Some endangered species benefit from legal measures for their protection either under local regulations or international conventions signed by France and agreed by the Assembly of French Polynesia :

Apia Convention on Nature Conservancy in the South Pacific and Noumea Convention, all two of regional range (South Pacific), apply to French Polynesia. Convention on Conservation of the Migratory Species belonging to wild fauna (CMS), known as Bonn Convention and the Agreement on Conservation of Albatross and Petrels (ACAP) are applicable in French Polynesia.

Known as CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, entered into force on July 1st 1975 and now has a membership of 152 countries. These countries act by banning commercial international trade in an agreed list of endangered species and by regulating and monitoring trade in others that might become endangered.

Appendices I, II and III to the Convention are lists of species afforded different levels or types of protection from over-exploitation
Appendix I lists species that are the most endangered among CITES-listed animals and plants. They are threatened with extinction and CITES prohibits international trade in specimens of these species except when the purpose of the import is not commercial, for instance for scientific research. In these exceptional cases, trade may take place provided it is authorized by the granting of both an import permit and an export permit (or re-export certificate).
Appendix II lists species that are not necessarily now threatened with extinction but that may become so unless trade is closely controlled. It also includes so-called "look-alike species", i.e. species of which the specimens in trade look like those of species listed for conservation reasons. International trade in specimens of Appendix II species may be authorized by the granting of an export permit or re-export certificate. No import permit is necessary for these species under CITES (although a permit is needed in some countries that have taken stricter measures than CITES requires). Permits or certificates should only be granted if the relevant authorities are satisfied that certain conditions are met, above all that trade will not be detrimental to the survival of the species in the wild.
Appendix III is a list of species included at the request of a Party that already regulates trade in the species and that needs the cooperation of other countries to prevent unsustainable or illegal exploitation. International trade in specimens of species listed in this Appendix is allowed only on presentation of the appropriate permits or certificates.

Three endemic bird species from French Polynesia are present in the appendix of CITES :

Some other species found in French Polynesia are listed in CITES appendices.
They are migratory and introduced birds (some of them being classified as noxious for biodiversity by the regulations of French Polynesia

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Law 95-257/AT, december 14th 1995, relative à la protection de la nature (JOPF, december 28th 1995 p 2642-2647)

Decree 1300/CM, august 30th 2007, portant modification de l'article A. 121-1 du code de l'environnement fixant la liste des espèces protégées relevant de la catégorie A (JOPF September 6th 2007 p 3307 3317)

A total of 38 species of birds are protected in French Polynesia : 5 species of threatened marine birds, 1 species of threatened migratory bird, 20 threatened endemic terrestrial birds, 8 other endemic terrestrial species of French Polynesia which, even if they are not directly threatened, are of indisputable patrimonial value and 4 non endemic terrestrial species with a vast distribution in the Pacific but whose numbers are low in French Polynesia.

Effective protection is enforced through global and permanent prohibition of all operations including :
1°) destruction, mutilation, intentional disturbance, capture or collect, mounting and stuffing of specimens from animal species dead or alive, and their transport, use, holding, selling our buying;
2°) destruction, alteration, modification or degradation of sensible habitats of these species.

Decree 171/CM, february 9th 1999, inscrivant quatre oiseaux sur la liste des espèces menaçant la biodiversité (JOPF, february 18th 1999 p 352-353)

To help conservation of indigenous species, four introduced birds, dangerous for the local avifauna, are listed as threatening biodiversity, in completion of part 23 of Law 95-257 AT, december 14th 1995 relative to nature conservancy.
Importation of all new specimen of these species, translocation from one island and release in another one is prohibited.
Destruction of birds belonging to these species is legal.

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