{"id":2227,"date":"2026-10-16T17:21:34","date_gmt":"2026-10-16T17:21:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/2026\/10\/16\/unicorn778-legal-gaps-allow-rampant-pet-trade-poaching-reptiles-and-amphibians-towards-extinction-peluang-terburuk-saat-bermain-slot-online\/"},"modified":"2026-10-16T17:21:34","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T17:21:34","slug":"unicorn778-legal-gaps-allow-rampant-pet-trade-poaching-reptiles-and-amphibians-towards-extinction-peluang-terburuk-saat-bermain-slot-online","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/2026\/10\/16\/unicorn778-legal-gaps-allow-rampant-pet-trade-poaching-reptiles-and-amphibians-towards-extinction-peluang-terburuk-saat-bermain-slot-online\/","title":{"rendered":"UNICORN778 Legal gaps allow rampant pet trade, poaching reptiles and amphibians towards extinction Peluang Terburuk Saat Bermain Slot Online"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"post-332764\">&#13;<\/p>\n<div class=\"bulletpoints-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"bulletpoints\">\n<ul>\n<li><em>Recent seizures of trafficked reptiles and amphibians provide insight into a booming trade in these animals, which are now coveted as pets worldwide.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Patchy legislation and loopholes in wildlife trade enable traffickers to pull reptiles and amphibians from their natural habitats and sell them abroad with impunity, conservationists warn.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>They call for stronger national laws, making it illegal to sell wildlife protected in their native habitats, as well as creating a \u2018positive list\u2019 that identifies species that may be sold and kept as pets.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Conservationists also note the need for international measures to stop exploitation of reptiles and amphibians that are already harmed by habitat loss, invasive species, diseases and changing climate.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"content-expander\"><span>See All Key Ideas<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&#13;<\/p>\n<p>Spain\u2019s law enforcement agency, the Civil Guard, <a href=\"https:\/\/web.guardiacivil.es\/pdflink\/es\/1c95f19d-4377-11eb-8d7d-6d0b3e4c7555\/Intervenidos-mas-de-200-reptiles-y-detenidas-tres-personas-dedicadas-al-trafico-de-especies-protegidas.pdf?themeconfigpath=\/sites\/guardiaCivil\/.themeconfig\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">announced<\/a> on Sept. 25, 2026, that it seized 209 reptiles from breeding facilities in J\u00e9rica and Sot de Ferrer (Castell\u00f3n), including critically endangered iguanas endemic to Fiji. Nearly half of the reptiles were protected under CITES, the global wildlife trade treaty. They also seized unlicensed handguns and nearly 200 rounds of ammunition.<\/p>\n<p>Authorities arrested three individuals \u2014 two men aged 48 and 51 and a 37-year-old woman \u2014 on a litany of charges: Belonging to a criminal organization, wildlife-related offenses, smuggling, money laundering and illegal weapons possession.<\/p>\n<p>The alleged traffickers reportedly smuggled reptiles from the wild in the Americas, Africa and Asia, and then bred them without permits, the authorities said. They added that these reptiles were then sold at European reptile and trade fairs, mixing smuggled animals with legally acquired animals \u2014 a practice called laundering that\u2019s prevalent in wildlife trade. In this way, traffickers exploit the \u201clegal gray area surrounding documentation that certifies the animals\u2019 origins,\u201d the authorities said in a press release.<\/p>\n<p>The Spanish case is just one recent example among a slew of seizures and arrests involving <a href=\"https:\/\/www.customs.gov.hk\/en\/customs-announcement\/press-release\/index_id_5470.html?p=11&amp;y=&amp;m=\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">rare tortoises<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2025\/11\/massive-turtle-bust-in-mexico-reveals-wild-west-of-wildlife-trafficking\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">endangered turtles<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-latin-america-68138756\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">poisonous frogs<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/short-article\/2026\/05\/three-thai-nationals-suspected-of-smuggling-galapagos-iguanas-arrested-in-ecuador\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">endemic iguanas<\/a> and many other protected reptiles and amphibians worldwide. The trade is lucrative \u2014 estimated to be worth some $2.5 billion \u2014 and comes with little risk. It\u2019s often unregulated. Smugglers are rarely caught, and if they are, they get off by paying a small fine, which is absorbed as the cost of doing business.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_332787\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15153952\/260925_incautacion_reptiles_valencia_2.jpg_523645142.jpg\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-332787\" src=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15153952\/260925_incautacion_reptiles_valencia_2.jpg_523645142.jpg\" alt=\"Tortoises seized by the Civil Guard in Spain in a recent raid. Image courtesy of the Civil Guard. \" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15153952\/260925_incautacion_reptiles_valencia_2.jpg_523645142.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15153952\/260925_incautacion_reptiles_valencia_2.jpg_523645142-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15153952\/260925_incautacion_reptiles_valencia_2.jpg_523645142-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15153952\/260925_incautacion_reptiles_valencia_2.jpg_523645142-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15153952\/260925_incautacion_reptiles_valencia_2.jpg_523645142-1800x1012.jpg 1800w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15153952\/260925_incautacion_reptiles_valencia_2.jpg_523645142-610x343.jpg 610w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tortoises seized by the Civil Guard in Spain in a recent raid. Image courtesy of the Civil Guard.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As demand for these animals continues to grow, conservationists are calling on countries to close legal loopholes that allow traffickers to smuggle them across the world, sometimes by breaking local laws. Many reptiles and amphibians are sold as \u201clow maintenance\u201d first-time pets in stores or online, and some collectors pay thousands of dollars for rare species.<\/p>\n<p>In a recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/d41586-026-02852-3\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">commentary<\/a> published in <em>Nature<\/em>, the authors say countries must scrutinize their exports and imports, strengthen global frameworks to punish traffickers, and introduce regulations that permit only a limited list of vetted wildlife species to be kept as pets \u2014 also called a \u2018positive list\u2019 \u2014 to rein in the trade.<\/p>\n<p>One in five of all reptile species and two in five amphibians are threatened with extinction, according to IUCN, the global conservation authority. With the planet heating up, habitats destroyed, fatal diseases decimating entire populations and invasive species replacing them, reptiles and amphibians are already under pressure. A <a href=\"https:\/\/newagepet.com\/blogs\/learning-center\/the-rise-of-reptile-ownership-in-north-america-a-2024-deep-dive?srsltid=AU7gw4XBV2Zo-h3jTFJxd7mVtGXpA-g8yvhaodwHUBZsnbAiEZ6kXpZ4&amp;country=ca\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">skyrocketing<\/a> trade in them could be devastating, the authors warn.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis isn\u2019t a new trade, but it\u2019s becoming more of a problem,\u201d said one of the commentary authors Susan Lieberman, vice president of international policy at the U.S.-based NGO <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wcs.org\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">Wildlife Conservation Society<\/a>. \u201cWe\u2019re seeing increasing pressure on more and more species in the wild across the globe.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Case in point: The poisonous black-and-orange <a href=\"https:\/\/peerj.com\/articles\/17947\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">harlequin mantella frog<\/a> (<em>Mantella cowanii<\/em>), which has almost disappeared from its native habitat in Madagascar, in part because of its popularity among collectors.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_332784\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15152847\/marine-iguana.jpg\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-332784\" src=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15152847\/marine-iguana.jpg\" alt=\"Galapagos marine iguanas are the only iguanas that live in the sea and eat algae. Despite the highest protections under CITES, and Ecuador never having legally exported any, these lizards are still widely traded internationally. Image by \u00a9\ufe0fSimon Pierce via iNaturalist (CC BY-NC 4.0).\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1366\" srcset=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15152847\/marine-iguana.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15152847\/marine-iguana-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15152847\/marine-iguana-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15152847\/marine-iguana-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15152847\/marine-iguana-350x233.jpg 350w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15152847\/marine-iguana-610x407.jpg 610w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Galapagos marine iguanas are the only iguanas that live in the sea and eat algae. Despite the highest trade protections under CITES, and Ecuador never having legally exported any, these lizards are still traded legally internationally. Image by \u00a9 Simon Pierce via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.inaturalist.org\/observations\/131435351\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">iNaturalist<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/deed.en\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">CC BY-NC 4.0<\/a>).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cThis is certainly an urgent and frequently overlooked issue,\u201d said Alice Hughes, who studies the reptile and amphibian trade at the University of Melbourne and was not an author on the commentary. \u201cUnfortunately, repeated calls to notice and act on this gap have not yet gained the traction needed to bridge them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This commentary, she said, \u201cdoes a good job of contextualizing many of the issues\u201d and \u201chighlighting opportunities to improve our ability to understand and regulate trade, and raise awareness of these issues.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Lack of data makes it hard to monitor trade <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>More than <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-020-18523-4\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">half of reptiles <\/a>and <a href=\"https:\/\/elifesciences.org\/articles\/70086\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">40% of amphibians<\/a> currently in trade are pulled from the wild, Hughes\u2019 research shows. But only a handful \u2014 9.5% of reptiles and 4.2% of amphibians \u2014 are regulated under CITES. The rest can be traded without oversight or monitoring \u2014 and most countries have little information on what is in commerce because no one\u2019s looking.<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. records all its wildlife imports, including traded species not regulated under CITES, in the Law Enforcement Management Information System (LEMIS) database. But there\u2019s no such data in other countries \u2014 so many reptile and amphibian species fall through the cracks.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWithout \u2026 data on what is on trade, where it is coming from, the source, and the quantity, there is simply no means to assess the sustainability, or to tease apart legal and illegal trade more clearly,\u201d Hughes said. In some cases, a species can be traded illegally from its native country to a third country, then re-exported to the intended destination with fraudulent permits and paperwork, she said.<\/p>\n<p>The problem is particularly stark in the European Union, which is a hub of the reptile and amphibian trade, according to commentary co-author Sandra Altherr, a biologist and co-founder of the German-based NGO <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prowildlife.de\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">Pro Wildlife<\/a>. \u201cThe EU wildlife imports are still largely a black box. We have no idea of the origin or the history of many animals, or even how many animals are actually entering the EU. And that, for me, is unbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_332783\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15152831\/Anolis_cuvieri_%E2%80%94_Geoff_Gallice_002-scaled.jpg\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-332783\" src=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15152831\/Anolis_cuvieri_%E2%80%94_Geoff_Gallice_002-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Endemic to Puerto Rico, a brown morph of the Cuvier's Anole (Anolis cuvieri), like the one pictured, was recently on sale for 4,000 euros ($4,460) at a reptile fair in Germany. Image by Geoff Gallice via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15152831\/Anolis_cuvieri_%E2%80%94_Geoff_Gallice_002-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15152831\/Anolis_cuvieri_%E2%80%94_Geoff_Gallice_002-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15152831\/Anolis_cuvieri_%E2%80%94_Geoff_Gallice_002-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15152831\/Anolis_cuvieri_%E2%80%94_Geoff_Gallice_002-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15152831\/Anolis_cuvieri_%E2%80%94_Geoff_Gallice_002-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15152831\/Anolis_cuvieri_%E2%80%94_Geoff_Gallice_002-350x233.jpg 350w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15152831\/Anolis_cuvieri_%E2%80%94_Geoff_Gallice_002-610x407.jpg 610w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Endemic to Puerto Rico, a brown morph of the Cuvier\u2019s Anole (<em>Anolis cuvieri<\/em>), like the one pictured, was recently on sale for 4,000 euros ($4,460) reportedly at a reptile fair in Germany. Image by Geoff Gallice via <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=19269053\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">Wikimedia Commons<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\/deed.en\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">CC BY 2.0<\/a>).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The EU logs its wildlife imports in <a href=\"https:\/\/food.ec.europa.eu\/horizontal-topics\/traces_en\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">Trade Control and Expert Systems (TRACES)<\/a>, but experts say it mostly focuses on food control and biosecurity rather than wildlife trade and conservation.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also <a href=\"https:\/\/webgate.ec.europa.eu\/imsoc-guide\/tracesnt-help\/Content\/en\/faq\/general-questions.html#id62747\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">accessible<\/a> only to authorities with an EU account in countries that use the system, and not to most others. \u201cThis data is neither open \u2014 nor reportedly at a sufficient taxonomic resolution \u2014 for most taxa, meaning that as long as TRACES remains inaccessible to researchers, it will fail to provide the information that could be used to monitor and manage trade and its impacts on wild species,\u201d Hughes said.<\/p>\n<p>CITES records all legal transactions in listed species, but adding new species to that list is challenging without data, Lieberman said. \u201cYou need to prove not only that it\u2019s in trade, but that trade is a threat \u2026 It\u2019s a heavy lift to get anything listed, particularly for reptiles and amphibians where there might not be enough data.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Adding a species to CITES needs a proposal submitted at a once-every-three-years gathering of all treaty signatories, and it must be accepted by more than a two-thirds majority. For <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2021\/05\/reptile-traffickers-trawl-scientific-literature-target-newly-described-species\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">newly described ones hammered by trade<\/a>, which typically enter commerce <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC7525537\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">within a year<\/a>, waiting for three years could be too long, Lieberman said.<\/p>\n<p>The commentary\u2019s authors call for better data collection to address this. Lieberman said every country needs to create a LEMIS-like system to monitor all wildlife trade. \u201cIt\u2019s not that hard with AI,\u201d she said, since the bill of lading, needed for every shipment of animals, already has the details of the species being transported.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_309566\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-309566\" src=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2025\/11\/14104534\/10-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2025\/11\/14104534\/10-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2025\/11\/14104534\/10-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2025\/11\/14104534\/10-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2025\/11\/14104534\/10-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2025\/11\/14104534\/10-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2025\/11\/14104534\/10-610x458.jpg 610w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Measuring only 10 centimeters (4 inches) in length, the Vallarta mud turtle is the smallest turtle in the world. It\u2019s a critically endangered species with fewer than 300 remaining in the wild, but are already on the pet market. Image by Sandra Weiss for Mongabay.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Hughes said trade data could be complemented with genetic barcoding, which uses DNA to identify a species, to verify what is being sold, and by digitizing invoices so authorities can \u201cobtain exact lists of what is being traded.\u201d Authorities can then flag irregularities, such as spotting species that are endemic to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji or Ecuador where it\u2019s illegal to remove any wildlife from the wild. \u201cWith better data on trade, all other processes become easier,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Legal loopholes fuel trade in amphibians and reptiles<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>In the U.S., the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fws.gov\/law\/lacey-act\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">Lacey Act<\/a> makes it illegal \u201cto take, possess, transport, or sell wildlife that has been taken in violation of any law.\u201d But in most countries and the EU, a species protected by law in its country of origin can be sold legally once it\u2019s outside the region.<\/p>\n<p>Traffickers exploit this <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2025\/03\/regulation-loopholes-fuel-illegal-wildlife-trade-from-latin-america-to-europe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">loophole in EU<\/a> regulations by smuggling protected species to Europe, breeding them, and selling the offspring legally \u2014 even selling to the U.S. market, mislabeling them as captive-bred, thereby circumventing the Lacey Act.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe E.U. represents a major gap for global trade at present, often stated to be more lax than the United States and providing a route for animals to be taken from the wild and end up in the global pet trade,\u201d Hughes said.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_332785\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15152905\/VHF.jpg\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-332785\" src=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15152905\/VHF.jpg\" alt=\"A variable harlequin frog (Atelopus varius), a critically endangered species coveted for its colors and patterns, is sought after by collectors in the exotic pet trade. Image by \u00a9\ufe0fRandall Jim\u00e9nez via iNaturalist (CC BY-NC 4.0).\" width=\"1000\" height=\"625\" srcset=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15152905\/VHF.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15152905\/VHF-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/10\/15152905\/VHF-610x381.jpg 610w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A variable harlequin frog (<em>Atelopus varius<\/em>), a critically endangered species coveted for its colors and patterns, is sought after by collectors in the exotic pet trade. Image \u00a9 Randall Jim\u00e9nez via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.inaturalist.org\/observations\/145499958\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">iNaturalist<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/deed.en\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">CC BY-NC 4.0<\/a>).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2025\/07\/suspicions-surround-international-legal-trade-in-galapagos-iguanas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">international trade in Galapagos land (<em>Conolophus spp.<\/em>) and marine iguanas<\/a> (<em>Amblyrhynchus cristatus<\/em>) is a stark example. Ecuador never legally exported any of these endemic reptiles, but there\u2019s a thriving legal commerce in \u2018captive-bred\u2019 marine and land iguanas from the archipelago, mostly from Europe and Africa. All Galapagos iguanas are now <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/short-article\/2025\/12\/countries-overwhelmingly-support-bid-to-bar-galapagos-iguanas-from-international-trade\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">protected under CITES<\/a>, but they <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/short-article\/2026\/05\/three-thai-nationals-suspected-of-smuggling-galapagos-iguanas-arrested-in-ecuador\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">continue to be smuggled<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Altherr from Pro Wildlife said it\u2019s \u201cquite easy\u201d for traffickers to launder wildlife into the EU. \u201cWhen you pass the customs, then it\u2019s fully legal to sell these animals here \u2026 anyone selling or owning [such wildlife] is not required to prove that it was obtained legally.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Other challenges include poor enforcement and lack of political will. Many countries lack the resources and funding needed to detect and stop wildlife trafficking. Some nations are plagued by corruption, with poaching and transport aided by police, environmental officials or customs agents that turn a blind eye or validate fraudulent paperwork. Fewer than half of the countries in the world impose maximum penalties of at least four years in prison for wildlife-related crimes.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Opportunities for reform<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The authors point to opportunities to rein in the global pet trade. The EU, for example, has commissioned three feasibility studies. One of them, published in 2025, looks at <a href=\"https:\/\/circabc.europa.eu\/ui\/group\/3f466d71-92a7-49eb-9c63-6cb0fadf29dc\/library\/13062c04-a41e-434a-837b-65e5ed2bda9f\/details\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">formulating a regulation<\/a> like the U.S. Lacey Act, called <em>Criminalisation of Illegally Sourced Wildlife Trade. <\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u201cLegislation that respects the laws of range countries should be a minimum,\u201d Lieberman said, adding that she hopes other countries pass similar laws.<\/p>\n<p>The second study looks at creating an EU-wide \u2018positive list\u2019 of species that can be kept as pets without harming their wild populations; that don\u2019t become invasive; and that can be kept without concerns for their welfare. The third study looks at ways to reduce demand for wildlife as pets. These two are expected to be published later this year, Altherr said.<\/p>\n<p>At the upcoming gathering of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unodc.org\/unodc\/en\/organized-crime\/intro\/UNTOC.html\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">U.N. Convention against Transnational Organized Crime<\/a> (UNTOC) to be held Oct. 19-23, 2026, delegates will purportedly submit a resolution that would expand the charter\u2019s purview. If passed, it would launch negotiations on a new protocol on crimes affecting the environment, including wildlife trafficking.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_323171\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-323171\" src=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/07\/11202407\/Brachylophus_fasciatus_-Warsaw_Zoo_Poland-8a.jpg\" alt=\"The Lau banded iguana, endemic to Fiji, is an endangered species that is sought after by reptile collectors.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" srcset=\"https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/07\/11202407\/Brachylophus_fasciatus_-Warsaw_Zoo_Poland-8a.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/07\/11202407\/Brachylophus_fasciatus_-Warsaw_Zoo_Poland-8a-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/07\/11202407\/Brachylophus_fasciatus_-Warsaw_Zoo_Poland-8a-610x343.jpg 610w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Lau banded iguana, endemic to Fiji, is an endangered species that is sought after by reptile collectors. Image by Leszek Leszczynski via <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=14098564\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">Wikimedia Commons<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\/deed.en\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">CC BY 2.0<\/a>).\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s high time that wildlife crime, fisheries crime, illegal mining \u2014 all of those things \u2014 are treated as serious crime. These are transnational crimes,\u201d Lieberman said. \u201cThey are often connected with drug and weapons smuggling, and we want the criminal justice community to take it seriously.\u201d Similar protocols exist for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unodc.org\/unodc\/en\/human-trafficking\/protocol.html\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">human trafficking<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unodc.org\/documents\/treaties\/UNTOC\/Publications\/Convention\/English\/ENG_Protocol_against_the_Illicit_Manufacturing_of_and_Trafficking_in_Firearms_their_Parts_and_Components_and_Ammunition.pdf\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">arms trafficking<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Such a protocol helps countries work together on enforcement, extradition, training and technical assistance on environmental crimes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt will define a level playing field of what are crimes that affect the environment,\u201d Lieberman said. \u201cCITES is a great treaty, but it doesn\u2019t really deal with criminality \u2026 So if a [UNTOC] protocol is adopted, then governments that ratify the protocol would be bound by it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Other international organizations are taking note. In 2025, the IUCN World Congress <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2025\/10\/new-global-guidelines-needed-to-rein-in-the-wildlife-pet-trade-commentary\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">agreed to create a task force<\/a> to develop guidelines on regulating the pet trade. Because bribery, fraud and money laundering enable wildlife trafficking, an industry often run by crime syndicates, the authors say the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unodc.org\/corruption\/en\/uncac\/index.html\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">U.N. Convention against Corruption<\/a> should also be strengthened to fight it.<\/p>\n<p>The short-term solution to rein in the pet trade is to get a grip on it and improve enforcement; in the medium term, to change legislation and regulations; and in the long term, to both establish a new protocol and change consumer behaviors, Lieberman said.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Banner image:<\/strong> Endemic to Colombia, Lehmann\u2019s poison frog (<\/em>Oophaga lehmanni<em>) is a critically endangered species threatened by the pet trade. Image by \u00a9 Jonathan Vanegas\/WCS.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Spoorthy Raman<\/em><\/strong><em> is a staff writer at Mongabay, covering all things wild with a special focus on lesser-known wildlife, the wildlife trade, and environmental crime.<\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"J3ygCcRusR\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2026\/03\/asia-now-hub-of-growing-illegal-wildlife-trade-across-100-countries-study-shows\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">Asia now hub of growing illegal wildlife trade across 100+ countries, study shows<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"\u201cAsia now hub of growing illegal wildlife trade across 100+ countries, study shows\u201d \u2014 Conservation news\" src=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2026\/03\/asia-now-hub-of-growing-illegal-wildlife-trade-across-100-countries-study-shows\/embed\/#?secret=sS9A8fOar8#?secret=J3ygCcRusR\" data-secret=\"J3ygCcRusR\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"yqNFBMeGTG\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2026\/09\/reptiles-gold-and-money-how-australia-is-cracking-down-on-wildlife-trafficking\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">Reptiles, gold and money: How Australia is cracking down on wildlife trafficking<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"\u201cReptiles, gold and money: How Australia is cracking down on wildlife trafficking\u201d \u2014 Conservation news\" src=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2026\/09\/reptiles-gold-and-money-how-australia-is-cracking-down-on-wildlife-trafficking\/embed\/#?secret=GL0bcQOMpa#?secret=yqNFBMeGTG\" data-secret=\"yqNFBMeGTG\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>Citations:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Vora, N. M., Lieberman, S., Altherr, S., Ferreira, J. M., Boratto, R., Hamers, M., . . . Walzer, C. (2026). The pet trade puts reptiles and amphibians at risk: close legal gaps now. <em>Nature<\/em>, <em>657<\/em>(8132), 596\u2013598. doi:<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/d41586-026-02852-3\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">10.1038\/d41586-026-02852-3<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Edmonds, D., Andriantsimanarilafy, R.R., Crottini, A., Dreslik, M.J., Newton-Youens, J., Ramahefason, A., Randrianantoandro, C.J., \u2026 Andreone, F. (2024). Small population size and possible extirpation of the threatened Malagasy poison frog <em>Mantella cowanii<\/em>. <em>PeerJ<\/em> 12, e17947.<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.7717\/peerj.17947\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\"> doi:<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.7717\/peerj.17947\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">10.7717\/peerj.17947<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Marshall, B. M., Strine, C., \u2026 Hughes, A. C. (2020). Thousands of reptile species threatened by under-regulated global trade. <em>Nature Communications<\/em>, <em>11<\/em>(1), 4738. doi:<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-020-18523-4\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">10.1038\/s41467-020-18523-4<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Hughes, A. C., Marshall, B. M., \u2026 Strine, C. T. (2021). Gaps in global wildlife trade monitoring leave amphibians vulnerable. <em>eLife<\/em>, <em>10<\/em>. e70086. doi:<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.7554\/elife.70086\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">10.7554\/elife.70086<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Marshall, B. M., Strine, C., \u2026 Hughes, A. C. (2020). Thousands of reptile species threatened by under-regulated global trade. <em>Nature Communications<\/em>, <em>11<\/em>(1), 4738. doi:<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-020-18523-4\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">10.1038\/s41467-020-18523-4<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>FEEDBACK<\/strong>: Use <a href=\"https:\/\/form.jotform.com\/243222708905455\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">this form<\/a> to send a message to the author of this post. If you want to post a public comment, you can do that at the bottom of the page.<\/p>\n<div id=\"single-article-footer\">\n<div id=\"cite-article\" class=\"align-left banner bg-brand-color crossref-doi outlined ph--16 pv--16\">\n<h2>Cite this article<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"crossref-doi\">Spoorthy Raman (2026). Legal gaps allow rampant pet trade, poaching reptiles and amphibians towards extinction. Mongabay Conservation news. DOI: <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.66709\/news-332764\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.66709\/news-332764<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"container in-column about-editor-translator gap--40 pv--80\">\n<div class=\"container grid--3 repeat gap--40\">\n<div class=\"in-row gap--16\">\n<div class=\"author-avatar\">\n                    <img alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/92a8467a68ba6484f5372dc6c0c8580efd7d81cc823c1a1f46c9977026eb411e?s=32&amp;d=identicon&amp;r=g\" srcset=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/92a8467a68ba6484f5372dc6c0c8580efd7d81cc823c1a1f46c9977026eb411e?s=64&amp;d=identicon&amp;r=g 2x\" class=\"avatar avatar-32 photo\" height=\"32\" width=\"32\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\/>        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n                            <span class=\"article-comments\"><a href=\"\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\"\/><\/span>&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\n                            &#13;<br \/>\n        &#13;\n                        <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#13; Recent seizures of trafficked reptiles and amphibians provide insight into a booming trade in&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2228,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[4791,12,1427,4788,1362,14,9,3838,4790,4789,2817,11,13,10,279,2],"class_list":["post-2227","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-unicorn778","tag-amphibians","tag-bermain","tag-extinction","tag-gaps","tag-legal","tag-online","tag-peluang","tag-pet","tag-poaching","tag-rampant","tag-reptiles","tag-saat","tag-slot","tag-terburuk","tag-trade","tag-unicorn778"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2227","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2227"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2227\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2228"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2227"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2227"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webmediamall.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2227"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}