Criteria met: Sharp increase
Principal trade term to the EU: skins
Percentage of global trade to the EU: 89%
Principal source: wild
Top EU importer: Italy
Top Trading Partner: Thailand
CITES Appendix: II
IUCN Status: Least Concern
EU-reported imports of wild-sourced Naja kaouthia skins and small leather products, all purposes, 2006-2010 (no wild-sourced imports were reported 2001-2005).
With the exception of two live, captive-bred animals imported as personal possessions and four seized/confiscated items, all EU imports in 2010 were wild-sourced skins imported directly from Thailand for commercial purposes (1,900 skins). This was the highest level of EU imports of this species over the ten-year period 2001-2010; previous wild-sourced trade comprised 245 small leather products imported in 2006, 50 skins and 146 small leather products imported in 2008, and a further 700 skins imported in 2009.