Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) issued a Customs Notice to advise on import restrictions on salamaders(amphibians). To prevent the introduction of the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) into Canada’s ecosystems and to protect native species of salamanders, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is implementing import restrictions on all species of salamanders entering Canada for a one year period.
“Salamanders” means all species of the order Caudata, which includes axolotl, newts, mudpuppies, waterdogs, hellbender, olm, ensatinam, sirens, amphiumas, and all other types of salamanders, whether live or dead.
Effective May 31st, 2017, salamanders are prohibited from entering Canada unless accompanied by a permit to import injurious wildlife issued by ECCC.
Injurious wildlife import permits for salamanders will generally only be issued for scientific and research purposes and can be obtained by contacting ECCC’s CITES Permitting Office at [email protected] or 1-855-869-8670.
The import restrictions by ECCC do not apply to other amphibians (toads, frogs, and caecilians).
ECCC’s import restrictions for salamanders are implemented via amendments to sections 5(a) of the Wild Animal and Plant Trade Regulations.
In addition to the injurious wildlife import permit, species of salamanders protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) must also be accompanied by the required CITES permit(s).
Live salamanders are to be reported to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) under Harmonized System (HS) Code for live amphibians (HS: 0106.90.00.20).
For reference purposes, the following is a non-inclusive list of commonly imported species of salamanders that can no longer be imported into Canada without an import permit issued by ECCC,: Ambystoma mexicanum (axolotl), Cynops orientalis (Chinese fire belly newt), Cynops pyrrhogaster (Japanese fire belly newt), Necturus maculosus (waterdog; mudpuppy), Pachytriton brevipes (paddletail fire newt), Paramesotriton chinensis (fire newt), Paramesotriton hongkongensis (giant rock lizard; alpine newt), Pleurodeles waltl (Iberian or Spanish ribbed newt), Salamandra salamandra (European fire salamander), Taricha granulosa (Oregon newt),Taricha torosa (orange belly newt), Trituroides hongkongensi (fire newt), and Triturus granulosus (Oregon newt).