REPTILES AS A FOOD RESOURCE

Reptiles have served as an important source of protein for human popul ations around the world. Exploitation for food is heaviest in the trop ical and sub-tropical regions, but also occurs in temperate areas. Of all reptiles, turtles are the most heavily exploited for human consump tion. High, unsustainable levels of exploitation for food are directly responsible for the precarious conservation status of many turtles. C rocodilians, snakes, and lizards may be locally important food sources , however, with the exception of a few lizard species, they are exploi ted in a less intense and generally non-commercial manner for human co nsumption. In comparison, the commercial skin trade poses a far greate r threat to the survival of crocodilians as well as certain large snak es and lizards. Recent field reports have implicated the south east As ian medicinal trade as a growing threat to reptiles, especially turtle s and snakes. There are few unequivocal examples of managed harvest pr ogrammes for reptiles that are economically and culturally viable, as well as biologically sustainable. Given the economic importance of rep tiles as sources of protein and other highly valued commodities, it is imperative that more attention be focused on the development of susta inable use programmes for these species.