Scale of unregulated international trade in Australian reptiles and amphibians
Smuggling of Australian reptiles and amphibians into international trade continues largely unmonitored, despite export bans.
By Sebastian Chekunov, Oliver C. Stringham, Adam Toomes, Thomas Prowse, Phillip Cassey in Research
September 9, 2024
Abstract
Australian reptiles and amphibians are highly prized in the international exotic pet trade, valued for their rarity and endemism. Despite a near-complete ban on the export of Australian wildlife, smuggling and subsequent international trade occur in an unregulated and unmonitored manner. We assess the scale of this trade and discuss implications for biosecurity and conservation policy, underscoring the disconnect between domestic protections and the wildlife actually reaching overseas markets.