The Moroccan town of Marrakesh is an important cultural and tourist destination. Thousands of visitors each day shop in the historic walled medina, where, besides clothes, carpets, curios and other items, wildlife is openly offered for sale. One species commonly traded is the Vulnerable spur-thighed tortoise Testudo graeca. In Morocco the species suffers from the effects of habitat destruction and alteration, and increased road density, and is expected to be affected negatively by projected future climate change. Up until the late 1970s the species was legally exported from Morocco in the tens of thousands per year but since 1978 it has been included on the country's protected species list, precluding all international and domestic trade.
Znari et al. (2005, Journal of Arid Environments, 62, 55–74) collected data from 24 shops in Marrakesh in July–August 2001, recording 692 tortoises for sale; 63% were < 10 cm in length and only 3% were large (≥ 18 cm) individuals. It appeared to them that the older, larger tortoises had been removed in the past and that in the early 2000s smaller tortoises were taken to meet the demand for the pet trade. We recently had the opportunity to visit Marrakesh and reassess its tortoise trade. During seven visits in May–June 2013, April–June and December 2014 we recorded a total of 820 tortoises for sale. Tortoises were present during each survey, with fewest in June 2013 (17 tortoises) and more in June 2014 (182 tortoises) and December 2014 (185 tortoises). No seasonal pattern was apparent. The total number of shops selling tortoises was 17, with 3–14 having them on display at any given time. Typically vendors had small numbers on display, up to 10–12 tortoises, but at least three shops regularly had 30–80 tortoises in stock. All trade was open and no tortoises were kept hidden. As in 2001 the majority of spur-thighed tortoises were small and two-thirds were c. 4–10 cm in length, corresponding to ages of c. 2–8 years. Circa 4% were large individuals, probably > 10 years of age. Asking prices varied with size and between vendors but 4 cm tortoises could be bought for USD 1.00 and 13 cm tortoises for USD 7.50. The mean asking prices for tortoises in this size range increases in a linear fashion, starting at USD 6.50 and increasing by USD 0.65 for every cm increase in carapace length.
We conclude that little has changed in terms of the trade in spur-thighed tortoises in Marrakesh since 2001, with apparently similar volumes of similar age-classes entering the trade, which retains its openness in blatant disregard of the law. New protected species legislation was adopted by the Moroccan parliament in 2013 but has yet to be brought into effect. This new legislation should provide more clarity and allows for greater punitive measures for trading in protected animals. Once adopted we hope that this will allow a new start for stronger enforcement actions and ultimately end the open trade of spur-thighed tortoises in Marrakesh and elsewhere in Morocco.
