Pet ban for rare lizard after web craze for the Union Island gecko sparks fears that sales are fuelling the illegal smuggling trade as owners buy them to gain popularity on social media

  • Native of Union Island in the Caribbean where its numbers are rapidly shrinking 
  • The illegal pet trade is thought responsible for the declining numbers 
  • A fully grown Union Island gecko is as light as a pinch of salt and just 1 inch long
  • These geckos are popular in pet trade due to their rare and beautiful patterns 

By AMELIA CLARKE FOR THE DAILY MAIL

Published: | Updated:

A rare reptile has been banned from sale over fears that its dazzling appearance is fuelling the smuggling trade – because owners buy them to become popular on social media.

The Union Island gecko – prized for its jewel-like markings – is often seen on websites such as Instagram, where users post photographs for ‘likes’.

But it can only be found on its namesake island in the Caribbean and it is thought there are just 9,960 left, as the illegal pet trade causes numbers to continue to decline.

There are only 9,960 Union Island geckos left and world leaders have voted to protect them so they cannot be commercially traded

There are only 9,960 Union Island geckos left and world leaders have voted to protect them so they cannot be commercially traded

World leaders have now voted for the species to be protected, so it cannot be commercially traded.

A fully grown Union Island gecko measures just over an inch long and weighs less than a pinch of salt.

Other species, such as the tokay and tiger geckos, are also threatened with extinction and have been given similar protection. The tokay was once common in India, southern China and south-east Asia, but the population has declined by up to 50 per cent due to the pet trade and habitat loss.

Sri Lanka’s hump-snout lizard was also listed for protection.

The tokay gecko, pictured above, was once common in India, southern China and south-east Asia, but the population has declined 50 per cent due to the pet trade and habitat loss

The tokay gecko, pictured above, was once common in India, southern China and south-east Asia, but the population has declined 50 per cent due to the pet trade and habitat loss

Up to eight million reptiles are kept as pets in the UK. China is also a popular destination because the lizards are used in traditional medicine.

Sumanth Bindumadhav, of the Humane Society International, said: ‘Tiger gecko species and the tokay are both extremely popular in the pet trade owing to their beautiful pattern.

‘Unregulated collection of specimens from the wild is one of the major threats to their population.’

 

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