Endangered here. “Injurious” there.

An axolotl can be protected by CITES while belonging to a group designated “injurious” in the United States. It sounds like a joke written by two offices that never speak. In fact, the labels address different risks.

What changed in 2025

On 10 January 2025, the US Fish & Wildlife Service published a rule whose second, interim part added 16 salamander genera to Lacey Act controls. They include Ambystoma, the axolotl’s genus. That part took effect 15 days after publication.

The reason is Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, Bsal, a fungus that can travel with salamanders and affect native species. The agency explains the rule as a biosecurity measure.

What it means

Import is prohibited except under permits for allowed purposes such as research, education, medicine or zoology. The designation does not itself ban keeping, breeding or selling animals already in the country. Other laws and conditions on earlier permits may apply.

FWS also clarifies that transport between states within the continental US generally does not need authorisation under this regime, with exceptions for previously permitted specimens and their descendants.

The axolotl cannot tell whether its next box says “endangered” or “injurious”. The fungus cannot read its colour either.

Criticism needs to identify the risk

Being albino or captive-bred does not guarantee freedom from pathogens. The case for simplifying CITES therefore does not automatically settle a health question.

The useful debate concerns verifiable quarantine, testing and certification routes that could meet the objective with less burden. Here the regulator identifies a specific hazard. It should explain why its chosen measure is the best way to manage it.