<
https://theconversation.com/buying-bugs-and-beetles-or-shopping-for-scorpions-and-snails-australias-pet-trade-includes-hundreds-of-spineless-species-207932>
"Shacking up with tarantulas, scorpions, and ants would be a nightmare for most
people. But for others, these creepy-crawlies are welcome companions and
collectables.
Global demand for exotic pets is rising, fuelled by social media and a shift
from traditional brick-and-mortar pet stores to online marketplaces. The pet
trade now extends beyond well known species such as parrots, reptiles and fish
to a wide variety of invertebrates (animals without backbones) – from both land
and water.
In our new research, we explored the rapidly growing trade in land-based
invertebrates across 23 Australian online pet stores and one popular
classifieds website. We found an astonishing 264 species traded online – from
spiders and scorpions, to beetles and snails. The most commonly advertised
species were stick insects, tarantulas and ants – we found a staggering 57
species of ant for sale.
While most of the invertebrates were native to Australia, we also exposed trade
in three highly invasive alien species. The white garden snail, the Asian tramp
snail and the African big-headed ant all pose serious threats to Australia’s
biosecurity. They threaten agriculture, forestry and even public health.
Our research is the first to reveal the scale and diversity of the invertebrate
pet trade in Australia. It’s a fascinating insight into how a hobby or private
passion can become both a biosecurity and conservation threat."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
