By Milliam Murigi
Kenya’s reptile trade has expanded rapidly over the past decade, emerging as one of the fastest-growing segments of the country’s wildlife export industry.
This is according to a new study conducted by researchers from World Animal Protection using data from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
The study reveals that out of more than 870,000 animals that were exported from Kenya between 2013 and 2023, reptiles accounted for the overwhelming majority of export records and nearly half of all live animals traded.
“Kenya reported 886 export records, covering more than 870,000 CITES-listed captive-bred and ranched animals across 28 wildlife species. Reptiles dominated the trade, accounting for 721 records (81.4 per cent) and 14 species, representing 50 per cent of all recorded taxa,” said Dr. Patrick Muinde, Research Manager at World Animal Protection who co-authored the peer reviewed paper.
Birds followed with 133 records (15 per cent) across eight species, while mammals made up 31 records (3.5 per cent) involving five species and a single record of fish.
According to the report, Kenya exported at least 437,232 live reptiles over the 10-year period. Among the most traded reptile species were leopard tortoises, Jackson’s three-horned chameleons and Kenyan high-casqued chameleon. Leopard tortoises (Stigmochelys pardalis) alone accounted for more than 246,328 individuals, while exports of Jackson’s three-horned chameleons exceeded 105,000. Making leopard tortoise the most traded live reptile species from Kenya.
According to Muinde, demand for leopard tortoises is largely driven by the international exotic pet trade, particularly in Europe and Asia. Germany, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the United States are among the key destination markets for the species.
“The leopard tortoise is being extracted and exported at a large scale, often under claims of captive breeding, yet we lack clear data on wild populations,” he said.
According to him, the scale of this trade raises serious sustainability concerns, especially because wild population data for leopard tortoises remains incomplete or unknown in many regions. Apart from that, the species’ slow reproduction rate makes it particularly vulnerable to overexploitation.
Leopard tortoises take many years to reach maturity and produce relatively few offspring, meaning even moderate harvesting pressure can have long-term impacts on population stability.
“Just to show how the trade has grown, Kenya exported 8,551 live reptiles in 2013. But in 2023 this number had risen to 86,330, representing more than a tenfold increase,” said Muinde.
Yet despite the rapid growth, researchers say that fundamental questions remain unanswered: How many of these species still exist in the wild? Can wild populations sustain increasing commercial demand? And are current oversight systems capable of distinguishing captive-bred reptiles from animals illegally taken from their natural habitats?
The report also identified major discrepancies between export figures reported by Kenya and import figures declared by receiving countries. Differences exceeded 84,000 animals for leopard tortoises and more than 21,000 for Jackson’s three-horned chameleons and 9,100 for Kenyan high-casqued chameleon.
Such gaps, Muinde says, raise broader concerns about traceability and regulation in the international wildlife trade. Prior investigations had raised concerns about how some tortoises are illegally collected from the wild before being exported under claims that they were bred in captivity.
“Some exporters are allegedly extracting the animals from their natural habitats, taking them to breeding facilities and later exporting them as captive-bred specimens. Since the number of some of this species is not known this means that we are opening space to allow trade of species that we don’t know their wild populations,” he added.
Kenya legalized and expanded captive wildlife breeding under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act of 2013, which allows the farming and ranching of species such as crocodiles, tortoises, snakes, lizards and chameleons.
This framework provides a legal and regulated system for the captive breeding, management and export of wildlife, making reptile trading a permitted commercial activity in the country when conducted under the required licenses and regulations.
Supporters of captive breeding argue regulated trade can reduce pressure on wild populations while creating economic opportunities. But critics warn poorly monitored facilities can also create pathways for laundering wild-caught animals into legal markets.
“Since this trade is legal, that is why we are calling for stronger regulation of captive breeding operations, routine welfare audits and enhanced security measures,” said Tennyson Williams, Africa Regional Director at World Animal Protection.
According to him, wildlife trade is not only a conservation issue but also a public health concern. He notes that the movement and commercialization of wild animals raises multiple risks that extend beyond biodiversity loss, including animal welfare challenges, conservation pressures and questions around traceability within legal trade systems.
He highlights key concerns such as the risk of zoonotic diseases, the challenges of maintaining sustainable wildlife populations, and the difficulty of tracking animals once they enter complex trade chains. He adds that increased cross-border movement of wildlife can heighten biosecurity risks, making monitoring and enforcement even more critical.
He further emphasizes the need to end the exploitation of wild animals and prioritize their protection in natural habitats. While captive breeding is often presented as a solution, he warns that it does not automatically guarantee cruelty-free conditions, and legal trade can still involve significant animal suffering if oversight is weak or inconsistent.
“Kenya has an opportunity to lead in responsible wildlife governance and protect its biodiversity. Africa’s biodiversity should not be treated merely as a commodity, rising demand for exotic pets and wildlife products increases risk of exploitation, of wildlife violations and biodiversity loss,” said Williams.
