Pet trade – going for the kill
Chinese authorities to keep alert for illegal entry of exotic animals
BEIJING: Entry-exit inspection and quarantine authorities across the nation have intercepted an increasing number of alien species and exotic pets that can pose serious risks to safety and environmental integrity, China’s top authority for entry-exit inspection and quarantine said.
Authorities are remaining alert for illegal entry of such animals as spiders, tortoises and snakes, which are sent to China mostly through mailed parcels.
They said they will take more measures to tighten supervision and hold law violators accountable, according to the General Administration of Customs.
Banned animals, plants and their products were found in more than 42,000 mail and parcel deliveries at ports last year, and harmful species were spotted in 5,147 of them, the administration said.
Although most banned products intercepted were meat, dairy, seeds and sprouts, illegal mailing of live animals became more rampant, spurred by the booming popularity of exotic pets in China, the adminis-
tration said.
The variety of such animals intercepted at ports increased last year compared with 2016. Most alien species were bought by individuals or pet business owners from sources in other countries, or through exchanges, the administration said.
Major alien species intercepted
by quarantine authorities last year included tortoises, spiders, scorpions, snakes, frogs and various types of insects, it said.
The creatures came from almost all of China’s major trading partners, and were found at all major ports on the Chinese mainland, the administration said.
“In general, alien species have strong reproductive abilities, and are strongly adaptable to different environments,” it said.
“They may have no natural enemies in China, so they are likely to reproduce in great numbers and pose serious threats to indigenous species and will damage China’s ecology, biodiversity and agricultural production if they are not properly taken care of and are set free.”
Many of these animals are also carriers of diseases that could cause outbreaks among plants and animals in China, it said.
In addition, some species, such as the Brazilian killer scorpion, poison dart frogs and other poisonous frogs can be dangerous to the public and may even be used by terrorists, the administration said.
All live animals except dogs and cats are banned from being carried by passengers or sent via mail services to the mainland, unless approved by authorities and accompanied by official quarantine certificates from their country, according to Chinese regulations. — China Daily/Asia News Network