Snake Skin Fashions May Endanger Reptiles

Animal welfare advocate are attacking some of the fashion industry's luminaries over the use of snake skin, charging that they are -- perhaps inadvertently -- supporting the illegal importation of the skins of endangered and rare species from Southeast Asia.

Big names in the industry, like Jimmy Choo, Donna Karan, Mulberry, Gucci, Prada, Roberto Cavalli and Yves St. Laurent, which unveiled new styles that feature snake skins, are coming under question, according to the Daily Telegraph of London. The designers say they're following all international laws on the trade of endangered species and/or using skins from ethically farmed snakes, but PETA says they're contributing to declines in some species that could send them toward extinction.

Consumers concerned about their impact on rare and endangered Southeast Asian reptiles should also think twice in the pet store. A lot of those cute turtles may well have been captured and traded illegally. Be skeptical, and ask hard questions, before taking home a pet, or buying a new pair of boots.

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