The pet trade of native species outside of their natural distributions within Australia is a biosecurity risk
Trading native Australian species as pets outside their natural range poses a biosecurity risk that mirrors non-native species invasions.
By Adam Toomes*, Oliver C. Stringham*, Sarah Moncayo, Katherine G.W. Hill, Jacob Maher, Freyja Watters, Sebastian Chekunov, Pablo García-Díaz, Lewis Mitchell, Joshua V. Ross, Phillip Cassey (*Both authors contributed equally) in Research
January 1, 2025
Abstract
Invasive species policy typically focuses on non-native species crossing international borders, but species moved outside their natural range within a country can pose comparable ecological risks. We examine the pet trade of native Australian species outside their natural distributions and show this domestic movement is a significant, under-recognized pathway for biosecurity harm, capable of producing the same establishment and impact risks associated with international non-native species introductions. We argue that biosecurity and invasive species frameworks in Australia should be expanded to explicitly address this within-country trade.