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The international and interstate trade in amphibians is enormous and legally complex. The U.S. Federal Animal Welfare Act of 1966 regulates the use of animals for research and exhibition, as well as for the pet trade. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora, which became law in 1973, prohibits the importing, exporting, or reexporting of wildlife or plants (or their parts or derivatives of certain species) unless permitted to do so by both the importing and exporting country. The CITES treaty, signed by 145 member nations, is a step in the right direction, but it has not stopped the smuggling and illegal trade in amphibians and reptiles. The commercial interest in amphibians and reptiles has grown rapidly, driven in part by the general interest in amphibian population declines and the popularity of amphibians and reptiles in the entertainment and advertisement industries. The solution to the problem of commercial exploitation of amphibians and reptiles in general, and amphibians in particular, lies in communication, education, legislation, and enforcement.

Primates have been traded long distance and across border for millennia. The most immediately apparent use for primates is as food, but their uses go well beyond their basic value as a protein source. Here, an overview is given of the different aspects of international trade of primates, comparing historic uses with those in the present day, and highlighting the impact trade can have on the conservation of already imperilled species. One of the most important drivers for the international trade in primates is the biomedical industry, with China and Indonesia acting as the most significant exporters and the USA as the largest importer. The nature of international primate trade has changed over the years, and commercial trade in wild-caught primates, albeit differently from the past, remains a major impediment to the conservation of selected primate species.

After China ceased its practice of giving panda pairs as state gifts, it began a short-term loan program. This evolved into long-term scientific loans. The whole time the concept of panda diplomacy persisted even as it shifted and transformed. Concerns about the giant panda as a species and the environment more generally were undercurrents to all discussions and exchanges. The environment remained present when China made a dramatic and controversial giant panda gift offer to the island of Taiwan. This chapter examines the various ways that panda diplomacy evolved and the increasing integration of environmental issues with panda politics.