Impacto del comercio de especímenes de especies de la familia Dendrobatidae sobre la sostenibilidad del mismo y consecuencias para las poblaciones que habitan en su área de distribución

Resum

The Dendrobatidae Family includes a group of frogs of medium and small size with about 250 known species. They are characterized by having a bright colour and by having alkaloid poison on the skin that is used against predators. The poison has been the reason of naming them poison-frogs or dart-poison frogs. This name comes from the potent lipophilic alkaloids contained in granular skin glands which are used by the natives of the region of Chocó (Colombia) to poison the tips of the arrows used for hunting birds and mammals. Its features colorful, striking and toxicity have made this group one of the most interesting, not only for its scientific and educational value but also, and especially in the areas of collecting and the pet trade. The dendrobatids have been extensively used for commercial purposes and in 1987 four Genera of the Family were included in the Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and therefore their trade was regulated. The inclusion of dendrobatids in CITES was controversial and criticized by several authors who considered that the entry was not justified because there had not been taken into account scientific advice and that the decision was taken due to political influence and conservationists pressures. In this paper we analyze the data and characteristics of international trade in species of the Family Dendrobatidae subject to such regulation between 1992 and 2010 and we evaluate whether the sustainable use of specimens of wild and captive breeding are viable alternatives both for conservation and to generate a source of wealth in the countries of origin.