On 21-Dec-07, at 6:09 PM, Tim Harvey wrote: Don't go giving the US any ideas ... T> If animals and plants subject to CITES are smuggled in to Canada, they > are seized and given to a suitable zoo or botanic garden.> =============== All I meant to say was that protected species discovered by Customs agents are not destroyed, but given to a zoo or botanic garden. > How on earth is that regulated? There is a thick book of regulations that inspectors check before issuing phytosanitary certificates. They must consult international regulations as well as the regulations of the country to which the plant is going. This is not done on the basis of "type of plant" or even genus. For instance, not all cacti are protected, and the level of protection varies even for the ones that are protected. Included in my last importation of plants from the U.S. was a Euphorbia. This is a huge family, spread across the whole world, I think, and includes a few species on one of the CITES schedules, a lot of perfectly OK but unprotected species commonly grown in gardens, and some weeds that I am constantly battling. I could see the eyes of the U.S. inspector light up when he saw "Euphorbia" on my list. He would not accept my word that this was a commonly-grown species, but had to search his book of regs himself before writing out a certificate. CITES protection is to regulate trade in endangered plants and animals. There is no "search and destroy" mission for plants growing within countries. Instead, cute well-trained beagles patrol U.S. airports, sniffing at passengers and their luggage. Some can smell drugs, some money, some ham sandwiches, and some plants. Diane Whitehead