TORTOISE LAW
TORTOISE LAW
The following will give you a better understanding of the current law on tortoise sales and keeping as pets.
All tortoise species are listed on CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) and are sub-divided into Annexes. Species listed in Annex B require no sales certificate (referred to as a License) to purchase or to sell. All species listed in Annex A require a sales certificate called a “Transaction Article 10 Certificate”.
Transaction Article 10 Certificates
Transaction Article 10 Certificates are issued to specimens that are too small to be microchipped (under 60 mm plastron length) and therefore cannot be identified as an individual.
You can contact DEFRA at;
General Enquiries Tel: 0117 372 8168 – Fax: 0117 372 8206 – E-mail: wildlife.enforce@defra.gsi.gov.uk
The list below shows the most common species being offered for sale in the U.K. and other E.U. member states.
| Hermann tortoise | Testudo hermanni | Annex A | Certificate required |
| Spur-thighed tortoise | Testudo graeca | Annex A | Certificate required |
| Marginated tortoise | Testudo marginata | Annex A | Certificate required |
| Horsfield tortoise | Testudo horsfieldi | Annex B | Not required |
| Leopard tortoise | Geochelone pardalis | Annex B | Not required |
| Sulcata tortoise | Geochelone sulcata | Annex B | Not required |
| Indian star tortoise | Geochelone elegans | Annex A | Certificate required |
| Red footed tortoise | Geochelone carbonaria | Annex B | Not required |
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