A looming exotic reptile pet trade in India: patterns and knowledge gaps

Abstract

Commercial trade of exotic reptiles through CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) in India is relatively recent (<2 decades). Social media platforms and web portals are known to be used for pet trade. Exotic pet trade is not legally regulated within India. Therefore, little is known on the scale at which this trade is carried out in India. We conducted a two-year study between 2018 and 2020 gathering information of exotic reptile pet trade online and summarized CITES documentation of the yearly import export records from 1976 to 2018 by CITES secretariat. This manuscript provides a baseline for the extent of the trade, invasive species and the species traded in mainland India. We found that there is an extensive trade of exotic reptiles in the country, comprising 84 species including the highly venomous species such as Bitis gabonica. According to CITES records of 1976–2018, 98.6% of the reptile imports into India have not been reported to the CITES management authorities in India. We also found some evidence of trade in protected native species through the exotic pet trade network. Furthermore, some highly threatened reptile species including many listed in Appendix I of CITES are traded in India.

Illegal avian and reptilian pets: Global perspectives and challenges

“…In Romania, the online pet trade in aquatic turtles is dominated by locally caught European Pond Turtles (Emys orbicularis Linnaeus, 1758), even though the collection of this species from the wild is banned in the country (Mărginean et al, 2018). Pragatheesh et al (2021) recorded a total of 84 species of exotic reptiles from the pet market of India, most of which were likely to have been trafficked in to the country. As per their findings, from 2018 to 2020, 12,505 illegally imported individuals belonging to 22 reptilian species were seized in India, including five species listed in Appendix I of CITES (Pragatheesh et al, 2021).…”

“…Pragatheesh et al (2021) recorded a total of 84 species of exotic reptiles from the pet market of India, most of which were likely to have been trafficked in to the country. As per their findings, from 2018 to 2020, 12,505 illegally imported individuals belonging to 22 reptilian species were seized in India, including five species listed in Appendix I of CITES (Pragatheesh et al, 2021). They state that several people who sell exotic reptiles are also involved in the illegal pet trade of native turtles, lizards and pythons protected by The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 in India.…”

“…The internet has contributed to the growth of illegal pet trade by facilitating clandestine sales (Louies, 2014). In this context, social media has emerged as the new hub of illegal wildlife trade in exotic pets (https://www.traffic.org/what-wedo/species/reptiles-and-amphibians/).Through social media platforms, sellers can take the advantage of remaining anonymous and closed networking groups controlled by administrators (Pragatheesh et al, 2021). Middlemen and sellers can easily coordinate through private groups in social media to contact customers, with very little risk of being caught as well as switch between platforms to evade detection by law enforcement agencies.…”

Choice of climate data influences current and future global invasion risks for twoPhelsumageckos

“…The spread of IAS can be facilitated by the international pet trade, as it is the case for Phelsuma spp. (Andreone et al 2012;Masin et al 2014;Stringham and Lockwood 2018;Pragatheesh et al 2021). The spread of P. grandis and P. laticauda has led to increased attention regarding the conservation status of the native (and often endemic) fauna from Madagascar, Mauritius and Reunion Island (Dubos 2013;Buckland et al 2014;Dubos et al 2014).…”