Chameleons: from jungle to pet shop

The global trade in exotic pets sees wild animals illegally caught and distributed around the world. Animals are often forced to trade in their homes in tropical jungles for cramped living quarters in towns and cities.

In this episode of Wild Crimes we explore reptile smuggling in Tanzania, a country with a diverse range of magnificent animals, endemic to only tiny pockets of rainforest. Tanzania has had a blanket ban on all wildlife exports since 2016, but yet a range of reptiles - chameleons, snakes and geckos - have still found their way out of the country smuggled in luggage, wrapped up in socks or shoved inside plastic containers. They are destined for private collections, thousands of miles away from home.

But why are reptiles traders turning to the black market, what pressure is this putting on chameleon species, and is there anything we can do about it? Join us as we chat to co-director of PAMS Michele Menegon, Tanzanian reptile researcher John Lyrukura, YouTuber and chameleon owner Megan Margot and the Natural History Museum’s Dr. Simon Loader.

To learn more about the illegal trade of reptiles and to support the Natural History Museum’s work, visit nhm.ac.uk/wildcrimes