Official Brazilian Report to the CITES Conference of Parties - CoP 15 - Doha - Qatar
ABSTRACT After years of protection, natural populations of black caimans (Melanosuchus niger) in Brazil have increased steadily. In 2003, the species was removed from the official Brazilian list of endangered species. More recently, based on a number of more comprehensive biological studies which indicated that the species has large and not fragmented wild populations and is widely distributed within its range, M.miger was downlisted to CITES Appendix II (CoP 14). The present report describes some of the main outcomes achieved by the Brazilian Government, in collaboration with universities, research institutes and non-government initiatives in order to develop science-based conservation programs to promote the sustainable use of caiman products and to provide economic benefits for local Amazonian communities. Firstly, biological data obtained systematically in three strategic localities within the Brazilian Amazon are presented. This is followed by a brief description on the evolution of M. niger management program in the Brazilian Amazon, which includes the forms of management and the development of current legislation. Finally, the perspectives and main constraints affecting the program development are discussed.
|