Abstract

The illegal wildlife trade remains a significant threat to global biodiversity, with Galápagos iguanas—charismatic reptiles endemic to Ecuador—becoming emblematic victims of a sophisticated international laundering scheme. A recent review by Auliya et al. (2025) published in Biological Conservation exposes how the regulatory framework of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is being manipulated to legitimize the illicit trade of these protected species. Although all four iguana species have been listed in Appendix II of CITES since 1975, traffickers are exploiting loopholes by falsely declaring wild-caught Galápagos iguanas as captive-bred, thereby securing export permits from CITES Parties.