Edward O. Wilson's biophilia hypothesis suggests that human beings have an innate tendency to relate to nature. nature. It could be interpreted as the "love towards life" or towards living beings. Perhaps for this reason it is not surprising that so many people in the world want to have pets in their homes, such as dogs and cats, however, there is a trend growing towards other species, such as parrots, guinea pigs, snakes and even exotic cockroaches.
However, can all animals be house pets? In this article on our site we will talk about the ownership of certain animals that should not be pets, explaining why they should not live in our homes, but in nature.
The CITES convention
Currently there is a illegal and devastating traffic of living beings that takes place between the different countries of the world. Both animals and plants are taken from their natural habitats causing an imbalance in the ecosystem, in the economy and in the society of third world or developing countries. We should not only focus on the being who is deprived of his freedom, but on the consequences that this entails for his countries of origin, where poaching and the consequent loss of human life is the order of the day.
To fight against the trafficking of these animals and plants, the CITES convention was born in the 1960s, whose acronym stands for "Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora."This agreement, signed by several governments, aims to protect all those species that are in danger of extinction or threatened due, among other reasons, to illegal trafficking. CITES covers about 5,800 animal species and 30,000 plant species approximately.
Discover which animals are in danger of extinction in Spain.
Wild animals and examples
Wild animals, even if they originate from the country where we live, should never be treated as pets. First of all, it is illegal to keep wild animals as pets. Also, these animals are not tamed and cannot be tamed.
The domestication of a species takes centuries, it is not a process that can be achieved during the life of a single specimen. On the other hand, we would go against the ethology of the species, we would not allow them to develop and carry out all the natural behaviors that they do perform in their habitat natural. We should also not forget that, by buying wild animals, we are encouraging poaching and the deprivation of their liberty.
We give as an example several species that we can find as pets and should not be:
- Leprous Galapago (Mauremys leprosa): this emblematic reptile of the rivers of the Iberian Peninsula is in danger as a result of the proliferation of invasive species and their illegal capture. One of the biggest problems that arises when keeping them in captivity is that we feed them in the wrong way and keep them in terrariums that are not suitable for this species. Due to this, growth problems occur, mainly affecting the shell, the bones and the eyes that, in most cases, lose them.
- Ocellated lizard (Lacerta lepida): this is another reptile that can be found in homes in Spain, although the decline in its populations is it owes more to habitat destruction and persecution due to false beliefs, such as that they can hunt rabbits or poultry. This animal does not adapt to life in captivity, as they live in large territories and locking them in a terrarium goes against their nature.
- European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus): European hedgehogs, like other species, are protected and keeping them in captivity is illegal and carries hefty fines. If you come across this animal in the field and it is he althy, you should never pick it up. Keeping it in captivity would mean the death of the animal, since they do not even know how to drink from a drinking fountain. If he is injured or in poor he alth, you can notify the environmental agents or SEPRONA so that they can take him to a center where he can recover and then be released. Also, being a mammal, we can contract numerous diseases and parasites.
Exotic animals and examples
Trafficking and possession of exotic animals, illegal in the vast majority of cases, in addition to causing irreparable damage to animals, can cause serious public he alth problems, as they may be carriers of diseases endemic to their places of origin.
Many of the exotic animals that we can buy come from the illegal trade, since these species do not reproduce in captivity. During the capture and transfer more than 90% of the animals die. When young are captured, the parents are killed and, without their care, they do not survive. In addition, the transfer conditions are inhumane, crammed into plastic bottles, hidden in luggage and even stuffed into jacket sleeves.
As if this were not enough, if the animal survives until it reaches our home and, once here, we manage to make it survive, they can still escape and establish themselves as an invasive species, eliminating native species and destroying the balance of the ecosystem.
Here are some exotic animals that should not be pets:
- Florida Tortoise (Trachemys scripta elegans): this species is one of the main problems for the fauna of the Iberian Peninsula. Years ago they began to be kept as pets, but of course, these animals live for many years, they end up reaching a considerable size and, in most cases, we get bored of them, causing them to be abandoned. This is how it reached our rivers and lakes, with such a voracious appetite that in many cases it has managed to wipe out entire populations of native reptiles and amphibians. In addition, day after day, Florida tortoises arrive at veterinary clinics with he alth problems derived from captivity and poor nutrition.
- African hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris): with very similar biological needs to the European hedgehog, in captivity this species presents the same problems as the native species. But while the European hedgehog is native to the peninsula, the African hedgehog is not and could displace our species.
- Krammer's Parrot (Psittacula krameri) and Argentine Parrot (Myiopsitta monachus): Currently we have been able to hear about both species, due to the damage they cause in urban areas. But the problem goes beyond that. This species is displacing many other birds in our fauna, they are aggressive animals and easily procreate. This serious problem arose when someone who was holding them in captivity, by mistake or knowingly, released them. Like any other parrot, it suffers from problems in captive situations. Stress, pecking, he alth problems, are some of the reasons why these birds visit the vet and, in most cases, it is due to incorrect handling and captivity.
Is the coypu in Spain an invasive species? We also explain it to you on our site.
Dangerous animals as pets
In addition to being forbidden to own, there are certain animals very dangerous to people, due to the size they reach or their aggressiveness. Among them we can find:
- Coatí (Nasua): This animal is an exotic species from South America. If it is kept in a house, we could never have them loose, due to its somewhat destructive nature and its aggressive character, since it is a wild species, not a domestic one. In Mallorca they are breeding in freedom, creating a serious imbalance for the island's ecosystem, where the hunting season is open all year. Not only have we brought them to our country, but since they are now a problem, we hunt them down.
- Iguana (Iguana iguana): these animals that we buy when they are small, can reach a size of 1.8 meters. They have an aggressive character and attack with their strong tails when they feel threatened or do not want to be disturbed. To keep them in a home, we would need very large facilities and, since this is not possible, they end up being delivered to a specialized center, where they will spend the rest of their days, because at some point someone thought it was fun to take them out of their natural habitat.
