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A looming exotic reptile pet trade in India: patterns and knowledge gaps
A. Pragatheesh, V. Deepak, H.V. Girisha & Monesh Singh Tomar
26 May 2021 | Vol. 13 | No. 6 | Pages: 18518–18531 DOI: 10.11609/jot.6998.13.6.18518-18531
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Threatened Taxa Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 May 2021 | 13(6): 18518–18531 ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) OPEN ACCESS htps://doi.org/10.11609/jot.6998.13.6.18518-18531
#6998 | Received 16 December 2020 | Final received 18 March 2021 | Finally accepted 13 April 2021
COMMUNICATION
A looming exotc reptle pet trade in India: paterns and knowledge gaps
A. Pragatheesh 1 , V. Deepak 2 , H.V. Girisha 3 & Monesh Singh Tomar 4
1,3 Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, WCCB Northern Region, 2nd Floor Trikoot-1, Bhikaji Cama Place New Delhi 110066, India. 2 Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK. 2 Museum of Zoology (Museum fur Tierkunde), Senckenberg Dresden, A. B. Meyer Building, 01109 Dresden, Germany. 4 Wildlife Trust of India, F-13, Sector 8, Noida, Utar Pradesh 201301, India. 1 [email protected] (corresponding author), 2 [email protected], 3 [email protected], 4 [email protected]
Abstract: Commercial trade of exotc reptles through CITES (the Conventon on Internatonal Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) in India is relatvely recent (<2 decades). Social media platorms and web portals are known to be used for pet trade. Exotc pet trade is not legally regulated within India. Therefore, litle is known on the scale at which this trade is carried out in India. We conducted a two-year study between 2018 and 2020 gathering informaton of exotc reptle pet trade online and summarized CITES documentaton of the yearly import export records from 1976 to 2018 by CITES secretariat. This manuscript provides a baseline for the extent of the trade, invasive species and the species traded in mainland India. We found that there is an extensive trade of exotc reptles in the country, comprising 84 species including the highly venomous species such as Bits gabonica. According to CITES records of 1976–2018, 98.6% of the reptle imports into India have not been reported to the CITES management authorites in India. We also found some evidence of trade in protected natve species through the exotc pet trade network. Furthermore, some highly threatened reptle species including many listed in Appendix I of CITES are traded in India.
Keywords: CITES, disease, exotc reptles, IUCN, social media, trade.
Abbreviatons: CITES—The Conventon on Internatonal Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora | IUCN—Internatonal Union for Conservaton of Nature.
Editor: Raju Vyas, Vadodara, Gujarat, India. Date of publicaton: 26 May 2021 (online & print)
Citaton: Pragatheesh, A., V. Deepak, H.V. Girisha & M.S. Tomar (2021). A looming exotc reptle pet trade in India: paterns and knowledge gaps. Journal of Threat- ened Taxa 13(6): 18518–18531. htps://doi.org/10.11609/jot.6998.13.6.18518-18531
Copyright: © Pragatheesh et al. 2021. Creatve Commons Atributon 4.0 Internatonal License. JoTT allows unrestricted use, reproducton, and distributon of this artcle in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publicaton.
Funding: This research received no fnancial support.
Competng interests: The authors declare no competng interests.
Author details: A. Pragatheesh is Wildlife Inspector at Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, New Delhi. His interest is Intelligence & Investgatons on Wildlife Crime. V. Deepak is currently a postdoc at the Museum of Zoology, Dresden, Germany. His research involves conservaton, macroevolutonary paterns and systematcs of reptles in South Asia. H.V. Girisha, IFS is Joint Director at Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, New Delhi. He is interested in research and investgaton in the feld of Forestry and Wildlife. Monesh Singh Tomar is conservatonist, currently working with Wildlife Trust of India. He is interested in studying Wildlife Crime in India.
Author contributons: AP and VD conceived the idea. AP and MST compiled the data. AP, VD, HVG and MST evaluated, validated the data and contributed in drafing. All authors reviewed, edited and approved the submission of the fnal version of the manuscript.
Acknowledgements: We thank Tilotama Varma, IPS, Additonal Director, WCCB HQ, New Delhi, Maitreya Sil, ATREE, Bangalore, Avinash Basker, Environmental Lawyer, New Delhi for reading and advising this manuscript. DV thanks late M. Ramanathan, late. R. Chandrasekar and Chandru from Chennai for their support. We thank Ms. Nilanjana Roy for preparing the map and Mr. Ajay Karthik (Madras Crocodile Bank) for helping with identfcaton of few exotc species. We would like to thank the two anonymous reviewers and the editors of JoTT for their constructve comments that benefted the improvement of the manuscript.
18518 Exotc reptle pet trade in India Pragatheesh et al. J TT INTRODUCTION Union for Conservaton of Nature (IUCN) Red List status. The aim of the present study is to assess the exotc Globally, the exotc pet trade has increased over reptle pet trade in India to determine: i) the extent, in the years and human induced translocaton of species terms of traded species and trade volume, ii) associated has substantally increased during the last few decades discrepancies in the CITES records, iii) potental invasive (Pimentel et al. 2008; Seebens et al. 2017). Live trade species, and iv) discuss key challenges and provide in exotc reptles is no excepton to this increasing recommendatons for monitoring. trend (Auliya et al. 2016; Hierink et al. 2020). Trade of live animals and plants is identfed as a major pathway of biological invasions (Mooney & Cleland MATERIALS AND METHODS 2001; Krishnakumar et al. 2009; Engeman et al. 2011; Lockwood et al. 2019; Mohanty & Measey 2019) and Online sale data in some cases it also leads to the spread of infectous To understand the scale of trade (legal and illegal) diseases to other natve fora and fauna including of exotc reptles in India, informaton was gathered humans (Karesh et al. 2005; van Borm et al. 2005; Pavlin from the internet including four social networking et al. 2009; Falcón et al. 2013; Mendoza-Roldan et al. applicatons (Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, and 2020). Invasive species have wreaked havoc on natve WhatsApp) and websites listng exotc animals for sale. ecosystems in diferent parts of the world and have led During the course of two years (April 2018–March 2020), to the extncton of several natve species (Savidge 1987; we monitored 75 WhatsApp groups, 26 pet networking Mooney & Cleland 2001; Jones et al. 2008; Gurevitch & groups on Facebook, 18 groups on Telegram, 11 groups Padilla 2004; Shine 2010; Simberlof & Rejmanek 2010; on Instagram, and 20 websites selling exotc reptles. Willson et al. 2011; Dorcas et al. 2012). The groups were selected based on their actvity and The internatonal trade in wildlife is estmated to be posts related to buying and selling of various reptles. worth hundreds of billions of dollars annually and has Each selected group was monitored on a daily basis and steadily increased in value (Engler 2008; Roe 2008). A websites listng exotc species for sale were surveyed virtual display of exotc animals on the internet atracts weekly; additonally, photos and advertsements were customers and it is a major outlet for trade in wildlife collected as evidence of trade and for the purpose of (Lavorgna 2014). This medium (internet and social species identfcaton by subject experts. We followed media) has also been identfed as a useful source to the guidelines on ethical decision making and internet document the scale at which the trade is carried out research (Markham & Buchanan 2012). All exotc species (Vaglica et al. 2017; Jensen et al. 2019). were identfed to the species level. These species were Approximately, 5,800 species of animals and 30,000 categorized into four groups: lizards, snakes, turtles, and species of plants are covered by CITES in order to protect crocodiles. The IUCN Red List and CITES Appendix status them from over-exploitaton by trade. India has been of the listed species were considered to assess threat a party to CITES since 1976. Currently, 897 species & levels. During the monitoring of social networking subspecies and populatons of reptles are included in platorms, eforts were made to access informaton Appendices I (87 species), II (749), and III (61), which is about the original regions/states from which partcular ~8% of the 11,050 reptle species in the world (htp:// photos or advertsements were posted with the help of www.cites.org; Uetz et al. 2020). Reptles are one of the the open-source intelligence tools (OSINT). The number extensively traded groups of vertebrates in the exotc of traders recorded by us in the reptle pet trade ranged pet trade. Approximately, 8% of the reptle species from 1 to 27 in each state. We categorized the online traded in the world are regulated by CITES (Auliya et al. trading frequency as Low (1–9), Medium (10–18), and 2016; htp://www.cites.org). India is high in reptlian High (19–27). Bar plots and pie chart were prepared in diversity (~619 species in mainland India) (Uetz et al. R 3.2.0 (R Core Development Team 2017) using package 2020) and there is a serious threat to natve fauna due to ggplot2 (Wickham 2016) and a map was prepared using exotc pets as trade increases the likelihood of invasion QGIS 3.10 (QGIS.org 2020). and spread of diseases. Furthermore, informaton on the extent of globally threatened species in exotc pets Seizure data traded in India is not available. Thus, there is an urgent To assess the illegal import of exotc reptles through need to document what proporton of the reptles diferent customs entry and exit points, informaton traded into India are CITES listed and their Internatonal related to the seizure of exotc animals was collected
Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 May 2021 | 13(6): 18518–18531 18519 J TT Exotc reptle pet trade in India Pragatheesh et al. from multple media sources including news reports, Table 1. Number of exotc reptle species in trade found by this study seizure reports by enforcement agencies such as in mainland India. See Appendices 1–2 for complete list of species. Customs, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), and Listed for sale by exotc pet Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) over a period of traders Seizures by enforcement authority two years (March 2018–March 2020). No. of No. of Species No. of Species Individuals CITES trade data Crocodiles 0 1 21 To assess legal imports of exotc reptles into India we Lizards 31 12 45 accessed import data from 1976 to 2018 from the CITES Snakes 12 6 22 Trade Database (htps://trade.cites.org/ last accessed Turtles 27 3 12417 on 20.vi.2020). Only imports with the purpose codes B (breeding in captvity or artfcially propagaton) and T (commercial) were considered as only these two codes radiata and Malacochersus tornieri in trade (Appendix clearly indicate specimens which were imported for the 1). Among the three groups found in online trade, more purpose of trade. We cross-checked published CITES species of lizards were traded compared to snakes and trade data with the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, New turtles (Table 1). Delhi annual report (htp://wccb.gov.in/Content/CITES. We found fve species listed in Appendix I of CITES aspx). in the Indian pet trade: Cyclura lewisi, Cyclura cornuta, Shinisaurus crocodilurus, Astrochelys radiata, and Malacochersus tornieri (Appendix 1). Additonally, 31 RESULTS species in trade were found to be listed under Appendix II, and four species under Appendix III. In total we recorded 84 species of reptles in trade, Furthermore, we found seven posts (5 species) many are categorized as threatened by the IUCN Red related to live reptle species which are protected under List, viz: fve Critcally Endangered (CR), nine Endangered the Indian Wildlife (Protecton) Act 1972. These posts (EN) species, and nine Vulnerable (VU) species (Appendix led to the seizure/rescue of Geochelone elegans (N= 11), 1 and Appendix 3). Geoclemys hamiltonii (N= 7), Pangshura tecta (N= 71), Varanus bengalensis (N= 1), and Python molurus (N= 1) Online trade from pet traders by the enforcement authorites. There is an extensive virtual market for exotc Our study shows that Tamil Nadu (10%), Maharashtra reptles in India through social media; our fndings show (9.7%), and West Bengal (9.3%) holds the major WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram, Instagram, and web proporton of traders dealing with live exotc reptles, portals are the key media (Figure 1a). Websites ofen followed by Kerala (8.5%), Delhi (7.3%), and Utar advertsed fewer species for sale than that of social Pradesh (7%) (Figure 2). Most traders are based in large media platorms (Figure 1a). metro cites (Chennai, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, Delhi, In total, 70 reptle species were identfied to be Lucknow, and Hyderabad). traded via the various social media platorms, including 31 species of lizards, 12 species of snakes, and 27 Seizure data species of turtles; no crocodile species were found in Fifeen seizures of illegally imported reptles were online trade (Figure 1b, Table 1, Appendix 1). Among conducted by enforcement agencies, and a total lizards, varanids (Varanidae) were found to be the of 12,505 individuals belonging to 22 species were most frequently traded species followed by iguanids confscated (Appendix 2). The seized individuals (Iguanidae), and agamids (Agamidae). Twelve species belonged to species ranging across four reptle groups; of exotc snakes (Appendix I) were found to be traded including twelve species of lizards, six species of snakes, online. Python regius is the most commonly traded three testudines, and one crocodile species (Table 1, snake species. We also found highly venomous snakes Appendix 2). Lizards were the most smuggled group; 12 such as Bits gabonica and Drysdalia coronoides. We species were seized by enforcement authorites in India. found 27 species of exotc turtles and tortoises in trade. During the two years period (2018–2020), Apart from Trachemys scripta elegans which are traded enforcement authorites successfully seized individuals in large numbers (Appendix 2), we also found some rare of fve species listed in Appendix I of CITES: Cyclura and threatened species of turtles including Astrochelys stejnegeri, C. pinguis, C. lewisi, Testudo kleinmanni,
18520 Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 May 2021 | 13(6): 18518–18531 Exotc reptle pet trade in India Pragatheesh et al. J TT
Figure 1. Summary of exotc reptle pet trade detected online, between 2018–2020: A—Number of posts/ads in various social media platorms and trade websites, number of groups monitored in each platorm are labelled on top of each bar | B—Proporton of species in diferent groups (snakes, lizards & turtles) of reptles recorded. Silhouetes are from PhyloPic.org contributed by Alex Slavenko (Lizard), V. Deepak (Snake) & Andrew A. Farke & Yan Wong (Tortoise).
Table 2. Summary of species recorded in online trade, seizures and import data listed in CITES website. Categorized by CITES Appendices (I–III); NA—Not available.
No. of species found on sale by pet traders in No. of species seized by enforcement authority No. of species imported to India India in India via CITES from 1976 to 2018 Appendix I II III NA I II III NA I II III
Crocodiles 00001000250 Lizards 3 18 0 10 3 7 0 2 1 2 0 Snakes 0 5 0 7 0 3 0 3 0 2 0
Turtles 2 8 4 13 1 1 0 1 0 4 1
Crocodylus siamensis and nine species listed under of four species of crocodiles were reported to the CITES Appendix II including Centrochelys sulcata and Varanus Management Authority in India (Appendix 3). This prasinus. informaton was reported only for the year 2000 and the remaining 1,275 individuals were never reported CITES trade (Appendix 3). We found that between 1976 and 2018 there were CITES data revealed that between 2000 and 2017, 25 diferent consignments of live import of reptles seven Mecistops cataphractus and three Cyclura cornuta into India from other countries for breeding in captvity were imported into India for the purpose of breeding (B) and commercial (T) purposes. This included 1,293 in captvity from Netherlands and Denmark. These individuals belonging to 17 species including seven are species listed in Appendix I; however, there are no species of crocodiles (63 individuals), three species captve breeding operatons registered with the CITES of lizards (208 individuals), two species of snakes (406 Secretariat for these species. individuals), and fve species of turtles (616 individuals) (Appendix 3). These imports comprised of three species from Appendix I, 13 species from Appendix II and one species from Appendix III (Table 2). The import data shows that between 1976 and 2018 only 18 individuals
Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 May 2021 | 13(6): 18518–18531 18521 J TT Exotc reptle pet trade in India Pragatheesh et al.
Figure 2. State wise distributon of traders selling live exotc reptles in diferent Indian states documented during this study. Online trading frequency: low (1–9), medium (10–18) and high (19–27). Cites with high trade records are labelled in italics.
DISCUSSION 1994; Sekhar et al. 2004; Anand et al. 2005; D’Cruze et al. 2015). We found similar results with high levels This study reveals an extensive trade of exotc of exotc reptles being traded in most of these cites reptles in India for the frst tme, which includes many (Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, New threatened species. We recorded a total of 84 species of Delhi, and Pune) listed above (Figure 2). Extensive exotc reptles in the pet trade many of which are highly trade and export of endemic Indian fsh species through likely to have entered India illegally. Twelve species exotc species traders was uncovered by Raghavan et al. were seized by Customs Authorites at diferent entry (2013). Similarly, we found that traders who sell exotc points (while atemptng to smuggle into India) before it reptles are to some extent involved in illegal trade of reached the market for sale (Appendix 1–3). Indian reptle species as pets. This mainly includes Cites like Bengaluru, Chennai, New Delhi, Hyderabad, turtles (Pangshura tecta, Geoclemys hamiltonii, and Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Pune, Thiruvananthapuram, Geochelone elegans) and sometmes other reptles and Vadodara in 12 Indian states have been historically (Varanus bengalensis and Python molurus) which are associated with illegal sale of Indian Star Tortoises protected species in India, listed on the Schedules of and people who kept them as pets (Moll 1983; WWF The Wildlife (Protecton) Act, 1972. However, we did
18522 Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 May 2021 | 13(6): 18518–18531 Exotc reptle pet trade in India Pragatheesh et al. J TT not fnd any evidence of natve species being exported past (Blundell & Mascia 2005; Russo 2015; Robinson during this study. & Sinovas 2018) and we also found similar patern in Social media platorms provide a safe medium for this study (Appendix 3). Species listed in Appendix I of trading exotc animals by maintaining anonymity of the CITES are threatened with extncton and in general no seller and forming closed networks controlled by group internatonal commercial trade is allowed. Internatonal administrators. On Instagram, traders were found to trade in species listed in Appendix II and Appendix III display exotc reptles by postng photographs, without for commercial purposes is permited, but only with specifc menton of prices for sale. On the contrary, on the relevant permits required by the conventon. The open platorms like websites, very few exotc reptle domestc online trade of CITES listed species in such large species and individuals were on display. The displayed quanttes raises concerns about illegal imports into the species (e.g., Iguana spp. or Trachemys scripta) were country especially given that 98.6% of the imports into usually available in large quanttes for low prices India have not been reported to the CITES management (between 120–160) and there were some species which authorites in India. Apart from the fact that these were sold for a higher price range (between 4,500– imports were not reported to Indian CITES Management 40,000) per individual. Authority, they indicate a lack of compliance with CITES Among lizards, Varanus species were found to be the Resoluton Conf. 12.10 (Rev. CoP15) by the partes most smuggled species followed by iguanids, agamids, involved. chamaeleonids, and scincids (Appendix 2). In March 2018, Guwahat police and forest authority conducted Regulatons for exotc species in India a seizure of four Gaboon Vipers Bits gabonica, among In India, the import of exotc live reptles is regulated several other wild animals. The consignment’s suspected by CITES and Customs Act 1962 with the “Policy origin was Aizawl in Mizoram, reportedly, it was planned Conditons”. The importer has to apply for a license to to be sold to a trader in New Delhi. In another case, import live animals (including their parts and products) the Chennai Customs Authority (CCA) detained a person to the director general of foreign trade along with the at the Chennai Internatonal Airport and confscated recommendaton of the concerned chief wildlife warden several exotc animals including a Horned Pit Viper of the state which is to be furnished at the tme of Cerastes cerastes, which was allegedly smuggled into custom clearance at “Exit” point. On June 2020, the India from Thailand. Published reports on exotc reptle Indian Government (Ministry of Environment forest & pet trade in India are sparse (Soundararajan et al climate change (Wildlife Division) released an advisory 2015). While the trade of live reptles in India has been for dealing with import of exotc live species in India and recorded since 1983, extensive trade is only recorded in declaraton of stock (htp://environmentclearance.nic. the last two decades (Appendix 2–3; Ramsay et al. 2007) in/writereaddata/om/30052020WildlifeAdvisorySpeci and CITES import/export data shows an increase in the es.pdf). number of traded species and individuals in the past decade (Appendix 3). Undocumented import/export of Threatened species in trade species and individuals is much higher than the reported Already threatened wild populatons of species such numbers. as Chelodina mccordi, Astrochelys radiata, Caretochelys Bush et al. (2014) reported globally a large number insculpta, and Malacochersus tornieri if over exploited of Appendix I listed captve‐bred mammals and birds for the pet trade, may be decimated in their natve and wild‐caught birds and reptles in legal internatonal range. The former two tortoises were identfed among trade. Seven species of exotc reptles listed in Appendix the 25 most endangered turtles and tortoises in the I (Cyclura cornuta, C. lewisi, Shinisaurus crocodilurus, world (Rhodin et al. 2011). India as a signatory to CITES Astrochelys radiata, Malacochersus tornieri, Crocodylus should take serious preventve measures to avoid trade siamensis, and Mecistop scataphractus) and found to of threatened species. As per the CITES Artcle VII, be in the pet trade, but were not reported to the CITES Paragraph 4, specimens of an animal species included authorites in India. CITES trade data shows that untl in Appendix I bred in captvity for commercial purposes, 2000 there were only eight species of reptles imported may be deemed to be specimens of species included in into India (Appendix 3). Only more recently the trade Appendix II. While some species imported in pet trade has intensifed in both number of species and individuals into India are reported to have been bred in captvity (Appendix 3). Discrepancies in the number of import (Appendix 3) many other threatened species in trade do and export in CITES data have been reported in the not have this informaton. This is another reason to have
Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 May 2021 | 13(6): 18518–18531 18523 J TT Exotc reptle pet trade in India Pragatheesh et al. a proper record for import and export of exotc species. Zoonotc diseases and fatal snake bites associated with Lyon & Natusch (2011) showed that 80% of Morelia pet reptles viridis exported from Indonesia annually are illegally Snake fungal diseases caused by Ophidiomyces wild-caught. Populaton declines have been reported in ophiodiicola have been documented in the pet trade and some reptle species due to heavy exploitaton for pet are identfed as responsible for the populaton decline trade (Parusnath et al. 2017). of free ranging snakes in North America (Allender et al. 2015). Multple disease outbreaks in chelonians due Invasive species in the exotc pet trade to ranavirus infectons have been described in North The Red-eared Slider Trachemys scripta elegans is America, Europe, and Asia (Dufus et al. 2015; Marschang classifed by the IUCN’s Invasive Species Specialist Group et al. 2016). Global trade of reptles and amphibians in as one of the ‘World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species’ combinaton with the wide host range of ranaviruses are (Lowe et al. 2000; ISSG 2010). A species natve to the suspected to have increased the emergence of these Mississippi River in the United States, the Red-eared infectons (Stöhr et al. 2013; Marschang et al. 2016). Slider is now an invasive species in 75 countries or Iguana iguana as pets have been identfed as a overseas territories (Vyas 2019; Uetz et al. 2020). They source of Salmonella infectons in humans (Sanyal are ofen sold as small hatchlings but upon reaching et al. 1997; Warwick et al. 2001). Furthermore, adulthood, these turtles are much larger and more several zoonotc diseases with high risk to humans aggressive (Cadi & Joly 2004). This is ofen the case such as neuroangiostrongyliasis, pentastomiasis, and for many other reptles (Stringham & Lockwood 2018). sparganosis are transmited from reptles (Mendoza- Thus, they are ofen discarded into local waterways Roldan et al. 2020). Annually, an estmated 50,000 (Cadi & Joly 2004). Young Red-eared Slider turtles are people die of snake bites in India (Mohapatra et al. 2011). carnivorous; they undergo a shif in diet as they mature Importng venomous exotc pets and the danger of snake to become omnivores (Ligon 2007; Boyer & Scot 2019) bites from these exotc species impose an unnecessary and predate on natve species of turtles (Vyas 2020). additonal burden to the medical community. They prey on local fsh species and may compete for food and nestng space with the natve turtle populatons Key challenges and recommendatons (Girondot et al. 2007). We identfy six main challenges arising from exotc In India, Red-eared Sliders were reported from reptle pet trade in India: 1. introducton of invasive 35 water bodies in the state of Gujarat which is also species, 2. spread of diseases from exotc pets to natve the natural habitat for one or more of the four natve reptles, 3. spread of zoonotc disease from exotc reptle species of turtles (Pangshura tecta, Nilssonia gangetca, pets to humans, 4. trade of highly threatened species Lissemys punctata, and Melanochelys trijuga) (Vyas poses serious conservaton challenges, 5. trade of 2019). Apart from Gujarat, Red-eared Slider has also protected species in India under the cover of exotc pet been reported from Karnataka, West Bengal, Punjab, trade, and 6. trade of highly venomous reptles. Thus, Hyderabad, Rajasthan, and Goa (Jadhav et al. 2018; it is essental to introduce correctve measures to stop Chaudhuri et al. 2018; Vyas 2019). Untl recently (2007), illegal trade and regulate legal trade of exotc reptles. there were no records of Red-eared Slider from India Systematc monitoring of the pet trade online will be (Ramsay et al. 2007) but now it is considered to be an crucial to understand the extent of trade. India currently invasive species in India which if not tackled may pose a lacks systematc informaton on even the relatvely serious threat to natve turtles. beter-known invasive reptles; for example, the Red- Red-eared Sliders are ofen traded in large quanttes. eared Slider turtles is not listed as invasive species in In the two-year period, 12,385 individuals were seized India by the Global Invasive Species Database and there by the custom authorites from Chennai and Trichy is only one record of this species in India Biodiversity internatonal airports. Our monitoring of online traders Portal (IBP; Vatakaven 2016). Global citzen science suggest that these turtles were sold at low prices ( 30 initatve iNaturalist have 395 observatons of this species to 40 per individual) from exportng countries, due in Singapore since September 2016 but only 34 records to high availability, beter survival rate, and small size from India during the same tme period (accessed on suitable for transportng in large quanttes. 17 February 2021). We need beter documentaton of introduced species in India and citzen science initatve like IBP and iNaturalist can be a useful platorm to record and map distributon of such species. The general public
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18526 Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 May 2021 | 13(6): 18518–18531 Exotc reptle pet trade in India Pragatheesh et al. J TT CITES NA NA NA Appendix II NA Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II NA Appendix II Appendix I Appendix I Appendix II Appendix II NA NA Appendix I NA Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II NA LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC EN EN EN VU VU NA NA NA NA NA NA NA category IUCN Redlist IUCN Redlist wn Natve Country/region Natve Australia Unknown Australia North Africa/Middle east North Africa/Middle United States United Africa East Unkno Asia Madagascar Colombia Mexico Caribbean island of Hispaniola Grand Cayman Island Cayman Grand America, Brazil America, SE Asia Solomon Islands New Guinea and surrounding islands Guinea and surrounding New Papua New Guinea New Papua China Central & south America, Caribbean & south America, Central islands Central & south America Central South America South America Australia Africa New Guinea and Australia New Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and New Papua Australia Papua New Guinea, New Guinea and Guinea, New New Papua Indonesia Indonesia Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and New Papua Australia Australia South America South America sp. wisi Scientfc name Scientfc Chlamydosaurus kingii Chlamydosaurus Draco sp. Draco Pogona vitceps Pogona Uromastyx aegypta Uromastyx Ophisaurus atenuatus Cordylus tropidosternum Chamaeleo Eublepharis macularius Eublepharis Phelsuma grandis Basiliscus basiliscus Ctenosaura oaxacana Ctenosaura Cyclura cornuta Cyclura le Iguana Physignathus cocincinus Physignathus Corucia zebrata Tiliqua gigas Tribolonotus gracilis Tribolonotus Shinisaurus crocodilurus Cnemidophorus lemniscatus Dracaena guianensis Dracaena Salvator merianae Salvator Tupinambis rufescens Tupinambis Varanus acanthurus Varanus Varanus exanthematcus Varanus Varanus fnschi Varanus Varanus indicus Varanus Varanus jobiensis Varanus Varanus melinus Varanus Varanus panoptes Varanus Varanus sparnus Varanus Boa constrictor Corallus caninus ard ocodile lizard ocodile ard os Iguana d gecko ey tailed skink tailed ey y tail iguana y tail anthic blue-toungued skink blue-toungued anthic een Iguana ed-eyed crocodile skink crocodile ed-eyed Common Name Frilled dragons Flying lizard Bearded dragon Bearded Egyptan spiny-tailed lizard spiny-tailed Egyptan Legless glass liz lizard spiny-tailed African East Giant day gecko day Giant Basilik liz Spin Rhinocer Blue Iguana Gr Chinese water dragon Chinese water Monk Ax R Chinese cr Rainbow whiptail Rainbow Caiman lizard Argentne black and white tegu black and white Argentne Red tegu lizard tegu Red Ridgetail monitor Ridgetail Savanah monitor lizard monitor Savanah Finsch's monitor lizard Finsch's monitor Mangrove monitor lizard monitor Mangrove Peach-throated monitor lizard monitor Peach-throated Quince monitor lizard Quince monitor Argus monitor lizard monitor Argus Dampier peninsula goanna Red tailed boa tailed Red Emerald tree boa tree Emerald onidae dylidae amidae amidae amidae amidae amidae aranidae aranidae aranidae aranidae aranidae aranidae aranidae aranidae eiidae eiidae eiidae eiidae Ag Ag Ag Ag Anguidae ChamaeleonidaeCor Chamaeleon Eublepharidae Leopar Gekk Iguanidae Iguanidae Iguanidae Iguanidae Iguanidae Ag Scincidae Scincidae Scincidae Shinisauridae T T T T V V V V V V V V Boidae Boidae
Group Family lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards Snakes Snakes Snakes Snakes Appendix 1. List of exotc reptles found in online trade in mainland India during our surveys (2018–2020). Note out of the total 70, 12 species are listed as threatened and seven species are vulnerable vulnerable species are and seven as threatened listed 70, 12 species are out of the total (2018–2020). Note in mainland India during our surveys in online trade found reptles of exotc Appendix 1. List Concerned (LC). (VU) and Least (EN), Vulnerable (CR), Endangered Endangered Critcally List: IUCN Red NA= Not available, List. the IUCN Red by
Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 May 2021 | 13(6): 18518–18531 18527 J TT Exotc reptle pet trade in India Pragatheesh et al. CITES NA Appendix II NA NA NA Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II NA Appendix II NA Appendix III Appendix III NA Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II NA Appendix II Appendix II Appendix III Appendix III NA NA NA Appendix II NA LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC CR Appendix II CR Appendix I EN CR Appendix I EN EN EN EN EN NA NA NA VU NA NA VU NA NA VU NA NA NA NA VU VU NA NA NA category IUCN Redlist IUCN Redlist a Natve Country/region Natve Horn of Africa & NE Africa Horn of Africa South America Southeastern Asia Southeastern United States and Mexico States United North American Australia and Tasmania Australia Papua New Guinea New Papua Sumatra West Sub Saharan Africa Africa Sub Saharan West Central and West Sub Saharan Africa Africa Sub Saharan and West Central Papua New Guinea New Papua South Americ East Timor and Indonesia East South America Australia and Papua New Guinea New and Papua Australia North America North America North America North America North America North America North America North America North America South East Asia South East Indo-Burma, South East Asia Indo-Burma, South East China, Burma, South Korea, Japan China, Burma, South Korea, China, Laos and Vietnam North America North America North America Madagascar Africa South America East Africa East East, South and horn of Africa East, China sp.
regius
ysemys picta ysemys Scientfc name Scientfc Eryx colubrinus Eryx Eunectes notaeus Eunectes Chrysopelea paradisi Lampropelts getula californiae Lampropelts getula Pantherophis gutatus Pantherophis Drysdalia coronoides Bothrochilus boa Python curtus Python Bits gabonica Caretochelys insculpta Caretochelys Acanthochelys Chelodina mccordi Chelus fmbriata Emydura subglobosa Emydura Chelydra serpentna Macrochelys temminckii Chr Glyptemys insculpta Glyptemys Malaclemys terrapin Malaclemys Pseudemys concinna foridana concinna Pseudemys Terrapene carolina Terrapene Trachemys scripta elegans scripta Trachemys Trachemys scripta scripta scripta Trachemys Heosemys annandalii Heosemys Heosemys spinosa Heosemys Mauremys reevesii Mauremys Mauremys sinensis Mauremys Sternotherus carinatus Sternotherus Sternotherus minor Sternotherus Sternotherus odoratus Sternotherus Astrochelys radiata Astrochelys Centrochelys sulcata Centrochelys Chelonoidis carbonaria Malacochersus tornieri Malacochersus Stgmochelys pardalis Pelodiscus sinensis Pelodiscus
kingsnake
sofshell turtle
Common Name Kenyan sand boa Kenyan Yellow anaconda Yellow Indonesian paradise gliding snake Indonesian paradise Corn snake White lipped snake White Bismarck ringed python ringed Bismarck Blood python Ball Python Gaboon viper Pig-nosed turtle Swamp turtle Swamp Snake neck turtle Snake Red matamata Red Pink-bellied side-necked turtle side-necked Pink-bellied Painted turtle Painted Ornate wood turtle wood Ornate Diamondback terrapin Coastal plain cooter Coastal Eastern box turtle box Eastern Red eared slider eared Red Yellow-bellied slider Yellow-bellied Yellow-headed temple turtle temple Yellow-headed Reeve's turtle Reeve's Chinese stripe-necked turtle Chinese stripe-necked Musk turtle African spurred tortoise spurred African Red-footed tortoise Red-footed Pancake tortoise Pancake Leopard tortoise Leopard Boidae Boidae Colubridae Colubridae California Colubridae Elapidae Caretochelyidae Emydidae Emydidae Emydidae Emydidae Emydidae Emydidae Emydidae Kinosternidae back musk turtle Razor Kinosternidae Loggerhead musk turtle Kinosternidae Trionychidae Chinese Group Family Snakes Snakes Snakes Snakes Snakes Snakes Snakes Snakes Snakes Snakes Snakes Snakes Snakes Snakes Pythonidae Snakes Snakes Pythonidae Snakes Snakes Pythonidae Snakes Snakes Viperidae Turtles Turtles Turtles Turtles Chelidae Turtles Turtles Chelidae Turtles Turtles Chelidae Turtles Turtles Chelidae Turtles Turtles Chelydridae Common snapping turtle Turtles Turtles Chelydridae snapping turtle Alligator Turtles Turtles Turtles Turtles Turtles Turtles Turtles Turtles Turtles Turtles Turtles Turtles Turtles Turtles Turtles Turtles Geoemydidae Turtles Turtles Geoemydidae turtle Spiny Turtles Turtles Geoemydidae Turtles Turtles Geoemydidae Turtles Turtles Turtles Turtles Turtles Turtles Turtles Turtles Testudinidae tortoise Radiated Turtles Turtles Testudinidae Turtles Turtles Testudinidae Turtles Turtles Testudinidae Turtles Turtles Testudinidae Turtles Turtles
18528 Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 May 2021 | 13(6): 18518–18531 Exotc reptle pet trade in India Pragatheesh et al. J TT CITES NA Appendix II Appendix II NA NA Appendix I NA Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC CRCR Appendix I Appendix I CR Appendix I EN EN VU VU NA NA VU NA NA VU NA NA DD Appendix II NA NA DD Appendix II category IUCN Redlist IUCN Redlist 4 2 2 1 1 2 3 4 2 6 1 1 2 5 2 1 4 13 22 21 NA 2300 2829 Natve Country/regionNatve Africa Sub-Sahara Quantty South-east Asia South-east North America Africa Australia Northern Africa Hispanaiola West Indies West Egypt & Libya Egypt Australia Africa North America Africa South & Central AmericaSouth & Central NA North America Indonesia Thailand Guinea New Australia Indonesia Australia & Indonesia Australia Indonesia Indonesia Philippine North America sp. sp. Bits gabonica Scientfc name Scientfc Malayopython retculatus Centrochelys sulcata Centrochelys Pantherophis Pantherophis Pogona vitceps Pogona Cerastes cerastes Cerastes Cyclura stejnegeri Cyclura pinguis Tiliqua Testudo kleinmanni Testudo Centrochelys sulcata Centrochelys Trachemys scripta scripta Trachemys elegans Centrochelys sulcata Centrochelys Iguana Crocodylus siamensis Crocodylus Morelia viridis Trachemys scripta scripta Trachemys elegans Morelia amethistna Varanus beccarii Varanus Varanus prasinus Varanus Varanus macraei Varanus Varanus reisingeri Varanus Hydrosaurus pustulatus Trachemys scripta scripta Trachemys elegans Gaboon viper Common name Retculated pythons Retculated (Albino) African spurred tortoise spurred African Corn Snakes Central bearded dragon dragon bearded Central lizard Horned pit viper Rhinoceros iguana Rhinoceros Rock iguana Rock Egyptan tortoise Egyptan African spurred tortoise spurred African Red eared slider turtle eared Red African spurred tortoise spurred African Red eared slider turtle eared Red Scrub python Black tree monitor lizard monitor Black tree Emarald tree monitor monitor tree Emarald lizard Blue spoted tree monitor monitor tree Blue spoted lizard Reisinger tree monitor monitor tree Reisinger lizard Sailfn lizard Red eared slider turtle eared Red Family Colubridae Agamidae Iguanidae Iguanidae Scincidae skink Blue-tongued Emydidae Iguanidae Iguana Emydidae Varanidae Varanidae Varanidae Varanidae Agamidae Emydidae Snakes Viperidae Group Snakes Pythonidae Snakes Turtles Testudinidae lizards Snakes Viperidae Turtles Turtles Testudinidae Turtles Turtles Testudinidae Turtles Turtles lizards Snakes Pythonidae python tree Green Turtles Turtles Snakes Pythonidae lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards Turtles Turtles Place of seizure Chennai airport, Tamil Nadu Chennai airport, Tamil Chennai airport, Tamil NaduChennai airport, Tamil lizards Chennai airport, Tamil NaduChennai airport, Tamil lizards Chennai airport, Tamil Nadu Chennai airport, Tamil NaduChennai airport, Tamil lizards Indore, Madhya Pradesh Madhya Indore, Turtles Testudinidae Malharganj , Indore, Madhya Madhya , Indore, Malharganj Pradesh Malharganj , Indore, Madhya Madhya , Indore, Malharganj Pradesh 24-Mar-18 Assam Guwahat, Date 24-Mar-18 Assam Guwahat, 24-Mar-1824-Mar-18 Assam Guwahat, Assam Guwahat, 24-Mar-18 Assam Guwahat, 25-Mar-18 25-Mar-18 25-Mar-18 25-Mar-18 25-Mar-18 6-Oct-18 Nadu Chennai, Tamil 10-Oct-18 Nadu Chennai airport, Tamil 28-Nov-18 5-May-19 5-May-19 21-Jul-1910-Oct-19 Mumbai, Maharashtra Nadu Chennai, Tamil Crocodiles Crocodylidae Siamese crocodile 10-Oct-19 Nadu Chennai, Tamil 10-Oct-19 Nadu Chennai, Tamil 10-Oct-19 Nadu Chennai, Tamil 10-Oct-19 Nadu Chennai, Tamil 10-Oct-19 Nadu Chennai, Tamil 10-Oct-19 Nadu Chennai, Tamil 24-Nov-19 Nadu Tamil Trichy, Appendix 2. List of exotc reptles seized by Customs/Enforcement Authority between March 2018– February 2020 arranged chronologically. NA= Not available, IUCN Red List: Critcally Endangered (CR), Endangered Critcally List: Red IUCN available, Not NA= chronologically. arranged 2020 February 2018– March between Authority Customs/Enforcement by seized reptles exotc of List 2. Appendix Concerned (LC). (VU) and Least (EN), Vulnerable Endangered
Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 May 2021 | 13(6): 18518–18531 18529 J TT Exotc reptle pet trade in India Pragatheesh et al. CITES Appendix II Appendix I Appendix I Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II LC LC LC LC EN EN NA NA NA NA NA category IUCN Redlist IUCN Redlist 2 5 1 1 12 4856 2400 Natve Country/regionNatve North America Quantty South & Central America South & Central North America Cayman Islands Cayman Cayman Islands Cayman AmericaSouth & Central NA South & Central AmericaSouth & Central NA Africa South & Central America South & Central sp. Trachemys scripta scripta Trachemys elegans Scientfc name Scientfc Iguana Trachemys scripta scripta Trachemys elegans Cyclura lewisi Cyclura lewisi Iguana Iguana Chamaeleo Iguana Red eared slider turtle eared Red Common name Red eared slider turtle eared Red Blue Iguana Blue Iguana Yellow Iguana Yellow Emydidae Family Iguanidae Iguana Emydidae Iguanidae Iguanidae Iguanidae Iguana Green Iguanidae Chamaeleonidae Chameleon Iguanidae Iguana Green Turtles Turtles Group lizards Turtles Turtles lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards lizards Place of seizure Thane, Maharashtra 8-Dec-19 Nadu Tamil Trichy, Date 11-Dec-19 19-Dec-19 Nadu Chennai, Tamil 22-Dec-19 Nadu Chennai, Tamil 20-Jan-20 Nadu Chennai, Tamil 20-Jan-20 Nadu Chennai, Tamil 20-Jan-20 Nadu Chennai, Tamil 30-Jan-20 Nadu Chennai, Tamil 31-Jan-20 Nadu Chennai, Tamil
18530 Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 May 2021 | 13(6): 18518–18531 Exotc reptle pet trade in India Pragatheesh et al. J TT C C C C C R R C C C C C C C C R R W W W W W W NA NA T T T T T T T T T T T T T T B B B B B B 6 5 1 7 3 6 3 4 5 1 6 2 1 3 3 3 50 50 10 24 quantty Purpose Source Exporter Exporter reported reported 0 0 0 7 3 6 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 200 T 0 0 0 200 T 0 0 0 00 2000 200 T 300 T T quantty reported reported Importer Importer Origin NA NA NA Netherlands NA NA NA NA United States States United of America United States States United of America United States States United of America United States States United of America NA United United Kingdom NA NA NA NA NA NA United States of States United America United States of States United America Netherlands NA Togo Togo United Arab Arab United Emirates United Arab Arab United Emirates United Arab Arab United Emirates United Arab Arab United Emirates Seychelles NA Togo CITES Exporter Appendix II Australia Appendix II Appendix II Denmark Appendix II Denmark Appendix II Denmark Germany Appendix III Ghana Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II Appendix II Appendix I Denmark Spain Appendix I Denmark Appendix II Ghana Appendix II Denmark Appendix IIAppendix II Denmark Appendix II DenmarkAppendix II Ghana Ghana Appendix II Germany Ghana LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC CR Appendix I CR Appendix I EN EN VU VU VU VU NA NA IUCN Redlist Redlist category Crocodylus siamensis Crocodylus Iguana iguana Alligator mississippiensis Alligator cataphractus Mecistops Caiman crocodilus Paleosuchus palpebrosus Paleosuchus Crocodylus johnstoni Crocodylus Pelomedusa subrufa Pelomedusa Kinixys belliana Kinixys homeana Alligator mississippiensis Alligator Alligator mississippiensis Alligator Alligator mississippiensis Alligator Alligator mississippiensis Alligator Aldabrachelys gigantea Python regius Cyclura cornuta Cyclura cornuta Eunectes murinus Eunectes Varanus exanthematcus Varanus Crocodylus nilotcus Crocodylus Python regius Python regius sulcata Centrochelys sulcata Centrochelys os Iguana os Iguana een Iguana Common name name Scientfc American Alligator American Slender-Snouted African Crocodile Spectacled Caiman Spectacled Dwarf Caiman Dwarf Bell’s Hingeback Tortoise Hingeback Bell’s Home’s Hingeback Hingeback Home’s Tortoise American Alligator American American Alligator American American Alligator American American Alligator American Aldabra Giant Tortoise Giant Aldabra Ball Python Rhinocer Rhinocer Green Anaconda Green Savannah Monitor Savannah Ball Python Ball Python Tortoise Spurred African Tortoise Spurred African aranidae Iguanidae Gr Alligatoridae Alligatoridae Alligatoridae Alligatoridae Alligatoridae Alligatoridae Alligatoridae Iguanidae Iguanidae Boidae V
Group Family Crocodiles Crocodylidae Crocodiles Crocodiles Crocodiles CrocodylidaeCrocodile River Johnstone Turtles Testudinidae Turtles Testudinidae Crocodiles Crocodiles Crocodiles Crocodiles Turtles Testudinidae Snakes Snakes Snakes Snakes Snakes Turtles Pythonidae Pythonidae Testudinidae Year 1983 Crocodiles Crocodylidae Siamese Crocodile 1983 Crocodiles 2000 1987 lizards 2000 2000 2000 2000 Turtles Pelomedusidae Turtle Helmeted 2004 2004 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2016 Snakes Pythonidae 2017 lizards 2017 lizards 2017 20172017 Crocodiles2017 Crocodylidae2017 Nile Crocodile 2018 Turtles Testudinidae 2017 lizards Threatened Taxa Threatened (EN), Vulnerable (VU) and Least Concerned (LC); NA= Not available; C= Animals bred in captvity: bred in captvity in accordance with Resoluton Conf. 10.16 (Rev.), as well as parts and derivatves thereof, thereof, derivatves and parts as well as (CR), Endangered Critcally Endangered IUCN List: Red chronologically. arranged by and CITES purposes breeding 1976–2018 (Rev.), commercial India from reported for Appendix into 3. imported reptles Live 10.16 Conf. Resoluton with accordance in captvity in bred captvity: in bred Animals C= available; Not NA= (LC); Concerned Least and (VU) Vulnerable (EN), wild, the from eggs as or juveniles taken environment, controlled a in reared specimens: specimens of animals R= Ranched Conventon; of the 5, paragraph of Artcle VII, provisions the under exported where they would otherwise had have a very low probability of surviving to adulthood, W= from Specimens the and wild, taken T=c B= ommercial breeding purposes. in Note there captvity, no were purposes. and breeding commercial 1976–1983 for from CITES to reported trade
Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 May 2021 | 13(6): 18518–18531 18531 The Journal of Threatened Taxa (JoTT) is dedicated to building evidence for conservaton globally by OPEN ACCESS publishing peer-reviewed artcles online every month at a reasonably rapid rate at www.threatenedtaxa.org. All artcles published in JoTT are registered under Creatve Commons Atributon 4.0 Internatonal License unless otherwise mentoned. JoTT allows allows unrestricted use, reproducton, and distributon of artcles in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publicaton.
ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print)
May 2021 | Vol. 13 | No. 6 | Pages: 18411–18678 Date of Publicaton: 26 May 2021 (Online & Print) www.threatenedtaxa.org DOI: 10.11609/jot.2021.13.6.18411-18678
Conservaton Applicaton Review
First atempt at rehabilitaton of Asiatc Black Bear cubs to the wild in Thailand Termites (Blatodea: Isoptera) of southern India: current knowledge on distributon and – Robert Steinmetz, Worrapan Phumanee, Rungnapa Phoonjampa & Suthon Weingdow, systematc checklist Pp. 18411–18418 – M. Ranjith & C.M. Kalleshwaraswamy, Pp. 18598–18613
Communicatons Short Communicatons
Status of Sumatran Tiger in the Berbak-Sembilang landscape (2020) Populaton status and distributon of Ibisbill Ibidorhyncha struthersii (Vigors, 1832) (Aves: – Tomi Ariyanto, Yoan Dinata, Dwiyanto, Erwan Turyanto, Waluyo Sugito, Sophie Kirklin & Rajan Charadriiformes: Ibidorhynchidae) in Kashmir Valley, India Amin, Pp. 18419–18426 – Iqram Ul Haq, Bilal A. Bhat, Khursheed Ahmad & Asad R. Rahmani, Pp. 18614–18617
The diversity of small mammals in Pulau Perhentan Kecil, Terengganu, Malaysia A new fsh species of genus Garra (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) from Nagaland, India – Aminuddin Baqi, Isham Azhar, Ean Wee Chen, Faisal Ali Anwarali Khan, Chong Ju Lian, – Sophiya Ezung, Bungdon Shangningam & Pranay Punj Pankaj, Pp. 18618–18623 Bryan Raveen Nelson & Jayaraj Vijaya Kumaran, Pp. 18427–18440 Occurrence of Tamdil Leaf-liter Frog Leptobrachella tamdil (Sengupta et al., 2010) (Amphibia: Paterns, perceptons, and spatal distributon of human-elephant (Elephas maximus) incidents in Megophryidae) from Manipur, India and its phylogenetc positon Nepal – Ht. Decemson, Vanlalsiammawii, Lal Biakzuala, Mathipi Vabeiryureilai, Fanai Malsawmdawngliana – Raj Kumar Koirala, Weihong Ji, Yajna Prasad Timilsina & David Raubenheimer, Pp. 18441–18452 & H.T. Lalremsanga, Pp. 18624–18630
Assessing spato-temporal paterns of human-leopard interactons based on media reports in Further additons to the Odonata (Insecta) fauna of Asansol-Durgapur Industrial Area, Paschim northwestern India Bardhaman, India – Kaushal Chauhan, Arjun Srivathsa & Vidya Athreya, Pp. 18453–18478 – Amar Kumar Nayak & Subhajit Roy, Pp. 18631–18641
Bat diversity in the Banpale forest, Pokhara, Nepal during spring season A note on the ecology and distributon of Litle Bloodtail Lyriothemis acigastra Brauer, 1868 – Prabhat Kiran Bhatarai, Basant Sharma, Anisha Neupane, Sunita Kunwar & Pratyush Dhungana, (Insecta: Odonata: Libellulidae) in Kerala, India Pp. 18479–18489 – Jeevan Jose, Muhamed Sherif & A. Vivek Chandran, Pp. 18642–18646
A patho-microbiological study of tssue samples of the Greater Adjutant Leptoptlos dubius (Aves: Viewpoint Ciconiiformes: Ciconiidae) that died in Deeporbeel Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam, India – Derhasar Brahma, Parikshit Kakat, Sophia M. Gogoi, Sharmita Doley, Arpita Bharali, Biswajit Duta, A unique archetype of conservaton in Himachal Pradesh, western Himalaya, India Taibur Rahman, Saidul Islam, Arfan Ali, Siraj A. Khan, Sailendra Kumar Das & Nagendra Nath Barman, – Rupali Sharma, Monika Sharma, Manisha Mathela, Himanshu Bargali & Amit Kumar, Pp. 18490–18496 Pp. 18647–18650
Vaduvur and Sitheri lakes, Tamil Nadu, India: conservaton and management perspectve Notes – V. Gokula & P. Ananth Raj, Pp. 18497–18507 A camera trap record of Asiatc Golden Cat Catopuma temminckii (Vigors & Horsfeld, 1827) A new species of shieldtail snake (Squamata: Uropeltdae: Uropelts) from the Bengaluru uplands, (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) in State Land Forest, Merapoh, Pahang, Malaysia India – Muhamad Hamirul Shah Ab Razak, Kamarul Hambali, Aainaa Amir, Norashikin Fauzi, Nor Hizami – S.R. Ganesh, K.G. Punith, Omkar D. Adhikari & N.S. Achyuthan, Pp. 18508–18517 Hassin, Muhamad Azahar Abas, Muhammad Firdaus Abdul Karim, Ai Yin Sow, Lukman Ismail, Nor Azmin Huda Mahamad Shubli, Nurul Izzat Adanan, Ainur Izzat Bakar, Nabihah Mohamad, Nur A looming exotc reptle pet trade in India: paterns and knowledge gaps Izyan Fathiah Saimeh, Muhammad Syafq Mohmad Nor, Muhammad Izzat Hakimi Mat Naf & Syafq – A. Pragatheesh, V. Deepak, H.V. Girisha & Monesh Singh Tomar, Pp. 18518–18531 Sulaiman, Pp. 18651–18654
Legal or unenforceable? Violatons of trade regulatons and the case of the Philippine Sailfn Lizard Reappearance of Dhole Cuon alpinus (Mammalia: Carnivora: Canidae) in Gujarat afer 70 years Hydrosaurus pustulatus (Reptlia: Squamata: Agamidae) – A.A. Kazi, D.N. Rabari, M.I. Dahya & S. Lyngdoh, Pp. 18655–18659 – Sarah Heinrich, Adam Toomes & Jordi Janssen, Pp. 18532–18543 Matng behavior of Eastern Spoted Skunk Spilogale putorius Linnaeus, 1758 (Mammalia: Conservaton breeding of Northern River Terrapin Batagur baska (Gray, 1830) in Sundarban Tiger Carnivora: Mephitdae) revealed by camera trap in Texas, USA Reserve, India – Alexandra C. Avrin, Charles E.Pekins & Maximillian L. Allen, Pp. 18660–18662 – Nilanjan Mallick, Shailendra Singh, Dibyadeep Chaterjee & Souritra Sharma, Pp. 18544–18550 Record of Indian Roofed Turtle Pangshura tecta (Reptlia: Testudines: Geoemydidae) from Koshi Discovery of two new populatons of the rare endemic freshwater crab Louisea yabassi Mvogo Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Nepal Ndongo, von Rintelen & Cumberlidge, 2019 (Brachyura: Potamonautdae) from the Ebo Forest – Ashmita Shrestha, Ramesh Prasad Sapkota & Kumar Paudel, Pp. 18663–18666 near Yabassi in Cameroon, Central Africa, with recommendatons for conservaton acton – Pierre A. Mvogo Ndongo, Thomas von Rintelen, Christoph D. Schubart, Paul F. Clark, Additonal distributon records of Zimiris doriae Simon, 1882 (Araneae: Gnaphosidae) from India Kristna von Rintelen, Alain Didier Missoup, Christan Albrecht, Muriel Rabone, Efole Ewoukem, – Dhruv A. Prajapat, Pp. 18667–18670 Joseph L. Tamesse, Minete Tomedi-Tabi Eyango & Neil Cumberlidge, Pp. 18551–18558 Notes on new distributon records of Euaspa motokii Koiwaya, 2002 (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Checklists of subfamilies Dryptnae and Panagaeinae (Insecta: Coleoptera: Carabidae) from the Theclinae) from Bhutan Indian subcontnent – Jigme Wangchuk, Dhan Bahadur Subba & Karma Wangdi, Pp. 18671–18674 – V.A. Jithmon & Thomas K. Sabu, Pp. 18559–18577 New distributon records of two litle known plant species, Hedychium longipedunculatum A.R.K. Mantds (Insecta: Mantodea) of Utar Pradesh, India Sastry & D.M. Verma (Zingiberaceae) and Mazus dentatus Wall. ex Benth. (Scrophulariaceae), – Ramesh Singh Yadav & G.P. Painkra, Pp. 18578–18587 from Meghalaya, India – M. Murugesan, Pp. 18675–18678 An assessment of genetc variaton in vulnerable Borneo Ironwood Eusideroxylon zwageri Teijsm. & Binn. in Sarawak using SSR markers Publisher & Host – Sit Fatmah Md.-Isa, Christna Seok Yien Yong, Mohd Nazre Saleh & Rusea Go, Pp. 18588–18597
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Threatened Taxa