It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state wildlife agencies. Illegal trafficking is believed to be even more lucrative. Reptiles have become increasingly popular as pets and as high-priced live collectibles. Collectors and breeders are enticed by the lure of the exotic, making rare reptile species an extremely profitable black-market commodity. International trade in reptiles has increased significantly in the last decade and U.S. trade accounts for a substantial portion of that commerce.
Reptiles are also a major target for wildlife smugglers.
The treaty, supported by some 143 member nations, includes more than 140 reptile listings, some covering entire families. Among these protected reptiles are all alligators, caimans, crocodilians, boas, pythons, monitor lizards, sea turtles, and Geochelone species of land tortoises. All commercial trade of these animals is prohibited because they face an immediate threat of extinction due to over-exploitation. Noncommercial traffic requires permits from both the exporting and importing countries. Such controls help ensure that commercialization will not jeopardize the continued survival of these species in the wild.