Year of the Monkey? Why you should not own one.

     I meant to post this back in late January/early February, as the Chinese New Year and the Year of the Monkey (which is my Chinese Zodiac Animal Sign) hit.  I'd read an article about how the Pygmy Marmoset, also known as the "Thumb Monkey", is quickly becoming a popular pet in China.  The exotic animal trade is an issue I often think about, especially as there are increasingly more viral videos of exotic pets being spread around social media, normalizing and condoning the trade.  So, what exactly is the exotic pet trade, and why is it bad?  I'll share the stories of two primates, the Pygmy Marmoset and Slow Loris.  I'll also discuss what to consider when choosing a new pet, and how you can help to stop the exotic pet trade.

What do I mean by the exotic pet trade?  
     
     Just one part of the larger exotic animal trade in wild animals and animal parts, the exotic pet trade involves the collection and sale of live animals to and from all over the world.  These animals differ from what most think of as traditional pets in being non-domesticated or wild animals often captured and taken from their natural habitat.  The exotic pet trade is a powerful force, behind only the drug and weapons trades by illegal activity and money involved.  The exotic animal trade as a whole is valued at $10 to $20 billion a year.

Tiger cubs rescued from smuggling.  More tigers are kept in captivity as pets than there are in the wild.

(Photo Credit: BBC News Asia, statistic from National Geographic)

     Now, what is the problem with this besides that red flag of illegal activity?  At the base there is the underlying philosophical issue of taking an animal out of its habitat and home, confining it to a cage, and taking away its freedom to roam and wander as it chooses.  Besides that, there are very serious animal welfare and ecological implications that are inherent in the trade.  Over 50%, and sometimes over 90% of animals in the trade die before being sold as pets.  This happens due to the stress of capture and transport, which can involve crowded, tight spaces, intentional mutilation (discussed below) of animals to make them 'safer' for humans, and lack of care leading to dehydration, starvation, and disease.  Animals that survive to sale often lead short lives, as owners are frequently unable to meet the nutritional, mental, exercise, and health care needs of wild animals.  From an ecological perspective, the exotic pet trade is both a causal factor in the declines of many species as animals are trapped and removed from the wild, and in the spread of invasive species and diseases (some of which are communicable to humans) when many owners lose interest or are unable to care for their exotic pets and release them into the wild.

Rare Yellow-crested Cockatoos discovered in the process of being smuggled on a passenger ship in Indonesia.  

(Photo Credit: AFP/Getty, found in article http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/02/160226-animal-trade-animal-welfare-exotic-pets-cites-wildlife-trafficking/)

Protected Burmese Star Tortoises found in an international mail package labeled as containing toys, entering the US.

(Photo Credit: US Fish & Wildlife Service, found in article http://www.cnbc.com/2012/05/16/12-Seized-Shipments:-The-Exotic-Animal-Trade.html?slide=2)

A tale of two primates in the pet trade....

     With over 5,500 species involved in the exotic pet trade, it isn't difficult to find examples,but the two I'm presenting here are currently highly coveted, being seen almost universally as cute.  First, back to the Pygmy Marmoset introduced at the start of this blog.  This is the world's smallest primate (an adult could sit in your hand), native to rainforests in the western Amazon Basin, and living in family groups of up to nine.  This species is currently declining largely because of the exotic pet trade; hundreds of thousands are trafficked in Peru each year alone, and individuals are being sold for $4500 in China.  Babies are especially prized for their usage in social media "Selfies", and are taken from the wild and from their parents.

Baby Pygmy Marmoset in a typical social media post.

 (Photo Credit: Weibo, found in article http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/no-pygmy-marmosets-are-not-cool-new-accessory)

Top/suggested searches that came up when I typed pygmy marmoset into Google Search.

     The Slow Loris is another animal suffering under the exotic pet trade.  This animal is likely familiar to you from viral videos that frequently circulate Facebook.  Slow Lorises are actually several species that are distributed across southern Asia and western Indonesia, live high in rainforest trees, are nocturnal (active at night, sleeping in the day), travel long distances to find food, and are the only known venomous primate.  This species is difficult to learn about because of its large distribution and nocturnal lifestyle, but it is known that these species are facing habitat loss to logging and agriculture, hunting for fur and use in traditional medicine, and most significantly, capture for the exotic pet trade.  In addition to inhumane transport and housing, before being sold their teeth are typically clipped or pulled to avoid venomous bites.  As pets, they are forced to live under bright lights and are additionally stressed by owners tickling them.  Videos of lorises being tickled frequent social media, but rather than experiencing pleasure, the loris' is raising its arms in fear and as a defense mechanism (the loris' armpit secretions are combined with its saliva to produce venom).  

Slow Loris (Photo Credit: Frans Lanting).

Slow lorises found illegally for sale in Bangkok's Chatuchak market.

(Photo Credit: Mark Leong, Redux.  Found in article http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/02/160226-animal-trade-animal-welfare-exotic-pets-cites-wildlife-trafficking/)

This viral YouTube video shows Sonya the slow loris being 'tickled' by her owner.  Sonya is not raising her arms because she is enjoying the activity, she is raising her arms because she feels threatened and afraid and is exposing venomous glands in her armpit.  Also notice the bright lighting of the room.  Sonya's eyes are adapted for darkness, she is very uncomfortable.  Also notice that she is overweight; her nutritional needs are not being met.

 

This video is by International Animal Rescue, which works to stop the trading of the slow loris.  It talks more about the defense mechanism shown in the viral videos, the practice of teeth clipping, the animal's ecology, and how you can help.

How you can help: Be a responsible consumer and pet owner and do not share viral videos of exotic pets like the slow loris.  

     As discussed above, the exotic animal trade involves serious animal welfare and ecological issues.  Fortunately, there are some very easy ways to help stop this terrible trade.  First, you as a potential consumer have a certain amount of control over the industry through your purchases.  Whenever you are looking to buy any pet, do your research first.  Make sure you can answer:

1. Where did this animal come from?  Was it captive bred or wild caught?  Do not purchase wild caught animals.  
2. Is the breeder reputable?  Are you purchasing your pet from someone who cares for and treats his/her animals with respect and does not overbreed them?  Does he/she have a good understanding of the animal's ecology and care needs?  
3. What is the animal's conservation status in the wild?  Is the animal declining in its native range?  Is this in any part due in part to the exotic pet trade?  The IUCN is a great starting source.  
4. Has the trade of this animal resulted in any ecological issues?  Is this animal currently an invasive species in your country?  Has it contributed to the spread of disease in native species and/or humans?  
5. What regulations are in place that pertain to this species?  You don't want to purchase and own an animal illegally!  If an animal you are considering as a pet is banned in certain areas, that is typically a red flag (I am saying typically out of disagreement with most dog breed-bans, a discussion for another day).  
6. Are you prepared to be the primary caregiver of this animal?  Having any pet is a commitment.  Make sure you understand the animal's care needs and are prepared to meet them.  

You might be tempted to buy a pet in order to rescue it from bad conditions.  Although this may be true on the individual level, your purchase will go towards the continuation of more animal suffering.  A more productive decision is to report any animal cruelty or illegal exotic sales to your local police department, animal control, animal shelter(s), or humane society.  The US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Office of Law Enforcement are in charge of regulating the exotic animal trade and ensuring compliance.  Public vigilance is a major help, as ports of entry where exotics are smuggled into the country are significantly understaffed (Example: 2010 at John F. Kennedy International Airport- 15 agents for inspecting 46,514,154 passengers and 1,379,733 tons of cargo). 

     Another way you can help is by not sharing viral videos and photos of exotic pets.  Although these videos are often cute and funny, they normalize and condone exotic pet ownership, and encourage further purchases.  A much better alternative is to share posts spreading awareness about the dangers of the exotic pet trade, and politely and respectively educate others about this important issue.  

In closing....

     The exotic pet trade is causing animal suffering and ecological damage worldwide.  Although viral videos are condoning exotic pet ownership, wild animals belong in the wild.  The desire to connect with other species is a part of human nature that I understand very well.  However, that connection can be achieved by going out and exploring parks and wildlife refuges, traveling to exotic places and ecosystems, and visiting accredited zoos and nature centers, rather than bringing a a Pygmy Monkey/Slow Loris/Tiger/Wolf-dog/Box Turtle/etc./etc./etc. into your living room.  Pets enrich our lives greatly, and there are a variety of sustainable, ethical options for choosing a companion animal.  There is no need to purchase a wolf, when there are millions of dogs, which have been shaped from wolves into the perfect companion animal through thousands of years of coevolution with humans, in need of homes.  Similarly, instead of risking life and limb by buying a wild cat, you could adopt one of the millions of cats in shelters.  Researchers have found that lions and domestic cats have incredibly similar psychologies, and cats were incidentally domesticated anyway; you can have a miniature lion in your living room, without harming anyone.  

Thank you for reading,

Jess

Sources/Additional info:

Exotic Animal Trade and Exotic Pet Trade: 

• http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/02/160226-animal-trade-animal-welfare-exotic-pets-cites-wildlife-trafficking/
• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-bekoff/the-exotic-pet-trade-horr_1_b_9175608.html
• http://www.spca.bc.ca/animal-issues/wildlife/exotic/about-exotic-animals.html?referrer=https://www.google.ca/
• http://www.cnbc.com/2012/05/16/12-Seized-Shipments:-The-Exotic-Animal-Trade.html?slide=1

Pygmy Marmoset:

• http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/pygmy-marmoset
• http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/no-pygmy-marmosets-are-not-cool-new-accessory
• https://news.mongabay.com/2016/02/the-dangers-of-chinas-thumb-monkey-trend/

Slow Loris:

• http://lemur.duke.edu/discover/meet-the-lemurs/slow-loris/
• http://www.internationalanimalrescue.org/truth-behind-slow-loris-pet-trade

Reporting and legislation:

• http://www.fws.gov/international/travel-and-trade/illegal-wildlife-trade.html
• http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/abuse_neglect/tips/cruelty_action.html?credit=web_globalfooter_id85539248

On dogs and cats:

• http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/03/130302-dog-domestic-evolution-science-wolf-wolves-human/
• http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/no-your-cat-isnt-plotting-kill-youbut-it-has-lions-personality