Ball pythons banned – worse to come

Few people believed it could happen, but in 2019, ball pythons, bosc monitors and peninsular cooters were banned in Spain. Since then the Spanish authorities have raided many reptile keepers and confiscated countless animals in their pursuit to prevent people from keeping reptiles and other animals. In 2023 the authorities made new laws that create positive lists, banning almost all pet species including reptiles, mammals, fish, amphibians, invertebrates and birds. We explore the Spanish situation and discuss what can be done to prevent such arbitrary and unjustifiable bans from spreading to other countries.