Conservation groups are calling for tougher global regulations on the booming exotic pet trade, warning that reptiles, birds, and other wildlife are increasingly being captured from their natural habitats and sold through online marketplaces.
The concerns come as delegates gather in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, for a two-week meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES, which runs through Friday. Several proposals targeting the pet trade are set to be debated on Tuesday.
Among the species up for protection are Galápagos iguanas, more than a dozen types of Latin American tarantulas, and a uniquely shaped African turtle all of which conservationists say are at risk from growing international demand.
While the illegal wildlife trade has historically relied on animal parts such as elephant ivory and tiger bones, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) says live animals are now increasingly being marketed and sold online, often ending up in private collections.
A recent IFAW report found that Latin America has become a major hotspot. In 18 Spanish-speaking countries, authorities recorded more than 100,000 animals seized or poached between 2017 and 2022, with numbers rising each year.
The report shows reptiles make up about 60% of trafficked live animals, followed by birds at nearly 30% and amphibians at just over 10%. While many animals are traded domestically or within the region, investigators also found evidence of wildlife being shipped overseas to buyers in Europe, Asia, and the United States.
Conservationists say stronger regulations and better enforcement are urgently needed to stop species from being pushed toward extinction by the growing global appetite for exotic pets.
