The latest CITES report on wildlife imports to India, released following a verification mission in September 2025, has urged India to halt imports of critically endangered species such as gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees, and snow leopards until stronger due diligence and verification procedures are implemented.

• The report flagged concerns about illegal harvesting of wild animals falsely declared as captive bred and questioned the accuracy of source and purpose-of-transaction codes used in import permits.
• It recommends India urgently review and strengthen its import procedures, including verifying flagged imports with exporting and transit countries like Congo, Germany, Iraq, UAE, and others, to ensure that animals are not sourced illegally from the wild.
• The CITES Secretariat is awaiting credible evidence of compliance from India and will review the case in their upcoming Standing Committee meeting in November 2025.
• The CITES report strongly recommends that India strengthen the enforcement and verification mechanisms of its Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and coordinate with exporting nations to clarify the origins of imported animals before import permits are issued again. This is to prevent India from inadvertently becoming a destination for illegal wildlife trade masked as legitimate zoo transfers or captive breeding.?

About CITES

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is a multilateral treaty that ensures international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. It is legally binding for its 185 member countries but does not replace national laws. 

Key Aspects of CITES

• Objective: To protect endangered species from over-exploitation by regulating international trade.
• Implementation: Members must enact domestic laws to enforce CITES, including designating authorities for licensing and scientific advice.
• Permit System: CITES uses permits and certificates for trade in listed species, issued only when conditions ensure trade is legal and sustainable.
• Secretariat: Based in Geneva, Switzerland, the CITES Secretariat, administered by UNEP, coordinates activities and supports members.
• Conference of the Parties (CoP): Member nations meet every two to three years to review implementation and update species lists. 

Key Findings and Recommendations

• Halt on Imports: The CITES Secretariat has advised India to temporarily stop imports of Appendix-I species (such as gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees, and snow leopards) until it strengthens its verification systems and provides credible evidence of compliance to the CITES Secretariat in Geneva.
• Irregularities Flagged: The report identified several instances where India's import procedures for the Greens Zoological Rescue & Rehabilitation Center (GZRRC) and the Radha Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust (RKTEWT) in Jamnagar (Vantara) showed a lack of sufficient due diligence.
• Questionable Origins: Concerns were raised that animals were sourced from countries not known for breeding those species (non-range states) and potentially mislabelled as "captive-bred" (source code C) when they might have been wild-caught (source code W).
• Conflicting Purpose Codes: There were discrepancies between India's declaration of imports for "zoo" (purpose code Z) or "rescue" purposes and the exporting countries' records, which sometimes indicated commercial "trade" (purpose code T) with invoices for animal sales.
• Need for Verification: The Secretariat stressed that Indian authorities often accepted export permits "on face value" without adequate follow-up verification with the source or transit countries, especially for high-risk origins. 

Contrasting Information

• High Standards at Facilities: Despite the procedural concerns, the CITES mission report acknowledged that the Vantara facilities themselves (GZRRC and RKTEWT) maintain "exceptionally high standards" in terms of infrastructure, veterinary care, and conservation efforts, suitable for housing Appendix-I animals.
• No Evidence of Unlawful Commercial Sale: The Secretariat stated it found no direct evidence of animals being imported without valid CITES permits or for primarily commercial purposes within India.
• Indian Response: Indian authorities have acknowledged the guidance provided and expressed willingness to improve their processes and procedures to remain in full compliance with CITES. 

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