By Hai Minh February 23, 2019 | 08:55 am GMT+7

Vietnam seeks CITES help to protect endangered reptiles

Vietnam has sent six proposals ahead of a CITES meeting, requesting help in
saving some reptiles and other endangered species from extinction.

The proposals, sent to the Convention on Endangered Species of Wild Fauna
and Flora (CITES) ahead a conference scheduled for May 23 in Sri Lanka, seek
support to protect some turtles, salamanders, geckos and toadfishes.

These species are threatened by increasing international trade, which turns
them into pets or serves the demand for “exotic” food in Asia.

Vietnam’s proposals aim to promote species conservation and cooperation with
other countries struggling with wildlife smuggling.

One proposal seeks to move box turtles, pond turtles and golden box turtles
from Appendix II, or species not necessarily threatened with extinction, to
Appendix I, species threatened with extinction.

Three other proposals, in which Vietnam joins…