The 17th meet of the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, or Cites, concluded on Wednesday with several landmark resolutions on the protection of flora and fauna. During the convention in South Africa, 182 signatories to the international treaty voted to ban the global trade of the pangolin and African grey parrot, among discussions over other issues.

The Johannesburg meeting's decision to bar Namibia and Zimbabwe's governments from selling their stockpiles of ivory and Swaziland from trading away stockpiles of rhino horn received praise from animal rights' activists. But member states failed to approve a proposal to re-designate the southern African elephant population to Appendix I of the Cites agreement for added protection.

Chief Executive of Born Free USA Adam Roberts said, "With 182 parties bound by the convention, Cites is the largest conservation agreement in existence. This meeting represents a clear win for conservation overall – but much work remains," The Washington Post reported.

The signatories also resolved to include the silky shark, three species of thresher sharks and nine species of devil rays in its Appendix II listing, which regulates trade to curb over-harvesting or threats to the species, according to Reuters.

Signatories also urged Mexico, the United States and China to join the campaign against the trade of totoaba fish, which Mexican fishermen poach with nets, causing drowning deaths of the endangered vaquita, the world's smallest porpoise. Only 60 vaquita remain globally, according to The Washington Post.