ALERT: Louisiana Reptile Ban

ALERT: Louisiana Reptile Ban

Dec 23, 2023

UPDATE 8/26/25: The Department has finally written permit applications and released information on the new rules. “There are now permit requirements to possess prohibited and restricted nonnative reptile and amphibian species, as well as continued permitting...
ALERT: Louisiana Reptile Ban

Lacey Act amendments included in House report

Dec 19, 2023

Lacey Act amendments regarding injurious species are included in a report (read it at https://usark.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/23-reset-prevent-rebuild-report-with-lacey.pdf) from the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States...
CITES Amphibian Trade Survey

CITES Amphibian Trade Survey

Aug 18, 2023

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is conducting a review of the global amphibian trade. As part of this effort, CITES and The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) have developed a questionnaire...
Gary Bagnall Resigns as Chairman of the Board

Gary Bagnall Resigns as Chairman of the Board

Aug 17, 2023

Gary Bagnall, the founder and CEO of Zoo Med, has played an integral role in USARK for more than fourteen years and was most recently serving as USARK’s Chairman of the Board. After so much time and attention devoted to ensuring USARK could succeed, Gary has decided...
ALERT: Louisiana Reptile Ban

ALERT: ESA listing for two reptile species and two others

Aug 16, 2023

UPDATE 7/15/25: FWS is reopening the comment period on the proposed rule to list the blue tree monitor (Varanus macraei), as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted and will be fully considered in...