Assessment of current trade of exotic pets on the internet in China

doi:10.17520/biods.2019391

Abstract

Abstract:

In order to investigate the trade of exotic pets in China, two 6-week surveys were conducted separately in 2018 and 2019 to analyze the type, volume, and price for sale of exotic pets on four online platforms (Pachongwang app, Zhuanzhuan app, Wechat and Huicongwang). A total of 111 exotic species were recorded across 4 classes, 8 orders, 44 families, and 94 genera—including 94 species (84%, n = 111) in Reptilia, 12 species (11%) in Amphibia, 3 species (3%) in Aves, and 2 species (2%) in Mammalia. Twenty-seven species of exotic pets (24%) were listed as threatened species by IUCN Red List and 45 species (41%) were listed in the CITES Appendix. The number of trade events for 77% of species were fewer than six during the survey. Prices of 58% of species were lower than 1,000 yuan per individual. We propose reforms to the current regulation of the online animal and exotic pet trade given the concerning findings of this study.

Key words: exotic pets, animal trade, Internet, management measures

Yunrui Ji, Ye Li, Fang Liu, Diqiang Li. Assessment of current trade of exotic pets on the internet in China[J]. Biodiv Sci, 2020, 28(5): 644-650.

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URL: https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/10.17520/biods.2019391

https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/Y2020/V28/I5/644

Figures/Tables 5

References 48

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纲 Class	目 Order	科数 Number of family	属数 Number of genus	物种数 Number of species (%)
爬行纲 Reptilia	鳄目 Crocodylia	1	1	1 (1)
	龟鳖目 Testudines	6	26	29 (26)
	有鳞目 Squamata	24	51	64 (57)
两栖纲 Amphibia	无尾目 Anura	8	10	11 (10)
	有尾目 Caudata	1	1	1 (1)
鸟纲 Aves	鹦形目 Psittaciformes	2	3	3 (3)
哺乳纲 Mammalia	啮齿目 Rodentia	1	1	1 (1)
	袋鼠目 Diprotodontia	1	1	1 (1)

纲 Class	目 Order	科数 Number of family	属数 Number of genus	物种数 Number of species (%)
爬行纲 Reptilia	鳄目 Crocodylia	1	1	1 (1)
	龟鳖目 Testudines	6	26	29 (26)
	有鳞目 Squamata	24	51	64 (57)
两栖纲 Amphibia	无尾目 Anura	8	10	11 (10)
	有尾目 Caudata	1	1	1 (1)
鸟纲 Aves	鹦形目 Psittaciformes	2	3	3 (3)
哺乳纲 Mammalia	啮齿目 Rodentia	1	1	1 (1)
	袋鼠目 Diprotodontia	1	1	1 (1)

售卖信息条数 Number of trade events	物种数 Number of species (%)	CITES附录I和II物种数 Number of species of CITES Appendix I and II (%)
< 6	86 (77)	30 (71)
6-10	15 (14)	7 (17)
10-20	7 (6)	3 (7)
> 20	3 (3)	2 (5)

售卖信息条数 Number of trade events	物种数 Number of species (%)	CITES附录I和II物种数 Number of species of CITES Appendix I and II (%)
< 6	86 (77)	30 (71)
6-10	15 (14)	7 (17)
10-20	7 (6)	3 (7)
> 20	3 (3)	2 (5)

价格 Price (RMB yuan)	物种数 Number of species (%)	CITES附录I和II的物种数 Number of species of CITES Appendix I and II (%)
< 1,000	50 (58)	16 (38)
1,000-5,000	30 (35)	12 (29)
5,000-10,000	4 (5)	2 (5)
> 10,000	2 (2)	1 (2)