International experts are urging governments to close legal gaps in the global trade of reptiles and amphibians. Writing in the journal Nature, conservationists and animal welfare specialists warned that weak regulations leave these animals vulnerable to overexploitation, trafficking, disease, and poor treatment.

The reptile trade alone is worth an estimated $2.5 billion, with millions of reptiles and amphibians getting imported into North America and Europe each year. More than half of traded reptiles and about 40% of traded amphibians are captured directly from the wild, putting pressure on wild populations. Madagascar’s ploughshare tortoise, one of the world’s most endangered tortoises, is threatened largely by poaching for the pet trade.

These animals are especially vulnerable because small species can be covertly carried in parcels, rare specimens can sell for thousands of dollars, and illegally captured animals can be difficult to distinguish from legally traded ones. International protection is also limited. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a global agreement regulating wildlife trade, covers only 9.5% of reptile species and 4.2% of amphibian species. Additionally, differences between national laws can allow animals captured illegally in one country to be sold legally in another.

The trade can harm importing countries. A fungus introduced through the pet trade caused mass deaths among fire salamanders in Western Europe. In the United States, invasive Burmese pythons have contributed to declines in native mammal populations. Traded wildlife may also carry pathogens that spread across species and ecosystems.

To address these risks, experts recommend stronger preventive measures. Source countries should protect native wildlife, while importing countries should prohibit animals obtained in violation of source-country laws. Governments could also adopt “positive lists,” permitting trade only in species that are legally and sustainably sourced, are unlikely to become invasive, pose low disease risks, and are suitable for captivity.

The upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference could provide an important opportunity to strengthen international cooperation for this issue.