October 13, 2009

Reptile Expert Says Exotic Pet Trade 'OK': Breeding wild animals in captivity -- whether at home or in the zoo -- ultimately benefits endangered species, maintains this exotic animal blogger and biologist. Even the exotic pet trade has benefits, says Frank Indiviglio, who also is an herpetologist.

NEW YORK -- Frank Indiviglio was meant to be an exotic animal breeder. The signs were there as a boy, when he crawled through the Manhattan sewer system searching for alligators. He found none, but today, the herpatologist owns a musk turtle, a red salamander, an African clawed frog, and a weather loach -- a slender fish of the Cobitidae family.

Though now the author of several books on reptiles and amphibians, and of blogs on reptiles and fish on the Web site, ThatPetPlace.com, Frank was first a midtown lawyer. But he ditched that human-centered profession to become an animal keeper, and then a zoologist and field researcher for the Bronx and Staten Island Zoos.

Field research was never boring. Frank still has a memento from a tussle with a 217-pound Anaconda in Venezuela. Its tooth is embedded in Frank's wrist to this day.

Though Indiviglio released the Anaconda after data collection, he says breeding wild animals in captivity -- whether at home or in the zoo -- ultimately benefits endangered species. Even the exotic pet trade, Indiviglio maintains, it can be beneficial to exotic animals, but within context.

Now a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, Indiviglio urges a sensible approach to conservation, eschewing those who would claim that vegetarians save animals.

Frank took time off from his adventures to tell Zootoo Pet News more about his work.

What is the biggest misconception people have about reptiles?

Most people believe that reptiles and amphibians operate on instinct alone and are relatively “simplistic” in their behaviors. However, many evince impressive abilities to learn from experience and to retain that knowledge; as regards behavior, their breeding, communication and other strategies are among the most complex known.

Creatures ranging from tiny frogs to huge crocodiles devote a great deal of care to their young, sometimes for years; others, such as the Solomon island skunk, gestate a single youngster for nine months and live in highly complex societies.

While venomous snake bite is a problem in some regions, the overwhelming majority of reptiles are beneficial to us. Their toxins, and the skin secretions of amphibians, are a rich untapped source of novel chemicals, and have yielded a number of important medications.

Why is exotic pet trade important?

Every great biologist, naturalist, animal author and zoo curator started out by keeping animals as pets. It is such people that go on to study animals and become leading conservationists and educators. While reading, travel, and zoo visits are important, nothing inspires one to further efforts as does actually caring for an animal in captivity.

Rare creatures ranging from red-kneed tarantulas to black-footed ferrets have been rescued from extinction by techniques that were first discovered by people keeping exotic pets. Zoos simply do not have the space and resources to study and breed the multitudes of creatures that are faced with extinction in the wild.

The massive wave of amphibian extinctions that has recently swept across all continents and what has been labeled the “Asian Turtle Crisis” have forced professional conservationists to rely upon serious hobbyists for assistance in providing homes to creatures in need of protection.

Experienced pet keepers have also been called upon to house and breed invertebrates, birds and fishes in cooperation with zoo, government and museum sponsored conservation initiatives.

Keeping animals usually leads to breeding efforts. The availability of captive-bred stock always takes pressure from wild populations, rendering collection unnecessary.

What is the down side of exotic pet ownership?

"Delicate species," or animals which are very difficult to maintain, are often purchased by people who are not qualified to care for them. The success of a few specialists makes it appear as though such creatures are easily maintained in captivity. Prime examples are dart poison frogs and chameleons.

Who is best suited for such ownership?

People who are genuinely interested in animals, as opposed to those wishing to own them for their novelty or thrill value, or as an ego-booster. Tarantulas, large constrictors, venomous snakes and carnivorous mammals seem often to draw irresponsible people who keep them for the wrong reasons,

I responded to at least a dozen venomous snake bites delivered to pet owners in the New York City area during my time with the Bronx Zoo. Each victim seemed to have similar personality traits. I’ll refrain from describing them.

Responsible pet owners put their health and safety, and that of other people, above all else. It is irresponsible and dangerous to put the animal “first.” Professional animal keepers never do that. They are also meticulous in their research. In most cases this means people that are willing to seek out books or professional advice as opposed to Internet resources.

Ideally, owners of exotic animals take careful notes and publish or otherwise make their observations available to others, as we know very little about even very common species in many cases. Membership in museum, zoo, research and special interest groups is important.

Do the zoos tend to breed their animals or import them?

Due to the efforts of dedicated hobbyists and professional animal keepers, captive breeding is by far the main source of animals for zoos and responsible pet sellers. Creatures that rarely appeared even in books 10 years ago are now bred regularly.

Collection is mainly limited to emergency situations. For example, frogs of many types were recently taken into captivity in Panama when a deadly fungus swept through the country, causing local extinctions and threatening hundreds of amphibian species. The rescued animals were set up in breeding situations and will hopefully be returned to the wild.

Others find their way into captivity via confiscations of illegally collected animals. Some years ago I was involved in a massive effort to rehabilitate and house more than 10,000 fresh water turtles that had been confiscated in southern China. The animals could not be released due to the lack of protected sites in their native countries, and so were placed with zoos and experienced hobbyists.

After reviewing recent headlines, particularly those in Florida, do you think an exotic pet ban is warranted?

Venomous snakes, giant constrictors and other animals capable of killing people have no place in private collections, but an all-inclusive ban on exotic pets would be ill-advised.

Tragedies caused by reptiles and other exotic pets are given extensive news coverage due, in part, to their rarity and “shock value.” More people are killed yearly by falling vending machines than by wild and captive snakes combined! (EDs. Note: Zootoo Pet News has not confirmed this stat.)

Of course, this does not justify putting dangerous animals of any type, wild or domestic, in the hands of those unqualified to manage them safely. Irresponsible dog owners are at the root of far more animal-inflicted deaths than are any other group of pet owners, and horses and pigs kill many more people each year than do reptiles.

Do you ever rescue animals from unhealthy situations or homes?

Too often. One apartment in Manhattan had been quite literally turned into a swamp and was home to five adult caiman (alligator relatives) while another housed an adult tiger. Venomous snakes, baboons, owls, bobcats, puma and others to numerous to recount have all shown up in New York City residences.

Police summoned by an alarm to a store in Queens once came upon dozens of live and cooked rattlesnakes; a women looking for her duck found it consumed by a serval, an African wild cat.

In you opinion, what is the biggest issue animals face in our global society?

Habitat loss and a misunderstanding or unrealistic view of what constitutes effective conservation action. Urban dwellers and conservationists -- who say “don’t eat this or that animal” -- without providing an economically effective alternative -- are unrealistic and hypocritical, and their efforts will be unrewarded in the long run.

People must become more realistic about wildlife conservation, and move away from emotion-based thinking and towards actions based on scientific fact. People who use wool rather than fur are not conserving animals ... sheep farms, by destroying millions of acres of wildlife habitat, are responsible for far more extinctions than fur trapping.

Likewise, eating vegetables in preference to meat has nothing at all to do with conservation – there are no endangered species roaming the world’s soybean farms. In fact, the major cause of rainforest loss in Brazil these days is clear-cutting to create soybean farms. Well-intentioned people often find concepts such as these are difficult to accept, but such is critical if we are to make a real difference in the fate of most creatures.

What can people do to improve the lives of animals?

Volunteer or otherwise support zoos, aquariums, museums; learn to breed endangered or little studied species in captivity; observe the animals that about in both city and rural environments; support environmentally responsible legislation; pursue a career involving wildlife.

Zootoo Pet News Staffer Elisabeth Brock contributed to this report.