Date: 26 February 2013
Time: 8 – 10 pm
Venue: Auditorium, Malaysian Nature Society HQ, JKR 641 Jalan Kelantan, Bukit Persekutuan, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
Cost: Free and open to the public (no prior registration required)
Speaker: Dr. Ronald I. Orenstein

CITES (The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is 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.

Today, CITES accords varying degrees of protection to more than 30,000 species of animals and plants, whether they are traded as live specimens, fur coats or dried herbs.

Between 3rd and 15th of March 2013, the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP16) to CITES will take place in Bangkok, Thailand.  There are proposals for increased protection for African elephants, polar bears, white rhinos, West African manatees, manta rays and sharks.

Canadian Dr. Ronald I. Orenstein will be attending the above conference and he is here to give us a general overview of CITES and the upcoming conference.

Dr. Orenstein is a zoologist, lawyer, wildlife conservationist, naturalist and birder who has written extensively on a wide variety of ecology and conservation issues.

For enquiries, please contact Lim Wai Kong at 012-393 5189 or e-mail him at drwklim(at)yahoo(dot)com if you need further details. This talk is organised by the MNS Bird Group (Selangor Branch).