Hi,

I will try to answer your question as briefly and understandably as possible. CITES regulates international trade in both endangered (Appendix I) and threatened (CITES II) species.

This trade requires both export permits from the country where the shipment originates and import permits from the country to which the animals are shipped.

Theoretically, to get an export permit, the exporter must show proof that the animals or their parents were legally obtained from their country of origin (country where they occur in the wild). This is sometimes not required if the animals were confiscated in a non-native country. Additionally, people have been known to lie and/or use bribery in foreign lands to obtain export permits.

If an export permit is granted, then the animals may be shipped to any country which will grant an import permit based upon feeling that the export permit has been legitimately obtained.

It is virtually impossible to get an import permit for any CITES I species today in the US. The requirements are very strict. The biggest obstacle is providing definitive proof that the importation of the animal(s)will benefit the species in the wild. In most cases, this cannot be done. Captive breeding situations do not qualify as benefitting the species in the wild, by the way. Additionally, if there is any hint that commercial activity such as sales of the animal(s) or the offspring which may be produced will take place, no import permit will be issued.

Also to EXPORT captive bred CITES I animals, one must be a CITES registered breeder of the species. I have been breeding Radiated Tortoises for nearly 40 years and I would have difficulty qualifying to become registered. In other words, legal trade in CITES I animals is virtually impossible today.

CITES II animals are easier to import and export because proof of value to the wild population is not required, but still the individual animals to be shipped must have been legally obtained as stated above, plus each individual must be identified and inspected by a vet prior to being shipped. If leaving the US, the paperwork must exist showing that the animals, or their parents if the animals are CB offspring, were legally obtained.

Then we have the IATA shipping reqirements to consider. Briefly, each animal must be in its own individual compartment in a wooden box which will not leak liquids if the animals urinate. Some airlines/shipping agents are very strict about this, some are more lenient, but it is not an easy task to send animals OUT of the US.

Hope this is somewhat helpful. Sorry if it is long, but I tried my best to give you the information you requested in a nutshell.

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