15 Reptiles Threatened by Illegal Trade

 

15 Reptiles Threatened by Illegal Trade

From the beautiful colors of tropical lizards to the impressive reign of giant constrictors, the world of reptiles is a world of wonderful marvels that has captivated humanity with awe for thousands of years. Yet, behind this interesting and exciting exterior sits a dark and blooming black market there is illegal wildlife trade. According to a set of studies, this illegal industry that sells for billions is driving a number of species to extinction. Many of the world's most iconic mammals make front page splashes, but the crisis that is gripping reptiles is just as dire. In light of the above, this article presents the top 15 reptiles that are most desperately in need of protection from this terrible exploitation.

Ploughshare Tortoise

Possibly the most endangered tortoise in the world, the Ploughshare is often dubbed the "golden tortoise" because of its beautiful shell. Poaching for the international pet trade, where a single animal can sell for tens of thousands of dollars on the black market, has left perhaps no more than 300 adults in their native Madagascar.

 Astrochelys Radiata

As the name implies, the Radiated Tortoise originates on Star Island in Madagascar's northwest coast, and is another tortoise from the Malagasy islands that is prized for the beautiful star shell dewlap. Because of widespread wildlife trafficking, not only for the pet trade, but also for its meat, there has been a significant decline in population numbers, likely over 80% in the past 30 years.

Cuora Trifasciata

This turtle is one of the most poached turtles on planet Earth. It is much sought after in Traditional Chinese Medicine and for use as a delicacy, and its flesh has a reputation for curing cancer. It is sought after, and is now critically endangered.

Geochelone Elegans

Most people choose this inverted tortoise as their pet due to its extremely star shaped shell. Thousands are smuggled out of India and Pakistan illegally each year in some cases, in horrific conditions in transit and with legal protection in place.

Tokay Gecko

This ubiquitous Asian gecko is under tremendous pressure from collection for the pet trade and, increasingly, for use in medicinal remedies that have little to no actual scientific validity and are being promoted as treatment for AIDS and cancer. This new market has been and continues to be fueling tremendous unsustainable harvests.

Green Python

The neon green adult and bright yellow or red juvenile forms of this snake make it a perpetual favorite amongst reptile collectors. One of the only places where this arguably magnificent bird can be found now is in captivity as there is a thriving exotic pet trade, and the capture of wild individuals from Indonesia and Papua New Guinea continues to be the greatest threat.

Crocodylus Niloticus

Some populations are bred, however many Nile Crocodiles are still illegally hunted for their valuable belly skin to produce expensive leather products for the fashion industry. Tron Irwin says unregulated hunting remains a danger for many regional populations.

Phelsuma Madagascariensis

 The bright green and red color schemes of this gecko have made it a mascot species for Madagascar. They have declined drastically in the wild because of mass harvesting from their forest habitats in Madagascar.

Ophiophagus Hannah

The longest venomous snake in the world is captured and killed for use in medicinal tonics, for consumption in snake soup and for spectacle in snake shows. Loss of habitat along with targeted poaching has put this charismatic serpent on the endangered list.

Hylophorus Pustulatus

This charismatic beast is absolutely beautiful in itself and does not suffer any evil fate, yet! With its dinosaur like appearance and impressive sail, it is a valuable target for wildlife trafficking rings that supply the exotic pet trade and the species suffers widely from this impact on its island populations.

Ctenosaura

A number of species of this type of Central American Iguana also called Wishiwilis or Garrobos. They are hunted heavily for their meat and eggs that are considered local delicacies. They also are being captured for the pet trade, resulting in dramatic population crashes.

Pyxis Arachnoides

a small, beautifully patterned tortoise from Madagascar that is in high demand for the international pet trade; however, population growth is lacking and some populations are being collected at an unsustainable rate. Its slow reproductive rate and rather limited range make this species particularly susceptible to poaching.

Boa Constrictor

Although widespread in captivity, outlying wild populations are being eliminated by the collection of individuals for the skin trade and as pets in some areas. Their listing serves to bring home the reality that even species which are widespread in occurrence are sometimes seriously impacted by local overexploitation.

Cryptophis

 This little known snake is the victim of a tragedy of ignominy. Found only on one small island off the Australian coastline, the entire population was dramatically reduced by just a single gang of poachers catering to collectors whose ultimate goal is extreme rarity at any price.

Caiman Yacare

Just like the Nile Crocodile, the main threat facing the Yacare Caiman is the illegal skin trade. Its skin makes a fine source of bag, boot and belt material, which are the reason for intensive and often unregulated hunting in parts of South America.

The Spectrum Way Ahead

The extinction of these endangered reptiles should be an alarm call for all of us, says Tay Than Li, who serves as a wildlife biologist with the wildlife NGO Fauna and Flora Park Malaysia. Do research before buying any pet reptile. Buy captive bred stock from a reputable breeder, not wild harvested stock.  Support or join groups that support reptile conservation and protection of habitat Contribute to groups that are researching or working to end illegal wildlife trade Notice violations of wildlife laws online or sharing information with authorities Such magnificent creatures have lived for millions of years and are now facing their biggest threat in defiance of man. By educating ourselves about the scale of this crisis and which reptiles are being targeted in the illegal wildlife trade, we can become part of the solution to ensure these ancient creatures don't disappear and will thrive for yet another generation to come.