Francesca Ridley

• BSc (Hons) Zoology
• Analysis of the conservation status of species subject to international trade controls

Species listed on the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Wildlife (CITES) Appendix II will be categorised by extinction risk according to the IUCN Red List of endangered species, looking for differences and similarities between the two listings. The CITES trade database will be used to rate the appendix II species by level of trade and subsequently, a relationship between exploitation and threat of extinction determined. Particular attention will be paid to species that experience a high level of exploitation and have high extinction risk, and Least Concern species with a low trade demand. Other criteria for moving species between categories will be studied to assess the scientific and political factors which impact the level of protection species receive, and provide a view of how representative CITES appendices are of the current state of biodiversity loss. 

Funding source: Newcastle University

Supervisor: Dr Philip McGowan