Singapore keeps a tight rein on the sale and licensing of pets, including banning the keeping of most animals not native to Singapore. But interest in the illicit pet trade continues to thrive.
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NewsTranscript
00:00 This is Rendell.
00:01 He's a reptile pet hobbyist and content creator
00:04 who travels the world documenting his encounters with reptiles.
00:07 For me, I always grew up with a childhood interest in these animals or reptiles.
00:12 And over time, as I grew older, this interest kind of evolved into unchecked obsession.
00:18 And this really culminated in me getting these animals as a pet.
00:23 I knew there'd be consequences for the choices I made.
00:25 He was fined $8,000 for keeping two central bearded dragons
00:29 and a green iguana in his home,
00:31 as well as abetting the importation of an Argentine black and white turgu into Singapore.
00:36 Under Singapore's Wildlife Act,
00:38 those who kill, trap, take or keep wildlife without approval
00:42 may be fined up to $50,000, jailed for up to two years or both
00:46 if the animal is a protected species.
00:48 Despite this, demand for illegal exotic pets remains high.
00:52 People who want to purchase exotic animals largely do so on online platforms
00:56 such as Facebook and Telegram.
00:58 Sellers within the group are often either local backyard breeders
01:01 or breeders based outside Singapore.
01:03 Some even offer smuggling services for an added fee.
01:06 There are also pet shops across the causeway that sell animals such as
01:10 endangered tortoises, meerkats, hedgehogs and snakes.
01:14 The cost of exotic animals can go as low as RM180 or around $50.
01:19 At the end of the day, the ones who bear the brunt of the consequences are the animals.
01:23 I think some people may develop the interest of taking care of these animals
01:27 and some of them whom I've spoken to really believe that they can provide for these animals.
01:33 Even as professionals, I don't think we can provide for all the needs of
01:38 wild animals in captivity.
01:39 The space is never going to be enough.
01:41 Singapore actually takes a whole of government approach and multi-pronged approach
01:45 towards combating illegal wildlife trade.
01:47 We actually work very closely with our partner enforcement agencies in Singapore
01:52 ICA, Singapore Customs and Singapore Police Force.
01:55 We work very closely with international partners as well such as UNODC and Interpol
02:00 where we carry out international operations to actually tackle this illegal wildlife trade.
02:05 In March 2023, we actually caught a truck driver trying to smuggle 337 birds into Singapore
02:12 and they were actually packed in eight plastic containers.
02:15 Because of the rare bad condition of the way it was transported and kept
02:19 there's actually a very high mortality rate for these cases.
02:22 Under CITES regulations, permits are required to import or export endangered species.
02:27 That means you'll have to make sure that the animal
02:30 was legally imported into Singapore with the relevant permits.
02:33 I believe there was an article that came out of somebody's grey crown crane
02:37 loitering around a private estate and then later on it was found out that
02:40 these people actually had the license to keep this endangered bird as a pet in their own home.
02:44 The rhetoric is, while animals can't be kept as pets at home, we won't be able to provide for it.
02:49 But at the same time, it's legal to keep these birds as a pet at home.
02:53 I don't understand the double standard.
02:55 So Peanut is actually a red-footed tortoise native to South America
02:59 and he was found just walking by the roadside in Jurong.
03:03 So whoever kept him decided to just abandon the animal
03:07 or he escaped from someone's house, we don't know.
03:10 Walnut is another red-footed tortoise.
03:14 He was found at Pasir Ris Park.
03:16 So some member of public called us saying they found a very badly injured tortoise.
03:20 The prognosis was poor but he actually pulled through the treatment
03:24 and he still lives here with Peanut.
03:27 Jerry is actually a radiated tortoise who is a critically endangered species
03:31 which means the next step is basically going extinct which is really sad.
03:35 There's only a few thousands left in the wild and at acres we are five.
03:39 Jerry was rescued along with another tortoise whom we named Tom.
03:43 Both of them were found at the bin centre of a condo
03:46 in a cardboard box, abandoned, along with another leopard tortoise
03:50 who also didn't make it through.
03:51 They were in horrible conditions.
03:53 What I would suggest is we are able to refresh the list of legal exotic pets to keep.
03:58 You can do things like make people who want to get these animals go for a course.
04:03 Make us register ourselves in your databases so you know who we are.
04:07 Make us register the animals that we buy so you know where the animals are going
04:13 and if you abandon the animals you'll know that you're doing it.
04:16 And I think we really need to start working together
04:19 because at the end of the day, ethical people who keep these animals do love these animals
04:25 and if they had a chance to work with the authorities to do things the right way, they would.
04:29 It's just that the way things currently stand, there is no legal way to do it.
04:35 [Music]
05:03 (upbeat music)