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At the recent CoP19, CITES Parties decided to increase protections for most herps (reptiles and amphibians) targeted in species proposals. Species include agamid lizards, two species of geckos, horned lizards, Puerto Rican boa, matamata turtles, many species of North American turtles, Asian and neotropical geoemydid turtles, as well as glass frogs, three crocodilian species, and the Lao wart newt. Herps represented half of all species in the 52 species proposals considered at this CoP. There were 239 herp species for which species proposals were adopted at the 19th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP19).
Unless they are moving animals across an international border, the average hobbyist or pet owner will notice little change from these listings. As a pet owner and consumer, you should make sure that you always purchase herps from a reputable seller/breeder/dealer. Ask questions, including: Where did the animals come from? Were the animals legally acquired? If the juveniles are obviously captive-bred, were the parents legally acquired? Be an educated consumer and help protect the herp species represented in the pet trade. Keep a record of your purchase with receipts in a permanent file so that you will be prepared to apply for permits in the future, if needed.
