BIG LAKE RANCH, British Columbia— Canada is a major player in the international reptile trade and may participate in the illegal wildlife trade of imperiled species, according to a new study published in the journal Reptiles and Amphibians.

“I think Canadians would be genuinely shocked to learn how many reptiles come into this country and how much that trade threatens struggling species,” said Chris R. Shepherd, Ph.D., a senior conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. “It’s likely that Canadian pet traders are participating in the illegal trade, whether they know it or not. To stop imports of endangered reptiles, Canada must act now to close loopholes in wildlife trade enforcement, strengthen border inspections and hold importers accountable.”

The study found that between 2011 and 2021, Canada imported more than 14,000 live monitor lizards across 31 species, making Canada one of the world’s largest importers, along with the United States and the European Union.

Monitor lizards are highly popular in the pet trade, and several species, including blue tree and Banggai Island monitors, are imperiled. Several of the lizards are protected in their countries of origin with strict legislation, but evidence suggests wild-caught monitors may be fraudulently declared as captive-bred, particularly in the well-documented wildlife laundering hub of Indonesia.

The imported lizards were sourced mainly from West Africa and Southeast Asia. The majority of imports, 69%, were declared as wild-caught, raising serious concerns about sustainability, legality and conservation. Pet traders and keepers in Canada may also be knowingly or unknowingly participating in the illegal wildlife trade and contributing to the decline of these species.

The illegal global wildlife trade is a multibillion-dollar black market that rivals arms and drug trafficking in scale, threatening biodiversity and fueling organized crime.

The study’s researchers analyzed trade data from the Convention in International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, known as CITES, finding that illegal trade of monitor lizards likely occurs in Canada in two ways: (1) prohibited animals are brought into the country using CITES permits, with insufficient verification of their legal status at the time of import, and (2) wild-sourced animals may be passed off as farmed or captive-bred, for which verification is nearly impossible at the time of import.

During the period the study covered, Canada also exported 1,622 live monitor lizards of 21 species, primarily to South Korea, the United States and Japan, despite limited clarity on the origins of many animals.

The study authors recommend greater scrutiny to ensure monitors are legally sourced and comply with Canada’s own wildlife protection legislation. They also urge Canadian officials to communicate regularly with other CITES parties engaged in the sourcing and trade in monitor lizards and other wildlife.