"CITES exporters"?

Hi all,

Just yesterday I got followed on Twitter that called themself a "CITES exporter" of sulcata tortoises and vervet monkeys.

I don't think the party is based in the United States.

Can anyone tell me much about what is involved in CITES permits? I looked up CITES... but I guess I don't actually get what is involved here. I blocked this party about 15 minutes after he followed me on Twitter. I emailed a guy I know at the local zoo, and he told me it sounded fishy and suggested I keep this guy blocked.

CITES are the body that control and permit the movement of endangered species across international borders. In order to move and endangered species you need to get permission and prove that it is not affecting the indigenous population negatively (i.e. not wild caught) or that the animals are being moved in support of the species (e.g. for a breeding program).
It usually involves both the seller and the buyer obtaining permits, which are pricey and complicated, to do so.
One of the most recent cases in the amphibian world was the export of A. andersoni from the UK to the USA, it involved a lot of paperwork, statements of origin, and various tests for Bsal/BD. Complicated, but not impossible.
There are no officially approved exporters under CITES, each application is new and unique, so either the guy just has experience with CITES permits or it is indeed fishy.

I was not familiar, to my recollection, with Ambystoma andersoni until you mentioned it here. Interesting.

So someone with a CITES permit, if it is real, has evidence/proof that these rare animals are not wild caught, but captive bred/raised? And the buyer, if a CITES seller is going to sell one of those rare animals, must also have a permit. Interesting

Thanks for the info.