Delegates at a global wildlife conservation conference voted Sunday to protect a coveted salamander but rejected a more sweeping proposal that would have regulated the trade of red and pink corals worldwide.
The latest round of voting at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) underscored nations' unwillingness to forgo immediate economic gains from exploiting natural resources, even when these activities are putting plants and animals under intense pressure.
Delegates declined to adopt a proposal offered by the United States and Sweden that would have regulated, for the first time, red and pink corals that are targeted for the jewelry, home decor and homeopathic medicine market. The 31 species that would have received new protections are taken primarily from the Mediterranean and are used in the production of high-end jewelry in European countries such as Italy and Croatia, as well as cheaper decorations and souvenirs in Taiwan and China.