URBANA, Ill. (WBBM Newsradio) – A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign suggests the online trade in pet frogs and other amphibians may be larger, and less transparent, than previously understood.
Researchers analyzed 20 years of online classified ads, collecting nearly 8,500 listings representing 301 amphibian species from around the world. The project brought together herpetologists and data scientists who scraped listings posted between 2004 and 2024, identifying species from photos and documenting prices, dates and locations.
The team then compared the online listings to official import data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Law Enforcement Management Information System. They found 44 species being sold online with no corresponding federal import records. Those species were often listed at significantly higher prices – about 40% more on average – than species with documented imports.
The average price for a frog in the dataset was about $50, but some rare animals sold for hundreds or even more than $1,000, according to the study.
Researchers say some discrepancies may stem from vague paperwork. Wildlife imports are often recorded only at the genus level rather than by specific species, creating potential loopholes. In some cases, rare species may arrive in shipments labeled under a broader category, then later be sold at premium prices once their identity is recognized.
The study, “Tracking the hidden trade of non-native pet amphibians in the United States,” was published in the journal Biological Conservation.