Ahead of the 20th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), to be held in Uzbekistan in November 2025, the German Hunting Association (DJV) and the German Delegation of the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) have called for a fundamental policy shift in global conservation.

Both organisations support the right of democratically elected governments – including those of Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe – to determine their own conservation strategies. In particular, they back new proposals to ease restrictions on trade in wildlife products. DJV and the CIC German Delegation warn that the growing influence of Western animal rights groups is actively undermining successful African conservation models.

“Despite decades of ivory trade bans, elephants and rhinos continue to be poached,” the organisations state. “Ideologically motivated trade bans must be replaced with science-based strategies that promote sustainable use. Economic incentives for local communities are essential to finance and deliver long-term conservation outcomes.”

Elephant: A Case Study in Failed Policy

In southern Africa, elephant numbers are widely regarded as stable or growing. Yet legal trade remains blocked, cutting off revenue that would otherwise support habitat protection, anti-poaching operations, and local community development. Meanwhile, elephants increasingly cause conflict with residents by damaging crops, property, and infrastructure.

Overlooked Successes: Giraffe, Saiga Antelope and Bontebok

• Giraffes were up-listed by CITES despite increasing populations in eight African countries.

• The Saiga antelope population in Kazakhstan has rebounded to 2.9 million individuals, yet the legal trade in horn stockpiles remains prohibited, despite strong demand.

• The Bontebok population in South Africa has grown by more than 2,000% over the past decade, thanks to regulated hunting and sustainable use.

These success stories demonstrate that sustainable use can drive conservation, and the organisations call for such models to be better reflected in future CITES decision-making.

CITES Risks Becoming a Vehicle for Prohibition

The CIC German Delegation and DJV warn that CITES is increasingly being reshaped by pressure from activist campaigns. Rather than enabling regulated trade – its original purpose – the convention is becoming a platform for blanket bans. They argue that new approaches must support sustainable use, not block it.

European Double Standards

The organisations also highlight inconsistencies in EU policy. While restrictive trade measures are proposed abroad, the EU has failed to implement effective protections for the critically endangered European eel in its own waters. The contrast highlights a double standard that undermines the credibility of conservation efforts.

Further reading:

• IUCN Briefing Paper: Informing Decisions on Trophy Hunting
  https://www.iucnsuli.org/resources/iucn-bp-informing-decisions-on-trophy-hunting

Sources:

• Original statement (in German), produced by the CIC German Delegation and the German Hunting Association (DJV):
  https://cic-wildlife.de/2025/07/25/handelsverbote-foerdern-wilderei-statt-artenschutz/

• Image: South African Bontebok – A Conservation Success Through Sustainable Use
  (Source: Hayward/DJV/CIC)