However, only with rapid globalisation in the latter part of the twentieth century, driven by the spread of affordable transportation and more recently by the rapid development of the internet, has this practice transformed into a global profit-driven trade, which now constitutes a significant proportion of the USD $30-42.8 bn global wildlife trade[4]. National Humane Education Society. The widespread use of the internet has made it easier than ever to order or purchase a wild animal without clarification about where it has come from or how it should be cared for. • If you choose an exotic pet, always adopt from a reputable rescue. Exotic pet trade Uk and delivery online Exotic pet trade uk and delivery online is the easiest way of owning a pet of your dream and choice. Read the following FAQs to learn more about the exotic pet trade. A domesticated species is one that has undergone a process of genetic alteration over thousands of years through generations of selective breeding by people, to accentuate particular desired traits. [2] Driscoll, CA, Macdonald, DW & O’Brien, SJ (2009). In November 2019, the British Veterinary Association (BVA) cautioned against purchasing reptiles as pets. For one, many owners do not have the knowledge or financial ability to adequately replicate a wild animal’s habitat within their own homes. Wildlife trade involves poaching, captive hunting, exotic pets and more. The Illegal Pet Trade. Exotic Pets In practice, this means providing: housing that allows them to exercise normally, provides stimulation, with sufficient space and environmental choice for security, complexity, challenge and novelty; nutrition tailored to an individual’s species, age, size and health; carers who are trained and competent in observing signs of good animal health and welfare; and the encouragement of natural behaviours[10]. Unfortunately, many consumers remain unaware of the origins of exotic pets, how the exotic pet trade affects wild populations, and how to care for exotic pets. Exotic pets are essentially animals that are non-native to a region and/or nondomesticated. The USA’s Wild Bird Conservation Act (1992), the 2007 European ban on the importation of wild-caught birds for pets, a 1982 CITES ban on wild tortoise The unregulated trade in exotic animals poses a threat to animals in the wild, as they are often wild-caught to supplement the gene pool. They are highly social and live in groups of up to 12 individuals with a dominant male. Rather than dying off, the non-native or “invasive” pythons thrived in Florida’s tropical climate, successfully reproduced, and went on to prey on birds like egrets, gallinules, and other species that had no defenses against pythons. 2017: There are more tigers held in private hands in the US (~7,000), than in the wild (~3,200). They are highly intelligent animals that require constant stimulation. Wild animals aren’t domesticated, even when bred in captivity. Is it wrong to own an exotic pet? Separating wildlife from pets is a complex issue and a whole load of myths have grown up around it. Rehoming can cause them great emotional trauma. This can be an excellent conversation starter for many, and soon see you become the talk of the town thanks to your furry friend. Wild animals are targets for poaching, captive hunting, the fur trade, the exotic pet trade and more. However, many use the term to include native species as well (e.g., snakes may sometimes be considered exotic as pets even in places where they are found in the wild). We are working to reduce the acceptability of exotic pet ownership. What are some examples of exotic pets kept in the United States? As non-domesticated animals, exotic pets retain many of their wild instincts, even when born into captivity. Third, not all veterinarians treat exotic animal patients. Caring for exotics can be challenging and expensive. “Exotic pet” describes any wild species kept for human pleasure or companionship. We may use your details for carefully considered purposes and send you occasional postal mailings like our magazine, catalogue and appeals. Unfortunately, many consumers remain unaware of the origins of exotic pets, how the exotic pet trade affects wild populations, and how to care for exotic pets. In much of India, Indian star tortoises are important as a food source. Exotic animals can also wreak havoc on the ecosystem when released by their owners into a continent that is not their own. No wild animal can have its needs entirely met when kept as a pet. The reasons for this are many. The trade in exotic pets involves both wild-caught and captive-bred animals. Exotic Pets As with other parts of the world, exotic pets remain popular in the United States. Exotic generally refers to a species which is not a native or indigenous to the owner's locale. Back in species’ native country, the exotic pet trade drives biodiversity loss in complex ways. It's a $15 billion dollar business in the United States alone, with breeders and dealers selling animals over the Internet or in trade magazines. Whilst the demand remains, supply will rush to meet it. Each spring, the Canadian government authorizes fishermen to club or shoot hundreds of thousands of baby seals for their fur, despite international outcry and bans on the import of seal skins. Owners sometimes release alligators, as well as other exotic pets such as snakes and certain varieties of aquarium fish, when they prove too big, aggressive or otherwise difficult to handle. In other cases, these are exotic animals that are in surplus at zoos, etc. According to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the exotic pet trade is a multi-billion dollar industry, second only to drugs and weapons on the black market. Never miss a beat with MailOnline's latest news for women. Other organisations have estimated a pet primate population of 4-5,000 kept in the UK[7] and 4,825 licensed Dangerous Wild Animals[8], which is likely to be a significant under-estimate of the actual population. exotic pet trade The keeping of wild animals as pets is a growing concern. It’s a way of acknowledging that these pets are really wild animals, without coming clean about it. African grey parrots are prone to hypocalcaemia syndrome caused by poor diets, resulting in tremors, tetanus, and seizures, nasal and sinus infections and respiratory disease from poor housing and environment, and behavioural problems including aggression, shrieking and feather-plucking often caused by boredom, isolation and lack of exercise. And pet is a companion animal living with people. No, the practice of keeping wild animals as pets has existed for many thousands of years. Various packaging and transportation methods are used to supply animals, which may be locally bred or remotely sourced. Sign up to receive campaign updates, newsletters and occasional fundraising emails, World Animal Protection will not swap or sell your information with any third party. From a toddler's confrontation with a python to a bear named Teddy that was not a toy, these dark animal captivity stories should deter some from keeping an exotic animal as a pet. Exceeded only by the black market & the trafficking of drugs, humans, and firearms. Company Limited by Guarantee in England and Wales, Registration No. There are over 500 species of reptiles and 500 species of birds traded live across the world, presumably destined for people’s homes or private zoos. The general public do not typically have the expertise, knowledge or resources to meet the complex needs of a captive wild animal. If you have the time, resources and compassion to make a home for a critter, reptile, amphibian or exotic animal, adopt rather than supporting the inhumane pet trade industry. Tropical fish, and all the equipment needed to keep them, became affordable enough for many people in the US in the 1940s. Humans have owned pets for centuries. In captivity, lack of exercise and boredom leads to them showing behavioural problems linked to stress, such as feather-plucking and shrieking. They require special care, housing, diet, and maintenance that the average person cannot provide. The majority die in transit from the wild to the auction block or from auction to their new homes in zoos, with private collectors, exhibitors, pet owners, and pet stores. Exotic pets like monkeys and African rodents often carry viruses like herpes B, monkey pox and rabies, all of which are highly infectious and potentially fatal to humans [9]. Biologist. The Facts Why Care? Millions of animals are forced into the exotic pet trade every year for the purpose of becoming someone's pet or entertaining th… Taking animals from the wild can threaten survival of some species. However, the Pet Food Manufacturers Association (PFMA) Annual Pet Survey (2018-19) estimated that 300,000 tortoises, 300,000 lizards, 200,000 snakes, 100,000 frogs and toads and 500,000 ‘indoor’ birds (including species considered domesticated) are kept in the UK, compared to 9m dogs and 7.5m cats[5]. N2 - This chapter gives an overview of the history of exotic pets and discusses how some exotic animals gained popularity over time. (2018), Fundamental Welfare Requirements for Wild Animals under Human Care, Wild Welfare (2014), Why vets won’t be watching I’m a celebrity – press release, BVA (2019), Suffering in silence - Uncovering the cruelty of the global trade in Ball pythons. 25 An outbreak of END in Florida resulted in … Evidences suggest that the Sumerians were the first to keep fish in captivity (2500 BC), but it was for food. Examples of the devastating effect of the pet trade on wild species include the Barbary macaque and the Clownfish. So if you're looking This means providing good nutrition, environment, health and ability to express natural behaviours and understanding their effect on an animal’s mental state through observing their behaviour. Exotic Pet Trade - National Humane Education Society. Dog domestication much older than previously thought. Many animals are captured from their natural habitats and transported to different areas of the world to be sold as exotic pets. doi:10.1002/fee.2059. How does the exotic pet trade harm the environment? If you’d prefer not to receive these, would like to stop hearing from us, or change the way we communicate, you can do so at any time by calling 0800 316 9966 or emailing hello@worldanimalprotection.org.uk. The physiological and psychological well-being of a wild animal is put at risk by captivity. THE FACTS African grey parrots have a lifespan of up to 60 years. Common health problems are linked to poor diet. Sugar gliders, hedgehogs, pythons – even lions and chimpanzees are kept as pets. Often, exotic pets are kept as pets outside of their native continent. The exotic pet trade undermines valuable conservation efforts in native habitat countries. How Can I Help Exotic Animals in the Wild And in Captivity? Exotic Pet Trade Seiten. A lion killed several dogs and trapped a child in his room, and a Bengal tiger tore off the arm of a 4-year-old boy. When the exotic pet trade boomed in the 1980s, Miami became host to thousands of such snakes. Raising awareness - most people are unaware of the problems associated with the exotic pet trade and the ownership of wild animals as pets. Wild animals are not suitable to be kept as pets. Not only does the slow loris pet trade cause unimaginable suffering, it is also the biggest threat to the survival of the species, which is in serious danger of extinction. The trade in and keeping of exotic pets has been frequently criticized for the commonly inhumane and harmful practices that are associated with supply and keeping, including animal welfare, species conservation, invasiveness, and public health and safety. [1] Dunham, W (2015). The WWF estimates there are 5,000 tigers being kept in U.S. backyards … there are only around 3,000 left in the wild. 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