La protection des espèces de faune et de flore sauvages menacées d'extinction .

The profits from the illegal international trade in wildlife are estimated at between eight and fifteen billion euros per year. After drugs, counterfeiting and human trafficking, trafficking in protected species ranks fourth in the world ranking of the most lucrative illegal activities. Despite many opinions suggesting that wildlife crime is one of the most profitable forms of organised crime, it is still very difficult, if not impossible, to estimate the real scale of the problem. Wild fauna and flora are composed of extremely heterogeneous specimens that are supplied, exchanged and consumed for the most diverse purposes. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora is becoming an essential instrument in the sense that it combats the second cause of species extinction by regulating international trade in specimens of species listed in its appendices. Thus, from now on any import, export, re-export or introduction from the sea of ​​species covered by the Convention must be authorised within the framework of a permit system. Species covered by CITES are listed in one of the three appendices of the convention according to the degree of protection they require. A victim of its success, CITES became a model for subsequent conventions.