Most Hongkongers back tighter rules for trade in exotic animals, survey by conservation groups shows

About 80 per cent agree blanket ban on some exotics such as yellow-crested cockatoos, green iguanas and alligator snapping turtles needed

Conservation groups say 5.2 million creatures from threatened species imported to city between 2015 and 2021, but only a ‘few hundred thousand’ legally exported

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Yellow-crested cockatoos are offered for sale at a Hong Kong market. Photo: Elson LI

Published: 9:52pm, 6 Sep 2023Updated: 10:44pm, 6 Sep 2023

Most Hong Kong residents polled in a survey have backed a ban on the trade in some exotic species and tighter regulations governing the sale of other animals.

About 80 per cent of those asked said there should be a blanket ban on the importation of exotic pets such as yellow-crested cockatoos, green iguanas, hognose snakes and alligator snapping turtles.

The news came as two conservation groups on Wednesday questioned what had happened to the millions of threatened species imported into the city over the past few years.

WWF-Hong Kong said the information gathered from the survey carried out with the ADM Capital Foundation showed the city imported 5.2 million exotic animals between 2015 and 2021 from more than 90 countries, but “only a few hundred thousand” were legally exported over the same period.

(From left) Sam Inglis and Christie Wong of the ADM Capital Foundation and Dr Bosco Chan of WWF-Hong Kong reveal the results of a survey showing most residents want tougher rules for the trade in exotic species. Photo: May Tse

“It is clear that every home in Hong Kong does not contain two birds or parrots or iguanas or songbirds or geckos, which raises the question, where are they?” Sam Inglis, a wildlife programme manager at the foundation, said.