Nationally protected – internationally sold -off

1. Nationallyprotected – internationallysold-off EU: a main market for endemic herps Dr. Sandra Altherr, CEEweb Seminar, Budapest, 17th June 2014

2. Why a focus on Reptile Trade? • EU has become a main market for live reptiles • Germany is by far the biggest player within the EU • world’s biggest reptile show is in Hamm/Germany (4 events/year) > clients from all-over Europe • International reptile trade increasingly organised via Websites & Facebook, especially for “rarities”

3. Reptile importstothe EU

4. Whatis illegal trade? • Violation of EU legislation a) CITES App. I or II / EU Annex A or B b) EU import suspensions - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2. Trade in nationally protected species

5. Naultinusgemmeus • Jewelled gecko • Endemic to New Zealand • CITES Appendix II (CoP16) • No exports from NZ for commercial purposes • Individual patterns >> photo database

6. Naultinusgemmeus • Only occasionally offered (more adverts for N. grayii) • 2013: Seizure after photo-ident. of wc specimens 7,000 Euro / pair

7. Varanusspinulosus • Solomon Island spiny monitor • Endemic to Solomon Islands • CITES Appendix II • EU-import suspension for wild-caught specimens • No successful captive breeding so far

8. Varanusspinulosus • Presently only offered by one trader from Russia • Similar offers also for wild-caught specimens of Varanus salvadorii and Corucia cebrata 1,500 Euro / animal

9. Protection on national level Several aspects for national protection: • Listed as a nationally protected species • Range restricted to protected areas • zero quota for exports

10. Lanthanotusborneensis • Borneo earless monitor; extremely rare • Only non-CITES monitor lizard • Nationally protected species in Indonesia, totally protected species in Malaysia • Any export from both range states is illegal

11. Lanthanotus borneensis • May 2014: illegal collection of > 20 pairs in Borneo • Early June: online adverts for Hamm from CZ & DE 8,000 Euro / pair

12. Abroniaspp. • arboreal alligator lizards • 28 species, 25 endemic, 18 in IUCN Red List • Protected in Mexico and Guatemala >> exports from both range states are illegal • very limited geographic distribution; low reproduction

13. Abroniaspp. • Traders from CZ, DE, ES, FR, IT, NL, SE, UK • April 2014: AC27 Inf. 16 & side event by Mexico • May 2014: Guatamela asks EU for support for an emergency CITES listing by postal voting 2,800 Euro / pair

14. Lyriocephalusscutatus • Hump Snout Lizard • Endemic to SW Sri Lanka • Nationally protected >> capture & exports illegal • Classified as „Vulnerable“ in national Red List

15. Lyriocephalusscutatus • Presently offered by traders from France and Russia 2,000 Euro / pair

16. Atherisdesaixi • Mount Kenya Bush Viper • Endemic to Kenya, only two isolated populations known • Nationally protected >> no exports for commercial purposes permitted • Classified as „Vulnerable“ in national Red List

17. Atherisdesaixi • openly offered as wild-caught, e.g. by trader from Austria 4,000 Euro / fivespecimens

18. Cnemaspispsychedelica • psychedelic gecko, only described in 2010 • Endemic to Viet Nam (public access to Hon Khoai Island is expressively prohibited) • Species since 2012 on offer at EU pet market

19. Cnemaspispsychedelica • Offered by traders from Russia, CZ, DE, and ES 2,500 Euro / pair

20. Suspectadverts >>> Annex B, EU import suspension >>> Annex B & nationally protected >>> Annex B, no legal WC exports >> nationally protected, no legal WC exports

21. Conclusions • On EU import suspensions: Online adverts needed to be systematically screened for openly labelled “wild-caught” individuals of such species • Some traders have specialised on nationally protected high-prized species – which cannot be seized when offered here in the EU • The EU should pass an „EU Lacey Act“, which makes illegal collection and export in country of origin a crime within the EU

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