lly independent editors. In addition, at the request of the journal editors, other entirely independent scientific expert reviewers extensively vetted our article for its accuracy – as is the norm for all authoritative science journals.
Elaine Toland, Director of the Animal Protection Agency Says:“The fact that most reptiles die within a year is truly tragic, and is probably unresolvable because reptiles and captivity simply don’t mix. The trade in wild-caught and captive-bred lizards, snakes, tortoises and turtles is wasteful, destructive and inhumane, and even the most conscientious and well-intentioned keepers cannot realistically provide for all these animals’ biological needs. The public would never tolerate three out of four dogs dying annually in the home, and nor should we tolerate such premature mortality in reptiles. A ban on this high turnover trade in ‘disposable’ animals is long overdue.
Clifford Warwick, Biologist and Medical Scientist says: “The trading and keeping of exotic pets is responsible for decades of ecological, animal welfare and public health harm on a massive scale. Both formal regulation and enforcement, along with years of efforts at educating people about the major problems inherent to wildlife trading have fundamentally and grossly failed to control what has been a persistent and exacerbating environmental, animal welfare and human health mess. The more one looks into the exotic pet trade, the worse it gets. The only way forward is a ban on trade.”
Phillip Arena, Reptile Biologist, Murdoch University says: “Major threats such as habitat loss and climate change mean there is simply less wildlife out there, making human-wildlife impacts now greater than ever. The impacts of the exotic pet industry are additional burdens the world does not need.”
Mark Downs, Chief Executive of the Society of Biology, says: “Most people who purchase exotic pets have no idea of the potential consequences for the individual animal or the whole species, or even their own health. It is important to raise awareness of the issue: the pets we keep in our homes shouldn’t be a threat to biodiversity elsewhere in the world.”
September 2012. The wildlife trade is driven chiefly by consumer demand, largely in developed nations (but increasingly in Asia), and more species are traded to meet international demand for pets than for any other purpose: here.
Virgin births discovered in wild snakes: here.
Researchers have finally succeeded in showing that the spongy tissue in reptile hearts is the forerunner of the complex hearts of both birds and mammals. The new knowledge provides a deeper understanding of the complex conductive tissue of the human heart, which is of key importance in many heart conditions: here.
Dec. 2, 2013 — The Burmese python’s ability to ramp up its metabolism and enlarge its organs to swallow and digest prey whole can be traced to unusually rapid evolution and specialized adaptations of its genes and the way they work, an international team of biologists says in a new paper: here.
- British illegal reptile market banned (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
- Restrict exotic pet keeping, veterinarians say (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
- Baby Blankets Needed for Primates Who Suffered in Exotic Pet Trade (onegreenplanet.org)
- Reptile Awareness Day (margegower.com)
- Recent kangaroo chase leaves Midlanders with questions about exotic pets (mrt.com)