Parties' national reports on ranching operations
In Resolution Conf. 11.16 (Rev. CoP15) (Ranching and trade in ranched specimens of species transferred from Appendix I to Appendix II), the Conference of the Parties decided that the term ‘ranching’ meant the rearing in a controlled environment of specimens taken from the wild.
In the context of CITES, this term is used mainly in relation to populations of Appendix-I species of animals that are no longer endangered and that are transferred to Appendix II in accordance with this Resolution so that they may benefit from this form of management. Ranched species currently include only crocodilians, primarily ranched for their skins.
The Conference of the Parties recommends in the same Resolution that annual reports on all relevant aspects of each approved ranching operation be submitted to the Secretariat by the Party concerned, and include any new information on the following:
i) the status of the wild population concerned;
ii) the number of specimens (eggs, young or adults) taken annually from the wild;
iii) an estimate of the percentage of the production of the wild population that is taken for the ranching operation;
iv) the number of animals released and their survival rates estimated on the basis of surveys and tagging programmes, if any;
v) the mortality rate in captivity and causes of such mortality;
vi) production, sales and exports of products; and
vii) conservation programmes and scientific experiments carried out in relation to the ranching operation or the wild population concerned.
The table below shows the Parties concerned and the reports received.
| Party | Species ranched | Ranching operation reports  |
Date received | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Caiman latirostris | report | July 2006 | English & Spanish |
| Botswana | Crocodylus niloticus | none received | - | - |
| Cuba | Crocodylus acutus | none received | - | - |
| Ecuador | Melanosuchus niger | none received | - | - |
| Ethiopia | Crocodylus niloticus | report | July 2011 | English |
| Indonesia | Crocodylus porosus | report of population survey | July 2006 | English |
| wild crocodile harvest | ||||
| Kenya | Crocodylus niloticus | report | May 2006 | English |
| Madagascar | Crocodylus niloticus | report | September 2008 | French |
| Malawi | Crocodylus niloticus | report | May 2010 | English |
| Mozambique | Crocodylus niloticus | none received | - | - |
| South Africa | Crocodylus niloticus | none received | - | - |
| Uganda | Crocodylus niloticus | none received | - | - |
| Zambia | Crocodylus niloticus | report | June 2006 | English |
| Zimbabwe | Crocodylus niloticus | report | May 2006 | English |