Banned as pets

Yet more people are being caught red-handed with exotic animals here. Last year, more than 300 creatures ranging from snakes to gibbons and tarantulas were confiscated, about 15 per cent more than the 2000 figure, and eight were fined up to $16,500 for having them.

By Chang Ai-Lien
SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT

MORE wild animals are being found in the clutches of smugglers, pet shops and people who find out too late that they cannot care for these attractive creatures with exotic looks.

This Albino Burmese Rock Python, not native to Singapore, is found in the garden of a home here. --JOHN COSGROVE

Last year, the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) confiscated more than 300 animals, about 15 per cent more than in 2000.

These included a gibbon, sugar gliders - a type of marsupial from Australia - slow lorises, parrots, tortoises, lizards, chameleons, snakes, frogs and tarantulas.

The AVA also investigated 39 cases involving the illegal import, export and possession of endangered species, up from 34 cases the year before.

Explaining the growing numbers, Miss Lye Fong Keng, head of the AVA's Cites unit, said: 'People here are now more aware that it's illegal and sometimes dangerous to keep exotic animals here, so more have been coming forward to give us tip-offs.'

Cites, or the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, is a treaty to ensure that global trade does not threaten animal and plant species with extinction.

Six people, a pet shop and a trader in animal skins were prosecuted last year, and fined between $2,000 and $16,500 for violating the treaty. Two of these offenders also landed in jail for three months for smuggling birds.

In 16 of the remaining 31 cases, offenders were slapped with fines of up to $1,000; the rest received warnings.

The international trade in wildlife is estimated to be worth billions of dollars annually and involves more than 350 million animals and plants per year.

Miss Lye warned that most exotic pets seized by the AVA are not native to Singapore, and that if they are released accidentally into the wild, they could be a threat to the country's vulnerable biodiversity.

Apart from their sharp teeth, she said, there are less apparent dangers.

'Wildlife serves as a reservoir for many diseases which are communicable to domestic animals and humans.'

Creatures which are confiscated are sent to the Singapore Zoological Gardens, the Jurong BirdPark and Underwater World Singapore.

Anyone with information or questions on illegal wildlife trade or possession can contact the AVA on 6227-0670.

Snakes alive!

APART from birds, snakes top the list of animals seized by the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority last year.

The number of snakes seized more than doubled from 17 in 1999 to 46 last year.

In one case, student Joseph Ng, 18, had 26 snakes seized from his Bedok Reservoir flat last year. Among them were cobras, rattlesnakes and pit vipers.

He was fined $15,500.

In housing-dense Singapore, an AVA spokesman said, 'there is a high chance of escaped snakes encountering people. This could be fatal'.

The only pets allowed here are dogs, cats, chinchillas, guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, terrapins, gerbils, and some species of birds and fish.