John,

Millions of imperiled animals are plucked from the wild each year to buy and sell. This wildlife trade is one of the greatest drivers of the extinction crisis. But at an upcoming international conference, we have an opportunity to make a difference.

Urge the U.S. delegation to act boldly to protect species from overexploitation at the triennial Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) meeting this November.

At this meeting 184 countries will decide which species need to be saved from the trade. Hope glimmers, as an amazing array of animals — including candy cane sea cucumbers, hippos, hammerhead sharks, and aquarium fish — will get a vote on possible protections. 

But there are some dangerous items on the agenda, including proposals to open trade in elephant ivory and rhino horn that could mean game over for these cherished animals. Another would alter listing and voting criteria to interject socioeconomics into a treaty focused on science and imperiled species in need of protection from human demand. 

The Center for Biological Diversity will be at CITES advocating for elephants, rhinos, pangolins, vaquitas, leopards, seahorses, lions, marine turtles and more. We’ll make sure that biodiversity loss is at the forefront of everyone’s minds. 

You can help. Urge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to take the lead at CITES by voting “yes” on  species protections while denying risky proposals that would increase wildlife trade.