Story: Law

Seized reptile

Seized reptile

This emerald tree monitor (Varanus prasinus), a native of Papua New Guinea, was seized and confiscated when it was illegally imported into New Zealand in 2007. In intercepting the monitor New Zealand was fulfilling its obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This is one of the many international treaties New Zealand has become a party to since the 1960s, which have informed New Zealand law (in this case, the Trade in Endangered Species Act 1989). The tree monitor was on the CITES list of banned species, and its blood was found to contain dangerous intra-erythrocytic parasites which could have been transmitted by insects such as mosquitoes, fleas, ticks and lice.

Using this item

New Zealand Wildlife Enforcement Group (Department of Conservation, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, New Zealand Customs Service)

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How to cite this page:

Geoffrey Palmer, 'Law - Legal history', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/36989/seized-reptile (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Geoffrey Palmer, published 20 Jun 2012, updated 1 Oct 2016