Beyond Borders: Combatting Illicit Exotic Pet Trade in India

ABSTRACT

Exotic pet animals refer to those species of animals that are non-native to a geographical area or a habitat and primarily include wildlife species. The exotic pet trade, legal as well as illegal, is a multi-billion-dollar global industry and according to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is the fourth largest form of transnational organised crime. Trafficking in such animals poses a serious challenge to animal welfare and human and animal health. It can result in loss of biodiversity by disrupting ecosystem functions, causing gender imbalances in species populations, and reducing reproductive rates of vulnerable species. India, in recent years, has emerged as a hub for trafficking in exotic wildlife species due to the increasing domestic demand for exotic pets, wildlife, and wildlife products for meat and traditional medicine. It has also emerged as a transit state due to its permeable borders. Internationally, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is the primary instrument that regulates international trade of certain species of wild animals and plants including their parts and derivative products, of which India has been a member since 1976. India to counter the trafficking of exotic animals has introduced the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022 which, inter alia, regulates the trade in CITES listed species and provides for licensing for captive breeding of exotic species. This paper analyses the factors leading to the illicit traffic of exotic pet animals, its global implications, the international and national legal framework and suggests measures that may be taken to curb such trade.

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