Revealed: The Illegal Online Animal Trade

[sintax]

Revealed: the illegal online animal trade

By Maxine Frith, Social Affairs Correspondent

Published: 16 August 2005


They are marketed as the perfect birthday present for animal-loving children, or a classy addition to the image-conscious suburban home.

However, the products being sold on hundreds of internet sites are not soft toys or unusual knick knacks, but potentially-dangerous live animals from the world's most endangered species.

Gorillas, tigers, and chimps can be bought for as little as a few hundred pounds, despite international bans on their sale.

The illegal online trade in rare and exotic wildlife is now worth billions of pounds and sales are soaring, according to a new report by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/environment/article306187.ece

[Triana]

1. I've volunteered at a local trust...

...that houses some of these 'pets' that idiots adopted. Mostly tigers but other carnivores too. Many of them were found abandoned, after their owners learned how much they eat and that they ARE WILD ANIMALs not pets!

One of them was found tied to a light pole in a grocery store parking lot, others confiscated by a veterinarian after the owner wanted his teeth and claws removed - the vet refused and the tiger got turned over to the trust for the rest of his life. Others were found variously abandoned, neglected, sick, diseased, and abused.

People are S T U P I D, that's all I can say. These animals cannot be returned to the wild - their lives are at the mercy of stupid-assed humans. They are WILD ANIMALS and many are endangered species that need to be LEFT IN THE WILD and protected there.

It's really a shame. Sometimes, I really hate humans - or at least the stupid shit they do. Ugh.

[mike_c]

2. people are such fucking idiots....

On that note I need a drink. People will do anything-- cause any amount of suffering-- for greed. :grr:

[leftchick]

3. The animals facing extinction and a link to IFAW......

http://www.ifaw.org/ifaw/general/default.aspx?oid=239

IFAW is a great organization that gets things done!


The animals facing extinction

TIGERS

Threatened by poaching and loss of habitat, there are only about 5,000 tigers living in the wild; but thanks to the thriving trade in exotic pets, some 10,000 tigers live in captivity in the US. One US website advertised two-week old male and female tiger cubs for just $1,500 each.

RHINOS

All five species of rhino are threatened with extinction, thanks to the trade in rhino horns which are carved into ornaments or used in traditional Asian medicine. A website called "Vintage Louis Vuitton" offered a rhino footstool, but closed when IFAW asked for the necessary documents.

GORILLAS

The bushmeat trade, the captive live trade, and the loss of habitats have devastated the world's gorilla population, with only 650 mountain gorillas surviving in the wild. In January, an advert offered a gorilla for sale in London, "due to relocation of its owner." The price was £4,500.

SEA HORSES

At least 20 of the world's 33 known sea horse species face extinction, due to the trade of live animals for aquariums, and dried sea horses for use in Chinese medicine. IFAW found many skeletons for sale on eBay. One ad said: " This could be your last chance to own one of these little beauties."