Of the 10,272 currently recognized reptile species, the trade of fewer than 8% are regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the European Wildlife Trade Regulations (EWTR). However, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List has assessed 45% of the world's reptile species and determined that at least 1390 species are threatened by “biological resource use”. Of these, 355 species are intentionally targeted by collectors, including 194 non-CITES-listed species. Herein we review the global reptile pet trade, its impacts, and its contribution to the over-harvesting of species and populations, in light of current international law. Findings are based on an examination of relevant professional observations, online sources, and literature (e.g., applicable policies, taxonomy [reptile database], trade statistics [EUROSTAT], and conservation status [IUCN Red List]). Case studies are presented from the following countries and regions: Australia, Central America, China, Galapagos Islands (Ecuador), Germany, Europe, India, Indonesia (Kalimantan), Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Madagascar, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Western Africa, and Western Asia. The European Union (EU) plays a major role in reptile trade. Between 2004 and 2014 (the period under study), the EU member states officially reported the import of 20,788,747 live reptiles. This review suggests that illegal trade activities involve species regulated under CITES, as well as species that are not CITES-regulated but nationally protected in their country of origin and often openly offered for sale in the EU. Further, these case studies demonstrate that regulations and enforcement in several countries are inadequate to prevent the overexploitation of species and to halt illegal trade activities. (Résumé d'auteur

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Although the negative effects of close inbreeding in captive populations are well known, inbreeding in small, free-ranging populations is less well understood. During the mid-1980s, small numbers of the flightless Takahe ( Porphyrio hochstetteri ) were successfully translocated from the last remaining population in mountainous Fiordland to four island refuges. Previous research has shown that introduced island Takahe and their descendents lay significantly more infertile eggs and raise fewer juveniles per egg than Takahe in their native habitat in Fiordland. Here we first show that the remnant population of Takahe in Fiordland was likely to have been severely inbred. From this we hypothesize that further, recent inbreeding (based on four generations of pedigree data) by Takahe on islands should have negligible fitness consequences. This hypothesis is only partially supported. Mean hatching and fledging success has remained consistently low ( Ͻ 40% and 77%, respectively) and was not correlated with the rapid increase in the average inbreeding coefficient of island Takahe since 1991. Neither the inbreeding coefficient of a pair's offspring nor the inbreeding status of the breeding male had a significant effect on hatching or fledging success. Similarly, the inbreeding status of the breeding female had no significant effect on hatching success. However, the inbreeding status of the female did negatively affect fledging success. Why poor reproductive success was further exacerbated by inbreeding in females but not in males or pairs is unknown, although a similar pattern has been reported in an island population of Song Sparrows ( Melospiza melodia ). We speculate that the generally lower reproductive success that most island Takahe exhibit is a result of environment-dependent inbreeding depression. We conclude from our pedigree analysis that island Takahe are undergoing further inbreeding depression, but the reduction in fitness appears to be expressed in inbred females only. Jamieson et al. Inbreeding in Takahe 709 insulares es resultado de la depresión endogámica dependiente del ambiente. Concluimos de nuestro análisis de pedigrí que los Takahe insulares están experimentando mayor depresión endogámica, pero la reducción de adaptabilidad parece expresarse únicamente en hembras endogámicas.

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