Graphic design by Amanda
The layman term for ‘exotic pets’ is any pet that seem foreign or unusual – common examples include snacks and tarantulas.
However, the term for ‘exotic pets’ can be understood more clearly if we looked at it from a country’s law of animal regulation point of view, especially in the case of laws governing the ownership of illegal animals. This makes the definition more complicated and open to interpretation.
Therefore, the subject at hand varies from country to country. For exotic pets in Singapore, the Animal & Veterinary Service states that exotic pets include “birds of prey, reptiles (except the red-eared slider and Malayan box turtle), amphibians (except the green tree frog) and non-human primates”. If an individual is found to be in possession of these animals, they can be fined up to $1,000 per animal.
CITES provides a more detailed list of protected and endangered animals. If an individual, without a CITES permit, is in possession of any of these animals on the list, they can be fined $50,000 per animal.
Click here for the complete list by CITES