Think twice about buying . . .

This brochure was prepared at the request of the CITES Secretariat and the Caribbean nations that participated in the Caribbean CITES Implementation Training Seminar, hosted by Trinidad and Tobago in September 1992. Brochure production waw suported by the Conservation Treaty Support Fund, DHL Airways Inc., National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Special Expeditions Inc., and World Wildlife Fund/TRAFFIC USA.

For more informations write: World Wildlife Fund, 1250 24th St. NW, Washington DC 20037, USA.

Artwork (c) Mary Helsaple.

The Caribbean is not only a region of remarkable beauty, it contains some of the richest terrestrial and marine environments on Earth. It is home to 6 of the world's 7 sea turtle species and 14 percent of the coral reefs. Nearly one-third of the plants and terrestrial vertebrates in the Caribbean islands are endemic ( found nowhere else in the world ) .

No wonder many tourists want to take home Caribbean souvenirs! But beware !
Many souvenirs are made from protected species of plants and animals that were acquired illegally. By collecting or purchasing these items, you risk having them seized, and you might have to pay sizable fines. You also undermine the wildlife conservation efforts of Caribbean governments.

illegal wildlife trade threatens plants and animals globally. Often, these same species are struggling for survival as their habitat is damaged or destroyed. Do your part ! Join the Caribbean governments in a partnership to help protect Caribbean wildlife. Don't buy protected species of plants and animals or the products made from them, unless you are absolutely sure that they come from legally approved sources.

Many Caribbean nations protect their valuable natural resources under domestic laws and under CITES ( the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora ). This comprehensive wildlife treaty, signed by more than 120 nations, regulates and frequently prohibits commercial trade in threatened wild plant and animal species.

Under some nations' laws ( for example, the United States Lacey Act ), a violation of a foreign wildlife law is automatically a violation of domestic law. Unfortunately, conservation laws can be difficult to enforce.
Despite the restrictions, illegally acquired wildlife products wind up in the suitcases of unwary tourists in the Caribbean and elsewhere. Avoid making a foolish or damaging purchase: Learn as much as you can about what you should avoid buying and, when in doubt, don 't buy !

Sea turtle populations are declining, in some areas severely, throughout the Caribbean. Because all sea turtle species are endangered or threatened, they are protected in the Caribbean under domestic and international laws. Yet poaching and illegal commerce remain serious problems.

Most sea turtle products offered to tourists in the Caribbean, including stuffed turtles and "tortoiseshell" jewelry and combs, are made from the highly endangered hawksbill sea turtle. Other species are killed for leather, taxidermy, food products, eggs, and oil for creams. In nearly all cases, these items are prohibited in trade.

.....[ Corals, Plants, Reptiles, Shells, Birds ]

Think twice about buying . . .

[ Sea turtles, Plants, Reptiles, Shells, Birds ]

Coral reefs form the biological basis of many marine communities. Dependent on the health of local corals are the many colorful marine fish and other species that visitors enjoy observing and that provide food and income for the Caribbean people.

The semi-precious black corals, heavily exploited for jewelry, are protected by many Caribbean nations. Alive, these corals -which are actually animals- resemble plants. The black material used in jewelry forms the internal skeletal structure of the living coral, and grows very slowly. For some species, one inch of growth may take decades to occur. Also sold as souvenirs are pieces of "stony" ( reef-building ) corals.

Plants are wildlife, too! Many species of plants in the Caribbean are endemic and are protected under CITES and local laws.

Caribbean wildlife authorities are most concerned about the delicate, heavily exploited, and often rare orchids of Caribbean forests.

While some orchids are grown locally at licensed plant nurseries, many others are taken directly from the wild, as are bromeliads ("air plants") and ferns.

Don't collect plants from the wild, and check with local authorities about legal sources before purchasing plants or wood products, particularly carvings from the lignum vitae
( "tree of life" ).

. . . Think twice about buying .

.....[ Sea turtles, Corals, Reptiles, Shells, Birds ]

Think twice about buying . . .

.[ Sea turtles, Corals, Plants, Shells, Birds ] . ..

Caribbean tourists are attracted by stuffed juvenile crocodilians and crocodilian skins fashioned into handbags, shoes, belts, and watch straps.
These products may have been Caribbean smuggled to nations from other countries to reach the tourist market.

All products made of the endangered American crocodile and the black caiman (a South American alligator), and some made of the common caiman, are prohibited in commerce.

The queen conch, a species of great ecological importance to Caribbean seagrass ecosystems, has been heavily overcollected in some areas.

Historically, the meat has been a staple food item in the region, and it is still served legally in some countries.
Conch shells have been popular ornaments in Europe and North America.

Many conch populations are now declining, however, and collection is closely regulated throughout the region.

. . . Think twice about buying .

.[ Sea turtles, Corals, Plants, Reptiles, Birds ]

Think twice about buying . . .

.[ Sea turtles, Corals, Plants, Reptiles, Shells ]

Parrots are colorful, humorous, engaging and often endangered or threatened. Many Caribbean islands support small populations of extremely rare parrot species. Parrots are also smuggled to Caribbean tourist markets from the Latin American mainland.

Don't be tempted to carry a parrot home. Before you consider a purchase, you should thoroughly research the domestic and international regulations governing the commerce, care, and transport of parrots.
Products containing the feathers of parrots, the scarlet ibis, and other birds may also be illegal.