Collection, Trade, and Regulation of Reptiles and Amphibians of the Chihuahuan Desert Ecoregion Lee A. Fitzgerald, Charles W. Painter, Adrian Reuter, and Craig Hoover COLLECTION, TRADE, AND REGULATION OF REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS OF THE CHIHUAHUAN DESERT ECOREGION By Lee A. Fitzgerald, Charles W. Painter, Adrian Reuter, and Craig Hoover April 2004 TRAFFIC North America World Wildlife Fund 1250 24th Street NW Washington DC 20037 Visit www.traffic.org for an electronic edition of this report, and for more information about TRAFFIC North America. © 2004 WWF. All rights reserved by World Wildlife Fund, Inc. ISBN 0-89164-170-X All material appearing in this publication is copyrighted and may be reproduced with permission. Any reproduction, in full or in part, of this publication must credit TRAFFIC North America. The views of the authors expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the TRAFFIC Network, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), or IUCN-The World Conservation Union. The designation of geographical entities in this publication and the presentation of the material do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of TRAFFIC or its supporting organizations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The TRAFFIC symbol copyright and Registered Trademark ownership are held by WWF. TRAFFIC is a joint program of WWF and IUCN. Suggested citation: Fitzgerald, L.A., et al. 2004. Collection, Trade, and Regulation of Reptiles and Amphibians of the Chihuahuan Desert Ecoregion. TRAFFIC North America. Washington D.C.: World Wildlife Fund. Front cover photos from the top, clockwise, are: ridge-nosed rattlesnake Crotalus willardi, ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus, collared lizard Crotaphytus collaris, Berlandier’s tortoise Gopherus berlandieri, and imbricate alligator lizard Barisia imbricata. All photos are © Joseph E. Forks. Back cover photo, courtesy of Adrian Reuter, shows rattlesnake skins for sale at a roadside market at Charco Cercado, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . .iv BACKGROUND . .v EXECUTIVE SUMMARY . .1 EXTENDED EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IN SPANISH (SINTESIS EN ESPAGÑOL) . .6 INTRODUCTION . .23 SPECIES IN THE CDE . .25 CHAPTER 1: ASSESSMENT OF THE COLLECTION,TRADE, AND REGULATION OF REPTILES FROM THE CDE IN MEXICO . .31 Introduction . .31 Methods . .31 Results . .31 1. Legal Framework . .31 1.1 Federal Laws and Other Instruments . .32 1.2 UMAs . .33 1.3 State Laws . .33 2. Protected Areas in the CDE . .34 3. Collecting Methods . .35 4. Reptile Species Found in Trade . .35 5. Significant Domestic Trade Centers . .39 5.1 Plateros Magical-Religious Center, Zacatecas . .40 5.2 Charco Cercado, San Luis Potosi . .41 5.3 Mexico City Marketplaces . .43 6. International Trade from Mexico . .43 Assessment of the Impacts of Collection and Trade . .44 Recommendations . .46 CHAPTER 2: ASSESSMENT OF THE COLLECTION,TRADE, AND REGULATION OF REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS FROM THE CDE IN THE UNITED STATES . .49 Introduction . .49 Methods . .49 Results . .50 1. State and Federal Laws Pertaining to Collection and Trade . .50 i 1.1 New Mexico . .50 1.2 Texas . .50 1.3 Arizona . .52 1.4 Federal Laws . .53 1.5 Protected Areas in the United States . .55 2. Reptile and Amphibian Species Found in Trade . .55 3. Collecting Methods . .55 4. Collecting Areas . .60 4.1 Arizona . .60 4.2 New Mexico . .60 4.3 Texas . .60 5. Domestic Trade . .61 6. International Trade . .65 6.1 Availability and Usefulness of Trade Data . .65 6.2 Export of Live Specimens from the United States . .66 6.3 Trade in Parts and Products . .68 7. Illegal Collection and Trade . .68 Assessment of the Impacts of Collection and Trade . .70 Recommendations . .72 REFERENCES . .73 APPENDICES . .A1 Appendix 1: Norma Oficial Mexicana 059 (Official Norm 059) . .A2 Appendix 2: Laws regarding collecting amphibians and reptiles in New Mexico . .A13 Appendix 3: Laws regarding collecting amphibians and reptiles in Texas . .A17 Appendix 4: Laws regarding collecting amphibians and reptiles in Arizona . .A24 ii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Map of the Chihuahuan Desert Ecoregion . .23 Figure 2: Total Chihuahuan Desert Ecoregion reptiles found in Mexico, and total number found in trade . .36 Figure 3: Common uses of species subject to trade . .40 Figure 4: Distribution of 14 354 amphibians and reptiles collected in 27 Texas counties within the CDE during 1998-99 . .64 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Native amphibians and reptiles of the CDE . .25 Table 2: CDE reptile species subject to trade in and/or from Mexico . .37 Table 3: Live reptile seizures from 1995 to 2000 . .41 Table 4: CDE reptile species offered in Mexico City markets . .44 Table 5: Legal and illegal imports to the United States of CDE reptile species from Mexico . .45 Table 6: Amphibians and reptiles native to the CDE listed as threatened or endangered or otherwise fully protected by New Mexico State Game Commission Statute . .51 Table 7: Native amphibians and reptiles of the CDE that are known or expected to be taken for sale or personal use . .55 Table 8: Number, percent of total, and cumulative percent of amphibians and reptiles collected by nongame permit holders operating in the CDE in Texas in 1999 . .62 Table 9: Number of snakes, lizards, and turtles reported as collected by nongame permit holders in Texas in 1999 . .64 Table 10: Number of specimens collected by 53 nongame permit holders operating in the CDE in Texas in 1999 . .65 Table 11: U.S. exports of live reptile species found in the CDE . .66 Table 12: U.S. exports of reptile parts and products derived from species found in the CDE . .69 iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We thank Gracia González Porter for Arizona were provided by Michael Demlong, information and insights on Mexican from New Mexico by Jon Klingel, and from herpetofauna, and all of the interviewees who Texas by R. Roegner. We are also grateful for shared their knowledge of the commercial the input of Jim Dixon, Bruce D. Taubert, trade in amphibians and reptiles in the Andy Price, and Teresa Mulliken, who kindly Chihuahuan Desert Ecoregion (CDE). Special reviewed drafts of this report. We would also thanks are owed to R. Roegner for providing like to thank the Walt Disney Company the Texas Parks and.