Scale of legal wildlife trade revealed

According to data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act from the APHA, 3,411,021 wild vertebrate animals were imported commercially in the period 2014 to 2018. [...]it also excludes wild fish, domesticated animals, species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered S...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Veterinary record 2020-10, Vol.187 (7), p.248-248
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Animals, Wild
Commerce - legislation & jurisprudence
Disease
Domestication
Pets
United Kingdom
Wildlife conservation
Wildlife trade
Zoonoses
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Description
Summary:According to data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act from the APHA, 3,411,021 wild vertebrate animals were imported commercially in the period 2014 to 2018. [...]it also excludes wild fish, domesticated animals, species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), semi-domesticated pigeons and gamebirds. Wild animals Legally imported to the UK, 2014–2018 Frogs: 2,492,155, 75 per cent of all imports Snakes and lizards: 348,151, 10 per cent Turtles: 224,237, 7 per cent Rodents: 113,650, 3 per cent Parrots: 74,829, 2 per cent Other: 3 per cent, including 2731 crocodiles, 943 assorted carnivore mammals and a single seal (species not specified) A total of 81 bats, regarded as important reservoir hosts of emerging viruses, were imported into the UK over the five years, mostly from Madagascar. In April Vet Record reported how Dutch group Animal Advocacy Protection (AAP), which rescues exotic mammals from poor conditions in captivity, had submitted an urgent question to the European parliament asking why bats were still being sold as pets in parts of Europe (VR, 18/25 April 2020, vol 186, p 432).
ISSN:0042-4900
2042-7670
DOI:10.1136/vr.m3813