ICS and Pro Wildlife appeal for the international protection of the Macedonian grayling
The German organization Pro Wildlife and the Institute of Communication Studies (ICS) have officially sent a letter to the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, requesting that North Macedonia submit a proposal to include the Macedonian grayling butterfly (Pseudochazara cingovskii) in Appendix 1 of the CITES Convention – the highest level of protection from international trade.
The organizations urge that the country submit the proposal to the CITES Secretariat no later than 27 June 2025, ahead of the 20th Conference of the Parties (CoP20) to be held from 25 November to 5 December in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
The Macedonian grayling is a critically endangered endemic butterfly species that lives only in a limited area with limestone, near the Pletvar Pass, in the central part of the country. According to the IUCN, the species is one of the most endangered in Europe. Research shows that illegal international trade, driven by demand from collectors, poses a serious threat to the survival of this butterfly.
“The inclusion of Pseudochazara cingovskii in Appendix 1 of CITES will provide a strong legal framework to combat illegal trade and strengthen national control and awareness at the international level,” reads the letter signed by Sandra Alther from Pro Wildlife and Žaneta Trajkoska, Director of ICS.
The proposal stems from an investigative story by ICS, which first revealed cases of poaching and trade in this unique species.
Pro Wildlife emphasizes that North Macedonia, as the only country in which this species lives, has full legitimacy to submit the proposal and that it will most likely be supported at the conference.
The organizations say they are ready to fully support the country in the preparation and submission of the proposal, while at the same time welcoming the leadership in North Macedonia in preserving biodiversity.
Watch the documentary “Nature for Sale.”