Renowned Scientist Points Finger at Civil Servants for Growing Problem of Wildlife Abuse

BRIGHTON, England, August 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

The Animal Protection Agency (APA) has welcomed major criticisms by a leading wildlife biologist published in this week's Environment Industry Magazine, which denounces national and European civil servants for their 'disproportionate leniency' towards wildlife traders. 

Renowned biologist and medical scientist Clifford Warwick, who has spent three decades investigating many aspects of the wildlife trade, describes the exotic pet trade in particular as 'out of control'.  In the 'front cover' article, he sets out the staggering scale of this trade, which involves disastrous premature mortality rates. For example, in the UK around 700,000 reptiles enter the pet trade annually but 75% of these vulnerable animals die within their first year in the home. The exotic pet trade also threatens biodiversity and ecology, and presents health risks to people and agricultural animals.  

Warwick states that a major reason why the exotic pet trade has been allowed to flourish is the complacency and incompetence of many civil servants, and their unwarranted partiality towards trade. Warwick comments that "too often the tail of vested interest pet traders is found wagging the guard dog of regulation and enforcement." Examples are given to show how UK and EU civil servants have facilitated or 'mollycoddled' wildlife traders whilst essentially ignoring scientific evidence regarding the global harm inherent to trading and keeping wild animals as pets. Meanwhile, other far less harmful industries have to comply with strict, and stringently enforced, regulation.

Says Director of the UK-based Animal Protection Agency:

"As well as causing animal suffering on a vast scale, threatening ecosystems and jeopardizing public health, 

it is estimated that around 25% of the wildlife trade is illegal and much of the global (including UK) exotic pet trade operates underground. Despite this, civil servants will often bend over backwards to accommodate the wildlife trade rather than, given all its attendant problems, seek to restrict or ban it. As the article points out, traders often hide the real nature of their business and government officials seek excuses to do nothing or even aid animal dealers." 

    Elaine Toland BSc(Hons) FRSPH

Says the author, Clifford Warwick:

"In my view, the exotic pet trade and its treatment of animals can, in many respects, be likened to the immoral and abusive business of human trafficking, only with species and ecological harm thrown in. As with other damaging industries, the proponents of wildlife trade are predictably exploitative, but the public expect governments to stand up for biodiversity protection, animal welfare and public health. However, between the abusers of wildlife and the sincere motives of many MPs and MEPs reside the civil servant 'fixers' who mislead parliamentarians and steer them towards trade-favouring solutions where inertia and false economic reasoning dominate." 

     Clifford Warwick PGDipMedSci CBiol CSci EurProBiol FOCAE FSB

The full article, entitled 'The Exotic Pet Industry', on pages 40-48 of Environment Industry Magazine (Issue 32) can be accessed here:

http://www.environmentmagazine.co.uk/?page_id=6597

• For further information please contact Elaine Toland on +44(0)1273-674253 or out of hours on +44(0)7986-535024.
• To interview Clifford Warwick, please contact the Emergent Disease Foundation on +44(0)7757-267369.

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