Kingdom+of+Saudi+Arabia´s+position+paper(first+draft)

Comitte: International Labour Organization Topic: Wild life trafficking Country: Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia consists almost entirely of desert, but it is an oil rich country. There was abundant wildlife: gazelle, Arabian oryx, cheetah, sand rats, hedgehogs, jerboas, wolves, hares, flamingos, pelicans, wildcats, baboons, panther, wolves, hyenas and Arabian leopard. During 1930-1990 all of these mammals were reduced in numbers and the Arabian oryx and gazelle were exterminated from the wild. Much of the hunting were done by foreign oil-workers, but local population started hunting as well because they obtained a lot of money by selling the wild animals dead or alive. In 1980 the Ministry of Agriculture established the first National Park in Asir, but the protection of wildlife was not very effective. Animal trophies and skins were very well paid and punishment wasn´t enough to prevent the poaching. In 1986 the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development was established and started a program for reintroduce some extinct mammals. One of the first successful programs was the reintroduction of the Arabian oryx. The Arabian oryx is a white ungulate that lived in the Arabian Peninsula until they were hunted to extinction in the wild in 1972. Mountain gazelles were reintroduced in Central Arabia during 1991-1995 but poaching continued causing the decline in the number of gazelles. Some international actions helped to rescue wildlife. For example, the Phoenix Zoo (in Arizona) started a captive breeding program in 1962, and from 9 individuals, over 200 young were successfully bred. These oryx were reintroduced in Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Israel, with a total population of 1100 individuals. The populations in Saudi Arabia and Israel are increasing; however, the population in Oman has decreased from 450 individuals in 1996 to only about 50 oryx in 2008. This is largely due to illegal capturing. Oman is a country that borders with Saudi Arabia but its wildlife is more threatened. Saudi Arabia signed the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, CITES, an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. Saudi Arabia signed the accession the 12/03/1996 and the 10/06/1996 was the date of entry into force. //“Saudi Arabia is deeply convinced that efficient prevention has to start with appropriate conservation actions taken by range states. Saudi Arabia sets an excellent example of effective conservation: On over 40 percent of its area, the Kingdom provides wildlife sanctuaries, and is furthermore engaged in captive breeding, reintroduction and research of endangered species.”// (Illegal trafficking of endangered species, Position paper for the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. Delegation of Saudi Arabia) In my personal point of view, people in Saudi Arabia don’t need to sell animals because they are rich enough. People who hunt animals are foreigners, and some people from Saudi Arabia buy these animals for their personal collections. If no one buys wild animals illegal trafficking will stop. For this reason it is very important that children learn to love nature and understand that wild animals must live in wild areas not in human houses. In conclusion, though programs of reintroduction have been successful in Saudi Arabia, it could be necessary keep fighting against poaching, sign all the international treats against animal traffic and give young population advice on the importance of country´s wildlife conservation. Information sources: 2010 Global Classroom: The Chicago Model UN Conference. Retrieved December, 8, 2010 from [] CITES, (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) List of contracting parties. Retrieved December, 8, 2010 from [] Dunham, K. M. (April, 2001) Status of reintroduced population of mountain gazelles Gazella gazella in Central Arabia: Management lessons from arid land reintroductions, //Oryx, Vol. 35, No 2, 11-118// Retrieved December, 8, 2010 from [] National Commission for Wild Life Conservation and Development. Retrieved December, 8, 2010 from [] Position paper for the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. Delegation of Saudi Arabia. Retrieved December, 8, 2010 from [] Sample, I. (2 July 2008). Wildlife extinction rates seriously underestimated. The Guardian Retrieved December, 8, 2010 from [] The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2008) Oryx leucoryx. Retrieved December, 8, 2010 from [] Thouless, C. (October, 1991) Conservation in Saudi Arabia, Oryx, Vol. 25, No 4, 222-228. Retrieved December, 8, 2010 from [] Where to catch birds and other wildlife in Saudi Arabia, Retrieved December, 8, 2010 from []