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Many people worry about buying exotic leathers. Animals which are prized for their skins or fur have been hunted to near extinction in many parts of the world. There is good news and bad news if you love crocodile and alligator handbags. Many countries have laws which prevent the over hunting of exotic species and in those countries the animal population is either stable or recovering.

If you desire alligator handbags, the news is mostly good. The most prized alligator skins come from the North American alligator. Once near extinction, their skin is so prized that successful efforts were made to farm them. The wild populations have returned and the alligator was removed from the endangered species list in 1987. Alligator meat is part of the native cuisine of much of Florida and southern Louisiana and the farms raise gators both for their meat and their skin.

Asian alligators are critically endangered. Their skins are not as valuable as American alligator skins, but the countries in which they are found either don't have endangered species laws, or are unable to enforce them. Alligator handbags are made almost exclusively from American alligators which are more readily available and have better quality skin than Asian alligators.

Caimans are a small species, related to alligators, and found in South America. Their skins don't have the quality or durability of American alligator or salt water croc and caimans generally only grow to between three and five feet in length. Caimans are considered endangered and the United States doesn't allow the import of caiman skin. Caiman skin is sometimes used in the less obvious areas of salt water crocodile handbags because it is cheaper. High quality crocodile handbags don't use caiman skin.

The finest crocodile handbags are made from salt water crocodiles found in South East Asia and along the northern coast of Australia. Salt water crocs are not endangered. They are the largest species of crocodile reaching lengths of 18 feet or more. Most designers insist on salt water crocodile for their handbags.

While a number of crocodile species in the South Pacific and South East Asia, efforts are being made to reintroduce them. Nile crocodiles are not on the endangered species list.

The desire for crocodile handbags is not the biggest contributor to endangered crocodiles. The largest contributing factor is loss of habitat. The species used to make crocodile handbags are not endangered or threatened, but have thriving populations.

There are differences between crocodile handbags and alligator handbags, but most people have difficulty telling the skins apart. Alligator handbags and salt water crocodile handbags are close to the same price and are considered the finest of their kind. Cheap crocodile handbags may actually be made from the endangered caiman. If you are concerned about endangered species, buy handbags which are clear about the source of their skins. If you live in the United States it is unlikely you will find handbags made from endangered species since it is illegal to import them.