Caging the wild

Many endangered animals are ending up as exotic pets in homes, thanks to a social media-fuelled craze.

Some of the exotic pets being sold on social media (common caption)

Some of the exotic pets being sold on social media (common caption)

My 12-year-old nephew called me up last month and had a bizarre ask — he wanted to know where he could get hold of an iguana. These lizards, I said, are from the Americas and he could see them at the local zoo. “No!” he yelled, saying he wanted to have one as a pet. When I asked him why he thought that was a good idea, he confessed to having watched a few ‘cute’ videos on YouTube and found these lizards alluring. I knew that in some parts of the world, owning exotic pets — from pythons to tigers — was a craze. Thanks to the influence of social media, India seems to be not so far behind. Now, my challenge was to talk him out of what seemed to be a terrible idea.

Personally, I have nothing against others’ choice of pets. My first pet was neither a cat nor a dog — it was a pair of rabbits. Family legend has it that when my mother said she couldn’t care for the rabbits with my newborn baby brother in tow, I had asked her to give away my brother! So, I get it when people form an unconventional bond with animals other than dogs and cats for companionship. But, having exotic pets, which are often non-native to India, is more than a matter of choice. If one is bowled over by all the cuteness seen in the videos, it’s probably a good idea to hit the pause button and learn more about these animals before buying one.

The legal tangle

Several species of what’s sold as ‘exotic pets’ today are protected by Indian and international regulations. India is a signatory of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) and is obligated to monitor trafficking of a long list of endangered species. One needs proper approvals and documents to import, trade, breed or own any animals on this list, which includes South American marmosets, Madagascar lemurs, African grey parrots and several species of reptiles. As of last year, about 32,000 Indians have voluntarily declared to the government that they own an exotic pet. Yet, a whopping 98 per cent of reptile imports into India are unreported to the authorities.

The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act provides various degrees of protection to many plants and animals native to India. Those on the Schedule I and II of the Act, like peacocks, Bengal monitors, Indian Pythons, parakeets and Indian star tortoises that are sold on clandestine pet markets for a hefty price, are granted absolute protection and are illegal to own, hunt or harm. A violation could result in a jail term and heavy penalty.

Bad for biodiversity

Cities like Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, New Delhi, and Pune are known hotspots of exotic pet trade online in India. Many of these animals are already on the endangered or vulnerable species list, and are trafficked from countries where the implementation of wildlife protection laws are questionable. Once they are captured in the wild and caged, chances are that they struggle to adapt to a life in captivity and perish amidst the noise of our cities. Imagine a South American macaw, evolved to live a life in the Amazonian rainforests, languishing in the corner of a room in our cities. Do what you may, it’s never possible to recreate their homes in ours.

Some exotic pet owners, after the novelty of these pets wanes and the reality of caring for them strikes, choose to abandon them in faraway forests, where these animals have no chance of surviving. If they do survive, they take over the homes of other native species, and soon multiply. Today, the red-eared slider from the Americans is one of the world’s most invasive species because of irresponsible pet owners. Caged birds like budgies, macaws, and parrots, which either escape or are released to ‘fly free’, often end up being eaten by crows and other carnivores. Exotic pets are also reservoirs of unknown viruses and bacteria and could spread them to humans, causing a totally-preventable pandemic.

So, what’s a responsible choice?

Dogs and cats have shared a long history of domestication by humans as companion animals, so we know quite a lot about these species — their behaviours, diets, diseases and illness and what they need to live a healthy life. But, that’s not true for iguanas, marmosets and lemurs.

From their food and nutrition needs to their veterinary care, knowledge is scanty. A misstep could cost a life, and getting the care they need is often a long shot. Also, a plan around what to do with these animals when one is unable to care for them is vital. Owning an exotic pet is ‘cool’, but comes with a ton of responsibility. A mutually beneficial situation for us and these animals would be to steer clear of owning them as pets in the first place. After all, videos and pictures may make one a social-media hero, but may not really be worth the effort!

Tailspin is your monthly column on everything that’s heartwarming and annoying about pet parenting.

The writer is a science communicator and mom to Pippi, a four-year-old rescued Indie, who is behind her drive to understand dogs better. She tweets @RamanSpoorthy