Vipers: Kenya, China sign pact to restrict illegal trade

By Gitonga Njeru in Kenya

Kenya and China have forged a partnership in restricting the illegal trade of rare vipers. The vipers are illegally trafficked and sold in China to cartels and criminals.

The Kenya-China partnership has been influenced under the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The two countries are among the 182 signatories to the treaty that governs wildlife trade across borders.

Kenya recently restricted trade in two endemic viper species only found in Kenya. Kenya horned viper (Bitis worthingtoni) and the Mt. Kenya Bush Viper (Atheris desaixi).

Conservationists have raised questions on how much Kenya will get considering the recent increase in mega corruption scandals.

“It is very important to save these snakes before it is too late. China is the biggest black market for these snakes. Corruption is an obstacle. Criminals easily bribe their way to traffic the animals across borders, China included”, says Paula Kahumbu, an Ecologist who heads a wildlife organization known as Wildlife Direct headquartered in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi and with offices across the region.

On late January last year, Kenyan authorities placed tight new restrictions on the trade and export of several snake species, including the Kenya horned viper (Bitis worthingtoni) and the Mt. Kenya Bush Viper (Atheris desaixi).


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