Chameleons, tortoises top Kenya's exotic wildlife trade

Globally, chameleons are among the most popular reptiles in the exotic pet trade, among them, those only native to Kenya. [iStockphoto]

Every year, hundreds of chameleons and tortoises are exported from Kenya to feed the growing exotic pet trade despite most of these animals being rare.

The 2023 data from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Trade database lists hundreds of species of tortoises and chameleons that made the bulk of legal wildlife exports.