocodiles are found in the Kunene River.Zambia, whose Nile Crocodile species is already on Cites Appendix II, is requesting an annual export quota of no more than 548, while Cuba also wants her Cuban Crocodile to be placed on Appendix II.The Nile Crocodile is found in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Nile Basin and in Madagascar.But its largest number is said to be in Uganda.The request will be tabled at the Cites 13th Conference to be held in Bangkok, Thailand, in October.The skin of the Nile Crocodile skin is used to make shoes, handbags and belts, while its teeth and claws are sold as souvenirs to tourists.In Namibia, the largest number of Nile Crocodiles are found in the Kunene River.Zambia, whose Nile Crocodile species is already on Cites Appendix II, is requesting an annual export quota of no more than 548, while Cuba also wants her Cuban Crocodile to be placed on Appendix II.The Nile Crocodile is found in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Nile Basin and in Madagascar.But its largest number is said to be in Uganda.