Editorial | Hong Kong exotic animals trade cries out for action
- Huge volume of city deals not only increases extinction threat to rare species, but also risks importing pathogens lethal to local wildlife and potentially dangerous to health
Hong Kong values its status as an international hub. But the city should be concerned – and alarmed – that it has been identified as an epicentre for the world’s illicit trade in live exotic pets; concerned because of the threat of extinction of rare species, and alarmed because of the risk of importing pathogens lethal to local wildlife and potentially dangerous to health.
The trade is not new. But the figures seem incredible.
According to ADM Capital Foundation – a regional climate and biodiversity group – thousands of animals are imported each day. The estimated 24.4 million live terrestrial exotic animals imported from 2015 to 2019 included 118,000 snakes, 123,500 mammals, 3.1 million turtles and tortoises.
Only about 2 per cent were re-exported, mainly reptiles such as tortoises and turtles. As we report on Friday, demand for pet spiders and scorpions is putting rare species at risk.
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Dozens of giant tortoises recuperate in Galápagos National Park after attempted trafficking
“We are complicit in extinction-level events because of our demand for the pets,” said Paul Crow, a senior conservation officer at Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, Tai Po. Apart from the threat to rare species, public safety and disease are issues.