Home and hub: pet trade and traditional medicine impact reptile populations in source locations and destinations

Abstract

The pet trade and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) consumption are major drivers of global biodiversity loss. Tokay geckos ( Gekko gecko ) are among the most traded reptile species worldwide. In Hong Kong, pet and TCM markets sell tokay geckos while wild populations also persist. To clarify connections between trade sources and destinations, we compared genetics and stable isotopes of wild tokays in local and non-local populations to dried individuals from TCM markets across Hong Kong. We found that TCM tokays are likely not of local origin. Most wild tokays were related to individuals in South China, indicating a probable natural origin. However, two populations contained individuals more similar to distant populations, indicating pet trade origins. Our results highlight the complexity of wildlife trade impacts within trade hubs. Such trade dynamics complicate local legal regulation when endangered species are protected, but the same species might also be non-native and possibly damaging to the environment.

Sustainability of medicinal animal products: Tokay geckos and pangolin scales as traditional Chinese medicine

“…Moreover, trade records from other regions are also on the magnitude of millions of individuals per year (Caillabet, 2013). However, it should be noted that our estimation does not include the pet trade and other potential trade types, which are of significant size according to other studies (Dufour et al, 2022). Therefore, HK's actual gecko trade volume could be higher than our estimation.…”

“…Therefore, HK's actual gecko trade volume could be higher than our estimation. On the other hand, the CITES records for HK only report imports from Indonesia and Thailand, yet genetic data from Dufour et al (2022) reveal other potential origins of geckos traded in HK, including mainland China. The absence of mainland China in the CITES trade records suggests these products are likely to be illegal.…”

“…Understanding demand for tokay geckos is particularly important, as national quotas for export are as high as six million individuals annually from Indonesia alone, and virtually little data exist on wild populations or genetic diversity (Hughes et al, 2023). Although tokay geckos are not currently classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), they have been listed in CITES Appendix II since 2019, indicating growing concerns about their wild populations (CITES, 2023;Lwin et al, 2019;Dufour et al, 2022). Moreover, both G. gecko and G. reevesii are listed as Second Class Protected Species in mainland China due to the threats to their wild populations.…”

Genotypic and phenotypic evidence indicates the introduction of two distinct forms of a non-native species (Gekko gecko) to Florida, USA

“…comm.) and Hong Kong (Dufour et al 2022), due both to deliberate introductions (e.g., King andKrakauer 1966, Breuil 2009) and accidental escapes (e.g., Behm et al 2019). As a result of multiple intentional releases in Florida from the 1960s onwards (King andKrakauer 1966, Krysko et al 2019), tokay geckos have established throughout much of the state (Krysko et al 2019), and have been reported from as far south as Key West (Meshaka et al 2004) and as far north as Leon County (Means 1996), which borders Georgia.…”

Evidence of free-living Common Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina) in Hong Kong in the iNaturalist application

“…Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China with a dense human population, in which members of the public can purchase exotic reptiles, including turtles, to keep as pets. Exotic reptiles are traded at markets such as the popular Tung Choi Street in Mong Kok, Hong Kong's largest pet market (Sung et al 2021a;Dufour et al 2022), as well as through online selling (Sung and Fong 2018). The release of exotic pets has been linked to the establishment of introduced species of reptiles that include the Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) Sung et al 2021b), the Chinese Striped-necked Turtle (Mauremys sinensis) (Sung et al 2021b), Tokay Gecko (Gekko gecko) (Romer 1951), Brook's House Gecko (Hemidactylus brookii) (Romer 1977), and Chinese Water Dragon (Physignathus cocincinus) (Mo 2019a).…”