What happened?
On the 3rd of June 2026, the House of Commons voted to approve changes to regulations in UK wildlife trade.
From the 23rd of June 2026, Mediterranean tortoises – Hermanns, Spur-thighed and Marginated tortoises – will be moved from the CITES Annex A list, which requires a DEFRA Article 10 certificate for the sale or purchase of the species, to Annex X.
What does this mean?
Hermann’s, Spur-thighed and Marginated tortoises can be freely sold, transported and exhibited within the UK without a need for an Article 10 certificate from DEFRA.
What does this mean for welfare?
It is difficult to predict the exact outcomes from this new change to the law, but here are some potential benefits and risks for your consideration.
Potential positive impacts resulting from the regulation changes
Trade involvement in sustainable resale work.
With the changes, the hope is that the pet trade will take a more active role in offering sustainable and responsible purchase options, including the resale or rehoming of tortoises.
As tortoises can live 80 to 120 years if properly cared for, the UK has seen a sharp increase in the captive tortoise population over the recent decades. With this in mind, the ability to responsibly rehome healthy, young adult tortoises is sorely needed.
Responsible Breeding
Conservation of species, and sub-species, including the need for knowledge of the genetic origin of tortoises, is often overlooked as ‘not important’ by commercial farmers and some ill-informed breeders. We would like to challenge that, and to say that a responsible consideration of genetic heritage, age and health is essential when breeding tortoises on conservation grounds.
Species choice
The change may help keepers choose species that are better suited to UK climate conditions. It may also reduce pressure on non-CITES-protected Russian (Horsfield’s) tortoises.
In recent years, captive farming has been difficult to regulate. The potential exploitation of wild Horsfield’s populations has overshadowed the issues involved in captive farming this species. Horsfield’s tortoises are not necessarily the most suitable species for beginners, or for the UK climate.
A Graeca thing
Spur-thighed tortoises have historically been grouped into one category for Article 10 certification. The removal of this Article 10 requirement could offer an opportunity for the community to recognise that some Spur-thighed varieties (sub-species) are indeed not at all ‘low risk’ when it comes to conservation and welfare. Key examples include Tunisian tortoises, and other North African subspecies, several of which are considered critically endangered or highly threatened.
Many other wild populations of tortoise are very likely to show similar endangered status, when sufficient research and field surveys become possible within their countries of origin. An example would be Algeria, where little research has been carried out.
Dwarf Hermann’s
Hermanni hermanni tortoises (Western Hermann’s sub-species) are also on the brink of extinction in the wild within some areas of their natural terrain. They have historically been categorised within the one species as Hermann’s, rather than being considered separately. This change in legislation could give the community the opportunity to offer better protection and to strengthen responsible breeding practice in captivity.
Potential negative impacts resulting from the regulation changes
Disease transmission
Without wider knowledge and responsible keeping, the increased movement of tortoises could result in more mixing of animals, which in turn can cause health and welfare issues. The spread of the many serious, debilitating, and often life threatening, diseases, such as the herpes virus, mycoplasma, and TINC, may be increased, with increased freer movement.
The increased accessibility of tortoises for purchase, may require an urgent review into the responsible levels of care required at the point of sale, for example through owner and retailer education. This is linked to husbandry, biosecurity, and the potential for zoonoses, at all stages of a tortoise’s journey with humans.
Tracking and self-regulating
DEFRA has confirmed that microchipping will not become compulsory under the new legislation. However, maybe we need a discussion to encourage the use of photo identification, mini-microchips and compulsory registration by owners. This could improve responsible sales, rehoming and pet ownership.
This is in addition to these methods being used to reunite animals with their owners when they become lost. Microchipping is also an essential tool in identifying captive-bred tortoises from their wild-caught counterparts, and in regulating responsible keeping.
Vulnerable individuals
The trained people needed to rehabilitate, and responsibly place, delicate, vulnerable or elderly captive tortoises, are in short-supply. In a rising captive population, and with freer movement of tortoises, this area of rehoming could become an increasing welfare challenge.
Lost and found
The dishonest, or illegal, buying and selling of tortoises could rise.
Rise in captive tortoise numbers
If legislation results in the importation, and sales, of larger numbers of chelonia, there will be an increase in numbers of inexperienced keepers needing advice and support. They will need access to basic care and husbandry information. The larger the population of keepers, the greater the challenge in reaching them all. Larger populations of chelonia will also require experienced and specialist veterinary care, creating an increased need for training in this field.
Conclusion and actions:
- Photo identification, mini microchipping and registration should be more openly encouraged by the community on welfare and conservation grounds.
- The community may need to encourage fundraising to train people to use and register mini-microchips.
- Encourage responsible purchase of tortoises from local, sustainable and high welfare sources, whether it be to rehome, or buy a hatchling.
- The community should encourage the support of organisations helping to coordinate conservation and welfare of tortoises in captivity, by offering resources advice and support.
- Actively promote that long term captive, elderly tortoises should be treated as vulnerable and only be rehomed with due care and consideration, away from other tortoises.
- The community now has added pressure to take responsibility to improve how we care for tortoises in captivity.
What are we doing to help?
To assist with this new legislation, the European Turtle Alliance, Tortoise Club and Tortoise Welfare UK are working together to offer resources and training to any business or individual interested in learning more about good practice in rehoming tortoises. If you are interested in learning more about welfare and conservation initiatives related to this topic including consultation and training for trade and veterinary.
Please register interest via www.tortoiseclub.org