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Following the continuing growth of the exotic pet market in China, officials expressed their worries about the dangers posed by invasive and exotic species to their owners.
According to market inspectors, rich pet owners are buying rare species from overseas, and these species may threaten the country's ecology.
Numerous specialty stores located in one of the largest aviary and floral markets in Beijing are reported to be selling rare species of lizards, spiders and snakes.
During a routine inspection in Guangdong by customs agents, over 100 endangered species of lizards were discovered inside a passenger's suitcase. The owner of the suitcase said that he was going to breed the lizards and sell them to interested buyers in the country.
In another inspection, agents found four species of poisonous frogs in a container shipped to Zheijang Province.
"It's very poisonous. It shuts down the nervous system. Wild animals may contain bacteria, viruses and unknown pathogens," said He Yongqiang from the Zheijang Inspection and Quarantine Bureau.
Over 500 spiders and 100 cockroaches, all of which are not naturally from China, were found in five containers shipped to Beijing from Germany last year.
"They may contend with our native species for resources. They may mate with the native species and create hybrids that threaten the ecosystem. This could eventually develop into serious consequences," said National Medical Vector Monitoring Center head Tian Jie.
Owners of the exotic pets are the ones facing the more serious risks. In the previous year, a pet snake bit its owner, a 14-year-old boy, who almost succumbed to death.
Government officials are warning the public of the life-threatening dangers of owning exotic pets. Increased surveillance at airports and water ports are also advised to stop the illegal importation of dangerous species into China.
