CITES stands for convention on International Trade in Endangered species of wild flora and fauna.
It was drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The Conference aims to control or prevent international commercial trade in endangered species or products derived from them.
The Convention does not seek todirectly protect endangered species, rather it seeks to reduce the economic incentive topoach endangered species and destroy their habitat by closing off the internationalmarket.
India became a party to the convention in 1976. International trade in all wildflora and fauna in general and species covered under convention is regulatedthrough the provisions of the Wild life (protection) Act 1972.