Measures needed to stop exotic animal trade

The discovery of three kangaroos in the forest area of north Bengal’s Jalpaiguri, near India’s border with Nepal, is the latest sign of the burgeoning trade in non-native animals.

Two of the Australian marsupials were rescued and one was found dead. The discovery, in April, follows a kangaroo seizure in Bengal in March 2022 and one in Assam in July 2020. In March 2021, wild animals seized from traffickers included golden-headed lion tamarins of Brazil.

There is a growing trend in India for wild animals as pets, but still no effective legislation to regulate or control trade in non-native animals. The government had offered amnesty in June 2020 urging people to declare possession of any non-native live species. Under the scheme no action would be taken even if owners could show no documentation. By February 2021, the Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change had received 32,645 disclosure applications from 25 states and five union territories. The range of species observed in captivity as exotic pets now includes several species of cockatoos, macaws and a range of parrot species.

I first observed a new dimension to the wildlife trade in India in 2014. Three baby chimpanzees confiscated from an animal dealer’s residence in Kolkata and shifted to the Alipore Zoo revealed links between wildlife traders in India and foreign dealers.

There are also reports of Madagascan species entering the Indian pet trade market, including Angonoka tortoises and radiated tortoises as well as ruffed lemurs, orangutans, and ring-tailed lemurs. There has been a documented case of the critically endangered Siamese crocodiles being seized. Species seized include bird of paradise, kookaburra, African pygmy falcons, Gouldian finch and eclectus parrots. Among felines recorded in the pet trade in India are white lion cubs and a hybrid lion cub seized in Bengal in 2019, caracals seized in Uttar Pradesh in 2017 and servals intercepted in March 2018.

As stated in the World Zoo Conservation Strategy in 1993, the word exotic literally means ‘originating from out of hearing range’. A zoologist uses this word to indicate animals not native to their country or faunal region. The common European wood pigeon would be exotic in Australia, and a typical South American vole is exotic in Europe.

The American bison, rattlesnake and hummingbird are just as exotic to a citizen of New York City as is the golden lion tamarin of South America. The golden lion tamarin, macaw, and giant anteater are just as exotic to the average Sao Paulo inhabitant as to someone in Amsterdam, Colombo, or Sydney. It is important to be mindful of the nuances of the word ‘exotic’ as its dictionary meaning can be different from its use in wildlife circles. Besides expanding ranges of species, introduced and naturalised species and migratory species can challenge conventional notions of what an exotic animal is.

There is incontrovertible evidence that the trade in wild animals exacerbates the dangers of zoonotic disease transmission and compromises animal welfare. Indeed, the current Wildlife Protection Act has no definition of a ‘hybrid’ animal and has no guideline for humane treatment. Greater awareness, stronger public involvement, mapping of trade routes, more legal protection for non-native animals, better rescue facilities for confiscated animals are needed. It is necessary to acknowledge that wild animals are not suitable as pets before measures can be taken to phase out this unethical and cruel trade that diminishes biodiversity and compromises animal welfare.