Serviving in the Urban Jungle

Lu Kuang-yang, a professor of biology at National Taiwan Normal University, objects strongly. When the streets and alleyways are full of mangy, abandoned canines, which are relatively easy to keep, "What right do we have to raise wild animals, which can create even more problems?" he asks.

Yeh-wang Chen, president of the Taipei chapter of the Wild Bird Society of the R.O.C., believes it is hard to say whether keeping animals is right or wrong in and of itself. It all depends on the time and place and how it is done. At a time when the environment has been spoiled so seriously that even man himself is threatened, we must adjust our behavior to cause the least possible damage to the natural world, and so "the raising of wild animals should be engaged in to a limited extent."

Li Ling-ling, an associate professor of zoology at National Taiwan University, believes that if people truly like animals they shouldn't insist on keeping rare varieties as pets. She recommends sticking with animals like cats and dogs that rely on humans to survive.

The protection of wild animals is governed internationally by the Convention of Washington, which lists all the various protected species under several categories, such as those for which trade is absolutely prohibited in any form, those that can be purchased only by academic institutions or animal protection agencies, and so forth. Almost all of the animals listed are exempt from private trading, but the lists can be updated according to changes in species populations.

The management of animals not listed in the convention is up to the individual country. Most countries that stress environmental protection have regulations identifying species that should not be captured or traded in, but wild animals that are bred or raised by man are commonly excepted.

In the United States, people who want to keep wild animals not listed as protected species still must adhere to various rules and regulations regarding their registration, selling and breeding similar to those for more conventional pets. In that way the government can keep track of increases or decreases in their numbers and provide owners with information on vaccines or other treatment in case of epidemic diseases.

People who keep exotic pets are also encouraged to join clubs and associations, which serve to supervise their members. "The rules in clubs and associations are usually stricter than the government's," says Ch'en Hui-sheng, a falcon fancier who indicates that members of the U.S. Falconry Association who are caught violating its rules may not only be expelled but may also be subject to legal prosecution.

Animal shops in Europe and North America are also deserving of study and imitation, says Wu Hai-yin, a graduate student in zoology at National Taiwan University, pointing to a store in Michigan that specializes solely in lizards legally permitted for trade. Storeowners there are subject to regulations on the size of the cages, the ventilation and so forth, whereas in Taiwan they only seem to care about selling the animals and take no responsibility for what happens afterward.

Last June the R.O.C. passed the Wild Animal Conservation Law, which lists in detail the species of animals that cannot be bought or sold, calls for the registration of protected animals currently being raised, and prohibits wild animals from being abused or mistreated with drugs, instruments or forms of violence. A wild animal research institute has also been set up to carry out specialized research on the island's wild animals, their habitats and related fields of study.

The proportion of people owning wild animals who have registered, however, is "probably only one percent," one expert estimates, indicating that most of them are afraid of fines or confiscation because the sources of their animals are unclear. "Registration is really only for ease in management," a government official explains, adding that smuggling and illegal capturing can be stopped only if everyone registers.

It seems that we still have a long way to go if we want to manage the raising of wild animals properly.

[Picture Caption]

A puppy is treated for an intestinal haemorrhage. Taking care of domesticated animals is a lot of trouble--how much more so wild ones? (photo by Huang Li-li)

Zoos are now being designed to maintain as much as of the animals' natural environment as possible. This picture was taken in Pans. (photo by Vincent Chang)

Quite a few species of birds that are prohibited by law from being traded can be seen in Taiwan pet shops. (photo by Huang Li-li)

Zoos are now being designed to maintain as much as of the animals' natural environment as possible. This picture was taken in Pans. （photo by Vincent Chang）

Quite a few species of birds that are prohibited by law from being traded can be seen in Taiwan pet shops. （photo by Huang Li-li）