Categories according to the CITES Convention
According to the level of threat, specimens are divided into three categories:
CITES I
It includes 630 species of animals and 300 species of plants that are in immediate danger of extinction. International trade in these species is prohibited and is permitted only in exceptional cases (zoos, scientific research...). These include, for example, all apes (gorilla, orangutan, chimpanzee), lemurs, pandas and some species of bears, monkeys, large cetaceans and dolphins, a number of species of felines (cheetah, leopard, tiger, etc.), both species of elephants, rhinoceros, Siberian musk deer, and a number of predators, cranes, pheasants and parrots, sea turtles, certain species of crocodiles and lizards, salamanders, latimeria, some species of cacti and orchids, some palm trees and rare exotic woods (Brazilian rosewood, etc.) and other species. The fauna of the Czech Republic includes the imperial eagle, sea eagle, peregrine falcon and Eurasian otter.
CITES II
It includes over 4,800 species of animals and 29,500 species of plants that could be endangered if international trade were not regulated. This appendix also contains species that can easily be confused with CITES I specimens. It includes all *) monkeys, cetaceans, otters and felines, hippos, peccaries, nutcrackers, many species of antelopes, greater rhea, flamingos, all *) species of predators, owls, parrots (with the exception of budgerigars, cockatiels and rose-ringed parakeet), and hummingbirds, hill myna, Java sparrow and other birds, various species of turtles, all *) crocodiles, iguanas, monitor lizards and boa constrictors, some species of exotic frogs and fish, butterflies, sea urchins, molluscs, sea corals, all species *) of orchids and cacti, some agaves, aloes, succulents, tillandsia and carnivorous plants, ginseng, some woody plants and other species. From the fauna and flora of the Czech Republic, this category includes, in addition to all birds of prey (33 species found in the Czech Republic) and owls (12 species), the wolf, bear, lynx, wild cat, black stork, great bustard, medicinal leech, apollo butterfly, the whole Orchidaceae family, common snowdrop and purple cyclamen.
*) except for species included in category I.
CITES III
It includes over 130 animal species and 12 plant taxa. These are species that are threatened by international trade only in certain countries and are protected at the suggestion of those countries. An example can be the walrus - Canada, or the aardwolf - Botswana, etc.
Categories in the EU
The European Union applies stricter protection for CITES species, but also for other endangered species occurring on EU territory or species that could threaten ecological stability and for which it wants to prevent their importation into its territory. EU member countries therefore have their own CITES lists of species (current as of Feburary 4, 2017 (EU) Commission Regulation No. 2017/160), where species are divided into categories A, B, C and D.
A - CITES I species + some CITES II species
B - CITES II species + some CITES III species + species threatening ecological stability
C - CITES III species
D – non-CITES species for which the EU monitors import into its territory
Since May 1, 2004, the Czech Republic has been a member of the EU, therefore the lists of animals and plants according to Annexes A to D are now legally binding in the Czech Republic, relating to Council Regulation (EC) No. 338/97 of December 9, 1996 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade with them, as amended - see Official Journal of the EU.
The current status of the CITES annexes can be found at http://www.cites.org