Australian geckos given global protections from trade

Two species of Australian leaf-tailed geckos, which are highly sought after in the exotic pet trade, have been granted extra protections at a UN wildlife conference.

The ringed thin-tailed gecko and Mount Elliot leaf-tailed gecko are endemic to Australia’s east coast, but because of this rarity, they’re in high demand as exotic pets. They continue to be made available for sale on digital platforms and pet trade shows despite Australia’s strict legislation banning the export of geckos – and any other native wildlife – for commercial purposes.

To regulate the trade and slow their decline, they were granted Appendix II protections today at the 20th Conference of the Parties (CoP20) of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) welcomed the Appendix II listing but believes further enforcement action will be needed to ensure the geckos are protected.

“These geckos shouldn’t be found anywhere else in the world other than Australia, but they continue to be illegally taken from the wild and sold in exotic pet markets around the globe. While an Appendix II listing will help bring greater visibility to the trade, it won’t stop it,” IFAW’s senior director of policy Matt Collis said.

“Strong enforcement is needed to protect these animals from poachers and traffickers at home as well as action taken in end markets to ensure geckos stolen from Australia cannot be sold legally in other countries.”

Cases of both gecko species being illegally traded have been reported across Europe and in the United States. In some instances, they have been listed for sale for more than 2000 Euros. In the weeks before the CoP20, both species of gecko were posted for sale in Canada, with the listing advertising them as “Amazing pre-CITES Aussie list”.

Climate change is also amplifying the threats they face as both species are vulnerable to bushfires and drought. They’re also at risk of habitat loss due to urbanisation, with many living in fragmented habitats in very few locations. Both are only found in Queensland with the Mount Elliot leaf-tailed gecko known to live in a very small area near Townsville and the ringed thin-tail gecko found in a small area within the southeast of the state.

“These are not the only Australian species targeted by traffickers. Like many other Australian species, they are already under pressure from habitat loss and climate change, with the unregulated trade further exacerbating the risks they face. International CITES protections are vital to ensure they do not further decline towards extinction. We encourage Australia to consider further CITES listings to protect its native wildlife,” Mr Collis added.

The proposals for Appendix II protections were submitted by Australia. They were both accepted by consensus.

CITES CoP20 opened in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on November 24th and runs until December 5th.

ENDS

Press contacts:  
Dominica Mack dmack@ifaw.org / +61 460 432 901 
Kirsty Warren kwarren@ifaw.org / +44 (0) 7809269747